Her innocence

Eva

As I pushed the stretcher alongside my partner, I tugged self-consciously at the hem of my short nurse's uniform, my eyes fixed on the gasping patient. His labored breathing filled me with a sense of helplessness, and I silently prayed for his recovery. The familiarity of his face only added to my concern – he was my brother-in-law, and I'd watched him suffer from this debilitating illness for far too long.

We finally reached an available ward, and I sprang into action, helping to initiate treatment. But just as we were making progress, Mona swept in, her confident stride and superior smile commanding attention. "Eva!" she called, her voice crisp and authoritative. "I'll take it from here."

I turned to face her, my eyes narrowing slightly as I took in her indifferent expression. The other nurses seemed to shrink away, their faces neutral, and I knew I was outnumbered.

"Huh? But I–" I began, but Mona's raised eyebrow silenced me. I glanced around the room, realizing I wouldn't win this argument. With a quiet nod, I said, "Please take care of him. He's my mate's brother."

As I left the ward, a mix of sadness and anger swirled inside me, but I kept my emotions in check. The bitter thought crossed my mind: "This is what I get for being an Omega and a pushover."

Mona's condescending attitude still rankled, a reminder of the hospital's uneven power dynamics – her father's ownership and her own powerful wolf status made her virtually untouchable.

I clocked out and decided to headed home, my shift finally over and no more tasks to tackle. My mind wandered to Christopher, my mate, fiancé, and the Alpha of the Windsong pack, recalling the sweet night we shared yesterday, which brought a gentle smile to my lips."

As I made my way out of the hospital, I overheard the usual gossip causing the blushed smile to falter. "Isn't that the weak Omega who's marrying the Alpha this weekend?"

"I can't believe someone like her will be our Luna," her friend sneered.

Despite the negative talk surrounding our relationship, Christopher remained unfazed, fully accepting the mate bond. I never would have imagined that an Omega like me could win the heart of an Alpha and would be finally getting married to such a fine man. Finally arriving home, I was greeted by the overpowering stench of alcohol and cheap perfume.

"This is quite unusual," I thought as I traced the source of the smell. I discovered Christopher sprawled on the sofa, sleeping and snoring loudly. His hair was disheveled, his shirt tattered, and I noticed lipstick stains on his lips, neck, and shirt collar. Many thoughts ran across my mind. Even when I tried to shrug them off, I still thought of one thing which was the obvious.

"Christopher?" I called softly, gently tapping his shoulder.

He moaned, his eyes fluttering open. "What is it?" he groaned, his voice laced with exhaustion.

I sat beside him, my concern palpable. "Where have you been?" I asked, knowing he wasn't supposed to be at work that day. Unlike me, who was always needed at the hospital to care for the sick.

His eyes snapped open, a hint of defensiveness creeping in. "What kind of stupid question is that?" he barked, his tone sharper than expected. "Do you think I play at home? I'm tired and starving, so go prepare dinner before I change my mind."

But I didn't back down, not after seeing the noticeable proof before me. "Are you cheating on me?" I asked fearlessly, tears brimming in my eyes as I searched his face for answers.

"Cheating on you?" He laughed cruelly. "You're asking ridiculous questions nowadays. You know what? I've changed my mind. I'll go out and eat something instead."

I felt a sting from his words, but I tried to apologize, wiping away the tears that fell from my eyes. "I'm sorry... I think I've been overthinking lately."

But Christopher was unforgiving. "Well, thanks to your overthinking, I'll be staying outside. Sleep without me!" he yelled, his anger palpable as he struggled to stand.

He shed his jacket, throwing it to the floor, and staggered toward the door. But then he turned back, his expression twisted in a mix of anger and concern. "Oh, by the way, how's my brother?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of concern. "I heard his diabetes kicked in again, and he even lost consciousness. I also heard you were the nurse in charge."

"What?" I asked, my eyebrows raised, but I knew it was true—except that witch, Mona, had taken over. "Well, he's fine," I could only hope.

"Good," he nodded. "I'll pay him a visit tomorrow morning."

Thinking of Mona briefly reminded me of the cheap perfume I had smelled on Christopher. Even the lipstick stains and hickeys on him brought to mind the redness of her lips that afternoon.

"Christopher?" I quickly called before he could open the door.

"What is it again, woman?" he asked impatiently.

My heart ached as I wondered why he was acting this way towards me. It was completely unfair and unlike him but I had to talk. He was going to be my husband and I couldn't deal with being quiet when I saw signs. It's better to speak than to regret later.

"Do you perhaps know a woman called Mona?" I asked slowly and calmly.

There was a brief silence before he cut in, "Who is that?" he asked.

I shook my head, muttering, "Never mind."

He then shut the door, slamming it loudly behind him. Letting out a deep sigh, I took my gaze down at my finger bearing the engagement ring, desperately hoping that my suspicions were unfounded.

***

"Wake up, Eva!" Christopher's angry voice jolted me awake at dusk. I had slept alone the night before, not thinking he'd actually follow through on his threat to stay outside.

"What?" I asked, my heart racing as I took in his furious expression. "What is it?"

"You killed my brother!" he yelled, his voice shaking with rage. "You said my brother survived! Why is he dead?"

"Excuse me?" I muttered, struggling to make sense of his words.

"I will kill you, Eva!" he barked, pinning me down on the bed and wrapping his hands around my neck. I whimpered in terror, desperately trying to escape his grip.

"Please," I choked out, tears streaming down my face, "let me explain!"

"No," he snapped, tightening his grip. "You don't deserve to explain. You deserve death."

His mother—my mother-in-law who had never liked me from the moment we met—entered the bedroom. Seeing the state of her son and me, she scoffed in disgust and fury. "I always knew she was up to no good. Even though she's a stupid Omega, I thought she was at least a competent nurse. You murderer! You killed my son!"

"No," I cried, shaking my head, "I'm innocent."

"Liar," she spat, then turned toward the door.

"I'm not lying," I whimpered, struggling to breathe.

"Come in!" she shouted, and the Alpha's well-built, husky guards entered the room.

"Take her away," she commanded, pointing at me.

"Hear me out!" I pleaded, tearfully.

Christopher finally released me at his mother's insistence. "Take her away, as my mother said!" he ordered, his voice loud and his chest heaving as he panted.

"No... no... don't do this to me, please," I pleaded, shaking my head. "You need to listen to me. I never even had the chance to treat him last night."

"Liar!" he spat, his eyes blazing with fury. "You're going back on your words. This is different from what you said last night."

I realized he was right, and my face fell. I was in deep trouble, and there seemed to be no way to escape it. Nobody would even vouch for me.