Chapter 4

Calvin

There are no words to describe how much I hate her.

Every time I look at her, it boils inside me, this burning rage that never dies. I thought I knew her once. I thought she was a good friend, someone I could trust. We grew up together—me, Sherelle, and her. We were inseparable, or so I thought. But all along, she was nothing but a manipulative, disgusting bitch who wanted to destroy my happiness.

I can’t stand the sight of her. I hate everything about her. The way she looks at me with those wide, innocent blue eyes, like she’s done nothing wrong. Like she hasn’t ripped my life apart. The way she whimpers and shakes when I touch her, pretending she’s the victim when she’s the one who killed Sherelle. My Sherelle. My mate. My love.

I don’t just hate her—I despise her. And I take pleasure in seeing her suffer. Every bruise, every scream, every tear—it’s justice. It’s what she deserves. I enjoy making her life a living hell, watching the light drain from her eyes as she realizes no one will save her, no one will believe her. She’s nothing. Less than nothing. And I’ll make sure she pays for every second of Sherelle’s death with every breath she takes.

I didn’t always think this way. There was a time when I thought Kamrynn was a friend, someone I could rely on. We were close as kids, me, her, and Sherelle. I never imagined she was capable of the kind of evil she’s shown. But the truth always comes out, doesn’t it? The moment Sherelle became Luna, Kamrynn showed her true colors. Jealous, conniving, and twisted.

I thought she loved her sister. I thought she cared. But no. The moment Sherelle was carrying my child, Kamrynn’s jealousy poisoned her. She couldn’t stand to see us happy, to see us build a future together. So, she took it all away. She killed Sherelle in cold blood. She murdered my child before he ever had a chance to take his first breath.

And I’ll never forgive her for it.

The day Sherelle died still haunts me. It was supposed to be a normal day—she was out walking with Kamrynn, pregnant with our son. The guard was with them. Everything was fine. But then Kamrynn returned, covered in blood, screaming like she had no idea what had happened. Sherelle’s body was nowhere to be found. The guard swore he saw Kamrynn attack her, saw her kill Sherelle with his own eyes. And then, he mysteriously died, and Sherelle’s body vanished.

I had to bury an empty coffin.

Every day since then, I’ve been tormented by the fact that I don’t even know where Sherelle’s body is. That’s what keeps me up at night. Kamrynn refuses to say where she’s hidden it, no matter how much I beat her, no matter how much I make her suffer. She won’t break. But I don’t need to kill her. That would be too easy. She deserves to live with the pain she’s caused. She deserves to suffer, to feel the weight of her crimes for the rest of her miserable life.

She took Sherelle from me. She took my child, the future of this Pack. So, she’ll replace him. It’s the only reason I haven’t torn her apart with my own hands. She will give me another child, and once she does, her fate will be so much worse than anything she’s endured so far. She’ll beg for death, but I won’t let it near her.

I hate having to touch her. She disgusts me. But she looks so much like Sherelle that it’s almost unbearable sometimes. Every time I take her, I see Sherelle’s face in hers, and it makes my blood boil. But this is necessary for the future of the Pack. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make, no matter how much I hate her. Once she gives me a child, I’ll have no more use for her.

As I head back from the meeting, I spot the doctor leaving the hallway that leads to Kamrynn’s room. My brow furrows in confusion. The doctor? Why would she be here? Kamrynn’s taken plenty of beatings and she’s never needed a doctor before. She’s resilient, I’ll give her that. She’s taken everything I’ve thrown at her and she’s survived.

So why is the doctor here now?

A suspicion forms in my mind, one I hadn’t considered before. Something urgent must have happened. Something… like pregnancy.

My heart races at the thought. Could it be?

I head straight for the room, the idea swirling in my mind. If she’s pregnant, everything changes. I’ll finally have my child. And then, when the baby is born, I can make Kamrynn’s life an even greater hell. She’ll beg for death, but I won’t give it to her. I’ll keep her alive just to see her suffer more.

As I enter the room, I immediately notice the sheets. Fresh. Changed. And Lysaa is here. My suspicions grow. Kamrynn has taken beatings before—she never needed her sheets changed after a few bruises. Something is different. Something is wrong.

"Alpha," Lysaa greets me with a bow, her voice calm, steady but there's an edge to it. Something is going on here.

I narrow my eyes. "Leave."

She dips her head quickly and scurries out of the room like the coward she is. The second the door closes behind her, my gaze falls on the woman chained to the bed.

Kamrynn.

I step closer, and as I do, I see her body tense. She’s terrified. Good. She should be. My suspicion grows as I watch her shift uncomfortably, her face pale, her hands trembling. I stare at her for a long moment, and then the question spills from my lips.

"Are you pregnant?"

Her entire body goes rigid, and for a brief second, I see the panic in her eyes before she hides it. My lips curl into a sneer. She’s hiding something.

“Answer me, bitch. Are you carrying my child?” I demand, stepping closer to her.

She shakes her head, her voice barely a whisper. "I’m… I’m not pregnant."

"Liar," I hiss. I lean over her, my hands gripping the edge of the bed. "Don’t you dare lie to me."

"I’m not!" she cries, flinching as I move closer. "I swear, I’m not pregnant."

I narrow my eyes, studying her face. She’s good at this. She’s been lying to me for months, hiding Sherelle’s body, hiding the truth. I’ve beaten her, tortured her, done all sorts of things but she’s never cracked. Never broken. But this time… this time she might have slipped.

"Then why was the doctor here?" I ask, my voice low and menacing. "Why did she come if you’re so fine?"

Kamrynn’s lips tremble as she swallows hard. "I… I couldn’t breathe," she says, her voice shaking. "From the… the broken rib."

I don’t believe her. Not for a second. She’s hiding something, and I’ll drag it out of her one way or another. I lean in closer, my face inches from hers.

"Don’t lie to me, you stupid pig," I growl. "Tell me the truth. Now."

Her eyes meet mine, and for a split second, I think I see something—something flicker in her gaze—but then she speaks. "I’m not pregnant," she says firmly, her voice steadier now. "I’m not."

I search her face, my eyes narrowing. She’s too calm. Too sure. There’s no sign of a lie, but there’s also no relief in her voice. It’s almost like… she doesn’t care.

I grit my teeth, my frustration boiling over. I raise my hand and smack her hard across the face. Her head snaps to the side, and a red mark blooms on her cheek almost immediately.

"Are you even capable of having children?" I snarl. "I’ve been fucking you for nine months straight and nothing. Maybe the Moon Goddess is punishing you for your crimes, making you barren."

She stays silent, not even daring to look up at me.

"I don’t care how you do it," I say, my voice dripping with venom. "You will give me a child. You’ll replace the one you killed."

She doesn’t answer. She never does.

I grip her chin, forcing her to look at me. "Maybe I’m not fucking you hard enough," I sneer. "Get on all fours."

For a moment, she hesitates, her eyes flickering with something that almost looks like defiance. Then she speaks, her voice shaking. "I’m… not feeling well."

I open my mouth to respond, but before I can, my mother’s voice comes through the mind link, urgent and insistent. She wants to meet with me in her room. Something important.

I let out a growl of frustration and release Kamrynn’s chin, pushing away from the bed. "Fine," I snap. "But don’t think this is over, bitch. I'll break you one way or another."

I throw the door open and storm out, the fury simmering in my chest. I hate leaving her alive like this. I hate knowing she’s still breathing, still in my Pack, still here after everything she’s done.

But I need her. I need her to carry my child, to replace the future she stole from me. And once that’s done… then I’ll take everything from her. Everything.

I make my way down the hall, my mother’s mind link buzzing in my head. Whatever she wants to discuss better be important. I can’t shake the image of Kamrynn lying there, as if she has nothing left to give. But she’s hiding something. I know she is. I’ll figure it out, and when I do… she’ll wish she’d never been born.