Alpha Begged, Luna Walked Chapter 08

Alpha Begged, Luna Walked Chapter 08

Magnus’s hands trembled as he activated the crystal.

Ten years ago, his own voice emerged from the sphere, young, earnest, hopelessly in love.

“Tell me, dear Miss Greer, my future fated mate, how will you and I spend these ten years?”

Then Nova’s voice. Not the Nova who had grown quiet and hollow. The Nova from before. The one who still believed in them.

“Year one. You bought me a silver ring with your first hunting commission. I wore it every day.”

“Year four. The pack was growing. You mated me to give me security. A beach ceremony, you spent so much. I loved it.”

“Year eight. Our first pup. Everyone was waiting for him. He looked just like you.”

“Year ten. I’m pregnant again. Our child wanted a little sister.”

A pause. Then, softer,

“You probably think that’s how it went. That we were happy.”

Her voice changed. Cool. Distant. Final.

“It wasn’t. You betrayed me. So I’m leaving.”

Betrayal.

She knew.

Something cold and sharp crystallized in Magnus’s chest. He turned. His gaze pinned Eden to the wall.

“What did you do?”

Eden flinched. “I, I didn’t.”

“Nova has always been emotional during pregnancy. But she’s never come to the pack house like that. She’s never lost control. Not once.” His voice dropped. “What did you say to her?”

Eden’s mouth opened. Closed. “Just girl talk. I was concerned about her health.”

“Girl talk.” He stepped closer. Then his gaze snagged on her hand.

The ring on her finger. Pink diamond. Rare cut. He’d won it at auction three weeks ago.

It was meant for Nova. After the pup was born.

“Where did you get that?”

His grip closed around her wrist. Too tight. Eden gasped.

“I, it was in your pocket. I thought it looked pretty. We were coming north, I wanted photos.”

“You’re lying.”

His wolf bled into his voice. Cold. Absolute.

Her knees buckled. She crumpled to the carpet.

“I just, I put a stocking in your pocket. One of mine. I didn’t think she’d react like that. I just wanted to upset her.”

“What else?”

The words tumbled out now, half-sobbed. “I told her—about the baby. You said I couldn’t carry one because of my career.

Then I heard she was pregnant and I thought you asked her to do it for me. So I told her. That’s all. I just wanted her to know her place.”

The slap landed before he registered moving his arm.

“Who gave you permission?”

His voice shook. With rage. With something worse.

He’d forced Nova to make that statement. Threatened her with the pup. His pup. Their pup.

After she’d already lost one. After it nearly killed her.

What had she felt, hearing those words from him?

“I wasn’t trying to, she just kept getting in the way.” Eden crawled toward him, reaching for his leg.

He kicked her back.

“Listen to me carefully, Eden.”

His voice was very quiet now.

“If anything has happened to Nova. If anything has happened to that child.”

A pause.

“I will show you what it means to wish you were dead.”

His phone chimed. The village witch.

[You asked about Nova. She came to me five days ago. I performed the termination.]

[Per your request, I cast a seeking spell. Her bond to our pack dissolved four days ago.]

The phone slipped from his fingers.

His child. Gone.