chapter 8

Through the fog in her head, Bella heard people screaming.

Her mind drifted back to years ago, when Ryan had first brought her to meet his parents.

Alphas and their families cared about two things when it came to mates—bloodline and the ability to produce heirs. Ryan's mother had slammed her hand on the table when they met. "A human can't give Shadow Pack an heir," she'd said.

Ryan had talked to his mother alone for a long time after that. When he came back, he just said, "She's okay with it now." And Bella had been stupid enough to believe him, thinking Ryan's determination had won his mother over.

Now she understood. That "secret conversation" Ryan had with his mother? He'd probably promised to find an Omega to give him pups, and Bella was just there for show.

She remembered Ryan's friends too, how they'd all clapped her on the shoulder and sworn, "You're the only Luna we'll ever recognize."

Now that Lina was pregnant, they'd probably say the exact same thing to her.

The whole Shadow Pack had known the truth this entire time. Only Bella had been left in the dark like an idiot.

Everything felt surreal, like she was floating outside her own body.

Were those years with Ryan even real? Which of his words were true and which were lies?

When he made her soup at dawn, when he shifted to protect her—was any of that tenderness genuine? Or was it all just to keep her docile and close? She couldn't tell anymore.

She didn't dare think about it. Her head was a mess, all those memories twisting together and tearing apart everything she'd experienced in the last twenty years.

Only one thought cut through the chaos and became crystal clear.

She had to get away from Ryan as soon as possible. The farther, the better.

Lina's long-awaited celebration party never got its happy ending. Halfway through, Ryan got a call and bolted out of there in a panic, heading straight for the werewolf hospital.

Bella had been unconscious for two days. The Alpha's fury rolled off him in waves, and the wolf doctors kept their heads down, not daring to meet his eyes.

"She just got hit by a car. Why hasn't she woken up yet?"

The wolf doctors exchanged glances and dropped their heads, looking grim.

They couldn't explain what was wrong either, and the silence in the room grew heavier.

Ryan's expression turned dark as he finally kicked everyone out. Then he carefully took Bella's hand and pressed it against his cheek.

"Bella, you can't leave me. Please wake up, okay?"

But Bella didn't move. Her face, usually so pretty, was pale as a sheet.

The next night, Bella finally managed to wake up during a massive thunderstorm.

Rain pounded against the windows outside, and she could barely see anything through the darkness.

Her whole body felt weak and sore, and there was this weird ringing in her ears.

Her throat was so dry it hurt. She was about to call for someone to bring her water when the door slammed open.

Ryan's voice cut through the room, angry but trying to stay quiet. "I told you not to show your face around her. What the hell are you doing here?"

Lina's whiny voice came next. "I'm carrying your pup. We haven't seen each other in days. The baby and I missed you." She knew damn well that carrying the Alpha's heir gave her all the power she needed, and that was exactly why she dared to show up now.

"Besides, I brought you a surprise. Don't you want to see?"

Whatever Ryan saw made both their breathing get heavier.

Then the sounds started. A man's low groan and a woman's breathy moans filled the room.

"It's been three days. Don't you miss me? Don't push me away. I already asked the pack doctor. He said it's fine," Lina whispered.

Bella's face went completely pale, and she closed her eyes, too weak to do anything else.

But Lina had actually dragged Ryan in with her. "It's too cold out there. Can we get in the bed?"

If anyone had walked past the room right then, they would've seen two hospital beds side by side—on one, Bella lying there with her eyes wide open and her face pale, and on the other, Lina moaning and gasping as she and Ryan went at it.

The rain outside got louder and louder, drowning out the disgusting sounds coming from the other bed.

Cold air rushed in through the wide-open door and chilled Bella to the bone. Even her soul felt frozen.

After Bella got discharged, she still seemed out of it.

She wouldn't eat and she wouldn't sleep. Her whole world had gone dark. The mating ceremony, Ryan's gentle side—all of it had turned into one sick joke.

Day after day, she just sat by the window and stared out at the rain.

Ryan moved back to Shadow Manor and put all his pack duties on hold so he could take care of her, but Bella still refused to eat anything.

The day before the mating ceremony finally rolled around, and Bella still looked like death—pale, exhausted, and way too thin. Ryan couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed her hands and started crying.

"Bella, please don't do this. We're having the mating ceremony tomorrow. Can't you eat something? For me? I was so scared when you got hit by that car. I almost lost my mind. Please don't scare me like that again..."