Lily had just cried herself into trembling fits because of him. Her own father hadn't spared her a single thought, hadn't even checked if her fragile lungs could handle such distress.
But that woman was afraid of a little thunder, and he couldn't get to her fast enough.
Before I could respond, Alaric was already at the den's entrance.
He shifted his cloak onto his shoulders. Grabbed his Alpha medallion from its hook. Checked his reflection in the polished obsidian mirror by the door.
Every movement smooth and practiced. Not a trace of hesitation. Not a flicker of regret.
The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind him, and I felt the last threads of our mating bond grow cold and silent.
The den fell into a quiet so complete it felt like death itself had crept inside.
The tension drained from my spine all at once. I crumpled onto the woven carpet, my legs giving out beneath me, the ruined crown still clutched against my chest.
I didn't want to cry, but my eyes burned and swelled with unshed tears.
This past year had wrung me dry. There was nothing left to give.
The first breakdown came when I discovered the Alpha who'd once sworn to bond with me for life had betrayed our pack—for a high-born Beta female barely past her first shift.
When Lily had a fever, one howl from Raven Frosthollow was all it took. He'd abandoned us and walked out of the den without a backward glance.
Then came the despair. Alaric's cruelty knew no bounds. To force my hand so he could claim Raven openly before the pack, he'd cut off our share of the tribute entirely.
But what could I do?
I'd refused to accept the Bond Rejection because I wanted Lily to have an intact pack family. But tonight, at that birthday moot, Alaric's words had slapped me awake.
An Alpha who could use his own pup as a bargaining chip to please his intended mate—keeping him in our lives would only cast an endless shadow over my child's future.
If he was so desperate to run to his chosen female, then fine. Let him go.
A dull ache throbbed in my chest, making it hard to breathe. I forced myself to stand, intending to check on Lily in her sleeping chamber.
She'd cried so hard earlier. I was worried the stress might trigger her condition overnight.
But before I reached the door, a heavy thud echoed from inside the room.
Like something had hit the floor.
My heart lurched. A terror I'd never known before seized my throat.
"Lily?"