Chapter 3

I heard the nurse cry out. I saw Damien go white.

I held my stomach. The room spun.

When I woke up, the nurse told me, "Your daughter is stable. But the baby… I'm sorry."

I laughed. I laughed until the tears wouldn't stop.

A month ago, it was finding out about this baby that had softened me into coming home with Damien.

I'd planned to tell him at three months, and at the same time demand he send Fiona out of the country.

During that first crash, this baby had survived. I'd thought he was lucky.

Now both my pups were gone. One in a coma. One taken from me. Because of the Kane siblings.

I lay back and closed my eyes. The tears stopped coming.

The curtains of the private ward were pulled tight. I was still weak from the surgery and the miscarriage, but I insisted on sharing a ward with Evie, who still hadn't woken up.

Damien had been unusually tender these last few days, down to testing the temperature of every spoonful of food before he fed me, coaxing me in a low voice.

"Sel, I know you've been through too much. I didn't protect you. I didn't protect the pup."

"You can't conceive anymore. I can't give you a pup back. But if you want, we can adopt one. I'll raise him like my own blood."

I pulled my hand out of his. Just looking at him made me sick.

Damien froze for a second. Something helpless flickered in his eyes. Then he frowned, irritated.

"I know you're still blaming Fiona. But she was spoiled. She's never been hurt in her life. This time she really does want to apologize."

"I'll wait for you to come around."

When I didn't move, he finally left.

A few minutes after he was gone, the door to the ward slammed open from outside.

A cluster of young wolves pushed in, laughing, carrying bottles and speakers.

Fiona was at the front, loud and bright. "Sister-in-law, it's my birthday today. I thought I'd share the happiness with you."

"Fiona, this is a ward." I stood up to drive them out.

She only smiled wider and leaned close. "Sis, you're really touchy, huh? But that makes sense. Both pups gone, and I hear you can't even conceive anymore. What do you have left to fight me for my brother with?"

"The worse your life gets, the happier my birthday gets."

My face went white. Fury hit me like a wave. I slapped her before I could stop myself.

The sound cracked through the ward.

Her smile froze. One second later she was on me, her hands around my throat.

"Selene, who the hell do you think you are, hitting me? You think you're still the proper Luna of the Pack?" Her face was twisted, her eyes wild.

I tried to fight her off. I had no strength.

My body still hadn't recovered from the miscarriage. I couldn't even yell.

The suffocation rolled over me. My vision went black. Then suddenly she let go, and laughed.

"Oops, I almost actually strangled you. Can't have that, sis. If you die, there's no one left for me and Damien to hide behind."

Before I could react, several of her girls rushed forward, pinned me down, covered my mouth, and tied my wrists and ankles with strips of bandage.

I struggled in terror. I was no match for them.

"Stuff her in."

Fiona waved her hand. A second later I was crammed into the closet of the private ward.

I thrashed. I couldn't make a sound.

Outside, Damien came back.

"Why are you in here alone? Where's Selene?"

Fiona leaned into him in that soft voice of hers. "She didn't want me to help bring food. Insisted on going out herself. I tried to stop her."

"She's in a bad mood. She's been taking it out on me. Don't blame her."

Fiona pouted. "Selene's been really unstable lately. Big brother, I've been taking such good care of her and the pup. Don't I deserve a reward?"

She stepped closer. Her voice dropped, silky and low. "She's not here anyway, and it's just a breathing corpse in the bed. Let's do something… fun."

My breath almost stopped. My ears rang.

A second later came the rustle of cloth against the closet door.

"Fiona," Damien's voice was low. "No."

"But I want big brother…" Fiona whined, rubbing against him.

I bit down on my lip. What they said next made me sick enough that I couldn't keep the nausea down.

"If our parents hadn't died early, and the adoption could have been undone, you'd have taken me as your mate instead of her. She'd never have been in the picture." Fiona's voice was coy.

"Selene is only cover," Damien said, his voice rough. "Otherwise the way we are around each other would draw too much attention."

"She was going to Sever the Bond. You were scared out of your mind, and you had to beg her back. Well now, she can't conceive anymore. I finally don't have to worry about her holding on to you."

Fiona's breathing went ugly and loose.

Damien. You animal.

I bit down on my teeth until they hurt. My fingernails tore at the wood inside the closet.

Tears rolled down my face and I couldn't stop them.

From beginning to end, I was just the cover they used to hide what they were doing.