She had a cruel grin on her face. "He told me how weak your wolf is. How you could never satisfy his alpha wolf."

My hands clenched into fists. My wolf snarled.

"And those pups?" She laughed. "Four chances, Olivia. And you couldn't even manage to keep one alive. What kind of she-wolf can't even carry her mate's offspring?"

My vision turned red. My wolf demanded blood.

"Your wolf must be defective," she continued, her voice dripping with venom. "Maybe it's the Moon Goddess's way of telling you that you would be a terrible mother."

Anger burned through me at her words, and I stood up, walking towards her with clenched fists. My eyes flashed as my wolf surged forward.

"James loves me," Mia said, with a nasty grin on her face. "He's having a pup with me. A real pup. One that will actually live, because I can give him what you never could, a strong bloodline."

I shoved her hard.

She stumbled backward, her eyes widening in shock.

"Get out," I growled coldly.

"You bitch!" she hissed. "How dare you—"

"I said get out!"

I slammed the door in her face and locked it this time.

There was silence for a moment, then the sound of footsteps walking down the hallway.

I walked back to the bed and sat down.

Then I heard a loud thud, and a scream.

"James! Help! James!"

My blood ran cold.

What did she—

The bedroom door flew open with such force it slammed against the wall. The lock of the door had been broken.

James stood in the doorway, breathing heavily. His face was twisted with rage, his eyes glowing gold. His wolf was close to the surface.

Behind him, my mother and father appeared, holding a sobbing Mia.

"You pushed her down the stairs?" James's voice was deadly quiet, filled with rage.

"What? No, I didn't—"

"She came up here to comfort you," my mother said, her voice shaking. "To try and make peace. And you attacked a pregnant she-wolf!"

"That's not what happened!" I stood up. "She was inside my room, insulting me—"

"That's not true!" Mia sobbed. "I just wanted to talk to my sister. To make sure she was okay. And she... she pushed me!"

"I shoved her away from my door! I didn't push her down the stairs—"

Before I could say anything more, James's fist slammed into my face. The blow sent me flying backward. My head cracked against the wall, and pain exploded through my skull.

Then everything went black.