Selena’s POV

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I just lay in bed, staring at the darkness.

Cole lay beside me for a while, but I noticed when he slipped out of bed at midnight, thinking I was asleep.

I kept my eyes shut, breathing calmly till the door clicked shut behind him.

For a long time, I lay there in silence. I could hear Cole’s voice and Lydia’s giggles through my enhanced hearing.

I pressed my hands to my belly. I had life growing inside me, but Cole didn’t know yet, and I would make sure he never did.

The next morning, Cole walked in with a smile on his face, like he hadn’t just spent the night in another room with my best friend. I had heard every single thing.

“Selena,” he said carefully, “we need to talk.”

The way he said it made my stomach twist.

“What now?” I asked, scowling instantly.

He hesitated, then he cleared his throat. “Lydia… Lydia shouldn’t be cramped in the guest room. She’s pregnant. She needs space and comfort.”

I blinked at him. My mind tried to process his words. “Comfort?”

He nodded. “Yes. The master bedroom is bigger and more comfortable. It makes sense for her to have it.”

For a moment, I thought I had heard him wrong. I released a laugh of disbelief. “You want me to give up my bedroom… to Lydia?”

His jaw tightened. “It’s not forever. Just until the pup is born.”

I stared at him, resisting the urge to strangle him. My wolf snarled viciously inside me.

I wanted to shout that I was pregnant too. That my pup deserved space and comfort, not Lydia’s bastard.

But I said nothing. He was a murderer. He didn’t deserve to know.

He continued. “Selena, you’ve been enjoying the comfortable room for years. Lydia is pregnant. Shouldn’t she be the one most comfortable now? Don’t you think it’s time you made a little sacrifice for your pack sister?”

I kept my lips pressed together, forcing myself not to react. What was the point? Very soon, I would be gone and forever erased.

So I swallowed the scream. My nails dug into my palms. “Okay,” I whispered shakily.

Besides, it was convenient for me because I was already packing my things.

His shoulders relaxed and he sighed in relief. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead gently. I felt so repulsed that I almost shuddered.

“Cole?” Lydia called from down the hallway.

Immediately, he turned to leave without any delay.

“Hold on, Cole,” I said calmly.

I forced my hands to stay steady as I picked up the folder I had placed on the table. “Before you go,” I said calmly, “I need your signature on something.”

He frowned impatiently. “Selena, not now—”

“It’s just some minor paperwork for the healers,” I interrupted softly. “It won’t take time.”

He hesitated, narrowing his eyes, then Lydia called him again. “Cole!”

“Fine. Give it here,” he snapped.

I handed him the document with a blank expression on my face. He didn’t even glance at the words as he signed.

I kept my face neutral, but inside, my heart pounded. He had no idea what he had just done.

“Is that all?” he grunted.

“Yes,” I whispered.

He didn’t wait for more. He was already out the door before I could even finish replying.

The moment he left, I called my advisor.

“End my bond with Alpha Hale. Withdraw all my secret support from the Blue Moon pack and all its businesses.”

Cole never knew I had been backing him from the shadows. I had been funding his warriors, sharing my resources, and sponsoring his businesses. But that ends tonight.

“You will pay, Alpha Cole Hale.” I said aloud to myself.

Then a humourless laughter escaped my lips.

Some minutes later, Lydia appeared in the doorway, her voice filled with fake sweetness. “Selena, let me help.”

Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. I knew that smile. I had seen it when she comforted me after Nora’s death.

I wanted to scream at her to get out, to shift and yank her hair out. Instead, I forced a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it.”

She walked in anyway, glancing around at the empty shelves. “Don’t worry, I’m good at organizing. I’ll take care of everything.”

She walked straight to my dresser where I kept Nora’s things. I hadn’t been able to empty them yet.

“Careful, don’t go there,” I snapped.

Lydia’s eyes landed on the small music box sitting on my dresser. She picked it up and turned the tiny brass key at the side. The soft lullaby that began to play twisted my stomach.

It was Nora’s. I used to wind it for her every night before bed. Tears welled up in my eyes at that tune.

“This tune is sweet,” Lydia said, tilting her head as the melody played. “She used to fall asleep to this, right?”

“Put it down,” I said quietly.

She smiled. “Of course.”

Then she dropped it.

The music stopped as the box slammed to the ground. The tiny dancer inside snapped in half.

“Oh, my,” she breathed, covering her mouth in mock horror. “I didn’t mean to. These old things are so fragile.”

Her eyes danced with glee as she watched me, waiting for my reaction.

For a heartbeat, I couldn’t move. That music box wasn’t just a toy. It was the one thing that carried me through the nights.

Now it lay in pieces, destroyed by Lydia’s deliberate “accident.”

I dropped to my knees, gathering the pieces with shaking hands, not caring as they sliced my skin. Tears blurred my vision as I held the broken box in my palm.

“It was her favorite,” I whispered.

Lydia crouched beside me with a small and satisfied smile on her face. “Don’t worry, Selena. You’ll have more pups. You’ll move on.”

My chest burned as I lifted my gaze to her.

At that moment, everything pressed down upon me, and I snapped.

Selena’s POV

My hands shook as I held the broken music box in my palms.

Something inside me cracked.

“You bitch,” I snarled. My voice was a low growl, my wolf bleeding into my tone.

Lydia tilted her head with a sweet smile, the kind that had always fooled me before. “Selena, calm down. It was an accident—”

The word “accident” made me explode.

My hand flew before I could stop it, and I slapped her hard. The sound of the slap echoed through the room, and Lydia stumbled back, holding her cheek in shock. Her eyes widened in total disbelief. She hadn’t expected me to do that.

“You don’t get to touch her things,” I screamed, my throat raw. “You don’t get to destroy the one thing that I—”

“Selena!”

Cole’s voice thundered from the doorway, full of Alpha command, and I turned just as he stormed into the room. His face was filled with rage as he rushed to Lydia, pulling her into his arms protectively.

“She hit me,” Lydia whimpered. Tears welled in her eyes, and her voice trembled.

My chest heaved as I stared at them with the music box in my hands.

Cole’s face hardened. He turned to me, his eyes burning with fury, his Alpha aura pressing down on me. “What the hell is wrong with you, Selena?”

“She broke Nora’s music box!” I cried, lifting up the box in my hands. “She did it on purpose, Cole. She—”

“Stop it!” he barked, his voice was sharp and full of venom. “Do you even hear yourself? You’re pathetic! Bitter! Jealous of a pregnant woman, jealous of your pack sister who has what you don’t have!”

The words tore through me like silver claws, but he wasn’t done.

“It’s not her fault that you don’t have a pup, Selena. Nora is dead, and maybe if you had been a better mother, maybe if you had done more—”

A scream tore out of my throat before he could finish. “Don’t you dare blame me, you bastard!”

Cole growled, his wolf snarled, and before I could blink, his hand flew to my face.

The slap landed with such force that my head snapped to the side. My knees buckled, and I lost my balance, falling to the floor with my cheek burning and my ears ringing.

Tears stung my eyes, but it wasn’t from pain. It was from the humiliation.

Lydia gasped, her hands pressed against her mouth as if she were horrified. But I was the only one who could see the satisfaction in her eyes. She loved this.

My hands trembled as I touched my burning cheek.

Cole stood frozen, breathing heavily with his palm still half-raised. His eyes widened as if he had just now realized what he had done. For a split second, regret flickered across his face.

He took a hesitant step toward me. “Selena—”

But before he could finish, Lydia’s voice cut in.

She broke into sobs, her whole body shaking as she held her belly. “Oh, Cole,” she cried, collapsing against his chest. “This is all my fault. I never should’ve come here. I’ve caused nothing but trouble. Selena was right… I don’t deserve to live.”

Her sobs were dramatic and so fake, but Cole was so blind to her pretense. She buried her face into his chest, sobbing even harder. “I should just die and take this pup with me. Then you will both be free.”

Cole’s shock twisted into panic. He held her tightly, stroking her hair. “Don’t say that, Lydia. Don’t ever say that. You and the pup are everything. You hear me? Everything.”

I stared at them from the floor as my heart broke and my cheeks burned. Lydia’s tears weren’t real. I could see the triumph burning in her eyes, but Cole, the fool, believed her.

He glared down at me, his arms held Lydia tighter. “Look what you’ve done, Selena. Look at her. She’s terrified, she’s blaming herself, because of you.”

“Because of me?” My voice cracked, as it was hard to control the tears from spilling out. “But—”

“Enough!” Cole barked, his face hardened into stone, and his eyes blazed with fury. “I can’t even recognize you anymore. You’re getting out of control.”

I opened my mouth, but Lydia released another sob, clutching her stomach like she was in pain.

“Cole,” she whispered weakly, “the pup… it hurts.”

His panic deepened. He stared at Lydia pale and trembling in his arms, then he glared at me venomously.

“You’re staying in here until you think about your actions,” he snapped. His voice was final and cold. “You’re staying in here until you learn to control your wolf.”

I froze. “What?”

“You heard me.” He wrapped his arms around Lydia, guiding her toward the door. “You’re not coming out of this room until you learn how to control yourself. I won’t let you hurt Lydia—or this pup.”

The door slammed shut, and I heard the door being locked from outside.

“No!” I screamed, throwing myself at the door. My fists pounded against the door until my hands throbbed. “Cole! Don’t you dare leave me in here! Open this door!”

Silence answered me.

I pulled at the handle, but it didn’t budge. “Cole!” I shouted again, my voice cracked. “Please! You can’t do this!”

But he didn’t come back.

I was on the top floor. There was no way out.

Minutes became hours. I screamed until my voice was hoarse, and my throat felt like sandpaper. I called Cole’s phone again and again, until he blocked my line, cutting me off completely.

My body ached, and my stomach growled angrily. There was no food, and no water, like a prison.

I clawed at the door until my nails started to bleed. I screamed, begged, cursed, and prayed until my voice gave out.

My wolf howled in rage. I shifted and threw myself at the door again and again, but it didn’t move. It was reinforced. Every door in this house was.

Selena’s POV

I lost track of how long I laid there on the floor before the door finally clicked open.

Cole stood there with a disgusted scowl on his face.

“You should thank Lydia,” he said. “If it wasn’t for her, you would still be rotting in here. She begged me to let you out. For the sake of your bond with her.”

His words pierced through me, but I forced my face to remain blank.

“Oh, how noble of her,” I croaked, my voice was rough from screaming.

He frowned at my sarcasm but ignored it, stepping aside so I could stumble out. My legs shook from weakness, but he didn’t offer to help me at all.

“Make sure you’ve cleared out everything from this room before tomorrow.” He said coldly, then he walked out.

For a moment I just stood there in the hallway, holding the wall for balance. The humiliation burned hot in me.

My chest ached, but I forced myself to breathe evenly.

Soon, I would make them pay.

Later in the evening, Lydia walked into the almost empty room like she owned it. She was holding a bowl of soup.

She set it on the table with a sigh. “You should eat. You look terrible.”

I ignored her, focusing on packing up the remaining of my things.

She tutted. “You can deceive Cole, but you can’t deceive me,” she said quietly. “I can see it in your eyes. You know the truth.”

I paused for a moment, then I continued packing, trying to ignore her.

She leaned in slightly. “How does it feel? Knowing that he sacrificed your daughter for me.”

I turned away, but she continued.

“He never loved you. Not even for a second,” she whispered. “You’re just an inconvenience to him.”

I didn’t say a word. I simply turned and walked toward the window, ignoring her completely.

She released a mocking laugh. “I can’t even imagine how it felt for you to see us having sex in his office.”

Still, I said nothing. I was too exhausted to talk.

But that wasn’t the reaction she wanted. A second later, a loud thud rang out from behind me.

Lydia smacked her head hard against the wall.

“Cole!” she screamed with fake tears welling up in her eyes.

Heavy footsteps pounded down the hallway, then the door flew open.

“What happened?!” Cole demanded, his Alpha aura flooding the room.

Lydia burst into tears instantly. “She slammed my head against the wall!” she sobbed. “I came to give her some food! I was just trying to help, and she hit me!”

I turned, wide-eyed in shock. “That’s not true, I didn’t—”

But before I could get another word out, his fist crashed into my face.

I staggered backward from the force of it. My body hit the wall, then I slid down to the floor. I cried out in pain.

“Are you insane?!” he yelled. “You touch her again, and I swear—”

“I didn’t touch her,” I said through bloody lips. “She—”

A kick to my stomach silenced me instantly, knocking the air out of me. I folded, clutching my stomach, gasping for breath.

He stood over me, his eyes blazing with rage, his wolf was on the surface. Lydia stood behind him with fake tears streaming down her face.

“I—” I coughed, tasting blood in my mouth. “Cole… I’m—”

The word ‘pregnant’ was on my lips, but his fist came down again, smashing into my face before I could finish. My head slammed the ground hard.

Pain shot through me. My body shook, but I forced the words out. “I’m… carrying—”

“Shut up!” he yelled, cutting me off. He kicked me again. I screamed, trying to cover my arms over my stomach protectively.

“You’ll learn your place!” he spat as he kicked me again.

He grabbed Lydia and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

I screamed at the piercing pain in my abdomen. Then suddenly, I felt the warm wetness between my legs.

I froze. Slowly, I touched the floor to see my fingers stained with blood.

“No…” My voice cracked. I pressed my hands against my stomach, shaking my head. “No, no, no—”

Tears blurred my vision. The blood kept coming, soaking through me, spreading across the floor.

I didn’t need a healer to tell me what it meant. I already knew.

Tears ran down my face, but they weren’t tears of sadness or pain.

They were tears of rage and hate.

They were the only thing keeping me going now.

“Cole!” I screamed in rage. My wolf howled in agony and fury.

Hate was the only thing keeping me alive.

I dragged myself out of the house, groaning in pain. Every step was torture. Blood stained my dress, and I could barely stand, but I forced myself into a taxi and gave the driver the address of the nearest pack clinic.

Hours later, I was lying in a clinic bed, weak and empty.

The healer’s words echoed in my head. “The pregnancy couldn’t be saved.”

They kept me overnight but I insisted on being discharged the following afternoon. I half expected Cole to show up, or call, or ask where I was.

He didn’t.

When I returned, he didn’t even notice I had been gone. Or maybe he just didn’t care.

**Two Days Later**

“Selena, my birthday party is this evening. You know that other packs would be around, so make sure you come on time. Lydia and I have somewhere to be. We will meet you at the party later,” Cole said, Lydia standing beside him.

I gave him a smile. “Alright then. I’ll see you there.”

Since I lost the pregnancy, I hadn’t argued with him. There was no sarcasm, no complaints. I just gave him soft smiles as I nodded quietly. I became obedient, agreeable, and silent.

And Cole loved it.

His face softened. He gave me a pleased smile, like an Alpha proud of an omega who finally stopped resisting.

Then he leaned forward to place a kiss on my lips.

I turned my head slightly, causing his kiss to land on my cheek instead.

He blinked in surprise. But I gave him a sweet smile, like it was nothing, like I didn’t notice.

“See you later,” I said sweetly.

Cole grinned at me and turned to Lydia so they could leave.

On the way out, Lydia brushed her purse against the coffee table. Her purse knocked Nora’s framed photo out of the coffee table, throwing it to the floor. The glass cracked, and the frame broke.

Cole winced at the sound and glanced at me, expecting a reaction, because he knew how much that picture had meant to me.

But I only smiled, calm and unbothered. “Don’t worry, go ahead. I’ll clean it up.”

For a brief second, he frowned in confusion. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Lydia slipped her hand into his arm.

“Come on, Cole,” she purred. “We’ll be late.”

He hesitated for a moment, then he allowed Lydia to drag him away.

If only he knew that this was the last time he would ever see me.

I stood by the window, watching them drive away with a cold smile on my face.

I gathered the divorce papers, the documents that showed that I pulled out my support from the Blue Moon Pack, the photos of Cole and Lydia together, my pregnancy report, and finally, the documents that showed that he had killed our pup for his lover.

I placed them all into a big brown envelope.

On the front, I wrote: *Happy Birthday, Alpha Cole Hale. From Selena Ashford.*

I sealed it and gave it to an omega. “Deliver this at the party.”

A few minutes later, a black SUV pulled into the driveway. It was the car my father sent.

The driver stepped out and opened the back door for me. Then he retrieved my bags and loaded them in without saying a word.

As we drove away, I didn’t look back. I clenched my fists tightly as that hate rose up again.

One day, I would make them regret all they did to me.

My wolf snarled in agreement, hungry for vengeance.