Chapter 2

The moment Anya arrived at the house, her expression soured.

She stormed into the room I'd shared with Raven.

She yanked out everything that belonged to me and threw it outside, piece by piece.

There were matching braided bracelets I'd made.

And a protection charm I'd secretly tucked under Raven's pillow.

I'd sewn that charm for hours.

Every stitch was tight and careful.

Now it was being trampled like garbage under her feet.

I stood frozen in place.

Watching helplessly as Anya tore through the space I'd tried to make into a home, leaving it in ruins.

And Raven just stood there. He didn't stop her. Instead, he smiled helplessly.

His eyes flicked toward me briefly.

"Let her vent. I wronged her. A little tantrum is normal. If anything breaks, I'll replace it."

My throat tightened.

I shook my head quietly.

"...No need. Nothing important."

Raven paused.

He studied me, inexplicably irritated, but said nothing more.

In the garden stood the flower beds I'd planted myself.

Raven had said we should hire someone to landscape it properly, befitting an Alpha's home.

But I'd wanted to do it with my own hands.

And though he'd complained, he'd quietly had the pack staff install decorative fencing around the beds to protect them.

Now Anya was trampling the blooms without a care.

Raven's affectionate gaze followed Anya's every move, not once noticing how pale my face had gone.

But Anya wasn't done.

She scoured the space, and her eyes finally landed on the woven basket in the corner.

The afternoon sun was warm.

I'd worried the nursery was too stuffy, so I'd brought the basket to the garden to let the pups nap in the fresh air.

I shouted in panic: "The pups are in there, you can't—"

Before I could finish, she'd already lifted it, about to throw it.

My face went white. Without thinking, I lunged forward.

But I was too late.

Anya startled and stumbled backward.

She was about to fall.

That's when a dark shadow flashed by, and Raven's Alpha reflexes kicked in—catching her firmly.

The three pups curled up in soft blankets tumbled out like fallen fruit, rolling across the ground.

They were so small.

So small they didn't even make a sound when they hit the ground.

Only the largest one, woken by the impact, let out a tiny, pitiful whimper.

"My pups!"

I dropped to my knees, frantically gathering the three pups into my arms.

They were terrified.

Their little tails tucked between their legs, bodies trembling.

The biggest one had scraped his forehead, a faint bead of blood welling up.

I couldn't breathe from the pain in my chest.

Raven had been closer to the basket.

With his Alpha speed, he could've easily grabbed it before Anya threw it.

But he didn't. His instinct chose Anya first.

And then watched our pups hit the ground without so much as a frown.

Before, I used to wonder.

I thought about all those desperate nights tangled together.

All that tenderness and indulgence.

If that wasn't love, then what was?

But in that moment, I had to admit the truth.

Maybe I was wrong all along.