Chapter 3
Elena's POV
"Elena... I'm sorry... I forgot..."
"It's fine. You were never supposed to remember this child anyway." I smiled. "After all, you only have eighteen-year-old memories, right?"
Seeing his pale face, the nightmare from three years ago came flooding back.
It was also the night before a full moon. Seven months pregnant, I caught him screwing Celine in these woods. During the fight, he kicked me down to protect her. Hot blood soaked the black earth.
I lost that child—an almost fully-formed baby boy.
Before I could even process losing my son, Ethan wanted to break our bond.
"Since you found out anyway, let's end this." He looked down at me bleeding. "Celine's my true mate. She just came too late."
I stared at this bastard who'd throw away his own flesh and blood for some whore, and said no. That pissed him off.
"Fine—but that BITCH is gonna pay for my child's life!"
"Elena! It's done—why can't you just let it GO?!"
To force me to agree, he wouldn't even let my child be buried in pack territory.
"Just a stillborn. Not worthy of our sacred grounds."
Desperate, I clawed at the hard earth with bloody hands, burying that tiny body myself.
But when I dragged myself back to the pack, I found blinding celebration lights.
Ethan held Celine tight in front of everyone, laughing: "Celine's pregnant! She's carrying the Blood Moon Pack's strongest heir!"
The cheers turned to ringing in my ears. My child was dead, while hers was treasured. Same blood—why the HELL was there a difference?
I finally lost it, shifted, and went for pregnant Celine.
Ethan's answer was rage. He whipped me bloody with barbed silver chains and threw me in the darkest cell.
For three years, we became the pack's biggest enemies.
He kept demanding to break our bond: "Elena! How long you gonna torture me? I admit I liked you before, but that was a MISTAKE!"
Every time, I shoved him away: "Want to break the bond? Let that whore die first! No—you and Celine can BOTH die!"
He'd storm off: "Elena, I regret ever loving you!"
Those words cut me deep. From that moment, I swore I'd never break our bond, never let them be happy.
I knew this wasn't good for anyone. But I was already broken.
After all, no one remembered that under this frozen wasteland, my poor child lay buried.
"Elena... I'm sorry." Ethan reached for me frantically. "I really... really didn't know I did that."
I knocked his hand away. "Sorry for what? It's not your fault. Eighteen-year-old you didn't know about this."
He went rigid.
I walked to a dead redwood, stroking the cold stone marker: "Baby, Mommy can't visit anymore."
Ethan looked confused, but he just wanted to get back to his shifting bastard.
"Elena, he's gone." He walked over impatiently. "You need to let this go. It's getting dark—let's leave."
I brushed dirt off my hands. "Let's go."
Back at the pack hall, the last light was fading.
I opened the doors to find Celine waiting with three-year-old Leo. The boy played with an exquisite gold dagger—the birth gift Ethan had forged for our child when I first got pregnant.
My heart took a hit.
"Give it back." I stared at the dagger.
Celine shrank back, clinging to Ethan: "Ethan! Look at her! Leo just likes this toy—why's she picking on a kid?!"
I ignored Celine, staring at Ethan. "Give me the dagger, or no deal."
His face went dark. He snatched the dagger from Leo and handed it over. "Enough! Give it back!"
"WAHHHHH!" Leo wailed over his stolen toy.
Celine stamped her feet: "Fine, WHATEVER! Elena, you got your thing—now HURRY UP and break the bond! Stop holding us back!"
I took the cold dagger and gripped it tight.
"Elena—"
I announced loudly: "I, Elena Mourn, officially break the mate bond with Alpha Ethan Black!"
Pain tore through my head as the bond snapped.
Fighting the agony, I pocketed the dagger and walked out.
Behind me, Ethan's voice turned gentle, soothing his crying bastard.
I mounted the black motorcycle and tore out of pack territory.
The second my wheels crossed the boundary, Ethan's voice filled my head.
"Elena, where are you going?" He sounded worried. "The bond's broken, but you can stay if you want. By the way... isn't today your birthday? Happy birthday."
I steered one-handed, listening to his voice, and smiled.
"Thanks, Ethan."
I wiped black blood from my mouth, stared into the darkness, and whispered back:
"But you know what? Eighteen-year-old Ethan would NEVER wish me happy birthday."
Ethan paused. "Why not?"
"Because today isn't my birthday." I closed my eyes. "Today's the anniversary of when you kicked our child to death."
I cut the mental link and gunned it, leaving Blood Moon Pack forever.
