Kane’s POV

Evelyn is light as I feather as I lift her into my arms. I study the fullness of her lips, the small dusting of freckles over her pale nose. Her eyes are closed as she’s lost consciousness.

“Once again, she proves just how weak she is,” Bianca mocks as she comes up to my side. She wraps her hands around my arm, rubbing my bicep. “Come on, Kane. Forget about her. Let's finish what we started.”

I brush her off, making her eyes widen. Perhaps I even mirror her shock as I don’t even understand my own actions.

“Get your clothes and go,” I tell her. Bianca’s jaw immediately snaps open. However, she soon closes it, evidently hurt as she grabs her things and storms out, not caring that she’s still naked.

As she slams the door behind her, my attention goes back to the woman in my arms. Once more, I drag my gaze over her face and down her frail body. She seems thinner, more fragile than she had on our wedding day.

That realization fills me with unease, only confusing me more. Why should I care if she’s lost weight? I’m the one who's been keen on keeping my distance.

But still…this strange feeling won’t leave my chest. Like a tug in her direction that I force myself to ignore, turning endlessly to Bianca instead. But it’s all in vain.

My wolf is constantly demanding Evelyn.

It’s just the mating bond, I tell myself as I make my way out of the room. I walk down the long hall, going to Evelyn’s room. Upon entering, I lay her down in her bed, ensuring she’s comfortable enough before I take my leave.

After, my head is filled with questions that only one person can answer. I go to the dining room, finding exactly who I’m looking for - my Beta, Henri. I’ve tasked him to keep tabs on Evelyn.

“Care to tell me why Evelyn came to my room this morning?” I ask, joining him at his table.

“Good morning to you too,” Henri replies, earning him a scowl. Getting the point, he moves on. “She’s been struggling. It was reported that she went to the hospital in the middle of the night. The wolf that helped get her a car said she seemed to be in immense pain.”

My jaw tightened at this.

“Figure out which doctor treated Evelyn and have them brought to the packhouse,” I fire out the order to him, waiting for his nod before I move on. “Anything else I should know?”

“There’s the bullying from the others,” Henri states. “Other members of the pack have been mocking Evelyn. She’s being treated like an outcast.”

Damn. A wave of anger rolls through me, causing my hands to ball up into fists, my knuckles turning white.

“What did you expect?” my wolf chews out. “You’ve been nothing but cruel to her. They all follow your lead.”

I shake my head, annoyed with his words despite knowing they’re true.

Henri looks at me, his features plain. “How do you want to proceed? Should we take any measures?”

He means, should we intervene and punish those tormenting Evelyn? I roll the idea around in my mind, hearing my wolf growling out his “yes.” However, my own stubbornness causes me to shake my head.

“No,” I state, feeling my wolf’s disapproval. “Her weakness is her own problem. It’s a sin only she can bear.”

Henri stares at me for a moment before he nods. “Alright, if that’s what you want…”

~

I stand by as Dr. Borsheim does a check up on Evelyn. He’s quick but efficient, making sure he leaves no stone unturned as he notes her current state. Finally, he turns to me.

“She’s fine – stable. However, she will be in a coma for a while. Perhaps the next few days,” he states.

“A coma?” I ask, raising an annoyed brow.

The doctor nods. “Her body is trying to take care of itself. Evelyn is in an immense amount of pain due to the heat from your mark and you having sex with another woman,” he explains. “Forgive my boldness, Alpha. But I would suggest your try not to be unfaithful to Evelyn while she is weak and in a coma. It could cause further issues.”

See, this is all your fault, my wolf scolds. Now we’ve put her in danger!

Ignoring him, I clear my throat and offer a nod to the doctor. He seems pleased with my subtle response, allowing him to pack up to leave. Meanwhile, I quickly glance toward Evelyn, watching her peacefully rest.

It’s the complete opposite to the way her features distorted with pain the last time I saw her. If she really is in that much danger, then I suppose I can take a break from sleeping with Bianca while Evelyn is healing.

Even if I don’t understand why she’s in so much pain from my mark if her wolf is so weak.

Evelyn’s POV

I’ve spent the last few days in and out of consciousness. Every time I tried to open my eyes, my body protested, insisting that I needed more sleep.

I had no choice but to oblige, but I was relieved that I was able to sleep for days without feeling any pain. It’s as if it just suddenly disappeared. I’m not sure why, but I’m grateful for its absence nonetheless.

As I open my eyes this morning, I find that my head feels lighter, my eyes clear. I yawn as I sit up, running a hand through my tangled hair.

I can’t believe I slept for days, but perhaps it was my body’s way of protecting me. The scene between Kane and Biance flashes through my mind again and I have to shake it away.

If one thing has become abundantly clear it’s that this marriage isn’t going to work. I can’t go on living like this while Kane gets off.

If he’s really that bothered by my existence then there’s really only one answer. We need to get a divorce. We have to.

Just as I come to the conclusion, my phone suddenly begins to ring. I see it’s my father calling, making my stomach sour as I answer.

“Where have you been?” he instantly yells. “I haven’t heard from you in days.”

I swallow the knot forming in my throat. “I’ve been…sick.”

It’s not technically a lie. Still, he sighs as if I’m a disappointment.

“You don’t have time to be sick - you have other priorities,” he scolds. “Are you pregnant yet?”

His questions hit me hard in the chest, reminding me again how little I matter to him. How little I seem to matter to everyone.

“No, I’m not,” I state, keeping the pain from my voice. “I…I’m thinking of asking Kane for a divorce.”

“What!?” he yells. “You foolish, ungrateful girl! You will not disgrace our family because you do not know how to attract a man.”

“No, father. I -“

“I should have known you wouldn’t be able to handle this simple task,” he continues. “You’ve always proven yourself useless. Your wolf is weak, you’re weak, you’re incapable of being an Alpha, and now you can’t even produce a child. Useless.”

Useless.

The word echoes in my mind. And if that one word is not enough to tear me up inside, his next statement seals the deal.

“I’m ashamed of you.”

I can’t take it anymore. I tear the phone from my ear and hang up. I then throw it further down the bed before I pull my knees to my chest, placing my forehead to my knee.

This is all too much. I’m emotionally and physically drained. My father’s words stay with me no matter how much I try to brush them away.

I wish my mother was here, that she was still alive. If she was then none of this would have ever happened.

My thoughts are interrupted as I hear a knock at my door, causing me to straighten in bed before I call out for the person to enter. I’m surprised to see it’s Dr. Borsheim who comes through the door.

“Dr. Borsheim, what are you doing here?” I ask.

“Happy to see you’re finally awake,” he tells me. “I’ve been staying at the packhouse the last few days while you’ve been in a coma. Kane asked me to keep an eye on you and closely monitor your health.”

Kane requested the doctor’s presence? Really? I find that hard to believe.

“It’s good he asked me to stay, especially seeing as I finally received some information regarding your medication like I’d like to share,” Dr. Borsheim states.

“Oh!” I pop out. “Yes, I’d love to know any updates.”

He nods. “The data I’ve found is quite…peculiar,” he admits.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Well, there’s no easy way of putting this, Evelyn,” he starts. “But it seems that whoever prescribed you this medication was mistaken about its purpose. It’s not meant to strengthen your wolf but actually stunt its growth.”

“W-What?” I brush out.

“It has seriously hindered the development of your wolf, which is why you can’t shift,” he explains. “My advice is to stop taking the drug altogether, if you haven’t already.”

“O-Of course. I will,” I say, my head spinning. Why would my medication be purposely hurting my wolf? My father is the one who gave me those meds - did he know?

A burning feeling in my gut tells me that he did.

He probably never liked being the first supportive male wolf leader and always want to be the Alpha in control.

There might be more between him and my mom that I didn’t know, but I don’t have time to think deeper into that. There are more urgent things.

“But,” I begin. “Is it possible for my wolf to still be saved?”

“That’s a more difficult question to answer,” he admits. “Because you’ve been taking the medication for so long, it’s hard to say if the damages it caused are irreversible.”

His words hit me hard, causing my heart to drop and eyes to glaze over. I don’t fully remember him leaving or even getting out of bed. I’m a mess of disappointment and loss over these new discoveries.

But what’s so strange are the other sensations vibrating through me. I feel…different. However, I’m probably only kidding myself as these sensations seem tied to my wolf.

It’s almost as if she feels…stronger.

I shake my head. I must be making it all up in my mind, trying to raise my own spirits. That’s what I keep telling myself as I manage to shower and get dressed. And even as I leave my room and walk toward the dining hall.

I’m so lost in my own thoughts that I don’t notice the person sneaking up on me until their hand takes a handful of my hair.

I wince as they tug at my scalp. The person turns me so they can shove their face right in my own, bringing me nose to nose with Bianca.

Her cheeks are flushed, her teeth beared. “You piece of slutty trash!” she screams.”What did you tell him!?”

I shake my head, grunting. “What are you talking about?” I ask.

“Don’t play innocent. I know you said something to him!” she screeches, pulling harder. “What did you do to make him stop seeing me!?”

Evelyn’s POV

Wait…

Kane stopped seeing Bianca?

I find it hard to believe since they’d been fucking like bunnies the last week, but then again…my pain had subsided over the last few days. Was that because they hadn’t been together?

Bianca gives me another firm tug, causing me to hiss in pain. “Tell me what you did, slut!”

I grit my teeth against my pain and her words. This is ridiculous. I’m Kane’s wife and yet I’m being bullied by his lover like I’m the mistress.

I bring myself to scoff, laughing at how far she’s willing to go for Kane.

“I didn’t say anything to him, and I didn’t do anything either,” I tell her. “I have no interest in Kane. He’s not some irresistible heartthrob that everyone is dying to sleep with.”

This clearly wasn’t the right thing to say at Bianca’s practically snarls, her face coming even closer to mine.

“How dare you speak like that about our Alpha!” she yells. “Who do you think you are!?”

She seethes as she stares at me and I offer no reply. She then calls over her shoulder, throwing out a few names I don’t recognize.

“Hold her down!” she orders, then turning back to me and bringing her voice to a low and biting tone. “I think we need to remind this bitch where she belongs.”

Before I can do anything, two men are standing on either side of me, taking me by the arms. Bianca lets go of my hair, giving my scalp some reprieve, but my relief doesn’t last long. As Bianca’s lackeys hold me in place, she delivers a sharp slap across my face.

Something in my chest stirs as I bear the pain, as I taste blood from a slight cut that has opened on my lip. I can see Bianca rearing her arm back to slap me once more, but my eyes snap to hers as I give her a deadly glare.

A gasp falls from her lips as she meets my eyes, her skin becoming pale. Simultaneously, both of her lackeys release me as they begin to back away.

“Do you see her eyes?” one of them asks.

“They’re fucking purple!”

Purple? I blink, the color clearly not returning to normal as they continue to stare at me with part fear and part astonishment. If my eyes are changing color like this then…then…

Then it would be a result of my wolf.

I feel it then, a warmth in my chest that tells me it’s her. She’s only just begun to peak her head out, showing slight interest in taking over. Only, it seems she just wants to give them a small taste.

That, and she’s likely not strong enough to do anything more. But still, I can’t help but feel a momentary swell of pride, thankful that she was able to awaken even a little.

Maybe because I didn't take that medication because of my coma during the last few days, my wolf started to recover a bit.

Bianca is finally able to shake her head, dismissing the fear that she showed moments ago when she stepped back. Now she scowls as she barks out at her lackeys.

“You’re not seriously afraid of her, are you?” she shrieks. “There’s nothing to be afraid of! She’s just a weak wolf who can’t even shift!”

As if trying to prove a point, Bianca chooses then to throw herself at me, an enraged scream ripping from her throat as she lands another stinging slap to my other cheek. And then she’s practically rapid as she tears her hands at my throat, trying to take hold of me.

I dodge her blows again and again, catching her nails on my throat a few different times. No matter how much I try to evade her, she’s relentless, longing for blood.

Growing frustrated, a growl tears through me as I try to avoid her assault, but as I continue to sidestep the blows, my body slowly slips from my control. Instead, warmth fills my veins and I can practically sense the purple shine within my eyes. I breathe as I allow my wolf to take over, moving with her as she tackles Bianca to the ground.

I land on top of Bianca, growling once more as I completely overpower her. Showing her exactly where I belong, who I am. The fear is back in her eyes as she realizes she’s helpless, unable to even struggle. I can’t help but smirk at her weakness.

“What the fuck is going on!?”

My wolf shudders as the familiar voice rings out over the lawn, the power of it drawing her attention. And yet, she slips away, leaving me on top of Bianca who now begins to cry - fake cry, that is.

“Kane!” Bianca sobs. “She’s gone mad! I was just trying to be kind to her, but she attacked me out of nowhere! Please, help me.”

Her attempt at feigning innocence makes me want to both roll my eyes and puke. It’s so over the top that anyone can tell that she’s faking it.

I open my mouth to try and plead my own case, but words are instantly lost as Kane suddenly grabs me by the collar. He throws me off of Bianca, sending my light body to slam down to the hard ground. I wince in pain as my hip takes the brunt of the pain, my bones feeling as though they’re rattling within me.

Meanwhile, Bianca’s whining fills my ears as Kane dotes on her. She points to a scrape on her elbow followed by a few other nonexistent areas of pain. “She tackled me,” she tells Kane, sticking out her bottom lip and letting it tremble.

I watch as Kane turns his head, his gaze shifting to land on me. If looks could kill then Kane would have certainly ended my life here and now.

He stands from Bianca’s side, coming over me so he towers over my body. It takes everything in me to keep holding his stare, he’s so domineering as he looks down on me - an Alpha ready for a fight.

“So that’s your game then,” he chews out. “You’ve been pretending to be harmless for days, and now you’ve let your true nature show.” He shakes his head at me, wearing a look of disappointment that could rival my father’s.

“You’re just a cold, calculating woman,” he accuses me. “Appearing kind and weak on the surface, but you’re actually poisonous and dangerous beneath it all. Aren’t you?”

I clench my jaw, knowing that he couldn’t be more wrong about me. Just like everyone else is always wrong about me. They label me what they want as long as it fits their narrative.

I’m so tired of it. I’m so tired of being a punching bag. That’s what I’ve been for most of my life, constantly reminded of how weak I am.

Well, I’m strong enough to fight back.

Dr. Borsheim said it himself – my wolf has been severally stunted by the medication my father forced me to take, but there still may be hope for her.

Even if my wolf is weak, she’s meant to be strong. I want more than anything for her to take hold of the power that she deserves – that is rightfully hers.

Just as I want to take hold of my own power. I shouldn’t have to deal with the pain and suffering that people continuously put on me. Especially Kane and my own family. But perhaps getting rid of Kane is easier.

“Then let me go,” I throw at him. “Get rid of me.”

This seems to take Kane off guard as he stares at me, his brows pulling together. I take his moment of indifference as my opportunity to wobble back onto my feet, huffing once I’m standing again.

“You don’t approve of me, and I don’t approve of you. I don’t want to submit to a man like you, nor do I want to be your mate,” I tell him.

I watch as something seems to flash through Kane’s eyes, but I ignore it as I continue.

“Let’s be done with this and reject each other,” I press. As the words leave my mouth, heat rises within me again. Perhaps my anger, causing me to yell. “Just reject me!”

Following my words, my throat opens as a sudden growl tears through me. It’s not subtle nor is it weak. It’s a growl that echoes even after it’s gone, that sucks the air from your lungs.

It definitely took the air from mine as I pant, shock taking hold of my features at my wolf’s outburst. I want to be more thrilled, to praise my wolf for responding again. But my joy is short lived as I catch Kane’s gaze, the lethal look in his eyes.

He also looks stunned, but that doesn’t smooth any of his sharp edges. Instead, it only seems to harden the cold word that clips from his mouth.

“No,” he said.