Ella's POV.

The next thing I woke up to was the steady beep of machines around me, a rhythm that reminded me that I was still alive. I slowly forced my lashes apart, blinking against the harsh white light. My arm felt heavy. I lifted it weakly and saw the cannula taped to the back of my hand, a thin tube feeding a clear bag of liquid into my veins.

The hospital.

“Thank Goddess!” Sylvie's voice jerked me toward her. “You're finally awake!”

She shifted on her chair, and I could see the panic in her eyes. They were red and swollen, with dark circles carved beneath them like she hadn't slept properly in days. Her black curls were tied in a messy knot.

Sylvie was one of the few honest friends I had. The only one who never cared that I was an Omega, despite her being a Beta. Others only tried to get close after learning our pack's Alpha, Jason, was my fated mate. But Sylvie… She was there long before that.

“Do you know how scared I've been?” Her voice cracked. “I’ve been sitting here for four days, watching you sleep… talking to myself like some crazy person…”

“Four days?” My throat was dry, so my voice was barely a whisper. “How... how did I get here? Who brought me in?”

Sylvie grabbed a cup of water from the dispenser and held it to my lips. I drank slowly, letting the cool liquid soothe my throat.

“Some guy found you,” she said, setting the cup down. “You'd crashed your car. And thank Goddess he rushed you to the hospital just in time. The doctors said if he'd been even a few minutes later…” She shook her head, not finishing the sentence. “But nobody knows who he is. He just dropped you off and vanished. Didn't leave a name, nothing.”

I blinked, trying to remember. The memories came back in several pieces, and then... I remembered the mark I had seen on his chest. But that couldn't be right. I was probably hallucinating from the blood loss.

“Syl…” My hand flew to my stomach. “My babies... Please… tell me they're okay.”

From the corner, a shadow shifted. Michael, Jason's cousin, was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking like he'd been there for hours.

“The doctor will be here soon,” he said, keeping his voice low, like it was an effort to keep me calm.

I turned to him, confused. “Michael? How… did you know I was here?”

He pushed himself off the wall and stepped closer, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I went by Jason's villa this morning. One of the staff told me you were in the hospital.” His jaw tightened. “I've been searching every room in this hospital since then. But I found Dr. Chloe, and she directed me here.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but the door swung open and Dr. Chloe walked in. Her white coat was creased, and my chart was clutched tightly in her hands. She didn't meet my eyes at first, and that made my stomach tighten.

“Luna,” she began, her voice professional but gentle. “You're stable now, and your vitals are good. But I won't lie to you… the bleeding was severe.”

Sylvie wrapped both hands around mine, squeezing like she was afraid I'd vanish if she let go.

“Dr. Chloe,” I cut in, my voice trembling. “Please. Just... just tell me about my pups. They're okay, right?”

She hesitated a bit. Her eyes flickered to the chart, then back to me. “Rhaella... I'm so sorry. We did everything we could, but…”

“But what…?!” I snapped, panic bleeding into my voice. Sylvie squeezed my hand, but I barely felt it. I was already falling apart.

Dr. Chloe took a breath. “You had a miscarriage, Rhaella. We couldn't save them. I'm so sorry.”

Please, tell me I didn't just hear that.

“Mis… miscarriage?” I asked in a choked whisper, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

“Ella…” Sylvie started.

I yanked my hand from hers, pushing myself up despite the sharp pain that tore through my abdomen. I could barely contain my emotions.

“No… no…” I shook my head repeatedly, refusing to be comforted. “No, Dr. Chloe, please... there must be something we can do. Please, I can't... I can't just let them go…”

I tried to get off the bed, but Sylvie's grip tightened around me, holding me in place. I was already broken, and tears slid down my cheeks uncontrollably.

“I’m so sorry, Ella.” Dr. Chloe's voice was gentle, but firm. “There's nothing we can do to bring them back. What matters now is you… you're safe. You're recovering well, and you should be discharged soon.”

Recovery? Hell!! That word meant nothing when the only thing worth recovering from was gone. My wolf was completely shattered inside me. The twins were not just babies. They were proof… a miracle in the face of every diagnosis and every unanswered prayer since I was eighteen. Proof that I wasn’t empty and that I could be a mother too.

But now they are gone. Because of Jason.

Hot tears streamed down my face as I clutched my stomach, desperate to feel something… anything… but there was only emptiness.

Sylvie finally let go of my arms, briefly pacing around the room like a caged wolf. “Why is Jason not here, Ella?” she demanded. “These are his pups too! Don’t tell me he’s behind this!”

She had always been able to read me too well. I had told her every time Jason acted up, so I knew it wouldn't take her long to connect the dots. But imagine her shock when she learns that the bitch he had been cheating with was Dahlia.

“Alpha or not,” she growled, “I swear to the Goddess, I’ll tear that bastard to shreds.”

“Sylvie!” Michael’s voice came quiet but sharp with warning.

She stopped and spun to face him, flaring her nostrils. “What?! You want to defend him? Tell me you don't know your precious cousin has got something to do with this!” she yelled, widening her eyes like she was going to snap his neck too if he wasn't careful.

“Can you freaking calm down?!” Michael yelled in frustration. “I know exactly what Jason is. But running your mouth like this won’t solve anything. If anything, it’ll only get you killed. He’s still the Alpha of this pack.”

She scoffed. “Fuck you both!” she spat, storming back to me. “Alpha my foot!”

I couldn’t speak. I just cried and cried until my eyes burned.

Michael uncrossed his arms and stepped closer to me. “Ella,” he said, his voice steady but sharp. “What exactly happened between you and Jason? How did you end up like this?”

I took a deep breath, then forced myself to tell them everything, the horrible things Dahlia had said to me, and right up to Jason's order for everyone to let me leave on my own. By the time I finished talking, Sylvie’s jaw had dropped.

“Wait…” Sylvie’s voice snapped. “You’re telling me the bitch Jason’s been screwing is your half-sister?! The nerve of that asshole!” She laughed humorlessly. “Goddess, I’ll fucking twist that bitch’s neck till she begs for death!”

Michael turned gently toward her, giving her a quiet look. But Sylvie spun on him. “What? You're gonna tell me to calm down again? Can't you see what Jason is playing at?!”

“Actually,” Dr. Chloe said softly, “there's something else I’m yet to tell you…”