It hit me hard, thinking about my unborn child. He would've been one of the strongest pups here.
“But my son doesn’t deserve an ungrateful pack,” I muttered under my breath.
I turned to leave, feeling the weight of it all—then I saw Thorne, watching me. His eyes were burning with something I couldn't quite place.
“If you didn’t kill him, our son would be here with me,” he said as I walked past, his voice cold.
I froze, taking a deep breath, trying to keep my rage in check. The nerve of him! I clenched my fists, gritting my teeth. “You’re the one who made me do it.”
Thorne scoffed. “Selene wouldn’t have done the same—”
“I don’t give a damn about Selene!” I snapped, spinning to face him. “Do you honestly think our son deserved a father like you? You’re selfish, Thorne.”
His jaw tightened. “Oh, you’re bringing that up again? It wasn’t a betrayal, Freya. How many times do I have to tell you? It was to help her, to help the future of our ally and the pack.”
“That’s bullshit! Do you hear yourself?” My voice was rising, and I could feel the heat on my face. Around us, people were murmuring, their attention shifting away from the ceremony. The proud parents, the pups—forgotten. Thorne had a way of doing that, making everything about him.
I shook my head, trying to steady myself. “I don’t want to argue, Thorne. There’s a ceremony happening. Show some respect.”
“You’re backing away,” he said, stepping closer.
“I’m not, I just—”
“That’s exactly how you are. Always running when things get hard.”
I didn’t want to hear it. This conversation was pointless. He wasn’t going to listen. He never did.
“Come on, tell me, Freya.” His voice was low, mocking. “Did I really hurt you so badly that it made you kill our son?”
Tears stung my eyes, but I wouldn’t let them fall. The audacity of him—to call my son his!
“Shut up,” I hissed.
“What?”
“I said, shut up!” My voice cracked, but I didn’t care anymore. “I don’t want to be your mate, Thorne.” The words came out before I could stop them, and I didn’t take them back. They hung in the air, silencing everyone around us.
Thorne’s eyes flared with rage. “You don’t get to decide that,” he growled. “You killed our son, Freya! You took him from me!”
My heart clenched, but I held my ground. “I did it because of you. I don’t care what you say.” My voice was firm. “You betrayed me, Thorne. You betrayed us.”