One month before the Pack’s annual Hunt Festival, an intern from the Healing Center sent me a photo. In the dimly lit treatment room, my fated mate, Alexander, who was also the Pack’s lead healer, was pinning a female warrior against the table. His hands were gripped tightly around her waist. They were staring into each other’s eyes, their bodies pressed flush together. I sent the photo straight to Alexander. Late that night, he came home smelling of therapeutic essential oils. He gave me a lazy, practiced explanation. “Evelyn, you know this is just part of my job.” “Her injury is in a sensitive spot near her lower back. I had to find the exact angle to apply pressure. The photo just makes it look worse than it is.” I pulled the blanket tighter around myself. “Okay. Go to sleep. You have to train with her tomorrow.” He looked surprised. “You’re not mad?” I shook my head. Since he couldn’t let go of his first love, it was time for me to go back to my Alpha. Seeing that I had nothing more to say, Alexander went to take a shower. The posture in that photo didn’t look like medical treatment at all. It looked like an embrace. The intern who sent it only added one line: [Evelyn, I’m not trying to start drama. But Alexander has been doing this with her every single day for the past six months.] Alexander walked out of the bathroom and sat on the edge of the bed. He reached out to ruffle my hair. “Evelyn, Olivia’s spine was severely damaged by silver weapons years ago. Normal healing spells don’t work. I have to get close to find the trigger points.” “I was only treating her.” I turned my head away, avoiding his touch, and stared at the ceiling. “Okay.” “She’s been training too hard for the Hunt Festival, and her back muscles are spasming. I don’t trust any other healer with her.” “Okay.” “You know my skills. The whole Pack trusts me.” I finally turned to look at him and forced a smile. “I know, Alexander. You’re a great healer.” He kept explaining. “She and I broke up a long time ago. We’re just friends now.” I didn’t reply. I knew exactly how heavy their past was. Olivia had never truly left his life. Whenever she got a cramp during training, had a flare-up of an old injury, or couldn’t sleep, she would text him to come over. On the night we completed our Mate Bond ceremony, she texted him at eleven p.m.: “My back is killing me. I can’t move! It hurts so bad!” Alexander had just taken off his coat. After reading the message, he didn’t hesitate to lace his boots back on. I pulled his sleeve. “Does it have to be tonight?” “She’s alone in her apartment. No one is there to look after her.” I sat on the edge of the bed and lowered my head. He bent down and tucked me in. “I’ll be quick. I’ll take you to register our bond at the Pack Hall first thing tomorrow morning.” He didn’t return until three in the morning. There was a smear of essential oil on his collar. He said it got there “while stretching her out.” I knew she was fine. With a werewolf warrior’s healing ability, even the worst silver injury would have healed after several years. But he wanted to go, and no one could stop him. Every time I brought up Olivia, he would say, “She’s a warrior of our Pack, and I’m a healer. It’s my duty.” The more fragile she acted, the more patient he became. The more demanding she was, the harder it was for him to say no. Everyone in the Pack whispered that they were still hooking up. I, his fated mate, felt like an outsider in my own marriage. Alexander wanted to say more, but his phone buzzed on the nightstand. He glanced at it, his expression shifting slightly, and quickly pressed the lock button. “It’s probably just her. She gets anxious before the Hunt.” I closed my eyes. “Answer it. What if she can’t sleep tonight and it ruins her training tomorrow?” He didn’t answer. Instead, he placed the phone face down, turned around, and wrapped his arms around me. “Don’t overthink it, Evelyn. She and I are in the past.” I didn’t hug him back. Suddenly, a sharp cramp flared in my lower abdomen, like a tight knot twisting inside me. I frowned but kept quiet. Even if I told him, he wouldn’t care right now.
The next morning at six-thirty, Olivia’s call came right on time. “Alexander, I can’t train today. I seriously can’t even lift my back.” Alexander’s voice held a trace of helpless indulgence. “Olivia, you’re not a pup anymore. It’s just a mild cramp.” Olivia whimpered on the other end. “Would it kill you to be nice to me?” He went silent for two seconds, his tone softening. “Fine. I’ll head over after my morning rounds at the clinic. I’ll bring a special ointment.” Olivia immediately pushed further. “After that, you have to buy me breakfast and help me stretch.” Alexander let out a low chuckle. “Why don’t you just ask me to move in and be your personal healer?” “I would! But do you dare? Would your precious mate even allow it?” The bathroom door was slightly open. I heard every single word. He hung up, turned around, and froze when he saw me standing there. “She’s just stressed before the Hunt,” he said quickly. My face remained blank. “You’re very attentive.” “Maybe you should request a transfer to be the dedicated medic for her squad.” He frowned. “Evelyn.” A sudden, violent wave of pain surged from deep within my belly. I gripped the doorframe, my voice hoarse. “Move.” I pushed past him into the bathroom, collapsing by the toilet, dry-heaving. Nothing came up, but cold sweat broke out across my forehead. Alexander stood at the doorway. He didn’t come closer. He just watched me with a frown. “What’s wrong now?” I gasped for air. “My stomach… it hurts.” He looked at my pale face, his voice flat. “Your emotions have been all over the place lately. Of course your body is reacting. Just stop overthinking, and you’ll feel better.” I froze, my fingers gripping the edge of the sink tightly. He didn’t seem to notice. He grabbed a tissue to wipe the doorknob. “You never say anything when you’re actually sick. You only act pitiful when you want attention. It’s exhausting, Evelyn.” He checked his watch. “I have to treat Olivia this morning, and there’s a joint seminar this afternoon. I can’t stay.” “There are painkillers in the cabinet. Take two and rest.” Before leaving, he added, “Turn on the exhaust fan when you’re done. Don’t leave a smell for others.” The moment the door slammed shut, another spasm hit me. I couldn’t even stand up. A metallic taste rose in my throat. I leaned against the wall for a long time, feeling a deep sense of irony. He had all the patience in the world to find the perfect angle for Olivia’s spine, but he found my pain “exhausting” and “pitiful.” It turned out his medical compassion was highly selective. He grabbed his bag and left without looking back. I wiped my face, ordered a cab, and drove myself to the Healing Center.
The healer looked at my ultrasound results and fell into a long silence. “Evelyn,” she began carefully, “your physical state is terrible. I’m not just talking about the medical reports. I mean *you*. You look… completely crushed.” I didn’t say anything. She hesitated. “Where is your mate? Does he know you’re here?” I opened my mouth, but no words came. Aside from Alexander, I had no one else to call. My parents died when I was young. I had lived alone for so many years before I finally thought I had found a home with him. But now, as the healer asked about him, my fingers went cold against the paper. I suddenly realized that my pain wasn’t just a physical illness. It was the sickness of a failing Mate Bond. It was the physical manifestation of his betrayal. As I walked out of the Healing Center, I tried to mindlink Alexander, but I couldn’t feel his presence. He had blocked our link. Standing on the steps, I called him. No answer. I sent him a text: [I have an emergency. Come home now.] I took a cab back. When I opened the front door, I saw a pair of unfamiliar women’s leather boots on the rug. In the living room, Olivia was lounging on our couch. One of her legs was propped up on the coffee table, her ankle wrapped in a bandage. Alexander was kneeling in front of her, gently massaging her foot with expert precision. “Did you twist it?” he asked. “Yeah, just a clumsy mistake.” Olivia pouted, her voice sweet and helpless. “Alexander, am I going to be benched for two weeks?” “Your ligaments are a bit tight. Don’t walk on it too much.” He squeezed her ankle gently. “Does it hurt?” “Only a little,” she whispered, her eyes locked onto his. “But it doesn’t hurt when you’re here.” “I’m here,” he murmured. Those two words. In all the years we had been together, he had almost never said them to me. A minor sprain was nothing to a werewolf warrior. They healed in hours. He knew it wasn’t serious. He just wanted to be there for her. My abdomen flared with pain again. I gripped the entryway cabinet, my knuckles turning white. Alexander finally noticed me. “Where did you go? Why do you look so pale?” I opened my mouth to say, *I just came from the clinic,* but Olivia cut me off with a sigh. “Evelyn, please don’t misunderstand! My ankle was so swollen I couldn’t walk. Alexander was worried about me being alone, so he brought me here to treat it.” I ignored her and kept my eyes on Alexander. “I need to talk to you.” Before he could answer, Olivia gasped. “Alexander, my toes are going numb.” He immediately looked down, re-examining her foot. His voice softened even more. “Don’t move. The ligament just loosened. Give it a minute.” I stood there, clutching my bag. “Alexander, can you please take me to the Healing Center?” Olivia grabbed his wrist at that exact moment. “Did I break a bone? Why is it hurting more?” Alexander frowned, checking her foot without looking up. “Evelyn, if you’re not feeling well, go lie down. I’ll come check on you as soon as I’m done here.” “Never mind.” I turned, walked into the bedroom, and shoved my medical report into the very bottom drawer of the nightstand. That night, Alexander knocked on the door. “The guest bedroom is too damp. I’m going to let Olivia sleep in our bed tonight. You can crash in the guest room for one night.” I opened the door. Olivia had already walked into our master bedroom holding a glass of warm water. She sat right on the edge of my bed and naturally reached into the nightstand to look for pain patches. The bottom drawer held my medical report. I blocked her hand. “Don’t touch that. I’ll get it for you.” But Olivia’s fingers had already brushed against something else in the top drawer. A box of birth control pills. She raised an eyebrow and smirked. “You guys have been together for five years and you’re still using these? I was starting to wonder if he even marked you.” She threw a meaningful look at Alexander. “Didn’t you use to hate birth control? You told me you never wanted a pup with anyone else.” The room went dead silent. I looked at Alexander. He looked away, avoiding my eyes. For five years, he had never brought up having children. I thought he was just being considerate of my career. It turned out he had made the decision for me long ago. My abdomen seized in a violent cramp. I gripped the edge of the drawer, cold sweat dripping down my face. I pulled the medical report out, held it tightly, and walked toward the front door. “Evelyn, where are you going?” he called out from behind me. I didn’t look back. Where else would I go? I was going to deal with a pup that he never planned to have—and now, a pup he would never have the right to know.
By the time I reached the Healing Center, I could barely stand. The emergency healer took one look at me and her face paled. She didn’t even look at the paperwork; she just grabbed my shoulders and helped me into a chair. “Why are you here alone?” her voice was frantic. “Where is your mate? Where is he?” I shook my head. Her expression darkened. She turned to the nurse. “Prep the OR. Now.” I gripped the back of the chair, my clothes soaked in cold sweat. “We need to contact your mate,” the healer said. “In your condition, having your mate’s scent and aura to soothe you would make a huge difference.” I stared at the floor for a long time before finally dialing Alexander’s number. It rang for what felt like forever before he picked up. In the background, I could hear Olivia’s whiny voice. “Alexander, my foot still hurts. Come back and look at it…” Alexander’s tone over the phone was instantly gentle. “Don’t move, I’m coming.” Then he spoke to me, his voice instantly turning cold. “Evelyn, what is it?” “Alexander, come to the Healing Center.” “If you’re really sick, let the healers handle it. What good am I going to do there?” “The healer said… I need my mate’s scent to stabilize me.” My voice was so weak I could barely hear myself. “I have no other family. I only have you.” There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a heavy, irritated sigh. “Evelyn, stop doing this. I know you’re an orphan and you’ve always been insecure. I get it. But you can’t keep weaponizing your trauma to manipulate my feelings.” Those words pierced through my ears like poisoned needles. The pain was so intense my vision went black. The call disconnected. I stared at the dark screen, my knees buckling. He knew exactly how alone I was in this world, and yet he used my loneliness as a weapon to push me away. I braced myself against the wall, opened my contacts, and scrolled to a number I hadn’t dialed in years. It rang once before he picked up. “Evelyn?” My voice shook violently. “Nathaniel… can you come to the Healing Center?” There was a sudden scrape of a chair on the other end. “Send me the address. I’m on my way.” That night, Alexander took Olivia to a Pack bonfire party. After a few drinks, someone suggested a game of Truth or Dare. The beer bottle spun and pointed directly at Alexander. “Alexander, honestly, if Olivia hadn’t gone abroad years ago, wouldn’t you two be married by now?” The crowded room went quiet for a second, followed by a burst of knowing laughter. Olivia leaned closer to him, looking down with a shy smile. “Stop it, guys. Alexander has been married to Evelyn for three years.” But as she spoke, her hand slid over his on the table. Alexander didn’t pull away. Someone cheered. “You’re holding hands and you’re telling us to stop? Come on, Alexander, answer the question!” He raised his glass. “Next question.” The laughter grew louder. Olivia took his phone to take a selfie. When she tapped the screen, she paused at the passcode screen. It was still her birthday. “You never changed the password,” she whispered, her eyes curving into crescents. She leaned her head against his shoulder. “My back hurts too much to lean down, block the light for me.” Alexander frowned slightly but still tilted his body to shield her from the camera glare. Someone yelled about posting the pictures on Snapchat. He replied casually, “Go ahead. My mate doesn’t check social media anyway.” Then, he added, “She’s been acting crazy lately. Always complaining about not feeling well.” The laughter slowly died down. A Pack member sitting in the corner suddenly looked up. “Are you saying Evelyn is faking it?” “What else would she be doing?” The man’s expression changed. “But… I was at the Healing Center yesterday. I saw her. A man had to carry her into the emergency room.” “She lost her pup. And the man holding her… was Alpha Nathaniel.”
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