Chapter 2
Night had fallen.
The most luxurious ballroom in the North Pack was ablaze with lights.
I wore a black high-necked evening gown, hiding the claiming bite that was starting to throb on the side of my neck.
The cramping in my belly was getting worse.
I could only lean against the wall, forcing myself to stay upright.
In the center of the room, Damian stood with Lillian on his arm.
Lillian wore a dazzling red dress, surrounded by admirers like the moon among stars.
Around her neck was the emerald necklace my mother had left me.
"Damian, you really spoil Lillian," someone gushed.
"Yeah, that necklace means she's the Luna of North Pack now," another guest chimed in.
Everyone around them chimed in, agreeing wholeheartedly.
No one glanced my way, not at me, the rightful Luna.
Five years ago, Damian had his legs broken by the previous Alpha and was left to die in the snow.
I risked being hunted by the pack to carry him home.
I fed him my wolf blood.
I sold off several of my family's cargo ships to gather soldiers for him.
The day he finally rose again, he held me and cried, tears streaming down his face. "Chloe, I couldn't have survived without you.
"When I take back the Alpha's throne, you'll be the only Luna of North Pack."
That was the vow he whispered to me on that snowy night.
But now, he gave that promise to another woman.
"Chloe, why are you hiding in the corner?" Damian's voice cut through the noise of the crowd.
Everyone turned to stare at me.
Damian walked over, holding two glasses of red wine, with Lillian on his arm. "Today is Lillian's big day, her homecoming.
"As the hostess, shouldn't you raise a glass to her?"
He handed me one of the glasses.
The red wine swirled in the glass, the glare hurting my eyes.
"I can't drink," Chloe said, refusing to take the glass.
Pregnant women weren't supposed to drink. It was common sense.
Besides, my pregnancy was never stable to begin with.
"Can't drink?" Damian sneered. "Chloe, stop acting like you're so high and mighty.
"Lillian's trying to be nice. Are you going to embarrass her in front of everyone?"
Lillian leaned into Damian, biting her lip and looking hurt. "Damian, never mind.
"Maybe Chloe doesn't like me.
"After all, I did take the South Shipping Project from her. She must be upset."
"She dares to be upset?" Damian grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up. "That project should have been yours from the start.
"If she hadn't schemed to force me into giving her the claiming bite, you'd be the Luna of North Pack!"
Pain shot through my jaw.
I was forced to meet Damian's disgusted gaze.
"You think I schemed to force you?" I spat out each word. "Damian, five years ago in the snow, who was the one begging me to save him?"
"Shut up!" Damian snapped, raising his hand.
A stinging slap struck my cheek.
My head whipped to the side, my ears ringing.
He spat, "Who do you think you are to bring up the past?
"You only got close when I was at my lowest.
"I never loved you. Not once.
"Every time I touched you, it disgusted me."
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
The Luna of North Pack was utterly disgraced, right in front of everyone.
I covered my face and then slowly straightened up. "If I disgust you so much, then why did you need my bone marrow?"
Lillian's face went pale.
Damian grabbed my throat. "How dare you spout nonsense?"
His grip was so tight that it felt like he might snap my neck.
My vision blurred as the air was cut off.
The cramping in my belly reached its peak.
A hot, wet warmth trickled down my thighs.
"Damian," I managed to choke out. "The baby..."
"What baby?" Damian's grip only tightened, his voice dripping with contempt. "A poisonous woman like you doesn't deserve to bear my child.
"Even if you are pregnant, I'll make sure to get rid of it myself."
He finally released me.
I lost my balance and slammed painfully onto the hard marble floor.
Agony shot through my whole body.
Blood soaked the hem of my black dress, pooling on the marble floor.
"Oh, my God. She's bleeding!" someone screamed.
Damian looked down at me without a trace of pity in his eyes. "Playing dead?"
He lifted his foot and pressed it down hard on the back of my hand. "Chloe, stop with the theatrics.
"Get up and apologize to Lillian right now."
I curled up on the floor. The pain was so intense that I couldn't speak.
My vision started to fade.
The last thing I saw was Lillian hiding behind Damian, wearing a cold, smug smile.
*****
The sharp scent of disinfectant assaulted my nose.
I opened my heavy eyelids to a white ceiling overhead.
My belly felt hollow. The cramping was gone.
"You lost the baby," Lillian said coldly, standing by the bed.
She was dressed in a pricey designer suit, casually twirling a clear glass bottle in her hand.
Inside the bottle was a blurry lump of blood and flesh.
"Three months, already formed," she said, lifting the bottle right in front of my eyes. "Too bad Damian didn't spare it a glance. He told me to throw it away."
I sat up, reaching for the bottle. "Give it back!"
Lillian dodged me with ease. "Chloe, you're useless now.
"Without the baby, what do you have left to keep Damian tied to you?"
She tossed the glass bottle into the medical waste bin without a second thought.
The dull thud shattered my last shred of sanity.
"I'm going to kill you!" I ripped the IV out of my hand and lunged at Lillian.
But before I could touch her, two tall wolf guards burst in and pinned me to the bed.