CHAPTER 02

AVA:

"Oh, Ava, you've suffered so much. I have to take you to the hospital." My best friend, Audrey crouched down beside me, shaking her head in disbelief at what my mate had done to me.

Audrey was my childhood friend and I've lived most of my life knowing her and gosh, how I love the way she supports me.

In a nutshell, she was my sister from another mother, 'cause what can I do without her?

The moment she heard that I was in bed and wouldn't come out, she was the first to come visit me.

See what a good friend she was?

"No, Audrey, no one has to know I am being abused, not even the pack doctor," I answered. Damien would get mad at me when people started asking if he was abusing his wife.

"What do you intend to do? Today is your council of Luna meeting and you must be in pain." Her words sounded like she was pitying me but somehow she sounded insincere.

"I'll just use ice-cold water on my face and when the time comes, I'll patch up my scars and go for the meeting."

As though satisfied with my answer, she nodded her head and replied with a "hmm."

"OK, just sit tight and I'll go get you your medicine. Gosh, I feel like ripping that bastard apart." She was referring to Damien.

I usually disclose my secrets to Audrey but for some reason, I didn't disclose that I had lost my pregnancy to her, maybe it was because I felt too hurt.

******

The council of Luna's meeting was going to be held and I needed to get there on time to encourage other Lunas to be punctual.

"I'm leaving for Luna's meeting in the Golden Crown pack." I announced and Damien mumbled an "OK." Like he was not interested in my affairs.

He was disgusted at the sight of me and he didn't keep that a secret.

It was funny how I was to guide and mentor them when I was not a perfect Luna myself. I was only good in the battle but I had no pup.

Getting there, the ground was so scanty, and not many Luna's showed up.

"Why did only this number turn up?" I asked Phoebe, the lady who helped with the coordination of things.

"The mating ceremony is coming up and they believe in staying at home to satisfy their mates."

That was a baseless excuse but somehow, I found that to be true. Since the mating ceremony was coming up, it was also time for Lunas, Betas, and Omegas who were women to strengthen their mate bond.

All of a sudden, I felt a dagger pierce through my chest and then, I touched my chest but there was no dagger, no blood, nothing.

I fell to my knees with a thud and then I managed to get back on my feet but fell back down.

"Our mate is cheating on us again." Leila, my wolf complained and I didn't know how to comfort her as she wriggled within me.

I covered the mark on my neck with my palm. The part where Damien had marked me was hurting like hell, I instantly wished that I didn't have to go through this.

"Damien, why?" I muttered under my breath. Why did he choose to hurt me in the most cruel way by cheating on me?

"Are you okay?" Phoebe who noticed my agony asked and I nodded in the affirmative. No one except me needed to know of my pain.

Right there and then, I decided to go home. I was already sick and weak and I couldn't let this pain last me throughout the night.

"Tell everyone I got sick and had to go to my home pack." I excused myself, got down on all fours, and transformed into my wolf form.

I arrived at my house, transformed back to my human form, and silently made my way in since I had the spare key.

I was about to knock on the door of the room Damien and I shared when I heard sounds of laughter.

My face contorted the moment I heard Audrey's voice. Goddess no, it couldn't be what I was thinking.

"You act like I own your heart but what if Ava walks in on us, how would you explain it to her?"

"Sweetheart, let's not talk about the fat and ugly bitch when we are about to make love," Damien said and I felt my heart shattering to pieces all over again.

"But why haven't you rejected her yet, she isn't worth being Luna. Hehe, so shapeless and barren, yet she's gone to advise Lunas better than her." Audrey said and I felt bile rise in my throat.

Wasn't this my best friend I'm talking about here? I shook my head, no, my ears must have been deceiving.

"Let's not talk about her, she's not worth it." Damien hissed and soon I could hear their disgusting kisses.

I pushed open the door and when they heard the sound, they stopped what they were doing.

It was when I saw with my very own eyes that I believed. It was truly her, Audrey, my best friend.

My eyes almost fell out of their sockets. I even had to pinch myself to leave a reminder that I was in a bad dream.

"Damien, how could you?" With tears in my eyes, I sounded like a broken record.

in my eyes, I sounded like a broken record.

Venom rose in me and my chest tightened as I laid eyes on Audrey, she was now naked, her legs spread wide open and over Damien's shoulders.

I had caught them right in the act.

"What...are you doing here?" Damien sounded shocked to see me. He must have thought that I would be at the meeting. We were mates, didn't he know I was going to feel it?

"Audrey, you were like a sister to me, why did you betray me?" I asked and Audrey avoided my gaze, looking down but I was sure I saw no remorse on her face.

Damien now sat at the foot of the bed facing me.

"We didn't want you to find out this way, Ava." He said and I hated the way my name rolled off his tongue.

"What...what do you mean?" I stuttered, taking two steps back.

"Audrey and I are getting married because she is pregnant with my pup." He wrapped his hand around her waist like she was a precious jewel.

How could she take so much pride in snatching what's not her's? I scowled while diverting my gaze to her and she confidently stared back at me in the eye with a smirk dancing on her lips.

Remembering that I had been busy telling Audrey all about my married life while she was busy working her way into his life, I regretted it.

"Scheming bitch!!" I yelled so hard my brain almost got fried.

For a woman who just lost her baby and who hadn't given birth before, I saw red.