When Alpha Magnus finally returned, he showed no excitement upon seeing me after months apart. He had no idea I had been pregnant. I had planned to surprise him with the news. But Asher had stolen that dream from me when he murdered my child, claiming it was to protect me from execution by our grandfather.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to come back," Magnus said, though I hadn’t asked. "We got stranded in a snowstorm."
I remained silent. I was no longer foolish enough to believe his lies. I knew exactly where he had been and who he had been with. Asher had told me everything.
"Astrid? Are you okay?" Magnus asked, moving closer. "You seem distant."
"I'm fine. Just tired," I forced a smile, though inside, I wanted to scream at him.
"Then rest," he said, before pulling something from his pocket. "I have a surprise for you."
I stared at the necklace in his hands and arrow-shaped pendant.
I almost laughed at the irony. "Why are you giving me this? There’s no special occasion, right?"
A flicker of discomfort crossed his face. "I just thought of you when I saw it…, because I love you."
He reached out to place it around my neck, but I instinctively stepped back. His brows furrowed in confusion.
"You don’t like it?" he asked.
I clenched my fists, my voice cold. "Magnus, have you forgotten what that symbol means to me?"
He blinked, realization dawning on him. "Astrid, I—I'm sorry."
Memories crashed over me—memories of my mother’s death. I could still see the arrow piercing her heart, the blood staining the snow. And here Magnus stood, offering me an arrow pendant, as if he had never truly listened to anything I had told him.
How could he be so careless with my pain while so fiercely protecting Ingrid?
Asher had told me he had tried to kill Ingrid for my sake, but Magnus had fought to protect her. He had chosen her, defended her. Meanwhile, my suffering meant nothing to him.
"Astrid, why are you acting like this?" Magnus cupped my face, but I immediately pushed his hands away.
"I'm not angry," I said. My voice is void of emotion. "I just don’t feel well."
He looked confused, as if he truly didn’t understand what he had done.
"Come on, tell me what’s wrong," he insisted. "I haven't seen you in months. I had no idea what happened to you—"
"It’s fine, Magnus," I cut him off. "I can take care of myself."
I turned away, continuing to pack my things.