CHAPTER 3

EMMA’S POV.

The blinding lights and the stark sterility of the room I was in were the first things I noticed when I woke up. The second was the person beside me.

"Ah, good. You're awake," the nurse said. "How do you feel?"

I took stock of the throbbing in my cheek, the soreness of my lower body, and my overall tiredness. Broken was the only word that came to mind, but I managed a small smile that hurt my cheek.

"Tired," I said instead, my voice hoarse from screaming.

The woman grinned at me. "It's always like that."

She seemed nice. I wondered if she'd heard about my fall from grace yet.

In terms of gossip, the pack hospital was secluded from the rest of the pack.

My eyes darted around the room inquiringly.

Though I wondered about what my state in the pack was, what I wanted was to see my babies.

"Where...?" I started.

"Oh, right. I'll bring him to you," the woman said, then bustled out of the room before I could say anything else.

Him? My brow furrowed confusedly, but I waited anyway, in ill-disguised impatience.

A moment later, the nurse returned, cradling a blanket-wrapped bundle and cooing to it.

"There you go," she said, passing him to me.

I looked down at the tiny baby in my arms, and my breath caught in my throat at the delicate features on the little face.

He looked almost identical to me.

I breathed out a tiny sigh of relief that he hadn't turned out like his father.

I didn't think I would be able to handle looking into Grayson's face every single time I looked at my baby.

The feeling of falling in love was as instant as snapping my fingers.

Those who said a mother's love could never be explained were right. However, something else was bothering me.

I looked up at the nurse and forced myself to smile.

"Where's his brother? I had twins, right?"

The change in expression on her face was immediate. Where she had looked warm and friendly before, she now looked shuttered, her face carefully blank.

"I'll send in the doctor for you," she murmured, picking up her clipboard and turning to leave the room.

My heart thundered in my chest as I clamped a firm hand on her arm. "Where is he?" I demanded. "Where's my baby?"

She cringed backward, and at that second, the door to my room opened.

The pack doctor strolled in. The nurse looked relieved as she fled. I turned my horrified gaze on the doctor.

"Is he dead? Is he?" My voice was slowly becoming shrill.

The woman shook her head. "Not to my knowledge, Emma. His father has him."

It was like all the wind was knocked out of my chest. "Grayson?" I asked shrilly. "Grayson was here?"

The doctor nodded.

"Why did he take my baby? Why didn't anyone wake me up? I want my baby now!"

The doctor winced at my shriek, and in my arms, my son began to fuss.

"The Alpha will be down to see you shortly," she replied. "Just be patient for a while."

"Patience?" I cried. "What kind of man would take a woman's child from her while she's unconscious? And for that matter, what kind of hospital would let him? I hadn't even set eyes on him."

The doctor looked torn as to whether she should console me or not. Finally, she stepped back a bit.

"You have a visitor," she told me instead. "May I send her in?"

I bowed my head over my baby, wiping away a tear that had fallen from my eyes onto him.

Let her do what she wants. I cared nothing for any visitor.

The door shut with a snick as I was left alone.

"Dylan," I whispered, stroking the soft-down fuzz that covered the smooth skin of his head.

"That's your name, baby."

Dylan released a little squall, turning his head towards my chest and trying to root. I giggled softly.

"Aw," a voice said wickedly. "How cute."

My head shot up to glare at the intruder, and my eyes narrowed as I saw who it was. I hadn't heard her come in.

"What are you doing here?" I asked the mean woman standing in front of me.

"Oh, Emma," Charlotte said. "Is that any way to greet your future Luna?"

I scowled. "I've always known you were after my position, Charlotte, but this is a bit brazen. Have some shame."

She laughed—cackled, rather. Everything about this woman screamed witch.

For as long as I'd known Grayson, Charlotte had been pinging after him, hoping he would choose her as his mate.

When Alpha Noah had blessed my union with Grayson, she'd turned fully green with envy.

Since then, she's tried to make my life miserable, even disrespecting me as her Luna.

Well, now that the title was no longer mine, she was gleeful, without a doubt.

"It's a bit too late to do your Luna routine, Emma. News spread fast." She pouted at me, examining her blood-red nails. I sighed tiredly.

"What do you want, Charlotte?"

"Lots of things, if you must ask," Charlotte answered flippantly.

I rolled my eyes, instinctively rocking Dylan when he began to squirm. "Why are you here? We both know wishing me well is far from the reason, so spit it out."

Charlotte cackled again. "Oh, aren't you just entertaining? Well, if you absolutely must know, I came to offer my condolences. I'm not unfeeling, you know."

My eyes narrowed, and I forced my lips into a sneer, even though, at that moment, my heart started racing.

"Condolences, Charlotte? You must have the wrong room. Try to keep a proper note of your enemies. Making blunders such as this is extremely unbecoming."

Charlotte scoffed. "Big words, Emma. How cute. But I have it under good authority that you just lost someone very close to you. You didn't even get to see him, did you?"