Rory didn’t believe me. I felt him scoff in disbelief, giving up on trying to convince me of my fault.
It didn’t matter. I knew my argument with Amber had driven her away. Regret consumed every part of me.
I knew that I hadn’t treated Amber the way I should have. I wished I could go back and be better for her, paying more attention to the woman who ran my house and fed me for years, doing special things for her the way she’d done for me. Amber deserved that.
But it was too late.
The next best thing to giving Amber her due in life was giving it to her in death. I arranged, personally, for her funeral. Despite resistance from some of the elders, who sneered at the idea of a human woman buried in an Alpha family’s graveyard, even symbolically, I had her buried in a plot next to mine.
I ordered her tombstone to be inscribed with the following: “His ex-wife and former mate.”
Just as everyone else who’d wondered at my relation to Amber, the engraver had been shocked when I told him what the tombstone had read. I kicked myself again and again for hiding Amber away, for keeping her hidden. Nobody pressed me for details.
I think they could read my heartbreak on my face.
Rory, though, couldn’t forgive me. My closest friend, my only opponent, fell into a deep slumber. I couldn’t wake him from his rest.
He was heartbroken, too.
I couldn’t stand staying at the home Amber had made for us. All of the effort I’d ignored when she was alive was amplified by her death. I couldn’t stand looking at the sofa cover I’d spent so many nights lounging on next to her, not appreciating her dedication to me and our home.
I kept the house, of course, but I moved into a new one so I wouldn’t have to face the pain of my mistakes every day. The house would be a memorial to Amber, untouched in order to preserve her memory.
After the funeral and Rory’s decision to go dormant, it became easier to bury myself in work and stifle the pain. I knew that the pain was still there, but it was buried under layers of obligation and duty to my pack.
All of my sexual desire disappeared. I didn’t even want Olivia, but I knew I had to stay with her. After all the publicity, what would it look like if I abandoned my pregnant fated mate?
Then, later, I simply stayed with her because it was easier than trying to leave.
And now, here, was Healer Amanda, who even through her hair and scars reminded me of Amber.
I wanted to approach her, to cup her face and feel her warmth, to run my fingers up each side of her face and unhook her mask from her ears, revealing the delicate lips that part of me was sure belonged to Amber.
Could it actually be her?
Amber’s POV
There was a knock on my office door. I sighed as I went over to open it.
Of course, it was Olivia, back from her standard medical examination. I put on a cold, professional smile as she entered the room.
I’d had an electric kettle set up in the office for my arrival, as I liked offering my patients tea to calm their nerves. Most of my patients were nervous, as they were likely suffering with something serious if they’d come to seek my help.
I was going to forgo the pleasantry with Olivia out of my own pettiness, but she surprised me, approaching the kettle herself and pouring a cup for us both. An attempt to ingratiate herself to me, I thought.
“Healer, I know there are a lot of rumors swirling around Thorn Pack about me,” Olivia said, handing me my cup. “You may have even heard them over in Dawn Pack. People say that I’m just the agent Luma, not the true Luna, because I interfered in Alpha’s previous marriage. That isn’t true. Julian and I knew each other long before his previous marriage. He wants to prepare a ceremony of the appropriate grandeur before officially naming me Luna.” My blood began to boil at Olivia’s words, but I stifled the feeling. Maybe Amber would be upset at Olivia’s story, but Healer Amanda was indifferent, only here to serve her patient.
“I treat all my patients with the proper dignity and dedication to their care, whether they are Lunas or not,” I said dismissively. “Now, please tell me about your medical history, Olivia.”
Olivia answered my questions, and I marked her history down on her chart. She fidgeted in her chair, something I’d never seen anyone as self-possessed and glamorous as Olivia do.
“Thank you, Luna,” I said. “You may go. I’ll be in contact with you about the next steps according to your treatment plan.”
Olivia headed to my office door, opening it. Before she stepped out into the office hallway, Julian appeared just outside the door.
Olivia stopped in the doorway, turning to me. “I know you think I’m lying, but I’m not. Alpha’s ex-wife – Amber – was just a gold-digger looking to exploit his power and his finances. Ask him yourself. She was only good for cooking and cleaning.”
“Olivia!” Julian scolded. “You will not talk about Amber that way, especially not in front of such important company.”
“But ” Olivia started.
–
“I don’t want to hear your excuses. Please, go locate the driver.” Julian’s tone was firm.
After Olivia finally relented and left to go find their driver, Julian turned to me, his blue eyes as dazzling as ever.
“Thank you,” he said, sincerity flooding his words. “I know she isn’t the easiest client, and this isn’t the easiest case. It means a lot to us that you’ve taken it on.”
Julian turned to leave. I thought of what Olivia had said. Ask him yourself. She was only good for cooking and cleaning.
“Alpha Julian,” I said, his first name familiar on my tongue even after all these years. “Do you see your ex-wife that way as well?”
Olivia’s POV
Olivia had started to pull her cell out of her purse when she heard the healer ask the question. She slipped her phone away again, listening intently for Julian’s reply.
At first, he didn’t say anything. The silence grew along with Olivia’s simmering irritation. Why wouldn’t he answer? It wasn’t a hard question.
“No,” Julian said at last. “At least she was a devoted wife.”
Olivia bristled. A devoted wife, he’d said. He could only be talking about one person.
Why was he still thinking of her? Olivia had done so much work to rid Julian’s mind of that human whore. She’d gotten pregnant.
She’d orchestrated Amber’s death.
Even after all of that, after five years, was Julian still hung up on her?
Olivia whipped around towards the door, disgust twisting her face into a sour expression.
All she saw was Healer Amanda coldly shutting her office door in Julian’s face. He stood there, looking at the door, as if he was unsure what had happened or how he’d arrived there.
He turned toward her. As soon as Julian noticed her, his face stiffened back into the impenetrable expression Olivia was so used to.
“How dare she speak to an Alpha that way?” Olivia demanded, instinctively wrapping her precisely manicured fingers around
Julian’s arm. “The absolute disrespect.”
“She seems not to believe what I said.” Julian shrugged, shaking his head. “Don’t know why. But they say geniuses have odd temperaments. Maybe it’s true.”
Olivia held back a scoff. If she had the power of a Luna, she wouldn’t stand to be spoken to the way the healer had just spoken to
Julian. She didn’t understand why he’d always had such a hard time accepting that his status demanded special treatment.
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