Chapter 2

“You want to break the bond,” the voice sounded—deep, magnetic, and dangerously smooth. The timbre now laced with boredom. "That's all you ask for?"

"I want to regain my inheritance from Lyra and Isaac. Reclaim my authority on the pack and keep their skeleton into prison for eternity–ofcourse after skinning them alive."

"I want you to help me." I added, my voice contradictory to the situation, commanding.

“Now, that sounds interesting. However, It’s an act of war, and it costs more than I owe you.”

I sank onto the edge of the bed, the prenatal report still crinkling in my hand. “The cost doesn’t matter,” I choked out, fighting the raw emotion that threatened to shatter my carefully constructed façade. “Just tell me the price, Elias."

"You will come to my territory, not as a guest, but as my Luna."

"You can do whatever you want with Wilson or Lyra. But, you won't be the little princess of the Nightshade Pack anymore, you will be the Queen of Crimson Claw Pack."

"Do you agree?" He asked.

"You have my word, Elias." I said, "After I'm done handlng things here, I'm all yours."

"Finish them soon. I can't wait too long." He said, his tone commanding, "You have one week, Elara. After that, I'll come to claim you myself."

***

The first thing that I did after getting up the next morning, was grabbing a suitcase and packing my necessities.

I opened the wardrobe of my room, and took those things out.

My pregnancy report. My mother's bracelets. The blessing gifts given by the elders on my previous pregnancies.

A pink blanket from Elder Bonnie. She had seen my hands and told me that it was a baby girl. She had woven the blanket by her own hands to keep the baby warm.

But, who knew that the baby would never get to feel its warmness. I couldn't even hold her in my hands, let alone protecting her in the blanket.

A talisman given by Elder Victor on my second pregnancy to keep the bad eyes away. However, it failed to protect the baby from his own father.

After two failed pregnancy, they had stopped sending gifts to me, in case hurting my sentiments. Guess they had accepted the fact that I couldn't be a mother anymore.

Tears were formed in my eyes as I packed everything in a small luggage. Just then my gaze fell on a wooden box. I had decorated with red silk. To my old self, it was the precious thing in the whole world.

Now, the sight of the box was as a knife cutting deep through my heart. I took the box out, my claws scratching the wood aggressively as I finally opened it.

There laid a golden ring Isaac had proposed to me with. A diamond bracelet he had won in a beta combat for me. And finally, the most precious gift he had ever given to me, the certificate of our mating ceremony.

Those items once so close to my heart was now the reminder of my mate's betrayal, my stepmother's dark ploy and of loss of my four babies.

I simply grabbed the box and put it on fire.

I watched, mesmerized and numb, as the beautiful fabric curled into black crusts. The fire wasn't just consuming wood and fabric; it was devouring the last fragments of a belief I’d desperately clung to.

Tears, which had only welled before, now streamed down my face, hot and unchecked. This wasn't just rage; it was a purification. It was the frantic, desperate tearing out of a deep root that had poisoned my entire life.

Just then door of my room was pushed open and a deep male voice sounded, laced with surprise and concern.

"Elara... Just what the hell are you doing?" Isaac yelled before rushing in to put the fire off.

I watched as his hands were burned red in a failed attempt of saving the last stray of the box. But, I felt nothing.

"I'm merely disposing of the trash..." I replied, my voice cold and distant.

Isaac flinched, not just from the sharp, immediate pain in his hands, but from the glacial detachment in my voice.

His instincts told him that something was a miss or else how can the woman who could not stop throwing herself as soon as he arrived home, clinging to every strap that reminded her of him, now stood ashen watching him burn his hands saving those memories.

He stared in a daze as the fire engulfed the remnants of the wooden box smoked on the marble floor, a heap of ash and twisted, blackened metal—the ring, the bracelet, the burned remnants of our mating certificate.

His initial shock turned to a cold, sinking realization of what he was seeing.

"Trash?" Isaac's voice, which had been loud with surprise, dropped to a strained whisper. He looked from the destroyed items at my direction, which was utterly devoid of its usual warmth—a porcelain mask of indifference.

"Elara, what are you talking about? That was our... our memories."

I finally shifted my gaze from the dying embers to him. There was no pain, no fury, no sorrow—just a vast, terrifying emptiness.

"Some memories are meant to be destroyed, Isaac." I said, my voice a low, steady monotone that was far more unnerving than a scream.

His eyes narrowed, clueless. He then moved his gaze to the other direction of the room.

He saw the packed suitcase by the bed, the missing items from the wardrobe, and the terrible finality of the burned box. Panic began to claw at his chest.

He rushed to my side. Grabbing my hands, he asked, his voice laced with shock and concern that almost seemed genuine for a moment, "Elara, is everything alright?"

Chapter 3

"It will be," I said, recalling the arrangements I had already made last night when he sneaked out of our home after a phone call with Lyra.

He sensed the sarcasm in my tone and immediately pulled me into his arms. "Is it about last night? Lyra was going for a night patrol and as the beta of the pack, it's my duty to accompany her."

I break through his hug. Looking straight into his eyes, I said, "It's okay. I don't mind. She needs you more than I."

After throwing out these words coldly, I turned to empty more stuff from the wardrobe. He frowned.

"What does that mean, Elara?" He walked up to me and snatched the piece of cloth I was holding, "She is your stepmother who is widowed recently. She needs a man to help her run the pack and I'm doing my part of duty in helping her."

"Can you be a bit more compassionate?" He asked, his voice sounding agitated.

"Okay, I'll be more compassionate from now on." I said lazily and busied myself in packing my luggage.

However, my ignorance drove him crazy. He was used of my objection and naiveness when he arrived late at night after duty.

But now, I was not angry at him even despite him not returning home the whole night. I was not crying as arguing him.

I was simply uneffected!

"Where are you taking your clothes?" He asked, his tone had shifted from shock, worry to utter coldness.

"To donate." I replied. "They are outdated. I need new ones."

With that I grabbed my luggage and walked past him. However, I had just reached the doorstep when I bumped into someone.

It was Lyra. Just what was needed.

"Elara..." She whispered, her voce laced with maliciousness, "Sweetheart, where are you leaving? I thought you would be happy to see me."

"Of course, she is." Isaac walked up to us, "She is just tired. She is going to prepare lunch for all of us, right Elara?" He added, giving me a meaningful glance.

"Oh, that's so sweet of you, Elara. Your Dad would be so happy to see you this excited for your baby brother." Lyra said, her voice asusual laced with the facade of sweetness.

"Why don't you rest in the guest room for a while, Lyra?" Isaac suggested, his eyes fixed at her belly and he looked genuinely concerned. "You must be tired standing up for so long."

After Lyra walked out of our bed room in her high heels, I turned to look at Isaac.

"What is she doing at our home?" I asked, my voice cold and distant.

"Lyra is shifting to our home. I forgot to mention it to you last night. I hope you don't mind." Isaac replied casually, as if it was not a big deal.

I turned back to land a cold glance over him. He quickly added, "She is pregnant and need our help. As her only relatives we should stay with her."

"Good. Should I clean a room for her?" I asked, my voice laced with sarcasm.

I saw him clenching his fists minorily, an indication of his patience running out. I was aware of all his body language and I knew how mad he had been driven into. But, I didn't care at all.

"No." He replied, his tone shifting to provocative, "Since you have emptied our bedroom from your necessities. Let Lyra live in our bedroom. It's more comfortable for pregnant ladies."

"You can shift your belongings to upstairs. This way Lyra don't have to go through the stairs." He added.

He was asking his pregnant wife to shift upstairs so that his mistress don't have to climb the stairs. I could sense his intention of getting my reaction over his reticulous demand.

However, I remained calm. I had stopped feeling anything for him, let alone being hurt by his ignorance towards me.

I did not cry, scream or make a scene out of it. I simply replied, "okay."

And, that was enough.

He walked past me, held my hands tightly and asked, his voice shivering in anger,"Elara... Do you really not care?"

"Do you have nothing to say at all?"

I paused for a moment before I replied. "Actually there is..."

With that, I took a document out of my luggage and waved it before his eyes. "I need your blood Mark on these documents?"

"What kind of documents are they?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Just a normal perental checkup report. It's for testing blood of both the parents." I replied, my voice confident.

"Let me read it." He said, his gaze skinning my expression. My breathing hitched for a moment as he grabbed the documents from my hands.

Just then, his phone buzzed with a notification of message. Lyra's name popped up on the screen.

"The air conditioner in the guest room is not working. I need to go." He said, his voice urgent.

"Go wherever you want... after signing this." There was something in my voice that made him hesitate for a moment. But, the next second his phone began ringing and his attention quickly shifted.

"Fine," he said, "Here it is."

He signed the documents, scratched his thumb with his teeth and dropped his blood at the last page.

"Anything else?" He asked, his voice urgent.

"Nothing," I replied, curling my lips into a smile of satisfaction.

However, it was only a moment of peace as the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway. I turned back. There she was, crossing her arms against her chest and resting her right leg on the door of my bedroom like it was hers.

"Tsk tsk... Sometimes, I feel pity on you, my STEPDAUGHTER." She began, her voice laced with venemous mockery, "Your mother lost his man to me and now her poor little girl is suffering with the same fate."

"Lyra!" I screamed, my voice trembled in anger. "Don't mention my mother with your dirty lips."

But, she smiled shamelessly. "Let's talk about your husband then."

"I have wrapped your husband around my fingers, Elara, just like your father. Why don't you die like your mother and leave us alone?" She smirked.

"Shutup!" I clenched my fists tightly before the words escaped through my lips, cold and distant. "Do you think I care? You can have him all you want. He is all yours."

Lyra's eyes narrowed. She didn't believe. Instead, she tilted her head and asked, "You think I'm lying? Don't tell me all those nights when he didn't return home you actually believed he was patrolling with me?"

"Well, those nights when you were lonely at home, he was actually devouring every inch of me."

"He told me how boring you are on bed, make him feel like he was having sex with an old lady."

"But, with me, he felt content. And, the result is inside my belly." She said, "To tell you a secret, I'm pregnant with Isaac's child."

"Do you know how happy he was when I told him I'm pregnant? He said he can sacrifice dozen of his children with you if I want, just for having just one child from me."

"That much he love me, Elara. Has he ever done such a outrageous things for you?"

"Lyra..." I screamed with tears in my eyes, each and every word she spoke felt like a knife cutting deep through my heart.

"You are shameless! Even after ruining my whole life and murdering my children, you have the audacity of standing before me and saying these?" I groaned in anger,

"Elara..." I don't know what happened in those split seconds. Isaac's voice echoed loud and cold. Tears were streaming down Lyra's cheeks and my hand was raised in mid-air.

"If you don't like me, I'll just move out. But, please don't hurt my child." She sobbed.

Isaac rushed to Lyra's side and pulled her in his arms. He then turned to me and barked, "Apologize!"

"For what?" I spat, speechless.

"You were going to harm Lyra!" He screamed. "You should apologise to her instantly or else-"

"Or else what, Isaac?" I cut him off, my eyes scanning his expression. He clenched his fists tightly and walked up to me.

He held my hands and lead me out of our home.

"You can't come inside until you think straight and apologize to Luna." He commanded.

Lyra quickly rushed outside. Standing beside Isaac, she said in a pitiful voice, "Don't do this to her, Isaac. If she doesn't like me, I'll just move out. After all, she is your wife."

"And you are my Luna!" Isaac's voice fell loud and cold. He grabbed Lyra's waist and pulled her closer. He didn't hesitate showing their obscene posture in front of me as he groaned, "You own this whole pack, including me and this house. It's all yours, Lyra."

After throwing out these words, he led Lyra inside and slammed the door on my face. As soon as the door was shut, the obsensitive voice of kisses and smootches filled my ears.

When he threw me out of my own house that I had bought with my own money, he did not even care I was pregnant too.

The first thing that I did after Isaac kicked me out of my own house, was not to cry, or scream, or collapse onto the greenish ground.

Such raw, animalistic reactions were for the weak, the naive Elara I had buried beneath the ashes of his memories.

I did not waste any second and headed to meet the head of Elders' Committee-To nullify my mate bond with Isaac and file a case against him–of our child's murder.

"Are you sure about this? Because it's... it's a crime to go against the Beta of the pack, especially when there is no Alpha in the pack. He is second in command right now."

"More importantly, he is your husband, your true mate! Are you really want to do this, Elara?"

"Are you really sure he... he murdered his own child?" I could sense the disbelief in his voice as he questioned my conscience repeatedly.

"I wouldn't be here if I was not sure, Elder Victor." I replied, my voice firm and confident.

"You swore to obey my command in front of my father. It's time to fulfill your duty."

He sighed, "That was when he had announced you his heir. But, everything changed after Lyra's arrival in his life, especially now that she is pregnant with his son."

I narrowed my eyes, waiting for him to continue talking because I knew he was going to.

"But, my loyalty lies with you, Elara. I'll do as you say. However, to nullify your mate bond with Isaac and hold a meeting of elders against him... it will take time."

"How much?" I asked, my voice desperate.

"A week." He replied.

"A week then," I replied before I stood on my heels and walked up to the door of his den.

"Elara..." He called me from behind, "I met your father the day before he died. Do you want to know what we talked about?"

I stayed silent. If I opened my mouth, I would have said something bad about my dead father-for betraying my mother and for bringing a wrench, Lyra, into our lives.

"He never changed his mind." Elder Victor continued, "He wanted to see you rule over the pack as the first ever female Alpha."

My hands clenched so tightly that the nails pieced my palm. I bit my lower lips. Tears streamed down my cheeks. But, I did not turn back. I just walked out.

'He never changed his mind.'

'He wanted to see you rule over the pack.'

His voice echoed through my mind.

It didn't matter what he wanted in his last moment. He had already announced Lyra as his Luna in front of everyone.

And, I had already paid its price with my four babies' life.

No one was going to buy what he told Elder Victor behind the walls.

***

I returned to the house under the cover of the late-night darkness, but the journey back felt longer than the trip to Elder Victor's den under the weight of my father's regret and his wish of seeing me as his heir.

Now that the die was cast—the documents signed, the Elder’s Committee process begun—I had to play the part of the meek, defeated wife for a full week.

I had to live under the same roof as the man who murdered my children and the woman for which it was done.

I let myself in quietly. The house was not as I left it in the morning.I noticed it immediately: a gaudy, floral-scented candle, one Lyra always favored, burning on the antique mahogany console.

It was the first sign that she hadn't waited for morning to claim her space.

I walked to the bedroom.The door was ajar, a sliver of warm, dim light leaking out.

I reached for the handle, intending to push it open, when I heard a soft, unfamiliar sound—a low, rhythmic groan, followed by a woman's breathless giggle.

Isaac and Lyra. Already.

The porcelain mask I had been wearing since the argument cracked, but only on the inside.

No tears, no scream. Just a sudden, paralyzing drop in temperature around my heart.

I pushed the door open, not with a bang, but with a slow, deliberate creak, forcing them to see me.

Isaac was half-dressed, his back to me, leaning over Lyra on our bed. Lyra, sprawled across the silk sheets I had hand-selected, gasped and covered herself with a sheet, her eyes wide with malicious triumph mixed with momentary fear.

Isaac whirled around, his Beta scent clouding the air, a scent now permanently mixed with Lyra’s heavy, sweet perfume.

"Elara..." He whispered, a moment of hesitation flickered through his eyes. Just then, Lyra got up. Seductively wrapping herself in a blanket, she said,

"I was feeling cold. Isaac was just giving me a body massage. I hope you don't misunderstand us, honey."

"Stop calling me honey. I'm not your daughter." I replied coldly, the mask of calmness slowly breaking up with the sight of her.

I turned to look at Isaac. "I didn't know you like giving body massage to other woman... while being naked."

"I was feeling cold. So, he was keeping me warm." Lyra replied quickly.

My eyes, devoid of any warmth, scanned Lyra’s mock-innocent pose and settled on Isaac’s nervous, half-covered form. I didn't need to argue their pathetic lie; I only needed to state the new reality.

"Save your breath. I don't care what you do to each other in this house. Just know this: the stench of your sin ends with you. You will never again do some disgusting act before my eyes, in case it effects the baby."

After throwing out these words, I walked out of the room, slamming the door on Isaac's face who quickly chased after me.

"Elara wait..." He called from behind. But, I did not stop.