Freya POV

Slap!

My father stormed over and slapped me hard across the face. I leaned against the wall, struggling to stay upright, my ears ringing.

"Your sister is almost dying, and you're still causing trouble! How could I have such a vicious daughter like you? If you're not here to visit your sister, then get out!" My father yelled.

Sophia swung her fist at me, "Ever since Zoey moved in, you've been bullying her every single day. You stole her mate, caused her to almost be assaulted, and now you’re coming here to slander her! How can you be so cruel?"

My father grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the door. "Get out! I never gave birth to a daughter like you!"

I turned and looked at Aidan, who was walking toward me quickly.

"Aidan! Three years ago, I didn’t set you up! It was my father and Zoey who sent you to my room! They were the ones who put wolf poison in your drink!"

Aidan yanked me back into the room, his eyes full of confusion.

"What evidence do you have?!" He asked.

"Aidan! Don’t listen to her nonsense! She’s just jealous of Zoey!” My father butted in. “Think it carefully. Three years ago, Zoey was your mate. She loved you so much that if you even looked at another woman, she used to be heartbroken! How could she have possibly given you up to another woman?"

I gasped for air and spoke again."I’m not lying, Aidan! My father and Zoey plotted to get you to mark me because of a child! They even used my guilt to take all the inheritance my mother left me!"

"You’re lying! What child? Why would Zoey give up Aidan for a child? Just listen to yourself, is this explanation reasonable?" My father’s voice lowered, fear clearly evident.

"I’m not lying." I stared at Aidan’s eyes, "You have to believe me. I’ll find out the truth soon!"

"Hmph. Without evidence, it’s just nonsense!" Sophia sneered.

I looked around at the people in the room. After my mother passed away, they should have been the ones closest to me, but now, one by one, they looked at me like they wished I was dead.

Tears blurred my vision.

"Aidan, you’ve always blamed me that you couldn’t be with the woman you loved. But do you know? I’m the most pitiful and wronged person here! My father schemed against me for his other daughter. You’ve been neglecting me for Zoey since we got married. Did you ever remember that I was once the closest person to you?"

After saying this, I couldn’t hold on any longer and slowly slid down the wall.

The cramping pain in my abdomen replaced the ache in my heart.

"Freya, what’s wrong with you? What kind of trick are you pulling now?" Aidan said, sounding a little impatient but also concerned as he saw I didn’t get up.

I took several deep breaths, "My stomach… hurts… it feels like there’s a knife twisting inside… it hurts."

I clutched my stomach as I , felt warm liquid leaking between my legs.

The sharp scent of blood filled the room.

Aidan panicked. He grabbed me by the waist, "Freya! What’s happening to you? ...Blood... why is there blood?"

"I wanted to tell you when you came home tonight... I’m...I’m pregnant, Aidan." I grabbed his shirt collar, looking intensely at his clenched jaw.

He hadn’t worried about me like this in a long time.

"What? How is that possible? Are you serious? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?" Aidan stammered.

I didn’t know if he was hoping for this child or wishing I wasn’t pregnant.

"I tried to, but…ahh…Aidan…I thought… maybe we could finally have a home, even if you don’t love me. Maybe you’ll like the child, even if you don’t like our baby at first. Maybe the child will be like you, and you’ll grow to love them."

I was again gasping for air, each breath sharp and painful.

"Stop talking!" Aidan shouted, carrying me down the clinic corridor, "Doctor! Doctor!"

"Let me finish, Aidan, please After we break the mate bond tomorrow, I won’t have the chance to say this again. Maybe this child being lost is my punishment. The Moon Goddess gave me this child and cruelly took it away because I loved someone I shouldn’t.

I was wrong. Three years ago, I shouldn’t have thought I could keep you forever because of one wrong night… I... I really should let you go..."

Aidan POV

I couldn’t bear to listen anymore. Every word Freya said felt like needles stabbing my heart relentlessly.

"Stop, stop talking..."

"I agree to break the mate bond... I agree..." Her voice weakened.

"No! I disagree! I want you to be alright!"

"Freya, Freya!"

I wanted to explain to her that when I said I would break the mate bond and mark Zoey, those words were just out of anger. I was furious because she put Zoey’s life in danger. I didn’t truly want to reject her. How could she take me so seriously?

Fear gripped my heart as her hand, clutching my shirt, slowly loosened and fell limp.

One of her slippers was nowhere to be found, and blood was continuously dripping from her foot.

How had she become so light? Wasn’t she once strong?

She had said there was something important she needed to tell me today, but I hadn’t paid attention to her words at the time.

If only I had listened patiently to her when I was at home, she wouldn’t be in this situation.

When the nurse pushed her into the operating room, a doctor blocked me at the door. It was Luigi.

"Luigi, is she really pregnant?" I grabbed his white coat.

"How could you even ask such a thing?! Are you doubting your own mate and your own child? Freya must be blind to love someone like you!" Luigi roared.

"I didn’t mean it like that..."

I wanted to explain that I just hoped she wasn’t pregnant so she wouldn’t be at risk of miscarriage.

I just wanted her to be like when we were younger when she fell off a horse during a race and bled a lot, but the next day, she was completely fine.

But I couldn’t form a single sentence.

"Wait outside.” Luigi said.

"I’m her mate. I need to stay with her!"

"Do you lack common sense or do you have no heart? The operation requires a sterile environment. Are you trying to kill her? Do you think you haven’t hurt her enough?"

"I..."

The door to the operating room slammed shut. I had nothing more to argue.

I stood outside, my temples throbbing, pounding with dizziness and pain. I wanted to go outside and smoke a cigarette, but when I thought about Freya inside, unsure of whether she’d make it, I couldn’t bear to leave even for a second.

"I told you long ago that you’ve been too cruel to Freya! Since you’ve chosen her as our mate, you should be loyal to her!" My wolf complained in my mind.

"I’ve always been loyal to her! I haven’t done anything with Zoey."

"I’m not talking about the body, I’m talking about the heart. Does your heart belong to Zoey or Freya?"

My heart?

While I was wondering about my wolf’s question, James and Sophia arrived.

"Is she really pregnant? That can’t be true. Didn’t you dislike Freya? How did this happen? How could she get pregnant?" James scratched his head.

I didn’t expect James to be more concerned about her being pregnant than his daughter’s safety.

Sophia grabbed my arm and started crying, "Aidan, go check on Zoey. The doctor said her condition is really bad!"

I frowned and shrugged her hand off. "Aren’t there several doctors taking care of her? You can go call them."

Sophia froze, then snapped at me, "Aidan, Zoey was already improving, but the doctor said she collapsed again after a shock! And it’s all Freya’s fault! That woman is just putting on a pity act to gain your sympathy. I advise you to break the mate bond with her as soon as possible."

"What right do you have to tell me what to do? I barked. “My relationship with Freya is none of your business!"

"What?" Sophia stared at me in disbelief.

"Aidan, don’t worry. Freya has always been strong. She’ll be fine," James said, pulling Sophia’s hand to signal her to leave.

But Sophia continued to argue, "Exactly, we only pushed her a little."

“Just go.” I couldn’t suppress my anger anymore. I shoved Sophia to the ground.

"Just pushed a little? How can you say such cold-blooded things?"

"What? Now you care about Freya? Didn’t you push her too?" Sophia shot back.

Her words pierced me deeply. I grabbed her and yanked her up from the floor, wanting to slap her.

But James stopped me, "Aidan, she’s Zoey’s mother. Have some respect. Anyways, we need to go back and take care of Zoey."

"I don’t have time to deal with you right now, but I will investigate everything Freya had said!" I punched the wall.

Sophia and James left, their faces filled with fear.

A day and night had passed. Luigi even brought in doctors from other wolf packs.

When he finally came out, he coldly told me:

"The child is dead. Freya has lost too much blood and is still in critical condition."