EPISODE 6M
The antiseptic scent of the hospital clung to my nose when I woke. My body felt sore, heavy in all the wrong ways.
The door creaked open, and a doctor entered with a clipboard in hand, his face drawn in a frown.”
“You’ve been under extreme stress lately,” he said, glancing at the monitors beside me. “Even last night, you nearly succumbed to hypothermia. Fortunately, you were brought in on time.”
“I accidentally got locked and…”
“Whatever the case,” he said with a sigh, “it’s a pity. I’m afraid your body couldn’t handle it.”
He paused, his eyes flicking toward my stomach.
“The baby didn’t make it.”
My breath caught.”
“What baby?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
“You didn’t know?” His expression softened, his tone gentler now. “You were in the very early stages. But yes…, you were pregnant.“}
I stared at him, numb. I was pregnant? I had no idea. Then… the pain I felt last night, was that the baby? My hand moved to my stomach instinctively. It still ached, but now it feels empty. Hollow. As if something had been taken from me.”
The doctor continued, unaware of the storm beginning to churn inside me.
“I’ve already scolded your husband. I couldn’t believe it. He looked decent, but he completely neglected your condition. He should never have let it get this far.“}
I blinked, momentarily confused. “My husband? Who?”
“The man who brought you in,” he replied, frowning at my reaction. Then, seeing the confusion on my face, he hesitated. “He seemed really concerned when he arrived at the ER last night. Is he… not your husband?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t know. But I was certain it wasn’t Lucas. He hadn’t even saved me from when I was kidnapped. Why would I expect him to notice I was gone? My own Alpha had been too busy coddling my sister to even realize I was missing.”
Instead, I asked, “When can I leave?“}
“You should stay for at least a few more days. Your body needs to rest.””
“I’m fine,” I interrupted. “I want to leave.”
He looked at me for a long moment, clearly debating whether to push the matter further. But in the end, he simply nodded.
The ride home felt like drifting through fog. My body moved, but my mind lagged behind, heavy and slow. As soon as I stepped into the house, a familiar scent struck me. It was Lilith’s scent. And not just that. Her scent was mingled with something sweeter, more intimate, thick and cloying with the unmistakable trace of heat.”
I followed it down the hallway to the room that used to be mine. The door was slightly ajar, and I didn’t bother to knock.” From the hallway, I could see them, Lucas and Lilith, tangled in the sheets, both of them naked. Her leg was draped over his waist. His arm was curled lazily around her bare shoulder.
I didn’t feel rage. Not anymore. I just… watched.
Then I laughed. A quiet, humorless sound that echoed too loudly in the silence. Even I was startled by it.”
Without another glance, I turned away and walked to the guest room, where I had been keeping my things. I opened the closet and pulled out a small wooden box hidden beneath my clothes. Carefully, I placed the freshly signed divorce papers inside, followed by the hospital report confirming the miscarriage.”
I stared at the report for a long time.”
My fingers hovered over the printed words, unable to touch them. They described the end of a life that never even had a chance to begin.
Our child.”
A child who died quietly, without even the whisper of a heartbeat.
Then my phone rang. The number was unfamiliar, but I was too numb to care. I answered without thinking.”
“Hello?”
“You left without a word,” said a deep voice.
I froze. It was him, the man who found me locked in that cold bathroom. The one with steady hands and a scent of pine and wolf and something I still couldn’t name.”
411
“I thought you’d still be resting,” he said gently.”
I swallowed, trying to keep my voice from trembling. “I’m at home. Just picking up my things.“}
There was a pause. I could hear his breath in the line, calm but tense.
“I’m outside.“”
I blinked, startled. Slowly, I walked to the window and peeked through the blinds.”
1/1 18.5%
There he was. Standing beside a black SUV I didn’t recognize, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the house like it had personally offended him.8
“Come with me,” he said. “I’ll take care of you.“W
Lucas stirred awake after a few hours.”
The soft buzzing of his phone on the nightstand grew louder, more insistent. He groaned, his hand blindly searching for the device while the pounding in his head reminded him of how much he had drunk the night before.”
As he sat up, rubbing his eyes, his hand brushed against warm skin beside him.
He froze.W
Lying next to him, tangled in the sheets, was Lilith who was naked. Her scent clung to the room, sweet, overwhelming, and unmistakable. His gaze dropped to the marks on his chest and neck, evidence of what had happened.
His brows pulled together as he tried to piece together the night. He didn’t remember kissing her. He certainly didn’t remember sleeping with her. Weren’t they just having a dinner for Lilith’s homecoming? Then what was this…?”
The phone kept buzzing.”
“Damn it,” he muttered, grabbing it and answering without checking the caller ID. “What?““]
“Alpha Lucas, it’s the board,” the voice on the other end said quickly, breathless and urgent. “Something happened. Gold Fang Enterprises just pulled out. Our stocks are crashing. The board of directors is calling an emergency meeting. They want answers.“}
“What?” Lucas sat up straighter, now fully alert. “What do you mean they pulled out? Are you kidding me?“”
“No, sir. Their CEO made the announcement early this morning. They’re pulling all investments and cutting ties with our projects. Other investors are panicking. We’ve already lost half of them.”
“Shit. Alright. I’m on my way.“”
He ended the call and jumped out of bed, reaching for the wrinkled suit he had tossed over a chair the night before. Behind him, Lilith stirred. She stretched, her tone teasing and sleepy. “What’s going on?“}
“I have to go,” Lucas said, hurriedly fixing his collar and searching for his shoes. “There’s an emergency at the company.“”
She got up slowly and walked out into the living room, unconcerned that she wasn’t wearing anything. As she passed the couch, her eyes caught something.”
It was an exquisite box, sitting neatly in the center of the living room. It was impossible to miss. It looked like a well–prepared gift with an elegant ribbon tied in a perfect bow.”
“Oh, what’s this?” She asked with a smile. “A gift for me?”
Lucas glanced up and frowned. “I don’t know where that came from.”
“Really?” She turned it over in her hands and looked for a name tag, but there was none.”
Lucas walked over, something twisting in his gut. He realized he hadn’t seen me after I went to the restroom last night. More importantly, he couldn’t sense my presence in the house. A sudden chill crawled up his spine.
He took the box from Lilith and slowly lifted the lid. What he saw was like a punch to his chest.
2/2
