Mauve POV

Dressed in a funeral attire and pretending to be in a vegetative condition, I attended my husband’s wedding to his mistress.

Alpha Jester looked very happy as he and my traitor maid danced in the center of the room.

But the moment our eyes met, his face turned ghostly pale. He stumbled forward, desperate to make sense of what he was seeing.

I rose from the wheelchair, steady and strong. Gasps echoed around me, but I didn’t care. This was my moment. His lies, his betrayal—they had all led to this.

As I exposed the shocking truth about his new mate, the color drained from his face completely.

He realized he hadn't just lost me. He had lost everything.

——

I sat motionless in my wheelchair while I stared at my mate, Alpha Jester. He was tenderly applying lotion to my maid's swollen belly. His lips pressed against her baby bump as she giggled softly.

“Jester, stop; it tickles,” Amber teased.

“I just can’t help it,” Jester replied, and continued to massage her with lotion. "They said a pregnant woman's tummy should always be flawless, so the baby is flawless as well."

That was actually what my OB-GYN and healer had told me when I was pregnant with our first child. But I got a miscarriage.

I wanted to scream, to cry out, to demand answers, but my body betrayed me. My limbs refused to obey, and my voice remained locked within me. All I could do was watch, paralyzed in every sense of the word.

Tears burned in my eyes, but I blinked them away, determined not to let them see my pain. They had no idea I could hear and comprehend every word they said.

It happened a month ago. I had just left the pack hospital after hearing the most wonderful news: I was finally pregnant. After years of waiting, the healer confirmed it, and I was so excited to share the news with Jester.

But on my way home, a rogue wolf ran onto the road, and I swerved to avoid it. My car crashed into a tree, and the impact left me paralyzed. The healers said my nervous system was badly damaged, and I wouldn’t be able to move or talk again.

The only good news was that my baby had miraculously survived the crash. That little life growing inside me was my only source of hope now, even as my world seemed to fall apart around me.

“You’re going to be such an amazing father,” Amber cooed, placing her hands over his.

“I’ll do everything for our pup,” he promised. “He will be my heir.”

The words echoed in my mind. Our pup. Not mine. Not ours. His and Amber’s.

The ache in my chest grew unbearable, and I longed to escape, to turn away from the cruel reality unfolding before me. But I couldn’t. They continued their display, oblivious to my presence.

When Amber caught my gaze, she smirked. “Do you think she even knows what’s happening?” she asked Jester in a mocking voice.

“She doesn’t,” he replied dismissively. “Don’t worry about her.”

I clenched my fists, the only movement I could manage, as anger coursed through me. They thought I was helpless and that I couldn’t understand.

But they were wrong.

A knock on the door interrupted, and Amber got up from Jester’s side to answer it.

I couldn’t see her clearly, but I could hear the annoyance in her voice. “What is it now?” she asked.

Dr. Helen’s calm voice replied, “It’s time for Luna's checkup.”

Amber groaned. “Really? Can’t it wait? I was just about to enjoy some time with the alpha.”

Jester laughed, clearly entertained. “Maybe we should just move it to the bedroom. The checkup can wait a bit.”

Amber giggled. “I suppose you’re right.”

The two of them walked off toward the bedroom, and Dr. Helen stayed behind. She waited until the door clicked shut before turning to me. “They’re gone, Luna.”

Relief rushed through me, but it didn’t ease the heavyness in my chest. Slowly, I stand up in the wheelchair. My body felt weak, but I pushed myself. My legs trembled as I stood, and I almost lost my balance. I caught myself against the wall, but it didn’t stop the tears from coming.

I couldn’t hold it in anymore. My body shook as I cried, the pain of what I’d seen and felt breaking me apart. I didn’t want to be this helpless.

Dr. Helen stepped forward, gently holding me up. “It’s okay, Luna. Let it out.”

“I can’t take it anymore,” I said through my sobs. “I can’t watch them anymore. I can’t be stuck like this, unable to speak. I don’t want to just watch my life slip by!”

Dr. Helen gave me a reassuring look. “You know how to escape from this hell, Mauve.” Her voice was breaking like how I felt inside. "Just say the word."

That stirred something inside me. Gazing at her, I said, "Please, Dr. Helen, can you help me submit my application to Shadowpine Hospital? I want to train to become the pack’s pharmacist, like what I always wanted to be."

Dr. Helen nodded. “I’ll help you. I’ll make sure the application is sent. You’ll start your training soon. For now, let's continue the therapy until your body and mind are strong enough to leave."

“Thank you,” I said, placing my hand on top of her own.

I might have lost my mate, but I wouldn’t lose myself.

Mauve’s POV

"Time to eat, Luna!"

Amber brought the chicken soup to the dining table. She moved with an exaggerated grace, like she wanted to make sure I noticed every little effort she put in. Setting the bowl down, she turned to me with a smug smile and added, “You should be thankful I’m here to take care of you.”

'So much for taking care as you're extending it to my mate,' I thought.

She picked up the spoon, scooped some soup, and held it to my lips. I opened my mouth, letting her feed me. I had no choice but to play along, to pretend I was as helpless as they thought.

Amber tilted her head. “When Alpha Jester asked me to help you, I couldn’t believe how kind he was. Looking after you must be such a burden for him. Good thing I’m around to make his life easier. Maybe I'm not fulfilling Luna's job, but I am providing for his needs in your absence."

Her words stung, but I swallowed the soup and stayed silent. My mind drifted to the day she arrived.

It was shortly after the accident. I had just come home from the pack hospital, barely holding myself together. Jester brought Amber into our home, calling her a girl from a hardworking family. At first, I thought he was trying to help me, trying to make things easier for us both.

She cooked my meals, fed me, brushed my hair, and treated me like I was a baby. But it didn’t take long for me to notice the way Jester looked at her. He spent more time with her than he ever spent with me. And then, one day, I saw it with my own eyes.

She’d wheeled me into my bedroom, saying I needed to rest. Jester was already there, standing too close to her. I watched as he kissed her boldly, without hesitation. My heart shattered. And just one day, they were discussing Amber's pregnancy. My husband was so happy; they spent the whole day in our bedroom, celebrating the news while abandoning me like a worn-out cloth on the floor. They thought I was numb, then this numbness turned into a burning rage that consumed me.

From that moment on, I chose to stay silent. Pretending I didn’t see, didn’t hear, didn’t understand.

“You’re so slow today,” Amber’s voice cut through my thoughts, showing her annoyance. She tapped the spoon against the bowl. “You know, I worked hard to make this for you, but I guess gratitude isn’t something you understand very well!”

Jester walked into the dining room. His presence was overwhelming as always. He strode over to Amber, pulling her into his arms and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Is something wrong?” he asked, barely glancing at me before giving her his full attention.

Amber pouted dramatically. “Luna Mauve doesn’t like my cooking. She barely eats anything I make for her. I cooked that chicken soup for hours so she would feel better, but she barely touched it. My efforts were wasted!"

Jester’s expression darkened as he looked at me. “You should be pleased that someone’s even bothering with you,” he said coldly. “You’ve been nothing but a burden. You couldn’t give me a pup before, and now you’re even more useless.”

The words sliced through me, but I didn’t let them see how much they hurt.

“At least Amber is here to take care of me and my wolf. You don’t get to be upset about anything you see."

Amber placed a hand on his chest, feigning innocence. “Don’t say that, Alpha. She doesn’t understand what you’re saying. She’ll just get confused.”

Jester sighed and leaned down to kiss her again, his anger melting into affection.

I watched them, my chest tight with heartbreak. But I kept my face blank, refusing to let them see how much they’d broken me.

Not yet, I told myself. Don’t let them see. Your time will come. Soon, I’d be free.

Mauve’s POV

Amber giggled as Jester pulled her close. Her laughter rang out, cutting through me like a knife. My lips trembled, but I forced myself to stay quiet. I blinked quickly, fighting to keep my expression blank even as my heart shattered.

I had survived the accident, but sitting here now, I wondered if the pain of their deception would kill me instead. Inside, I screamed for them to stop. Please, not in front of me. But they didn’t care.

Jester lifted Amber onto the kitchen counter, knocking over utensils and dishes. Their hands wandered, their kisses deepened, and my chest tightened with a pain so sharp it felt unbearable.

A tear slid down my cheek. I couldn’t stop it, no matter how hard I tried. Despair, anger, and humiliation burned inside me, but I kept my body still. I couldn’t let them see.

They finally stopped when Amber touched her belly. “Jester, what if my baby gets hurt? We shouldn’t be doing this here.”

"Oh, damn. I didn't realize." Jester froze. Then he saw me in his peripheral vision, so he turned toward me briefly and noticed my tear-streaked face. He let out a soft laugh, brushing it off. “Sorry,” he said casually, like my feelings didn’t matter.

Amber tugged on his arm, pulling his attention back to her. “I’m scared. We need to go to the clinic.”

Without hesitation, Jester grabbed his phone and called Dr. Helen. “We need you at the packhouse now. I'm going to accompany Amber to the clinic, and Mauve is alone at home."

By the time Dr. Helen arrived, the two of them were dressed and rushing out the door. I listened as their car sped away.

The second they were gone, the dam inside me broke. I buried my face in my hands and sobbed loudly, the pain too much to hold in. My body shook, and every tear felt like it was draining the life out of me.

Dr. Helen sat beside me and handed me a glass of water. “You’ve held this in for too long. Soon, this will all be behind you.”

I wiped my tears, taking a deep breath to steady myself. My hands were shaking, but I stood up anyway, forcing my legs to hold me. I lifted my chin and stared at the door where Jester and Amber had left.

“How’s my application?” I asked.

Dr. Helen smiled gently. “Good news. You’re scheduled for an interview today.”

My heart jumped. “Today?”

“Yes,” she said. “Get ready. I’ll help you prepare.”

The interview for the pharmacy training at Shadowpine Hospital was nerve-wracking but straightforward. They asked why I wanted to join, what I knew about medicine, and how I’d handle challenges. When it ended, the interviewers smiled and told me I’d done well. Relief washed over me, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a spark of hope.

That evening, Jester and Amber still hadn’t returned. Dr. Helen decided to stay overnight in the guest room. While she rested, I sat at my desk, researching everything I needed to know about the training.

My focus broke when I opened social media. The first thing I saw was a post from Amber. It was a picture of a hotel window overlooking a romantic sunset. She’d tagged Jester.

My stomach twisted with disgust. She wasn’t even trying to hide their affair anymore. Jester’s name appeared beneath the post, showing he’d liked it.

My fingers hovered over the screen. I wanted to react, to leave an angry comment, anything to show my rage. But I stopped myself. They didn’t know I could move now, and I wasn’t ready for them to find out.

Instead, I blocked Amber and deleted my account.

Shaking off the bitterness, I turned back to my computer and focused on the articles and videos about the training program. Every step I took was one step closer to escaping this nightmare.