Chapter 2

My chest caved in. It felt like a hand had reached in and was squeezing my heart.

Serena pushed Ethan away and stepped back.

"The doctor said it's only been about a month. Getting rid of it now — it's nothing yet."

"I'll leave with nothing. I'll sign the separation documents and hand them to you."

"You... take care of Nora."

She ran for the door before anyone could say another word.

Ethan's face changed. He moved to go after her.

I grabbed his arm on instinct, wanting some kind of answer. He shoved me hard.

"Nora!"

His eyes were full of contempt. His voice was ice.

"No matter how much you act out, this is between the two of us."

"Serena has had severe depression ever since you threatened her six years ago. Any emotional shock and she does something drastic."

"I've spent years helping her get stable. Are you really that cruel — do you want to destroy her?"

"If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you."

I stumbled from the shove, lost my balance, and fell backward. A shard of glass sliced across my neck. Blood rushed out, warm and wet.

Right before I blacked out, I heard Cole and Ethan talking.

"Ethan — Nora's bleeding a lot."

"Call an ambulance and dump her at the hospital. Get this place cleaned up. My mate doesn't handle blood well."

When I drifted back to consciousness, nurses were whispering in the room.

"Mrs. Sterling only had a small scare. Her husband moved her straight into a private suite, won't leave her side for a second."

"And this one — she nearly had her neck artery severed. She's been awake this long and not a single visitor. Poor thing."

"The difference between people. How is it so extreme."

The door clicked shut. I opened my eyes slowly and smiled at no one.

I touched the bandage on my neck. Tears ran down. I wiped them away and got up to find a nurse to pay the bill.

I had just sat up when Ethan shoved the door open and came in. He grabbed my wrist. His voice was cold.

"Nora, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"The deception was my idea. It had nothing to do with Serena."

"If you have a problem with me, come at me. Why did you get your friends in the media to post things calling her a mistress?"

"She just woke up, saw all those comments, and nearly jumped from her window. Did you know that?"

His grip was brutal. The pain turned my face white.

I used everything I had to yank my wrist free.

"Ethan, I didn't do any of that."

He scoffed and shoved his phone in my face.

The screen was full of posts. Serena Sterling, home-wrecker. Alpha's mistress who climbed her way up.

There were also long exposés — Ethan faking his death, constructing a lie to deceive his mate.

Sterling Pack's standing in the territory had already started to shake.

The media outlet that published it all was where my best friend used to work.

Ethan's eyes were cold. His voice dripped with contempt.

"Still going to deny it? Your friend worked there, didn't she?"

"Whenever it involves you, she's always the first one to throw herself in."

I stood there, helpless, and explained.

"She left the country three years ago. She hasn't worked there since..."

"Stop lying to my face."

Ethan cut me off, his voice sharp. Disappointment filled his eyes.

"Nora, how did you get like this."

"You used to be so kind. Now you want to drive Serena and her pup to their deaths."

He paused. His voice dropped, softened slightly.

"Have you forgotten what it felt like when you lost your own pup?"

My head snapped up. I locked eyes with him.

My heart felt like it was being carved open with a dull blade.

Six years ago. The day I found out I was pregnant. I walked in on Ethan and Serena in our room.

I'd just found out about the affair and hadn't confronted him yet. The shock sent me to the hospital.

When I came home that night, I heard them through the door. I ran to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and went at them. Ethan shoved me. I hit the vanity.

Pain. Warmth below. The pup was gone.

After that came his staged suicide threat. After that came my surrender.

My mouth tasted like something bitter.

I pulled a bleak smile.

"Ethan, Serena will never live down being the woman who broke up a mating. That Bond you have with her will always be something to be ashamed of."

"And don't you dare mention my pup."

"Nora, shut your mouth."

Ethan's jaw tightened. His eyes were flat. Not a trace of guilt.

"This is between you and me. It has nothing to do with Serena."

He lowered his voice and looked down at me. The threat was bare.

"You've worked yourself to the bone these past years to pay for your foster mother's heart surgery, haven't you."

"I heard the donor match finally came through?"