Scarlett POV
The second I said it, I got that familiar frown from Jaxen. He looked at me as if I were a kid throwing a tantrum, not his Luna.
"Divorce? What are you thinking? What kind of game are you playing now?"
"Just because the kidnapper called me first, and I didn't believe his bullshit?"
His tone was light and mocking, as if I were telling one of his least favorite obscene jokes again.
"I'm not playing games!" My voice rose, even though my throat was dry and tight from just waking up. "I want a divorce!"
"Stop messing around." Jaxen rubbed his forehead, annoyed. "If your head is clear, go give your statement to the police. The kidnappers haven't all been caught yet."
I looked at the man in front of me and felt a deep wave of sadness.
Did he really think I was the person who would joke about divorce? In his eyes, I was probably still that vain, clingy girl who schemed her way into becoming Luna, his aunt's adopted daughter,r who desperately wanted to be the lead of Iron Claw Pack. There was no reason for me to want a divorce. He most likely just thought I was still shaken from the kidnapping and throwing a fit.
"Jaxen, you..."
Sadness and anger mixed, making my voice louder. But the next second, everything went black, and my legs gave out. I fell forward.
Jaxen moved fast and caught me. His arms were muscular, carrying that familiar pine and Alpha scent, but with zero warmth. "Where does it hurt?"
****
When I woke up again, I was in the Iron Claw Pack's private hospital. The only sound in the room was the low hum of medical machines. I pulled the oxygen tube out from under my nose and sat up with effort. In my daze, I thought I saw Jaxen sitting by the bed, his eyes unusually soft, his voice surprised and happy: "Honey, you're finally awake."
Too bad it was just a hallucination.
I wished so badly that when I woke up, he'd be there, even a bit of care would've been enough.
But the room was empty. He wasn't there.
Where did he go? Was he with Liliana again?
Just thinking about it felt like knives tearing my chest open. I couldn't breathe. I hugged my knees, buried my face between them, and cried silently.
"Hey, Scarlett. You're finally awake."
Delaney's familiar voice came as she walked over and patted my shoulder gently.
I sniffled, wiped my tears, and looked up. "Delaney..."
She saw my swollen eyes and shaky voice, got startled for a second, then sighed with care. "Most people who are kidnapped and stay unconscious for days would be a mess when they wake up. You not having PTSD yet is already impressive."
She patted my back, trying to sound gentle. "It's all over now. You're safe. The kidnappers are mostly caught. No one can hurt you anymore, my Scarlett."
"Yeah... no one can hurt me anymore," I repeated her words weakly, but my voice was full of bitterness.
Delaney pulled up a chair and handed me a washed apple. "Warrick said Jaxen stayed by your side all night, but you didn't wake up. He had to go back to the company. I'm taking care of you now. Eat this."
I couldn't believe my ears.
Delaney nodded. "The news about you and Liliana getting kidnapped has blown up on social media. Everyone's talking about how you were rescued and how much ransom the kidnappers got."
My fingers unconsciously gripped the bedsheet.
Delaney noticed but kept going. "I just didn't expect Jaxen to... He wouldn't pay your ransom, but he dropped a billion for Liliana and even worked with the police to set up a gigantic net to catch the kidnappers."
A billion.
Only for Liliana.
It felt like a hammer smashed into my chest. We were kidnapped together, but he only cared about her. Tears started falling again. I bit my lip hard, so I wouldn't make a noise.
Delaney knew how much I loved Jaxen, so she held back from cursing. She just sighed. "You were out for three days. We were terrified you wouldn't wake up."
I gave a bitter smile, "Maybe it would've been better if I hadn't."
"Don't say that!" Delaney glared at me. "Have you thought about how I'd feel?"
I looked at her, eyes stinging again. We were like sisters. She was my only support in this cold pack.
I took a deep breath, wiped my tears, and looked at her seriously. "Delaney, I need a favor."
"Your body's still recovering. Why are you asking for favors instead of resting?" She looked confused.
"Help me draft divorce papers."
Delaney shot up from her chair, staring down at me with wide eyes. "I'm a lawyer, yeah, but why are you asking me to do that?"
"I'm divorcing Jaxen," I said, each word clearly, my voice still a little shaky but firmer than ever.
"What?!"
Jaxen POV
After Warrick left with the police, the nurse adjusted the machines and left. It was just her and me in the hospital room. The room smelled of strong disinfectant and her faint breathing.
I stood by the bed, looking down at her pale face. Scarlett's eyelashes cast soft shadows under the light. There was an IV in the back of her hand and bandages around her thin wrists.
I reached out and touched her cheek.
I told myself it was just to make sure she was stable; she was still my responsibility.
Then her scent blindsided me. Clean, fragile, with a hint of sweet grass after rain. It was the same scent I caught when I first saw her at seventeen. All my walls, all my masks fell away while she was unconscious, leaving only the raw, real her.
My wolf surged up from the base of my spine as if it had been struck by lightning. This wasn't some family "responsibility." This wasn't political marriage bullshit. It was the oldest call in my blood roaring.
She's mine.
I leaned down, one hand on the bed. My lips brushed her forehead, then I pressed my forehead into the crook of her neck and breathed her in deep. My lips touched her warm skin. In that moment, the bond cracked wide open like a wound.
I felt every weak beat of her heart, like thousands of threads tying us together. Her pain, her fear, and her loneliness all poured into my chest. I almost couldn't stand it. I used every ounce of control I had to pull myself away, stumbling back until I hit the wall and slid down to the floor. I stared at her unconscious form, my eyes burning.
A crack opened in my chest. My wolf whimpered inside, using a gentleness I'd never heard before, repeating over and over:
She's ours.
I slowly stood up, turned, and rushed out of the room. I leaned against the icy wall at the end of the hallway, gasping for air. My fingers were still shaking. I clenched them into fists.
I couldn't get close to her again.
