#Chapter 2 The Truth Of Her Absence

Olivia POV

“Sign it,” Herold insists, the packet weighing heavily on my hands.

I can’t get past the first page, seeing that this legal document is real. For a moment, I anticipated it to be false, for this to be a mistake, but Herold is sporting a callous frown—he has made no mistakes here.

“What—What happened? Why would you—”

“I learned today that it was you who whispered lies into my mother’s ear about being Luna of my pack, forcing Alicia to leave me,” he says, his teeth grinding. “You’re the reason everything is fucked up—you’re the reason I was forced into this false marriage.”

My mind is perplexed beyond measure. The story he thinks is true is nothing like what really happened. Herold was going to be Alpha soon, taking over his father’s spot, but he was hurt in a rogue attack. He needed a blood transfusion and I was a match.

I insisted on helping him, seeing at how his future Luna willingly left his side in a time of need. I may not have been so fond of him back then but I was a lowly hostage of war, brought from the rogues side and rescued from the abuse, only to be told I would marry the future Alpha by his Luna mother.

His mother saw Alicia leave his side because of his wounds, anticipating he wouldn’t survive. But that’s not how things went. I gave my blood, I agreed to be the Luna for Herold when he fully recovered, but neither his mother nor I ever knew that Alicia would return when his health got better.

Alicia is picking this narrative now, saying that I not only pushed her aside, but that I was probably the reason she couldn’t help him. None of it is true. I gave everything I had in order to save his life, and all I have now is a secret pregnancy and stack of divorce papers.

“It’s a lie,” I breathe, my hands shaking. “She left you when you were hurt, Herold. The Luna banished her from returning. She didn’t banish her to leave; Alicia did that herself.”

“Liar,” Herold snaps.

Both of us are distracted, Alicia clinging to the door frame of the bedroom with a pitiful look of exhaustion. Guilt doesn’t touch a monster like her.

“I won’t let you disparage my future Luna’s name like this,” Herold barks, suddenly so protective of his old fling.

His hand grabs for my arm, flinging me to the floor on my knees. I cough at the sudden kick of movement, my stomach heavy and throbbing in a dull ache. I shouldn’t be handled like this—it’s not good for the baby.

“Apologize to the future Luna at once! She has never lied to me. You, on the other hand, are full of nothing but spite and jealousy.”

“I did not lie,” I growl. “I saved your life. She left you behind at the first sign of trouble.”

Alicia falls into Herold’s grasp, her body flush with his. “So pathetic,” she mutters, her hands working tenderly at his shoulders. It does little to calm his fury and that’s exactly what she wants. She craves for him to hate me. “Just accept it, mutt. He knows the truth now.”

I struggle to stand, my throat still burning with the acid that dares to shoot out of my mouth at any moment. I’m too weak, too damn sick, and far too pregnant to be berated like this. I sit up, coughing until blood splatters over the back of my wrist.

For a moment, I catch a glimpse of concern cross my mate’s eyes. It’s short-lived. “Nice trick, but I don’t buy it for a minute. Your lies have been exposed. I think it’s time you start begging for forgiveness.”

“Never,” I breathe, finally at my breaking point.

I wipe the blood off my lower lip, smiling wildly at the proof he just can’t seem to digest. I am sick because of that witch, I was mated to him because of her abrupt departure and I’ll be damned if I’m upset because of her false lies.

He storms out of the room at once, my body finally relaxing to the floor.

Alicia stays, though, her domineering glare pelting me like bullets. “Meet me at the hospital. Tonight, at midnight. My mate will be on patrol. If you don’t show up, I’ll tell him you did nothing tonight but scold me for telling him the truth.

She whips her hair over her shoulder and waltzes from the room. I’ve been used a lot in my life, but never by someone as coldhearted and manipulated as that witch.

I meet the liar on the roof of the hospital, just like she requested. I would decline her offer any other day but as it would appear, Herold isn’t fond of believing anything I say now, especially if Alicia tells him otherwise.

She walks across the roof in a rhythmic pace, her features lighting up when I get up there. She holds a thick packet, clapping it against her other hand proudly. She smiles like a churlish child, being caught out by a lie but uncaring. At least with it just being us up here, we can drop the act. We both know who is at fault here and it isn’t me.

“So, little substitute Luna is pregnant?” Alicia mocks.

I stop cold in my tracks. “How did you—”

She waves the packet in the air, proudly smiling. “Pregnant and dying? This is too rich.”

“You shouldn’t have that, it’s a violation of privacy.”

She shrugs, tossing my file to the ground. “I was prepared for you to try and defend yourself to Herold, but this new discovery makes things a little more difficult. Getting him to reject his pregnant, sick wife is going to harder than I anticipated.”

“Then tell him the truth,” I growl. “Easiest solution there is.”

She reaches in her back pocket, her eyes glinting off a small, silver pocket knife that she holds up to the moonlight, admiring it like it’s a rare gift sent from the moon goddess herself. I pause, my hand brushing my stomach, scared she intends to hurt my unborn child.

“Olivia, Harold already knew you’re pregnant with someone else’s child, and he’s so angry that he cut off your brother’s medical bills. You don’t have to bother calling him anymore, he won’t answer. I’m here to help you- if you’re willing to leave the pack, I promise to offer the best medical solution for your brother.”

Alicia battered her eyelashes, a move that has worked on my mate, but not on me.

“If you know that I am pregnant, then you should know very well that it’s Harold’s child, Alicia. I won’t let you succeed; I’ll collect evidence of all your plots before and now and give them to Harold. You left Harold five years ago because you thought you’d have to deal with a disabled Alpha. Stop pretending you didn’t have a choice in staying or going. I’ll tell him everything and I’ll prove it to him. He will believe me. “

Alicia toys with the blade cunningly. “Well, Harold will be here any minute now. Will he believe you, or me?”