When I opened my eyes again, everything smelled like antiseptic and cold metal. The ceiling was too white, too clean.

My chest burned. My legs felt like they’d been crushed. I let out a weak sound without meaning to.

“Hey, don’t move,” the nurse said quickly, pressing my shoulder down. “You’ve got three broken ribs and internal bleeding in your liver. You’re lucky you even made it through the night.”

I blinked slowly, trying to focus on her face.

She kept talking, like she didn’t realize every word felt heavy. “Last night was chaos. Only Dr. Jones was on duty, and another patient’s family kept insisting he treat their wife first because she’s pregnant. They were loud about it too.”

My fingers twitched slightly. Pregnant.

“But don’t worry,” she added, softer now. “That woman only had some minor injuries, so the doctor came to you right after. You got treated in time.”

Of course.

She hesitated, then asked gently, “Where’s your family? Your mate? Someone should be here with you.”

I stared at the blanket. My voice came out dry and cracked. “I don’t have anyone.”

She went quiet, and I could feel the pity in her eyes without even looking.

Then I heard voices outside.

“Drake… I’m sorry,” Chiara’s voice trembled, full of tears. “I really don’t know what happened. They were fine before. I didn’t mean for them to lose control. Miss Brightman got hurt because of me.”

Drake’s voice came right after, soft, full of concern. “Chiara, stop blaming yourself. This wasn’t your fault. You got hurt too, remember? You shouldn’t be standing around like this.”

“I don’t care about myself,” she cried. “I just… I feel so guilty. I want to apologize to her properly. I need to tell her I didn’t mean it.”

I clenched my hand. Apologize again.

Drake sighed quietly. “You’re pregnant. You shouldn’t be stressing like this. Come on, go back to your room and lie down. I’ll handle things here.”

“No, I don’t want to go,” she insisted, voice shaking more. “Please… just let me see her. I need to say sorry. I won’t feel better if I don’t.”

Something snapped in me.

I grabbed the cup beside me and threw it against the wall. It shattered loudly.

Silence outside.

Then hurried footsteps.

Drake rushed in. “Wife? What’s wrong? Do you need water? Are you in pain? Tell me, I’ll get whatever you need.”

I looked at him. Really looked at him. His eyes were full of worry, just like before. Just like always.

And suddenly… I felt tired. So tired I didn’t even want to fight anymore.

“Did you check it?” I asked quietly.

He paused. “Check what?”

“The bear and the shadow lynx. Why they suddenly went crazy. Did you look into it?”

For a second, I saw something flicker in his eyes. Then it was gone.

“It was an accident,” he said without hesitation. “Animals lose control sometimes. There’s nothing strange about it.”

I stared at him. “Nothing strange?”

He adjusted my blanket like everything was normal. “You’re overthinking again. Just focus on getting better, okay? Don’t stress yourself with things like that.”

The last bit of light inside me went out.

I watched him quietly, my chest aching in a way the injuries couldn’t explain.

Six years ago…

I remembered it so clearly. I’d gone out alone during a storm to check on a pack’s outer territory. I ended up running into a group of rogue wolves. They surrounded me, their eyes wrong, their intentions worse.

One of them grabbed me, dragged me toward the trees while the others laughed.

I was terrified. I couldn’t even fight back properly.

And then Drake came.

I still remember the look in his eyes. Pure rage.

“Touch her again,” he said coldly, his alpha voice shaking the ground, “and I’ll make sure you beg to die.”

They didn’t listen.

So he broke them.

“Leave them breathing,” he ordered his warriors, voice deadly calm. “But make sure they regret it.”

The screams lasted for hours. Blood everywhere. No mercy.

After that, every single one of them ended up dead or worse.

That was the man who protected me.

But now…

I almost died. I was torn apart right in front of him.

And he didn’t even question it. Didn’t even think for a second that something was wrong. Didn’t even look at Chiara like she could be involved.

My chest felt empty. Completely empty.

“I understand,” I said softly, turning my face away.

He went still for a moment. “Chloe…?”

Before he could say anything else, noise came from outside. Nurses rushing, voices panicked.

“Alpha!” someone called. “The Luna's condition—”

He stood up immediately. “I’ll be right back,” he said quickly. “I’ll get you something to eat too. Just wait for me, alright?”

I didn’t answer.

…

Drake never came back after he left.

I waited for a while. I don’t even know how long. My body hurt, my head felt heavy, and at some point I just… gave up and fell asleep.

Even in my sleep, it didn’t feel peaceful. My chest stayed tight, like something bad was still holding onto me.

I woke up because of pain. Sharp, stinging pain in my arm.

I looked down and saw thick bandages wrapped around it, soaked faintly with blood.

“What… what are you doing?” I asked, my voice weak.

The nurse didn’t even look up. “Changing your dressing. You just had a skin graft, so it’s going to hurt for a while. Try not to move too much.”

My mind went blank. “Skin graft…? What are you talking about?”

She paused, then looked at me like I was the strange one. “You didn’t know? The Luna in the next room had a scrape on her arm. Alpha Thornhill requested that a patch of your skin be used for her treatment.”

My ears rang.

“She just had a small injury,” the nurse went on, sighing. “But you know how it is. Different fates. Some people get worried over the tiniest scratch, and others…” She didn’t finish, but I understood.

My face went cold.

So even my body…

Even my skin… he could just take it and give it to her.

My lips trembled. It felt like I swallowed something burning. “Can you… help me transfer to another hospital?” I asked quietly.

“Transfer?” she repeated. “Why would you—”

The door opened before she could finish.

“Transfer to where?”

Drake walked in, carrying bags of fruits and food. Things I used to like.

He set everything down, took off his coat, and came straight to me. “Why are you talking about transferring? Don’t move around like this. You’re still weak.”

I didn’t answer. I just watched him.

He gently wiped my hands, my feet, like he always did. Then he picked up fruit, peeled it carefully, and held it to my lips. “Here. Eat something first. You haven’t eaten since yesterday, right?”

I didn’t move.

He sighed softly. “Chloe, don’t be like this. You need to eat if you want to recover. Don’t make me worry, okay?”

He scooped up some soup, blew on it until it cooled, and brought it closer. “Just one bite. Come on.”

So gentle. So patient.

Just like before.

And that was the cruelest part.

Because I knew…

He’d do the same for her. No. Even more.

He’d always give Chiara the best portion first. “This one tastes better,” I once heard him say. “You should have this.”

He’d kneel beside her bed, pressing his ear to her stomach again and again. “In a few more months, you’ll feel the pup move,” he’d say, his voice full of excitement. “I can’t wait.”

He’d leave after I fell asleep. I knew. I didn’t need to see it before. But now I could.

I saw him slip into her room at night. I saw the way they looked at each other. The way his hands touched her. The marks they didn’t bother hiding anymore.

And during the day, he’d introduce her openly.

“This is my mate and Luna,” he’d say, his tone proud and gentle. “She’s pregnant. Take good care of her.”

Not me. Never me.

I just watched. Quiet. No tears. No questions.

What was the point?

People who really want to leave… they don’t waste time saying goodbye.

...

The days passed. Cold, slow, empty.

Sometimes, when Drake was with Chiara, I’d quietly make a call.

“Hello… it’s me,” I’d whisper. “How’s the process going? When can I leave?”

“Soon, Ms. Brightman,” the agent would reply. “We’re almost done. Just a little longer.”

And I waited.

On the day I was discharged, I finally got the message.

“Ms. Brightman, your documents will be ready by the morning after tomorrow.”

I stared at the words for a long time.

Then I smiled.

For the first time in… I don’t even know how long.

Finally.

Drake paused beside me, one hand still supporting Chiara. He looked at me like something caught him off guard.

“Chloe… you’re smiling,” he said quietly. “What happened? Did something good come up?”

I shook my head lightly. “Nothing. I just… felt a little better.”

He stepped closer, pulling me into his arms before I could move away. “That’s good,” he murmured. “You should smile more. Don’t stay sad all the time. I’m here, okay? I’ll always be here for you.”

Always.

I gently pulled back, avoiding his hold. “I’m fine,” I said softly.

He looked at me for a second, something uneasy flashing in his eyes. Then he leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Alright. Let’s go home.”

On the way back, he kept glancing at me.

“Are you really okay?” he asked again. “You’ve been quiet. If something’s bothering you, just tell me. You don’t have to keep everything to yourself.”

I looked out the window. “There’s nothing to say.”

He frowned slightly, then reached out like he wanted to hold my hand.

Before he could—

“Watch out!” Chiara suddenly screamed.

Everything happened too fast. A massive black SUV came out of nowhere, crashing straight into us. A loud bang exploded in my ears. And then everything flipped.

…

I had a dream. A long one. Too real. Too painful.

I went back to five years ago… the first time I met him. I could still see back then. I used to love going out alone, exploring pack borders, climbing mountains like nothing could ever touch me.

And then I found him—lying in the middle of nowhere, deep in a dead mountain range, his leg twisted, his body burning with fever. An alpha, half-dead and alone.

I remember kneeling beside him, shaking. “Hey… can you hear me? Don’t die, okay? I’m not strong enough to drag a corpse down this mountain.”

He didn’t answer. So I stayed. I gave him everything I had—my food, my water, my medicine. I stayed awake for days, taking care of him like he was the only thing that mattered.

Three days later, he woke up.

And I… collapsed right after.

When I woke again, he was the one holding me, his wrist cut open, his blood pressed to my lips.

“Drink,” he said, hoarse but firm. “You’re not dying on me. Not after you saved me.”

I tried to push him away. “Are you crazy…? You’ll weaken yourself.”

He shook his head. “I’m an alpha. I can handle it. You can’t.”

He fed me his blood again and again until help came.

Later, when he chased me, when he refused to let me go, he would always say the same thing.

“We survived that place together. That kind of thing doesn’t happen twice. It means something, Chloe. It means we’re bound. Fate, past life, whatever you want to call it… I’m not letting you go.”

I believed him. I really did.

But then the dream twisted.

Everything blurred, and suddenly… it wasn’t me anymore.

I saw him throwing me toward a group of wild beasts, his face cold, choosing her over me without hesitation.

I screamed.

And woke up.

My head pounded. My body felt heavy. My hands and feet were tied, something rough covering my eyes. I couldn’t see anything again.

“Where… where am I?” I whispered.

Voices answered.

“Alpha Thornhill,” a man said, mocking, amused. “You really have some nerve. You crushed my pack, took our territory, left us with nothing. Did you really think I’d just let that go?”

Drake’s voice came low and dangerous. “Jakobi Corvo… rogue alpha. You kidnapped me? You’ve got guts. But you’re signing your own death warrant.”

Jakobi laughed, loud and unhinged. “Death? I already lost everything. If I die, I’ll drag you down with me. But killing you too fast… where’s the fun in that?”

Hands grabbed me, dragging me across the ground. Stones scraped my back and I bit down hard to keep from crying out.

Another voice—Chiara, crying. “Let me go! Please… please don’t do this…”

We were thrown down side by side.

Drake snapped, “Let them go. This is between you and me. Don’t drag them into it.”

Jakobi ignored him. I could hear the smile in his voice. “Let’s play a game, Alpha. You like games, right? I’ve prepared a few little punishments. You just need to choose… who takes them.”

My heart dropped.

“No,” Drake said immediately. “You want something, say it. Land, money, power—I’ll give it to you. Just let them go.”

“Stop wasting my time,” Jakobi snapped. “First game.”

Chains clinked. Low growls followed.

“The first punishment… is blood bait.”

I froze.

“We’ll smear one of them with fresh blood and throw them into a pit of starving rogue wolves,” Jakobi went on, almost cheerful. “Let them chase. Let them hunt. Don’t worry, I’ll pull them out before they die… maybe.”

Drake’s breathing turned heavy. “You’re insane.”

“Choose.”

Silence.

Then suddenly, we were shoved forward. Something cold and wet smeared across my skin. The smell hit instantly—blood.

“No—!” I gasped.

The ground beneath me dropped.

I fell.

Growls exploded around me. I couldn’t see, but I could feel them circling, closing in.

“Drake!” I screamed. “Please—!”

He roared, furious, desperate. “Stop! I said stop! I’ll choose!”

The wolves snapped closer. Claws brushed my leg.

“Who?” Jakobi asked, amused. “Her? Or the pregnant one?”

My chest tightened.

For a second… I waited.

I still waited.

His voice came out strained. “I—”

Then Chiara cried, choking, “Drake… please save me… our pup… I can’t… I can’t die…”

Everything went quiet. Even the wolves seemed to pause.

And then—

“Chiara.”

Just one word.And that was it. Something inside me broke so quietly I almost didn’t notice.

The wolves lunged.

Pain exploded as teeth tore into my flesh, claws ripping, my body dragged and thrown like I wasn’t even human. I screamed until my voice disappeared.

Then they pulled me out only to throw me back again.

And again.

I lost count.

By the time they dragged me out for the last time, I couldn’t even move. I could barely breathe.

“Are you trying to kill her?” Drake shouted, his voice breaking. “She won’t survive this!”

Jakobi laughed softly. “You chose this. Don’t look at me like that.”

I was thrown onto the ground. My body felt numb, heavy, like it wasn’t mine anymore.

“Second game,” Jakobi said casually. “Let’s make this more interesting.”

Something was dragged. Metal scraping.

“A silver whip. Ninety-nine lashes. Alpha Thornhill… choose again. Who takes it this time?”

Drake didn’t answer right away. His breathing was rough, uneven.

My lungs burned. I coughed, choking on blood, my whole body shaking. I couldn’t even lift my head anymore.

So this is it…? Is this how I end

The next second, his answer came.

“Chiara.”

Chiara broke into tears, clutching her chest and looking at me like she’d been saved from death itself. “Chloe already suffered so much. I… I don’t know what to say! I didn’t mean for things to turn out like this.”

I didn’t look at her. I looked at him. Drake. “Why…?” My voice barely came out. “Why is it always her? Tell me, Drake, just once, tell me why.”

He didn’t answer.

The whip came down before I could hear anything else. A sharp crack split the air and pain exploded across my back. I gasped, my body jerking forward, my fingers digging into the rough ground.

Stones cut into my skin and blood smeared under my nails. “One.” Another strike. “Two.” I bit my lip, but the sound still slipped out. “Three…” The pain kept building, tearing me apart piece by piece.

“Drake…” I choked out, my voice shaking. “Does it hurt you at all watching this? Or am I just nothing now?”

No answer.

By the time it reached fifty, I couldn’t think straight. My back was soaked, blood dripping down my sides. “Fifty-five!” someone called out. My vision blurred. My body swayed.

“Stop!” Drake roared, “I said stop hitting her! Can’t you hear me? That’s enough, she can’t take it anymore!” Chains rattled as he broke free, rushing toward me.

For a second I thought, I really thought… But then—

“Drake!” Chiara screamed, “My stomach!! It hurts… something’s wrong! I think I’m losing our babies— please, help me…”

Everything froze. I felt it. That hesitation. Drake stopped. Grabbed her. “What’s wrong? Talk to me. Are you in pain? Don’t scare me like this… breathe, okay? I’m here.”

I laughed weakly.

It came out broken. So this is it… right? Another whip came down. I coughed, blood spilling from my mouth.

“Chloe!” Drake shouted. His voice sounded far away now.

Jakobi laughed, slow and cruel. “Alpha Thornhill, this is getting interesting. I’ve got a medical team ready, but you can only save one. Think carefully… are you choosing her again? Or do you finally want to change your answer?”

Another strike. Another. I couldn’t hear properly anymore. Everything rang. I forced my eyes open. I saw Drake and Jakobi talking, mouths moving, but I couldn’t hear the words. Then Jakobi nodded.

Drake picked Chiara up, held her close, and turned away. He walked off without even looking back. Not once. A laugh slipped out of me, weak and shaking.

“Ha… so this is it…” Ninety-nine lashes, and somehow none of them hurt as much as that moment.

The sky turned red as the sun set, like the world was bleeding with me. Something soft landed on me, a white seabird, its feathers turning red instantly.

“Drake…” I whispered, “Your fate… your bond… all those things you said… they meant nothing, didn’t they?” I tried to breathe but it hurts. Everything hurts. “If there’s another life… I won’t love you again.”

Then darkness swallowed everything.