A FEW DAYS LATER
Evelina stumbled through the heavy gates of the Blue Edge Mountain Pack, her body exhausted and her soul shattered. She still hasn't recovered from the loss and she knew what was coming.
The baby, swaddled in a soft white blanket, stirred lightly in her arms, its tiny face scrunching as if sensing the weight of her turmoil. She holds it closer to her heart. The baby didn't belong to this pack and werewolves don't like unknown newborns. The entire pack seemed to halt at her arrival, whispers and curious stares following her every step. She ignored them, her focus solely on reaching her destination.
Sebastian.
The moment she reached the central grounds of the pack, the imposing figure of Sebastian emerged from the training grounds. He recognized her scent from afar. She didn't have to do anything to get attention.
His sharp eyes locked onto her, and within seconds, he was striding towards her with purposeful determination. Evelina's steps faltered as his intense presence drew closer, her heart pounding painfully against her ribs. She hadn't answered his calls in days, and she knew he would have been worried sick.
"Evelina!" He didn't call her Eve. He was mad at her. Sebastian's voice was firm, but she could hear the subtle cracks of relief as he closed the distance. "Where the hell have you been? I've been going insane trying to reach you! Don't fucking ever do that to me again." His hands cupped her face and gave her lips a firm kiss, his icy exterior melting for just a moment. "Are you okay? What happened? Why didn't you call me back?"
Her lips parted, but no words came out. Her body felt numb, her mind spiraling as her fingers tightened around the baby. She could feel his gaze shift, his brows furrowing as his concern turned into confusion.
"Evelina…" his voice softened, his thumb brushing over her shoulder in a comforting manner. She was getting goosebumps with each touch. Her body was on fire. She missed his touch which owned her every time he touched her. Her wolf was restless because she was against the obvious 'suicide'. "Talk to me, baby."
Before she could answer, a voice cut through the air, sharp and dripping with jealousy. "Oh, look who's back." It was Clarissa, a she-wolf who had never hidden her affections for Sebastian. Her eyes fell on the bundle in Evelina's arms, her lips curling in curiosity. "And who's this little one? Your… baby?" Her tone carried a mix of mockery and surprise.
Sebastian's brows frowned and jaw tightened as he turned toward Evelina, his expression unreadable. His icy blue eyes slowly dropped to the child in her arms. He hadn't noticed before, but now… now, it was impossible to ignore.
"Evelina," he began, his voice low and steady, but with an edge of disbelief. "What is this? Who's the baby?"
The world seemed to spin around her as she forced herself to meet his piercing gaze. Her lips trembled, and she struggled to keep her composure. "It's… my baby," she finally said, her voice hollow.
Sebastian froze. He blinked once, twice, as if her words hadn't fully registered. "Huh?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, though there was a sharpness to it. "What the fuck are you talking about? How is that possible?"
"It's mine, Sebastian," Evelina repeated, her voice firmer this time. "I… I had an affair. I cheated on you." The words felt like knives against her tongue, but she forced them out, her expression carefully blank.
The air seemed to leave his lungs as he stared at her, his mind reeling, his wolf going out of control. "Cheated on me?" His voice was cold now, his usual composure slipping into something darker. He was trying to look into her eyes to read them but she had her walls up. "Evelina, don't fucking play games with me. I know you. Love, you wouldn't-…."
"You don't know me!" she interrupted, her voice rising. "You never have! You think I'm some perfect mate who would do no wrong, but you're wrong, Sebastian. I don't love you anymore. I haven't for a long time." Her voice cracked despite her effort to stay strong. Her eyes hollow, almost unknown to him.
Silence engulfed them, the weight of her words crushing the space between them. The pack members who had gathered around to watch the scene were frozen in shock, their murmurs hushed as they waited to see what would happen next.
Sebastian's hands fell from her shoulders as he took a step back, his expression hardening into a mask of anger and pain. "So, everything was a lie," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "The sister, the danger, all of it… just a cover for your betrayal?"
"Yes," Evelina whispered, her chest heaving as tears pricked her eyes. She couldn't look at him anymore, couldn't bear the raw devastation in his gaze.
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair as he turned away. "You disgust me," he spat, his voice low but venomous. "I thought you were different. I thought…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter anymore."
Evelina swallowed the lump in her throat, her nails digging into the soft blanket wrapped around the baby. This was the moment she had been dreading, the moment she knew would break her and him completely. But she had no choice. She had to protect the child.
His lips pressed into a thin line as he turned away, his shoulders stiff with tension. "You're nothing to me now," he said while she was dreading what was about to come next, her knees threatening to give out beneath her.
Evelina bit down on her lip to keep from sobbing as the pack began to say all the nasty things about her, their almost future luna. She had done what she needed to do. She had protected the child. But in doing so, she had lost the love of her life.
And she wasn't sure how she would ever recover.
Evelina clutched the baby tighter, her legs trembling under the weight of her emotions as Sebastian's cold words settled in the air. She wanted to scream, to tell him the truth, but the image of her sister's weak, tear-streaked face haunted her. She couldn't let her sacrifice be in vain.
Sebastian turned to leave, but her voice broke the tense silence. "Sebastian," she called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
He stopped in his tracks but didn't turn to face her. "What?" he asked, his tone sharp, almost daring her to speak further.
"I…" Her lips trembled, the words caught in her throat. She wanted to tell him it was all a lie, but instead, she steeled herself.
Evelina's knees buckled, and she sank to the ground, the baby clutched protectively against her chest. "Please, Sebastian," she begged softly, tears streaming down her face. She didn't even know what she wanted from him.
He clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tightening as he fought the urge to rush to her side. But his pride and heartbreak wouldn't allow it. "You've already made it impossible, Evelina," he said coldly, though his voice betrayed his inner torment.
From the sidelines, Clarissa stepped closer, her smug smile widening. "She's not worth your time, Sebastian," she said, her voice dripping with false concern. "Let her go. You deserve someone who won't betray you."
Sebastian's gaze snapped to Clarissa, his icy blue eyes narrowing in irritation. "Stay out of this," he growled, his tone sharp enough to make her flinch.
Clarissa huffed but didn't press further, retreating slightly with a satisfied smirk still playing on her lips.
Sebastian turned back to Evelina one last time. "You've made your choice," he said, his voice softer now but still laced with anger and pain. "And I'm making mine." She looked up at him with a confused gaze. Her delicate lips were shivering in pain.
He took a step closer, his eyes locked on hers one last time. His eyes were cold and unrecognizable. "I, Sebastian Blackwood, reject you, Evelina Cross, as my mate."
She let out a loud gasp. Her heart shattered into a million pieces, the pain of the rejection washing over her like a tidal wave. She felt as if her entire body was pricked with thousands of needles. She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to remain still, to not give in to the agony that threatened to consume her.
But Sebastian hesitated. He watched her closely, as if waiting, hoping, for her to fight back, to beg for forgiveness, to deny everything she had said. But Evelina stood silent, her eyes downcast, her arms clutching the child protectively.
The words struck her like a physical blow, and she gasped, her chest heaving as the bond between them splintered. She knew what she had to do. She has prepared herself for it. Her lips quivered, but she forced herself to respond, her voice trembling. "I… I accept your rejection."
Sebastian flinched at her words, his mask cracking for a brief moment as he searched her face for something, anything, that would give him a reason to stay. But she remained silent, her gaze dropping to the baby in her arms.
"You are banished from the back, Evelina Cross. I don't want to see your face ever again."
With a sharp inhale, he turned on his heel and walked away, his movements stiff and deliberate as if each step was an effort to distance himself from the pain.