Chapter 5

Another man burst in, suit a mess. Julian. He grabbed Damon's hands and wouldn't let go. "Where's Serena? How is Serena?"

"She needs surgery, but there are other patients who need blood—"

"Who cares about the others! Save Serena first!" Julian was shouting at the Healer. "Do you have ears? Go!"

Damon's breathing sped up. "No. The other patient is—"

"Damon. Have you forgotten what you promised Serena when she was giving birth? You promised you would never let her be hurt again. Theo is so young. Do you want him to grow up without a mother?"

Damon went still. A long moment. He lowered his hand. He didn't stop them.

Even though she'd known, even though she'd prepared for it, it hurt so much she couldn't breathe. The two men she had loved most in the world had both chosen someone else.

She was so tired. So tired. She thought she saw Nora again. She thought she saw those little bloodied infants. Their innocent eyes on her.

I'm sorry, she said inside. I failed again. I didn't get justice for you.

"Elara—" An alarm was ringing somewhere in the room. Damon seemed to remember her finally. He threw himself over her. "Don't die. Don't you dare die. Do you hear me?"

She used the last of what she had to get a few words out. "Damon. I hate you."

"You hate me? You say you hate me?"

"Open your eyes. Don't you dare fall asleep."

His mouth was still moving. His voice was already far away. Elara fell into a deep sleep.

When she opened her eyes, someone was clutching her. "You're awake. You're finally awake."

Damon Sterling, who had cut throats across every Pack tribunal without blinking, had red eyes. His voice was shaking. "I thought—"

Julian stood behind him with tears in his eyes too. "She's okay. She's okay."

She didn't react. She pushed out of Damon's arms. Without the warmth against him, Damon looked lost. "Elara—"

"Go be with your Serena. I don't want to see you."

Julian snapped first. "Elara. What kind of way is that to talk?"

"Damon pulled blood from a neighboring Pack's reserves all night to save your life. Have you no gratitude?"

She laughed. "Gratitude. For choosing Serena over me when Serena barely had a scratch."

"Oh, brother. That was your choice too, wasn't it?"

"I really don't understand. Where did the brother go who said he'd love me all his life?"

Julian froze. He flushed red and walked out without another word. "Ungrateful." She couldn't tell if he was angry or ashamed.

Damon took her hand instead, his voice thick with guilt. "I'm sorry. Elara. I was panicking. I wasn't thinking."

"You're my Mate. How could I give up on you?"

She didn't answer. She didn't care anymore. It would be over soon.

Damon was determined to make it up to her. He sat by her bed day after day. He didn't answer Serena's calls. He cooked for her with his own hands, did her laundry, sent aides to auction houses for the most valuable gemstones he could find. Even when she didn't respond, he kept talking. "The next pup. Do you want a girl or a boy?"

"A girl, I think. You always wanted a girl."

"When she grows up, she'll inherit the Sterling and Ashford territories both—"

Over a week passed that way. For a minute it almost felt like before Serena. Julian showed up too, carrying the candy Elara used to like as a pup, standing outside her door for hours at a time.

Until the day she came back to the manor. She had barely stepped into the entrance when Serena came running, sobbing, tear-stained and small. "Elara. Hitting you with the car was my fault. But it was an accident. It was!"

"Why did you go to the Enforcers? Why did you file intentional murder charges? Are you trying to kill me?" Serena sobbed against Damon's chest. "If I have a record, what happens to Theo?"

"Elara is so cruel. She won't even spare me and my pup."

Damon looked stunned. He turned to Elara. "You have nothing to explain?"

"Would you listen if I did?" Elara watched the performance and felt something close to boredom. "Fine. I didn't go to the Enforcers. She's lying."

"Why would she lie about this? For no reason?"

Elara laughed. It was pure acid.

Damon took a long breath. He couldn't name what he was feeling. The old Elara—even if she had actually done it, she would have clung to his arm and demanded he take her side. When had she stopped bothering to explain? Was she still angry about Nora?

His voice cooled. "Elara. Apologize. Apologize and I'll drop it."

She bit down on each word. "No."

"I don't apologize to the wolf who killed my daughter."

He laughed, bitter. To Serena, he said, "She's yours now. However you want her to apologize. The guards answer to you."

He paused. He was waiting for her to crack. She only looked at him, and her eyes had nothing in them but cold.

He slammed the door on his way out. Serena dropped the pitiful act the instant he was gone.