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Elena's POV

Lana didn't make it. I was hearing Lucian say those words, of course, but I was unable to believe it. I wanted to see her, believing that when he said she didn't make it, he was talking about something else and not the fact that she died. Lana had run over to Alpha Derek's pack in an attempt to save me alongside Lucas, and she was caught and tortured.

All she ever wanted to do was help me from the beginning, and at some point in time, I actually pushed her away.

"Elena, you have to accept that this wasn't your fault. I mean, silver factors were interfering, and Lana had endured so many injuries. It was a disaster. When Lucas got her in, she had lost more than 80% of her blood, and she was completely white. Lucas himself was soaked badly in her blood but did not hesitate to bring her here. The doctors tried all they could, but in the end, they could not save her, and Lana died. You need to understand that you did everything in your power, and you even drank poison to protect her. If you allow this guilt to overwhelm you, you will never come out of it. Please, I beg you, try not to blame yourself," Lucian said.

Although that was a good way to look at it, I did know that Lana dying was my fault. If I had not been so hesitant about drinking the abortion drug, maybe the specialist could not have gotten far enough, and Lana would have been saved. If I had been decisive enough and was able to make the decision earlier, maybe Lana wouldn't have had so many flesh wounds and would not have bled out from so many areas.

Even going back to months ago, if I had not pushed Lana away, Edwina would never have gotten the opportunity to deliver me over to Alpha Derek. Lana was always on my side, and she had the singular goal of protecting me from her wicked sister. But I was not smart enough to know just how cruel Edwina was.

I always felt that maybe it was because of some childhood rivalries that Lana wasn't ready to give Edwina a chance, and I ended up foolishly choosing Edwina over Lana. But thinking back now, I knew that Lana had been the one to stick by me from the beginning. When I recently arrived, Edwina had welcomed me with nothing but cruelty and maltreatment. She used every single thing at her disposal to humiliate and torture me. She starved me, she embarrassed me, she imprisoned me, and even had me whipped. The thing is, I forgot all about that as soon as she became friendly enough.

After I was whipped and had no one, it was Lana who ended up saving me. At first, I thought she should be no different from her sister; after all, they were twins, therefore I felt that both of them were probably playing a game on me. But I found out later on that Lana's care was genuine, and she was not like her sister.

"Hey there, I'm Lana." I heard Lana's voice and remembered that was the first day I met her. I had just finished suffering from one of Edwina's cruel antics and wasn't ready for anymore.

Lana was the complete opposite of her sister, and after I gave her a chance, I began to realize just how different the two of them were. Everything Lana did when she told me to avoid Edwina, she was only trying to protect me. But at a certain point in time, I misread her protectiveness for jealousy and ended up choosing Edwina over her.

I had said many hurtful things to Lana the day we split apart and were no longer on talking terms. In my foolishness, I got too swelled-headed and misspoke to the person I needed to trust the most. And even after I had abandoned Lana and chose Edwina over her, when I was in trouble, it was Lana who came to my rescue.

She risked her life just for me even when I had pushed her away. I couldn't say that I could do the same thing for her; after all, Lana was always far more virtuous than I was.

"Hey Elena, are you all right?" Lucian's calm voice jolted me out of my reverie.

I stared at Lucian, and I was sure my expression was blank, but the tears flowed freely because of just how devastating the news was. Lana was more than a friend to me, and she was more of a sister than my actual blood sister. When I recently came here, she supported me through everything, and I basically owe what I am now to her.

If not for Lana's doing, I wouldn't definitely have been with Lucian by now, and Lana was responsible for setting up that moment with me and Lucian. Even though we were already ordained by the moon goddess, and it may have been that we would have gotten married nonetheless, Lana was probably a catalyst to our love. The thought of never seeing Lana again made me want to lose my mind and probably just kill myself.

Lana had risked her life for me and my baby, and now she was dead. I was supposed to simply continue and live a happy life that she had paid for with her own life. Lana had stood against everything for me, and I desperately wanted to pay her back somehow, but there was no way to do that after all—she was dead.

"Hey Lana, what are the odds Lucian would ever choose you over your sister?" I asked Lana one time when we were discussing over drinks.

"Well, the odds are pretty slim, but to be honest, I don't really want that," Lana said, keeping a straight face.

I was surprised by her words. After all, I was new here and was not privy to Lana's secrets yet. All I knew, or at least I thought I knew, was that Lana and Edwina were in sharp competition over Lucian. I thought that both of them wanted him to make them his wife, and I didn't expect that that was not Lana's wish.

"What do you mean, Lana? I thought you and Lucian were in a relationship. I mean, he's in a relationship with Edwina, but there's something between you and Lucian, right?" I asked.

"Well, Lucian and I don't really have any history. After all, he never took a special liking to me, and neither did I to him. I am simply here on a contract, and that's all there is to it. Edwina may have gone all out; after all, she has always dreamed of marrying a wealthy man. But to be honest, I have no interest in Lucian, and I think I will be way happier if I were to choose my own husband. Either way, neither Edwina nor I are destined for Lucian," Lana said.

I was surprised by her words because, from what I had been observing, although Lucian was fond of Edwina, Lana was also his contracted wife, and there was always the chance that he could suddenly grow feelings for her and marry her.

"Given that you will not help yourself, now in the world is Edwina going to stand by and watch someone else take Lucian unless it's you, of course. I mean, you are her sister, and I don't think she will resort to violence against you. Either way, it's unlikely anyone else is going to get Lucian," I had said.

"You ask who is destined for Lucian. Well, the answer to that question, Elena, is you. You and Lucian are mates, and you were ordained by the moon goddess. The arrangement of a deity is not something that mortals can change, and Edwina can try her best, but it won't really change anything. You just said that if Lucian were to favor me, Edwina wouldn't do anything because I'm her sister. Well, you are wrong there as well. Edwina will do anything and everything to make sure no one takes Lucian from her, even if it involves murder," Lana said.

"If you think I'm destined for Lucian, that would mean that Lucian and I are going to end up together, and if that's the case, you're saying Edwina is going to try to murder me. Please tell me you are not serious," I said to Lana.

"Actually, Elena, I am very serious. Edwina is ruthless, and I want you to stay clear of her even when she seems nice to you. As soon as she sees you as a threat, she will do everything possible to get rid of you, either by making you leave on your own or killing you. Because you're protected by Lucian, she cannot get her hands on you right here, so she's probably going to befriend you and set a trap for you. But don't worry, so long as you stick with me—I know my sister well—you won't fall for any of her traps if you are with me," Lana said.

"I still find it hard to believe that Edwina would really murder someone over Lucian. I mean, he's wealthy and all that, but to take a life over one man? Do you really think Edwina is capable of that?" I asked Lana.

"I don't have to tell you too much, Elena. Soon enough, you will find out for yourself how ruthless Edwina can be. But for the time being, of course, stay with me, and you will be alright. Edwina is probably going to try to separate us by making us fight with each other, but that won't work. The reason she would do this is because the second we turn on each other, you will be left vulnerable for her to strike, and once she does, it will be all over. I may not want to lose him, Elena, but I want you to have him because you deserve him, and if you end up with Lucian, no one has to get hurt. Also, if you marry Lucian, you will be the second in power here and will be able to give me the liberty to do whatever I want. So let's call this a mutually beneficial agreement," Lana said with a smile on her face.

Thinking back on it now, I began to realize that Lana had basically predicted everything, and it was me who was too slow to pick up on Edwina's cruelty. If I had stayed by Lana's side, Edwina would never have been able to lay me out, and Lana would still be alive.

It was all my fault.