Chapter 4
LIANA
I sat at the edge of the bed, slowly picking out the tiny glass shards embedded in my palm.
Each piece I picked out sent a sharp twinge of pain through my spine but I didn't react.
This pain was nothing compared to the ache in my chest.
The photograph lay on the floor in pieces, I didn't have the strength to clean it up.
My phone suddenly rang, I looked at the screen. It was a familiar number.
"Hello."
There was the sound of static before a familiar voice came through from the other side.
"Miss Liana. I wanted to discuss your IVF treatment." He paused, then continued. "We've reviewed your previous documents, and there's a possibility we could attempt another cycle."
I stared at the blood trickling out of my wound.
Another IVF?
"No."
"Mrs Liana, I understand you might be skeptical about going for it but—"
"I am not interested," I interrupted.
"Perhaps you should discuss this with Alpha Lucien first."
My eyes instinctively moved towards the door. "Don't. Please don't tell Lucien about this."
"Are you sure? This is an important decision and I—"
"I said don't tell him!"
The desperation in my voice finally silenced the doctor, he sighed. "Fine. I will be here if you change your mind."
Once he hung up, I exhaled, my shoulders sagging as my free hand rubbed on my flat stomach.
Countless needles, countless medications and tests.
Before I was finally able to get pregnant yet everything had gone into the wind on that day.
I took a deep breath then went back to cleaning my wound.
Once I was done, I slowly walked out of the room, my stomach rumbling.
"Liana."
I froze at the door, my heart skipping a beat.
Lucien was leaning on a wall, hands in his pocket, his lips were pressed into a thin line.
"Who was that?"
"I don't think it's any of your business," I snapped.
He scoffed. "Of course it is not." His gaze swept through my body then landed on my neck. "Where is it?"
"Where is what?"
"Your ring... and the necklace." He questioned.
My fingers flew to my neck, rubbing on the empty flesh. "I probably forgot it in my room."
Lucien looked like he didn't believe it but I didn't care.
Just like he has discarded me, I have also discarded the ring and slowly, I will throw away everything that links us together— including the mate bond.
...
NEXT DAY
At the first glance of sunrise, my lashes fluttered open.
The sunlight filtering into the room through the half opened blinds made me wince.
Just then I heard a loud bang.
My brows furrowed as another loud sound followed it.
I slowly pushed myself up from the bed, my head throbbing from the sudden movement.
What was going on?
The packhouse was usually quiet at this time, my eyes snapped towards the window as I pushed the covers away and climbed out of bed.
My body still ached from yesterday, and the wound on my palm throbbed painfully as I walked towards the window.
Then I froze, my breath caught in my throat.
Outside, workers swarmed around my apothecary.
“What...?”
I stumbled closer to the window as I watched two men carry out one of the large wooden shelves.
Another was dragging out a box filled with jars.
A loud crash echoed as one of the workers threw it onto the ground.
“Stop!” I threw on a robe over my nightdress, ignoring the pain coursing through my body as I rushed outside.
“Stop! What are you doing?”
No one listened to me.
I rushed forward, my heart pounding against my ribcages
“Who told you to do this?" I grabbed the arm of the closest worker.
“Answer me!”
“Liana.”
I froze, then slowly, I turned around.
Vivian stood a few feet away from me, dressed in a pretty white sundress, there was a soft smile on her delicate face.
“You shouldn't be touching the workers.”
My body went cold as I glared at her. “What are you doing? How dare you touch my apothecary?”
She sighed. “Lucien gave me the order to do whatever I wanted with it.”
“What?”
“Your apothecary is being cleared, I have a use for the building and I asked Lucien. He was the one that gave the go ahead order."
I turned towards the building.
The place I had spent years working in.
The place I had prepared every potion and every medicine I had created for the pack.
My fingers trembled. “Lucien ordered you to destroy it?”
Vivian shrugged. “He said it's better for me to have it.”
A worker emerged from the building carrying a familiar white box.
“Put that down.” I rushed forward, grabbing onto him. "It's mine."
I grabbed the box from his hands. “Don't touch these.”
The worker frowned. “Lady Vivian said—”
“Give them to me!” I pulled the box against my chest as my body shook violently.
These were the things I had gotten for my pup, our pup.
I had bought them after the IVF treatment finally worked.
A sob climbed up my throat when I remembered how I had lost that child.
I swallowed, biting back the tears. “No one touches these.”
Vivian's voice came from behind me.
“You should give those to them too, you don't want Lucien getting angry... Do you?”
Slowly, I turned towards her. “What do you mean?”
She pointed at the box in my arms.
“Lucien said everything inside should also be removed and burned...”
My heart stopped, just then someone grabbed the box from my arms.
“Hey!” I spun around but it was too late as a worker had already taken it.
“Give it back!” I rushed towards him.
But another worker stepped between us, blocking me from reaching him.
I watched with wide eyes as the worker walked towards the burning fire, then emptied the contents of the box into it.
“No.” I tried to run but someone grabbed my arm. "Let go of me!"
“Those are my pup's clothes!” I struggled, tears burning at the back of my eyes.
My breathing came out in broken gasps, the fire reflecting in my blurry vision.
Just then I saw something else, it was a stack of papers.
My eyes widened as I pushed myself up. "No, don't burn that."
But it was too late already as the papers were thrown into the fire.
Immediately, the flames devoured them, the papers curling up.
Tears slid down my cheeks as I watched. It was all gone.
My IVF records, my text results... even the first positive result.
All of it was... gone.
I stood there, unable to move as the last and meaningful pieces of my past turned into ash.