Seraphina's POV:
Brayden's scent entered the small ward as soon as the door opened.
His scent had once given me courage during battle and brought me comfort through lonely nights. Now, it reminded me of something dead and decaying, and the smell turned my stomach.
"Seraphina, I'm here." Brayden crossed the room and hurried to my bed.
Several doctors and nurses came in behind him, so he wore the perfect expression of a worried mate.
He lowered himself beside me and placed his warm hand over mine. Then his thumb moved gently across my cheek while he looked at me as though losing me would've destroyed his entire world.
My body went rigid against the pillow as nausea rose in my throat.
His touch felt like a cold snake crawling over my skin, and the disgust nearly made me throw up.
I held his gaze. "Where were you when I needed you, Brayden?"
Not even a hint of sorrow touched his face. "You need to stay strong, Seraphina. Something urgent required my attention, but I made sure the finest doctors stayed with you. You're alive and safe now, so stop throwing a tantrum."
A harsh laugh escaped me. My mate had stayed with his mistress while I fought for my life. He had kissed her while our child died.
How could he stand there and tell me to stay strong?
My throat hurt when I forced out the words. "Return my mother's necklace."
For one brief second, his smile disappeared. Then he put on a patient expression and addressed the nurse. "She has only just regained consciousness, and she isn't thinking clearly yet. Please give us some privacy."
As soon as the door shut, every trace of affection left his face, and only coldness remained.
"Enough, Seraphina." He rose and towered over the bed. "You're causing trouble over a piece of jewelry the moment you wake up. Layla has sacrificed sleep and worked tirelessly to protect the pack. Everyone wants her to wear that necklace."
A disbelieving laugh left me, but the movement strained my wound and sent cold sweat across my skin. "That necklace was the last thing my mother left me! Layla abandoned her position and allowed our defense line to fall. Her cowardice is the reason I ended up in this bed."
"Stop talking!" Brayden shouted. "Layla changed her position because the battle required it. Your own poor judgment and lack of skill caused your injuries. While you've been neglecting the pack, Layla has quietly handled every responsibility you ignored. She deserves the title of Luna more than you ever did."
"She deserves the title of Luna?" I pushed myself upright and gave him a scornful smile. "Did she also take over my place in your bedroom? Has she been lying beside you in the bed that once belonged to us? Tell me the truth, Brayden. You've been sleeping with her this entire time, haven't you?"
A terrible silence filled the ward.
All the color drained from his face before anger rushed in to replace it.
His restraint broke without warning. "You sick woman." Brayden charged forward, seized my shoulder, and forced me down against the mattress.
My head struck the headboard with a hard blow, and darkness covered my vision for several seconds.
"You're really desperate, aren't you? Fine, then I'll give you exactly what you're asking for!" He forced his weight over me and began pulling roughly at the thin fabric of my hospital gown.
His scent flooded the room, overwhelming me and awakening the instinct that made me submit.
My body shook beneath him, yet I fought against his pull.
"Get away from me! I can't stand you, Brayden! You're disgusting!" I used every bit of strength I had to resist him and dragged my nails across his neck, leaving several bleeding scratches behind.
"I'm disgusting? I'm your mate, and you belong to me!" His control vanished as he pressed his face against my neck and bit me with cruel force. One hand moved harshly along my trembling thigh, making every touch feel degrading.
He tried to force himself further, and the pressure tore the deep wound across my abdomen wide open.
Hot blood suddenly poured from my stomach, soaked through the white hospital gown, and spread across the sheets like a dark red flower.
His entire body went still.
Blood covered both his hands when he looked down. The wild anger left his face, and fear finally appeared in its place.
"Get a doctor! Someone call the doctor!"
The door swung open and medical staff flooded in, voices rising in panic all around.
They moved me back onto the examination table as terrible waves of pain pulled me in and out of consciousness.
The white ceiling lights blurred above me, and each one seemed to fade until darkness nearly swallowed them all.
Time lost all meaning before the noise around me finally became quiet.
An elderly doctor later sat beside my bed with a medical report in his hands. The sorrow on his face belonged to someone who had delivered this kind of terrible news too many times.
He released a weary sigh. "Ms. Harper, the wound tore open again, and your uterus suffered severe damage."
My neck felt stiff as I slowly turned to face him.
The doctor couldn't hold my gaze. "I'm truly sorry, but you won't be able to conceive again. Your body can no longer bear children."
