Chapter 7

The next night, Thalia arrived at the pack celebration in formal dress.

It was held for the Swift Pack’s eldest daughter’s coming-of-age rite, a promise made long ago, so she had to attend. She sat quietly in a shadowed corner, nursing a drink.

As expected, it wasn’t long before Drake and Naeryn made a grand entrance. Naeryn linked her arm with Drake’s, smiling politely. The others assumed Naeryn was his mate and began praising them.

“Drake and his mate have such a sweet bond! We’re so jealous.”

Drake smiled softly, accepting the compliments as if they were true.

Not wanting to watch them any longer, Thalia took her glass and stepped out onto the lodge balcony for air. Her champagne was nearly finished when Naeryn came up beside her.

“Thalia, you’ve already lost. Drake loves me now. Can you really leave little Fiora without a father?” Naeryn said.

Thalia answered with a cold smile. “What exactly are you saying?”

“I want you to leave right now. I want to be the new Luna Valecrown.”

Thalia nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll go. I gave up on Drake long ago.”

She turned to leave, but Naeryn grabbed her arm.

Before Thalia could ask what she meant, someone came up behind and pressed a damp cloth—drugged—over her nose and mouth. Everything blurred.

Just before the world went black, she saw Naeryn’s smirk.

When she opened her eyes again, she was tied to a chair, unable to move.

Naeryn sat bound beside her, wearing a smug expression. “Thalia, if Drake knew we were both captured and could only be saved one at a time, who do you think he’d choose?”

Thalia stared at her. “This was your doing?”

Naeryn laughed. “So what if it was? I only want Drake. Is that wrong?”

A voice at the door announced, “Boss, Alpha Drake is here.”

Two men in black stood behind them, knives glinting.

As Drake stepped in, the leader grinned. “Alpha Drake, lucky man. Two beautiful wolves, but you can only pick one. Choose now, or both die.”

He began the countdown. “Three…two…”

Before he reached one, Drake pointed at Naeryn. “Her. Let her go.”

The man smirked. “Drake doesn’t hesitate. Fine. Deal with the other one.”

He ordered someone to untie Thalia, then shoved her to the floor. In seconds, blows rained down on her.

Thalia clutched her belly, trying to shield the life within. A brutal kick landed. The man laughed at her pain.

“Drake, leave now. If I change my mind, she won’t survive.”

Through the chaos she searched for Drake’s face and begged, “Please…save me, save our pup…”

But Drake did not turn. He took Naeryn’s hand and walked away without looking back.

Tears tracked down Thalia’s face and fell onto the floor as she pressed both hands over her stomach, feeling the tiny life slipping away. She closed her eyes, filled with pain and despair.