Chapter 002:

Ember's POV.

“What?” My lips trembled as I spoke, my heart racing rapidly with both shock and fear. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't understand it either.

I understood that Alpha Thane disliked me now for his own reasons, but asking me to abort my child, the heir of the pack, wasn't fair. It wasn't right!

“Did I speak in ancient wolf language, Ember Stone?” he asked, calling my name emotionlessly. His words stung my heart so badly that I felt an ache rush up to my head.

I tried my best to convince myself that it was all a joke, that he wasn't being serious, but Alpha Thane never joked after becoming the Alpha of the Claw Bane pack.

When he said no, that was it. When he gave a decree, that was what he’d stand by. Despite all this, I tried to fight with the truth. I tried to convince myself that he was still joking.

“But Thane, you…” I began, but he cut me off, his eyes glaring at me with pain, anger, and disgust.

“You will show me the respect I deserve, Ember! Don’t you dare call me by my name! And you must get rid of it without anyone knowing about it, is that clear?” he warned sternly, his decision already made.

But how could he make such decisions without thinking twice?

“You can’t do this to me, Alpha Thane… Please, this baby is the only one that could bring joy. He could even bring the old you back to me. Please, Alpha Thane, don’t do this to me, to us, to the pack.” I begged softly, trying not to be audible.

Who was I kidding? My heart felt so heavy that all I felt deeply was pain, regret, and shock. My eyes grew heavy and moist, my feet wobbled beneath me as if they were about to give in, but I held myself back.

“Bring the old me back?” Alpha Thane scoffed upon hearing my words. “So what? You could get into some other man’s arms? The old me was weak, Ember… I am an Alpha now, not an heir anymore… And as the Alpha of the Claw Bane pack, I command you to get rid of that thing you call my heir.”

With those hurtful words leaving his lips, he looked away from me and was about to walk out of the room, but I turned sharply and held his hand, urgently needing forgiveness.

I dropped to my knees, hot tears trailing down my pale cheeks as I whimpered, “Please, Alpha Thane… get mad at me, treat me however you wish, but don’t make me get rid of my child. Please.”

He turned to look at me, his face carrying a tinge of anger as he watched me kneeling before him.

“The last thing I want to do right now, Ember… is to have a child with you!” His sudden words cut even deeper, leaving me frozen for a split second.

My tears stopped, and I could feel my heart skip a beat. What had just happened? Was this the man I had actually married? What happened to the old Thane? I thought inwardly, still heartbroken.

He pivoted on his heels and stormed out of the room without thinking twice. As he shut the door, the thudding sound it made resonated through the room, leaving me even more sad.

I slowly stood up from the ground and walked over to the bed, where I sat on the edge. Looking down at my tummy, I couldn't help but burst into tears.

“I’ll protect you. I have to.” I assured as I kept rubbing it.

Just as I was lost in my thoughts about what to do next, Lily, my inner wolf, spoke up, “You have to do what he says, Ember… if you want to stay in the pack.”

“No, Lily, that will never happen. I can’t get rid of my child. I’ll try to talk to him. It will work, right?” I whispered, already knowing the response.

As I cried, the door was pushed open, and the last person I expected to see walked in with a satisfying grin on her lips.

“Well, if it isn’t the almighty Ember Stone who thinks she’s some supreme Luna… Why are you crying, Ember? Didn’t Alpha give you what you wanted?” Zara mocked as she shut the door and walked a few steps closer to me.

Zara Grey, bride of the late Alpha heir Noah Grey, Thane’s younger brother. They had gotten married two years ago after Thane was crowned the Alpha of the Claw Bane pack.

I liked Noah so much, and he liked me back too, but things got messy when he became sick a year later. Rumor has it that Zara barely took care of him, but she never admitted to that and said everyone disliked her because she had no parents.

Soon, Noah died, his death so painful that it struck a chord in my heart. I thought Zara would feel the pain, but moving into the pack's house as custom, all she wanted and desired was to have Alpha Thane all to herself.

The truth is, Zara Grey always had her lustful eyes on Thane, but he loved me and not her, or so I thought. Besides, she was carrying Noah’s child before his death, yet she still sought to fight against me to claim Thane for herself.

One thing was certain at this point: She had come into the room to mock me.

“Get up and leave, Ember… don’t let her see you weak!” Lily urged, and I didn’t hesitate to listen to her.

With a soft sniffle, I stood up from the bed and was going to walk away, but Zara blocked my path.

“Where are you going? I just got here. Don’t be so harsh on me, Ember!” she warned, as though she were now the Luna.

“I don’t want trouble, Zara, so if you don’t mind, I’d like you to move out of my way.”

“What if I don’t? Would you hit me? Come on, Ember… do it! Do it and let’s see who’ll take the fall.” She taunted, making my brows crease.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked curiously.

“We both know who Alpha Thane would always give his attention to. We both know whose baby Alpha Thane would want to save first…” she snarled as she glared at me, my fists clenching at her words.

“Don’t give in, Ember… let her go! She’s trying to make things worse. Let’s leave before Alpha Thane comes back!” Lily warned, but I couldn’t listen, not when Zara was being a jerk.

“I am Luna, Zara… I have Alpha Thane’s undivided attention, not you. And with time, I’m sure he’ll see through your crazy schemes and send you away.” I uttered boldly, not realizing that Zara had other plans.

Just as we heard footsteps coming closer to the room, she grabbed my hand, making me confused and shocked as I tried to free myself from her grip.

“Why don’t we see who the one Thane truly cares for?” With a sneer on her lips, she forcefully placed my hand on her chest.

As though it was planned, the door opened and Alpha Thane walked into the room, catching sight of Zara falling to the ground, a wince leaving her lips as she held her tummy in pain.

“Ember, what are you doing?” Alpha Thane snapped as he rushed towards Zara, who was pretending on the ground.

“Don’t blame her, Alpha Thane… I deserved it.” Zara mumbled softly, acting nice all of a sudden.

“I… I didn’t do it, Alpha Thane! I didn’t…” I started to defend myself, my eyes bulging in shock, but just then, he cut in.

“It’s not like you were ever going to tell the truth, Ember. I saw you, and yet you deny it? More reason why I never want to have anything to do with you… including that beast you are carrying.” He lashed out at me, the sadness returning.

“Ahh!!! Alpha Thane… I’m bleeding… please, help me.” Zara cried out, still faking it all.

“Pray she and her child are okay, Ember. If not, I don’t know what I’ll do to you!”

With that, he carried her in his arms and dashed out of the room, just as Zara had planned. Alpha Thane never cared for me and would never, right?

Zara got all the attention and even when I was his Luna? Well, I was just some forced bride to him.

As I watched them leave, alone in the room, the loud ringing of my phone cut through my thoughts, making me turn to it.

Picking it up, I realized that it was Doctor Caleb.

“Hello?” I began with a shaky voice as I placed it to my ear.

“Hurry up, Ember… your son, Loak… he’s… he’s having a seizure again. His Feral fever is becoming worse!”