Chapter 3 The rejection ceremony I

Amelia's eyes fluttered open. Blinding white light met her gaze.

She blinked, once, twice... then stared at the ceiling.

She was in a hospital room. The sterile smell, the silence, the white walls, it all came crashing down.

"Amelia," a familiar voice said gently.

She turned her head slowly and saw Tracy, her best friend, sitting at her bedside.

"Tracy..." her voice was hoarse. "What are you doing here? Where's Eva?"

Tracy's eyes darkened with sorrow. She looked at Amelia the way one looks at the broken, helpless, and heart-wrenched.

Then it hit her.

Eva.

Memories came rushing back like a tidal wave.

Eva's fever. The blood. The hospital. The heart monitor going flat.

Her daughter was dead.

Amelia gasped, her breath catching as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Someone poisoned my daughter, Tracy," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Someone killed my child..."

Her hands clutched at the hospital sheets, knuckles white.

"She... she loved that meal. I made it for her myself. How could it have been poisoned?"

"You have to calm down, Amelia. You're pregnant. Please, you shouldn't stress yourself," Tracy said gently, placing her hands over hers.

Amelia's eyes snapped toward her.

"How did you know I'm pregnant?" she asked, her voice still trembling. She was the only one who knew and no one else.

"The doctor told me," Tracy replied.

A sudden thought gripped Amelia.

"Does Aiden know?"

Tracy shook her head slowly. "He doesn't. He left before the test results came back. He's the one who called me. He asked me to stay with you."

He left?

She had just lost her daughter, and her husband couldn't stay to hold her hand?

More tears welled up in her eyes. Her throat tightened.

She had lost everything in a single day her daughter, her husband, her marriage. It all unraveled in the blink of an eye.

"I need to talk to Aiden," she muttered, suddenly pushing the sheets aside. Her legs trembled as she stood.

"He can't divorce me. He needs to know I'm carrying his baby. And I didn't poison Eva. I would never do such a thing to my own child," her voice broke again. "We need to find who did this, Tracy. Whoever killed my baby... they need to pay."

"Amelia, wait-" Tracy called after her, but Amelia was already out the door.

Tracy let out a long sigh, shaking her head.

Amelia had always been stubborn, ever since college.

By the time she reached the hospital entrance, Amelia was gone.

She stepped out of the taxi and stood in front of the Pack Hall.

Her heart was pounding.

Aiden needed to hear her out. He had to believe her. Maybe... maybe if she told him about the baby, he'd finally listen.

She took a breath and walked inside. As she passed, pack members bowed in respect.

She was still Luna, no matter what they said.

Amelia stepped into the elevator and rode to the fifth floor.

Outside his office, she paused.

The door was slightly open.

She was about to knock... when she heard voices.

Aiden. And... a woman.

Sofia.

Through the small crack, she saw Sofia sitting on Aiden's desk in a short dress, giggling softly at something he said. The sight made her stomach turn.

"I can't believe she poisoned my child," Aiden said, his voice cold,pain laced in it. "She could've poisoned me too. I hate her. I just want her to sign the divorce papers."

Amelia's heart dropped like a stone.

How could he think I'd poison our child?

Tears blurred her vision.

"Are you sure she'll sign it?" Sofia asked, eyes wide with fake concern.

"She won't have a choice. After that, we'll have the rejection ceremony. I'll reject her," he said flatly.

More tears rolled down Amelia's cheeks.

"But don't you love her?" Sofia asked.

"Don't be mistaken. I feel nothing for her."

Sofia smiled, touching his shoulder.

"I knew she was evil. Once she's gone, we can finally be together."

Aiden didn't respond.

"Aiden?" she coaxed. "Did you hear me?"

"What?" he snapped, as though coming out of a trance.

"I said we'll finally be together once she's out of the picture," Sofia repeated sweetly.

Aiden nodded.

That was enough.

Amelia pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Both Aiden and Sofia turned, stunned.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?" Sofia asked under her breath.

"What do you want, Amelia?" Aiden asked coldly, standing from his seat. His face showed no emotion, just ice.

"I need to talk to you, Aiden. Please," she said, swallowing hard, forcing herself not to cry in front of Sofia.

"You have nothing to say. You poisoned Eva. My child is dead because of you!" he growled.

"I didn't kill her!" she cried, voice trembling. "I would never poison my daughter..."

Aiden scoffed. "Who prepared the food she ate?"

"I did, but..."

"That's all I need to know. You made the food. You poisoned her. Get out of my office."

"Aiden, I didn't... I'm...."

"You heard him. Leave," Sofia said smugly cutting her off.

Amelia's fists clenched.

She turned toward Sofia, fury burning in her eyes.

"And who are you to speak to me like that? This is between me and my husband. Stay out of it."

Sofia smirked. "Says the woman who killed her daughter. You don't deserve to be Luna or even Aiden's wife."

Before anyone could blink, Amelia slapped her. Twice.

The sound echoed through the office.

"Don't you ever speak to me like that again," Amelia hissed. "I'm still Luna, and you have no right."

Sofia's eyes filled with tears, fake ones. She looked to Aiden for sympathy.

"Get out, Amelia," he said coldly.

"Aiden..."

"I said GET OUT!" he yelled, slamming his fist on the desk.

Amelia flinched. She nodded slowly, her throat aching, and turned away.

Before the door closed behind her, she saw Aiden pull Sofia into his arms, stroking her hair as she "cried" into his chest.

The pain in her chest was unbearable.

He believed Sofia. He chose Sofia.

Back home, Amelia stood tall despite her pain.

She summoned every maid in the house and stood in front of them, her eyes bloodshot but determined.

"Who poisoned my daughter?" she asked. Her voice was low. Cold. Dangerous.

The maids bowed, all shivering.

No one answered.

"Who served the food I prepared?"

Octavia stepped forward.

"I did, Luna. I swear on my life, I didn't poison her. I've been with you and Alpha Aiden since before Eva was born. I would never hurt her."

Amelia stared into her eyes, long and hard.

She saw no lie.

Octavia was telling the truth.

But someone had poisoned her baby.

Someone had taken her angel from her.

And Amelia was going to find out who it was and make them pay.

To be continued...