Chapter 1
Katie couldn’t wait to share the news with her husband and mate, Liam.
She was pregnant!
This was the second opportunity they needed after the loss of their daughter Ruby. A fresh start to fill the gap.
When she reached Liam’s private study door, she heard his voice, followed by Andrew, his beta She slowed down, not wanting to disrupt their chat.
“…the ashes of your daughter Ruby have been brought back,” Andrew said.
Katie’s eyes almost popped out of her head.
Ruby? Ashes? What were they talking about?
‘Where are the ashes?” Liam demanded.
‘In the car, Alpha. I had to inform you immediately about the death.”
Now Katie’s heart was pounding. She was on the verge of passing out.
She thought Ruby was missing, kidnapped by someone.
But dead?
What am I supposed to do with a jar of ashes?” Liam scoffed. “I’m surprised Ruby made it for ›ne year. I thought she was going to die the very next day after I sold her as a slave to the Embe noon pack.”
Her precious Ruby was sold. As a slave.
Well, what should we do about the ashes now, Alpha?” Andrew asked hesitantly.
Take it somewhere far, Andrew. Spread it across the sea or something. I don’t want to deal wit t,” Liam said dismissively.
But what if Luna Katie finds out?” Andrew pressed.
iam chuckled harshly. “Find out how? She’s still going to think Ruby is missing, not suspect hat she just died.”
For a minute, Katie’s breathing halted. Her heart felt tight in her chest.
For the past year, she had been searching for Ruby, thinking she was kidnapped. Liam had lec he search, pretending to be concerned.
But he had been the one to sell off his five year old daughter!
Katie snapped out of her thoughts as she heard Andrew’s voice again.
‘Alpha, at least maybe you should have given Luna Katie an opportunity to see her child’s ashes one last time. She has been grieving for the past year.”
Liam heaved a deep sigh. “Don’t be stupid. It is going to reopen old wounds. Katie shouldn’t know a thing about this, you hear me?”
Liam went on, his words piercing Katie’s heart more and more.
“You understand why I did it, all right? Dakota’s life was far too precious to give up. I know selling Ruby to the other pack was the only way to get access to the rare potion to cure Dakota’s Lunar
Fever. And since Ruby was born, she’s always been a weak child. I suspected she wasn’t going to live for long, and the best way was to put her to good use.”
Katie had to forcefully cover her mouth to stop the sound of a sob that escaped her throat.
Her eyes burned with tears.
Dakota was Katie’s cousin and Liam’s first love.
He had traded Ruby’s life for her.
In Katie’s heart, the betrayal and sorrow were like a dagger twisting.
Liam’s voice rose again in a very serious tone. “You better keep this information between us Now, go get rid of the ashes.”
Katie could no longer stand there listening. Clutching the pregnancy test paper in her hand, she turned on her heel.
She snatched an empty jar, her car keys, and hurried outside.
When she saw Andrew’s car, she hurriedly opened the door and looked for the jar that helc Ruby’s ashes.
A rush of sorrow passed over her as she carefully took it after finding it on the backseat. Ther she replaced it with the empty jar.
She got into her own car and drove to a remote lakeside with towering trees and the calming sound of the water gently crashing on the shore.
After exiting the vehicle, Katie made her way to the lake. She inhaled the aroma of water lilies and damp dirt.
Kneeling among the pebbles, she held the jar to her chest.
Her thoughts went to those nights when she would hold a picture of Ruby to her chest and cry herself to sleep.
Liam would hold her in his arms, telling her that his best soldiers were searching for Ruby.
t was all a lie, though.
She finally gave herself permission to cry, and hot tears fell down her face.
She cried for Ruby, for the life she would never have, for the pain and suffering she had endured. She cried for herself, for the betrayal and hurt she felt.
When the tears dried, she glanced down at the jar, and murmured quietly.
“Don’t worry, Ruby. I’ll definitely avenge your death. Dakota and Liam will surely pay for what they’ve done.”
