Chapter 2

After leaving Hannah's, I immediately booked a flight to Cascade City and made an appointment with a healer there.

The Blackthorn Pack's influence spread throughout the entire northern territory. If I had the procedure locally, Julian would know before I even entered the operating room.

This Blackthorn wolf's sense of smell was terrifyingly acute. He could detect any subtle change in my scent.

In the boarding area, my phone vibrated.

Nina had sent a video.

I should have deleted it immediately, but some self-destructive impulse made me open it.

The video was two and a half hours long.

In it, Nina wore black lace lingerie. Julian still had on that custom suit—the same one he'd worn last night when he said "work needs me."

On the marble kitchen counter, across the solid wood desk in the study, by the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room... they made love in every corner of that villa.

Julian's eyes glowed with beast-like golden light in passion, fangs barely visible. That was the physiological response when wolves became extremely aroused.

And Nina's moans carried the she-wolf's distinctive low calls—signals inviting a mate to mark her.

I stared at the screen, watching the entire video frame by frame.

Each image was like a silver blade, carving out my heart piece by piece. But like a masochist, I forced myself to watch it all.

"Excuse me, miss?" The healer's voice interrupted me. "It's time for your procedure. But... are you sure you're in the right state?"

I realized my cheeks were soaked with tears, my whole body trembling. My wolf instincts were screaming to run, but I suppressed the urge.

I wasn't just heartbroken. I realized that even knowing the truth, I still couldn't let go of my love for him.

Cutting Julian from my life would be like ripping open my chest and tearing out my heart while still alive.

I wiped my tears and decided to give him one last chance—one chance to keep our cub.

I dialed his number. "Julian, where are you? I miss you. Can you come back?"

On the other end, his voice was tight, like he was suppressing something. "Baby, I'm handling urgent company business. Tonight I—" He suddenly grunted, his breathing growing rapid. "I won't be back tonight!"

Then he hung up.

This was the first time in three years together that he'd hung up on me first.

I sat there in a daze, tears falling silently. Minutes later, I took a deep breath and told the healer, "I'm ready. Let's begin."

The procedure was quick. For wolves, terminating pregnancy was more complex than for humans because wolf embryos developed rapidly—a two-month cub already had a faint heartbeat.

When the healer told me "it's complete," I felt a part of my wolf soul torn away.

Late that night, I dragged my weakened body home. There was a message from Hannah on my phone: "Everything's ready. We execute in two days."

I collapsed on the bed. All night I had nightmares—of that unborn cub crying under moonlight, of Julian's massive wolf form chasing me, of myself as a broken-legged lone wolf, never able to escape.

I woke crying again and again, then sank back into darkness. In the early morning hours, I sat in the dark hugging my knees until dawn.

Julian came home the next morning.

He took off his coat and waited for the cold to dissipate before coming to hold me. His body temperature ran hotter than normal wolves—a pure-blood Alpha trait. He opened his tablet and pointed to a private island.

"Lydia, look at this island. I just bought it for our cub." His amber eyes shone with excitement. "And I've already broken ground on amusement parks in every major city. We'll name them after our cub. When the cub is born, we'll hold a hundred-day celebration. I want the entire pack to come celebrate!"

He spoke enthusiastically, not noticing I'd been silent since he walked in.

Then he heard my sobbing.

"Lydia?" He came around to face me, seeing my tear-stained face. "What's wrong?!"

He'd never seen me cry like this. His voice trembled, his eyes flashing blood-red—the sign of extreme wolf panic.

If I had one degree of unhappiness, Julian felt it a hundredfold.

Our mate bond let him sense my emotions. Seeing my tears now, his expression looked like someone was stabbing his heart with a silver knife.

"I'm fine." I avoided his hand. "Pregnancy is just like that sometimes—makes you emotional. That's all."

"Really?" He was visibly relieved. "I'll stay with you all day today. What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you."

"No need." I forced myself to stand. "I need some time alone. Go take care of your business."

Julian hesitated but finally nodded. "Alright. But if you need anything, call me immediately. I'll come right away."

After he left, I collapsed on the couch, my hand lightly pressing on my now-empty belly.

Julian had just talked about buying islands for our child, building amusement parks, holding grand celebrations. But he didn't know—that cub no longer existed. I'd ended it with my own hands yesterday.

I killed mine and Julian's child.

The thought spread through my veins like silver poison. Wolves viewed offspring as the most precious gift, and I—I had rejected the Moon Goddess's blessing.

But I didn't regret it.

That cub should have been conceived in love and loyalty, not grown in the shadow of lies and betrayal.

I didn't want it born into this broken marriage, didn't want it to ask me someday, "Mom, why does Dad have another family?"

I didn't want it to become a second me—growing up amid parents' arguments and cold violence, learning to protect itself with silence.

My phone rang. A message from Nina.

Just one photo: her lying on that bed I recognized, sheets still rumpled. Caption: just three words—"He's amazing."

I stared at that photo as the last shred of hope in my heart died completely.

I'd thought that as long as Julian was willing to turn back, as long as he'd end things with Nina, we might have a chance to start over.

But now I understood.

This wasn't a momentary mistake, not a forgivable one-time affair. This was a carefully maintained double life, a deception that had lasted at least three years.

When I prepared dinner for him in this house, he played with Nina and the children in another home.

When I spent full moon nights alone at home, he was probably accompanying Nina to the pack's hunting ceremonies.

When I felt guilty about being unable to bear cubs, he already had a pair of healthy twin heirs.

I was like a carefully arranged vase, placed in the living room of his "perfect husband" persona for display. The real life played out somewhere I couldn't see.

I picked up my phone and replied to Hannah: "I'm ready. Execute the plan."

This marriage was beyond saving.

Leaving was my only choice.