Chapter 3

Mom swayed where she knelt,unable even to stay upright.

"It wasn't me."

Lily pounded Dad's shoulder,crying even harder.

"Adrian,you have to help me!Last night you said you wanted me to give you a whole litter of beautiful little wolf pups!"

Dad frowned,as if hesitating.

I rushed over.

"It wasn't Mommy!Last time,Lily said Mommy didn't know gratitude because she refused to drink spoiled meat broth,and punished her by cutting off half a year's supplies."

"We can't even trade for fresh herbs,let alone wolfsbane!"

Dad's face turned ugly.

"When did that happen?How could anyone eat spoiled meat broth?"

Lily froze,then looked at Dad in grievance.

"Are you saying I punished her wrongly?When I was little,I ate so many spoiled things in the kitchen,and I still survived just fine."

"I know you think I'm dirty and deserve to be poisoned.You don't want to stand up for me,so you keep finding fault with me!"

"If that's how it is,then I don't want the future Luna position at all!"

Dad pulled her back and kissed her forehead the way he used to kiss Mom and me.

"Don't say things in anger.You are my mate.Whatever you say is the truth."

"Handle it according to Pack law.Omega Evelyn poisoned the future Luna.Drag her to the training ground and give her twenty strokes of the silver lash."

Before,Dad would never punish Mom after only a few words from someone else.

But Lily was not pleased.

"I know.I was born low,and my life is worth nothing.Thank you for your mercy,Heir Adrian.I just wonder whether more people will poison me in the future!"

Dad sighed.

"Then what does Lily want?I'll do whatever you want,all right?"

Lily looked at him with reddened eyes.

"She fed me wolfsbane.She should taste it herself."

Dad looked at her tearful eyes and barely hesitated.

"Fine.Then force wolfsbane down her throat and make her remember this lesson."

Mom gave a bitter laugh.

"Adrian Greywood,I truly regret choosing you."

Dad looked at the emptiness in Mom's eyes and seemed to panic.

He walked over,but he did not help her up.His voice dropped very low.

"I know Lily set you up because she feels insecure and doesn't want you to give birth to an heir before she does."

"But I can't embarrass her in public and make her lose the authority of the future Luna."

"I'll have them switch the wolfsbane for a blood tonic.We once agreed we would have both sons and daughters.I won't let anything happen to you.Trust me."

After saying that,he left with Lily without looking back.

Mom was fed three large bowls of bitter medicine.

But before long,she was curled up on the ground in pain,and blood stained the stone path red.

"Mommy!You're bleeding!Why is this happening?"

No matter how I pressed my hands over it,I could not stop the speed of her bleeding.

I hurried to get up and find Dad.

But Mom held me back.

The blood-rose mark on her wrist was becoming clearer and clearer,bright red as blood.

She cried.

"It's all right.Mommy is all right.Don't beg him.Mommy doesn't have many days left here.Going to him won't help."

"Mommy only wants to look at you properly.Does yesterday's wound still hurt?Mommy is sorry.I didn't protect you,and I didn't put medicine on you in time.Don't blame Mommy,all right?"

I cried so hard I could barely breathe.

"Mommy,I'm not hurt.Nora isn't hurt.Nothing will happen to you.I'll go get the healing potion grandfather left for us.It will save you!"

I rushed to the storeroom for the potion,only for the steward to tell me that the last bottle had just been taken by Dad to help Lily recover her health.

My legs went weak,but I still rushed to the hall.

"Dad,you lied!You said Mommy would be fine!You lied!"

He glanced at me and seemed about to rise,but after murmuring a few words to Lily,he closed the door.

No matter how I pounded on it,the door stayed tightly shut.

The guards threw me out of the manor again.I looked at Mom,who had passed out,and hugged her body as it lost its warmth.

"Mommy,don't leave Nora.What can I do to save you?"

Mom gripped my hand,her eyes full of tears and reluctance.

"Stay with Mommy for one more night.The last night."