“What in the spirits’ name is going on?” Brielle whimpered behind him, and the sound of her voice snapped something inside me.
“You pathetic little leech!” I lunged, hands reaching for her. “You ruined everything!”
But Gideon moved with Alpha speed, shoving me back to shield her. I hit the floor hard, a jolt of pain ripping through my abdomen as fresh blood seeped down my thighs.
“I hate you,” I sobbed, my wolf howling its grief inside me.
“Get up, Selene,” he said coldly, his tone devoid of even a shred of remorse. “Return to your room and clean yourself.”
I stared up at him, heart shattering anew. “How can you stand there pretending nothing happened when you ordered our pup’s death? Our pup, Gideon!”
“You were the sole compatible donor for Brielle,” he said flatly. “Should I have let her die?”
“So you decided my child’s life was worth less than your lover’s,” I hissed.
“Do not speak about Brielle like that!” he barked. “And the pup wasn’t meant to be harmed. If you lost it—maybe it’s because you were never meant to be a mother.”
His words were sharper than claws. I recoiled as if physically struck.
“Gideon,” Brielle whispered shakily, “don’t say that. Selene is hurting. This is my fault…”
I pushed myself upright, swaying as I stood. The world felt distant, muffled, unreal. I walked out of the room without looking back, his voice still shredding my mind.
“You’ll regret this,” I muttered, though my throat was raw and my heart was in ruins.
A nurse helped me clean up, but I spoke no words. I stared at nothing. I felt nothing.
Two days passed this way—silent, hollow—until the healers finally discharged me.
When I returned to the Alpha’s house, it comforted me only that Gideon hadn’t come home either. His scent wasn’t anywhere near the property.
I gathered my things, moving mechanically. A thick envelope lay atop my luggage—delivered while I was gone. I slit it open and exhaled shakily.
The Moon Court’s seal.
Our divorce decree. Already stamped. Already approved.
All that remained was my signature.
My hand did not tremble as I signed it. The document lay on the bed—final, irreversible.
Gideon had made his choice long ago.
He chose Brielle.
He chose power, ego, lust—anything but me.
And after what he’d done… after what he took from me and our unborn pup… there was no path back.
A sob clawed up my throat, but I forced it down. I refused to let a single more tear fall for them.