The blood in my veins froze solid.
I thought I'd misheard. "What did you say?"
Divorce.The word seemed to come from far away before slamming into my reality, leaving my ears ringing.
"You heard me clearly," Elias repeated. "I said I want a divorce."
"You're insane. You can't do this!" I was babbling, barely aware of what I was saying, grasping at anything, like a drowning person clutching at straws. "We're fated mates! Elias, our bond was arranged by the Moon Goddess!"
"The Moon Goddess made a mistake." Elias wouldn't look at me. "She led me to you, but the one who truly belongs to me is Liv. Now that she's back, I'm going to correct that mistake."
He was calling us amistake?
I had treasured every beautiful moment we'd shared, carving them into my memory as unforgettable. But Elias didn't see it that way at all. If our meeting was a mistake, did that mean every word he'd spoken to save me was also a mistake?
At that moment, Novella whimpered inside me. My heart hurt so much it went numb, and the tears finally stopped.
A more practical concern surfaced. My hand drifted unconsciously to my stomach.
If Elias really divorced me, what would happen to our child?
Everyone knew that once fated mates bonded, they stayed together forever. If they wanted to separate, there was usually only one path: rejection.
Right now, Elias was only talking about divorce. But what about later?
What if, after the divorce, he decided to sever our mate bond entirely…
The thought sent me into a panic. Rejection between wolves caused excruciating pain. I could endure it, but the baby inside me was only three weeks old. So fragile. So easily lost. If the worst happened, could such a tiny life survive the trauma of rejection?
Was I willing to gamble my child's safety on such an uncertain possibility?
My throat felt painfully dry, and I knew I couldn't afford to back down here. I forced myself to speak.
"Elias, are you really going to do this?" I asked. "Even if you never loved me, we were mates for over a year. Are you telling me you don't feel anything for me at all?"
"Stop playing the victim, Serenity. I won't fall for your act twice." He had clearly made up his mind, turning to face me with cold resolve.
"What right do you have to talk about feelings? From the moment you deceived me, from the day you pushed Liv into the sea, all I've felt for you is hatred! Traitors deserve punishment. That's pack law!"
My hands and feet went ice cold.
His words echoed in my mind.
Deceived.
Hatred.
Traitor.
Every word, crystal clear.
I had wanted to tell Elias about the pregnancy, but now I kept my mouth shut.
I was afraid. His hatred and suspicion were so absolute. If he found out about this child, he would do everything he could to make me get rid of it. That was exactly the kind of person he'd become.
But I refused to give up. I had struggled so hard to conceive this baby. No matter what, I had to protect him.
"Your father won't agree to this," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. "Think it through. The Vernal pack needs an heir!"
