“Mom, when’s Daddy coming?” Alyssa tugged on my sleeve, eyes sparkling with excitement.

The gym was buzzing with noise—everyone chatting, laughing, waiting for the program to kick off. I forced a smile, trying to calm my nerves, even though they were slowly getting the best of me.

“Soon, sweetheart,” I said, brushing her hair behind her ear. “He’ll be here in just a minute.”

She nodded, but I could see the impatience in her eyes. She always loved when Damon came to these events, especially this one. It was her favorite.

“Can I get a balloon?” she asked suddenly, eyes locked on the vendor at the other side of the gym.

“Sure, go ahead,” I told her, watching her run toward the stand, pigtails bouncing with each step.

I let out a breath, trying to relax, but my gaze kept drifting across the room. Selena was talking to a few other parents, her daughter Clara by her side. My stomach twisted. She was always around, always finding a way to be near Damon. Even after her husband passed, it felt like she was just waiting for her chance to worm her way back into his life, into our family.

But I wouldn’t let that happen. Not on my watch.

I focused on Alyssa, still hopping around in front of the balloon stand, too far away for comfort. I was about to go check on her when the floor beneath us shook, a deafening crash splitting the air. The lights flickered, and then everything seemed to tilt as the gymnasium collapsed around us.

“Mom!” Alyssa screamed.

My heart stopped. I turned, only to see the roof give way and debris falling everywhere.

“No! Alyssa!” I screamed, but my legs wouldn’t move fast enough.

I sprinted toward her, but before I could get there, a huge chunk of the ceiling crashed down, and everything went dark.

I blinked, the dust settling around me. My head was pounding, and my chest crushed under the weight of debris. My heart raced as I searched for Alyssa.

“Alyssa!” I gasped, struggling to move but feeling paralyzed.

A loud, guttural cry cut through the wreckage—it was Damon. My husband.

I heard him shouting for Selena. Then, a frantic voice—Selena’s, calling for help.

“Selena!” Damon’s voice was hoarse, almost desperate. “Where are you?”

“Damon!” I screamed, my voice barely audible as I tried to push the rubble off me. But it was useless. I was trapped. “Damon, help me! Alyssa’s hurt!”

He hesitated. One breath too long.

“I have to help Selena first!” Damon’s voice sounded far away, frantic. “Hold on, Florence! I’ll come back for you!”

No. No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening.

Tears burned my eyes as I twisted, trying to crawl toward Alyssa’s limp form. She was bleeding, her little body still, and I couldn’t reach her.

“Please, Damon!” I sobbed, reaching out. “Help us! Help me save her!”

But the sound of his footsteps faded, and I realized, with a sickening clarity, that he was leaving us behind—choosing Selena and her daughter first.

No. He couldn’t. But he did.

Desperate cries filled the air, and I heard Selena’s voice again, loud and shrill. “Damon! Please! Please help us!”

Damon’s voice answered her, frantic and panicked. “Selena! I’m coming! Hold on!”

Tears streamed down my face as I cradled Alyssa in my arms, feeling her tiny body grow colder by the second.

She was barely conscious, her face pale. "Mom... I'm hurt... I'm hurt..." she whimpered.

I held Alyssa close, whispering comforting words I didn’t even believe. "I love you, baby... Please don’t go. Please."

But her small body grew colder in my arms. And before the rescue team could even reach us, Alyssa’s breath stilled.

I lost her.

And Damon... Damon had chosen Selena.

Everything shattered.

Minutes later, Damon came rushing back, his face full of regret. But it was too late. His choices had crushed me, and there was nothing left to say.

“Florence,” he whispered, looking at Alyssa’s lifeless body in my arms. “I—”

“Don’t,” I cut him off, voice thick with anger. “Don’t say a word.”

His eyes flickered to Selena, standing with Clara—miraculously unharmed—who shot him a grateful smile.

I couldn’t look at them. I had nothing left. Not after all this.

“Florence, I’m sorry,” he said, barely above a whisper. But those words would never be enough.

I turned away, pulling Alyssa closer, unwilling to look at him anymore. The man who chose his ex-wife over his daughter. Over me.

And as the sirens drew closer, I realized this was the moment everything shattered.

Then, here comes Selena’s voice pierced through everything. “Damon!” she screamed. “Clara—Clara can’t breathe! She’s gasping for air!”

Without a second thought, Damon turned and dashed toward her. And just like that, he was gone.

I was left in the rubble, clutching my daughter’s body, her warmth fading with each passing second.

I couldn’t even be angry. The pain in my chest was too much. I was numb. Completely numb.

Rescue teams finally arrived, pulling people out of the wreckage, but all I could do was hold onto Alyssa. The paramedics tried to help, but I knew—deep down—that it was already too late.

The hospital was a blur. All I remember is walking through the sterile, cold halls with empty eyes as they told me what I already knew in my heart.

“Mrs. Nightshade, we did everything we could, but…” The doctor’s voice wavered with pity.

I didn’t need to hear it. I already knew.

“Alyssa is dead,” I whispered to myself, my voice so small.

And then I realized—Damon wasn’t there. He wasn’t there to comfort me. He wasn’t there for us. He was still with Selena.

The morgue was the coldest place I’d ever been, and it had nothing to do with the temperature. They told me I couldn’t stay long, but I didn’t care. I just needed a moment to hold her again.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” I whispered, stroking Alyssa’s hair, even though she wasn’t there to feel it. “Mommy’s sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

The memories came rushing back, each one sharper than the last.

“Daddy, look! It’s a unicorn!” Alyssa’s voice echoed in my mind, her tiny arms wrapped around a stuffed animal Damon had brought back from a trip.

Damon had laughed, crouching down to her level. “That’s right, princess. I knew you’d love it. Unicorns are magical, just like you.”

She’d giggled, hugging the toy tightly. “Thank you, Daddy! Can we play with it now?”

He’d scooped her up, spinning her around. “Anything for you, sweetheart.”

I smiled bitterly, wiping my tears. Those moments used to mean everything to her—and to me.

Another memory hit, this time of them in the clearing during the full moon.

“Come on, Alyssa, keep up!” Damon called, his wolf form just ahead as Alyssa stumbled over her small feet, laughing.

“I’m coming, Daddy!” she shouted, her voice full of joy.

When they came back, Alyssa was grinning ear to ear, covered in mud. “Mommy! Daddy let me run so fast! I’m going to be just like him!”

I had frowned, hands on my hips. “Damon, she’s filthy! And it’s way past her bedtime.”

He’d shrugged, ruffling Alyssa’s hair. “She’s having fun, Florence. Let her be a kid.”

Alyssa had tugged on his shirt. “Can we do it again tomorrow, Daddy?”

“Of course, sweetheart,” he said, kneeling to kiss her forehead. “Anytime you want.”

And she loved him for it. She adored him.

Then Selena came back, and everything shifted.

“Damon!” Alyssa had run up to him one evening, her arms full of the pictures she’d drawn for him.

“Hold on, sweetheart,” he said, his attention on Selena, who was standing at the door with a casserole dish in hand.

Selena had smiled softly. “I just thought you might like this. It’s Clara’s favorite.”

“Thanks, Selena,” Damon said, taking the dish and inviting her inside.

Alyssa had tugged at his shirt again, her little voice growing quieter. “Daddy, look at my pictures…”

“Later, princess,” he said distractedly. “Go show Mommy for now, okay?”

And then there was Clara.

One day, Alyssa had come to me, her lip trembling. “Mommy, why does Clara call Daddy her daddy? He’s not her daddy, right?”

I hadn’t known what to say.

The night I confronted Damon played in my mind like a cruel film.

“Damon, this is getting out of hand,” I said, standing in the kitchen while he leaned against the counter. “Selena is here constantly, and now Clara’s calling you ‘Daddy.’ What the hell is going on?”

He had sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Florence, Clara just lost her father. She’s a kid. She doesn’t understand.”

“So, what, we’re just going to pretend this is normal? That she gets to replace Alyssa like this?”

“Don’t be a killjoy,” he snapped, his voice firm. “It’s not like I’m pushing Alyssa aside. She’s still my daughter.”

“Is she?” I’d whispered, the hurt clear in my voice. “Because it doesn’t feel like it anymore.”

The weight of those memories crushed me now. I stroked Alyssa’s hair again, my voice breaking.

“You loved him so much, baby,” I whispered. “But he let her take everything from us.”

The nurse opened the door behind me, gently reminding me it was time to leave.

“I love you, Alyssa,” I murmured. “And I’m so sorry. I’ll never let him forget what he’s done.”

With one last kiss, I said goodbye.

A few moments later, my phone rang, cutting through the silence. Damon’s name flashed on the screen. For a second, I thought about not answering. But I did.

“Florence?” His voice was hoarse, and I could hear the strain in it.

“Where are you?” I asked, barely able to keep the tears from my voice. “I’m here alone, Damon. Alyssa’s gone. You’re supposed to be here.”

He didn’t respond right away, and I could almost hear the tension in the silence. Finally, he spoke, his voice cold and distant. “I need to stay with Selena. She’s scared. Clara’s in shock, and she won’t stop crying.”

I blinked, the words hitting me like a slap to the face. “Are you kidding me?” I snapped, the anger rising in my chest. “You’re with her? My daughter is dead, and you’re with that woman and her daughter? Do you even care about us? About Alyssa?”

I felt like I couldn’t breathe, like my chest was being crushed by a thousand bricks. How could he be so cold?

“Of course, I care, Florence,” he said sharply. “But I know Alyssa’s not my daughter.”

My heart stopped.

“What?” I gasped. “What are you talking about?”

“I know you’ve been cheating on me,” Damon continued, his voice steady, but there was something dark in it. “With Selena’s husband. She told me last month, and she had proof. Pictures. Videos. I couldn’t break the bond, though, because my father—he’s part of the Alpha Council. They wouldn’t allow it.”

I could barely hold the phone in my hand, the world spinning around me. I wanted to drop it, to scream, but all I could do was sit there in shock.

“No,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “No, Damon, that’s a lie. It’s all a lie. Selena’s faking the proof! She’s poisoning your mind, manipulating you. She’s been doing it for months!”

I heard him take a sharp breath, then the sound of him clicking his tongue.

“I’m sorry, Florence,” he said, his tone flat, like he was already done with this conversation. “But I can’t do this anymore.”

The phone went dead.

I didn’t even have the strength to call him back.

What had just happened? What had he just said? My husband, the alpha of the pack, had just told me he didn’t believe our daughter was his, and he was throwing everything away because of some fake evidence Selena had shown him.

The weight of it all was too much.

I almost collapsed.

How could he do this to us? How could he abandon me in our worst moment, in our grief, for Selena—of all people?

And to hear that he didn’t even believe Alyssa was his daughter... I didn’t know who he was anymore.

I wasn’t sure if I hated him, or if I just hated myself for ever trusting him.

—

The day I buried Alyssa was cold and overcast, as if even the skies were mourning her. The turnout was small—just a few pack members, most of them older wolves who came out of respect for tradition. The others stayed away, whispering about the Alpha’s absence.

Where was Damon? That question hung in the air like a heavy fog, and I could feel the judgment in their eyes.

“He should be here,” I heard one of the elders murmur behind me.

“Too busy with Selena, I bet,” another replied in a hushed tone.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to focus on the small casket in front of me. I couldn’t afford to break down, not here. Alyssa deserved better than that.

After the ceremony, I stood by her grave long after everyone else had left. The silence was deafening, but it gave me a moment to breathe, to feel the crushing weight of it all. My baby was gone, and Damon wasn’t even there to say goodbye.

Then my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, thinking for a moment that maybe, just maybe, Damon had sent a message. Instead, it was a notification from the bank.

“A transfer of $250,000 has been made to Selena Grey’s account.”

My stomach twisted. Transfer? For her? My hands shook as I stared at the screen, the words blurring through my tears.

That night, I sat on the edge of my bed, phone in hand, staring at Damon’s contact. The transfer replayed in my mind, over and over, until I couldn’t take it anymore. I hit the call button, gripping the phone so tightly my knuckles turned white.

He picked up after the fourth ring.

“Florence.”

“Don’t you dare say my name like that!” my was voice shaking with anger. “You sent Selena $250,000? Are you serious, Damon? While I’m burying our daughter, you’re wiring her money? Our money.”

“She has no husband, Florence,” he said flatly, like it was the most logical thing in the world. “Clara is my responsibility—”

“Wait what, responsibility?” I laughed bitterly. “What about me? What about Alyssa? Don’t we matter to you at all? Or is Selena and her daughter all you care about now?”

“This isn’t about you, Florence. Selena is struggling. Clara is just a child—she doesn’t deserve to suffer because her father’s gone.”

“Do you even hear yourself? You’re prioritizing them over your own family. Alyssa is dead, Damon! And you’re acting like she never even existed!”

There was a long pause before he spoke again, his voice colder than I’d ever heard it. “I cared about Alyssa, but let’s not pretend she was my daughter.”

I froze.

“She wasn’t mine, Florence. I told you—I know about you and Selena’s husband."

My grip on the phone tightened as tears burned my eyes. “That’s a lie,” I spat. “She’s lying to you, Damon, and you’re too blind to see it!”

“I don’t have time for this,” he said, and the line went dead.

I stared at the screen, my chest heaving with rage and heartbreak. Then I opened the tracking app on my phone—the one linked to Damon’s.

The hospital. He was at the hospital.

I didn’t think. I just grabbed my keys and left, driving there on autopilot. By the time I reached the hospital, my hands were shaking so badly I could barely turn off the ignition.

I stormed through the hallways, following the tracker until I reached Selena’s room. The door was ajar, and there he was—standing by Selena’s bedside, his hand resting on her shoulder while Clara lay asleep in the corner.

“Damon,” I said, my voice low and dangerous.

He turned, startled, but didn’t move away from Selena. “Florence, what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” I repeated, stepping into the room. “Really? You're asking me that?"

Selena looked between us, her face a picture of fake innocence. “Florence, this isn’t the time—”

“Shut up bitch,” I snapped, glaring at her.

Damon moved toward me, but I raised a hand to stop him. “Don’t you dare calling Selena—”

That’s when I slapped him. Hard.

The sound echoed through the room, and for a moment, no one moved.

“How dare you,” I hissed, my voice trembling. “How dare you abandon me, abandon Alyssa, for her?” I pointed at Selena, who was now clutching her chest like she was the victim.

Damon’s jaw tightened. “Florence stop—”

“No,” I interrupted, my voice rising. “It’s exactly what I think. You’ve chosen her, Damon. You’ve chosen them over us. And for what? Lies?”

“Florence, stop or else—” he said, his voice low and warning.

But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. The rage and pain were boiling over, and I was done holding back.

“You’re not the man I married,” I said, my voice breaking. “You’re a coward, Damon. A coward who let another woman poison his mind against his own family. I hope you’re happy, because you’ve lost me.”

I turned on my heel and walked out, ignoring the way my heart screamed at me to look back.

He didn’t follow.