When Alpha Magnus finally returned, he showed no excitement upon seeing me after months apart. He had no idea I had been pregnant. I had planned to surprise him with the news. But Asher had stolen that dream from me when he murdered my child, claiming it was to protect me from execution by our grandfather.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to come back," Magnus said, though I hadn’t asked. "We got stranded in a snowstorm."
I remained silent. I was no longer foolish enough to believe his lies. I knew exactly where he had been and who he had been with. Asher had told me everything.
"Astrid? Are you okay?" Magnus asked, moving closer. "You seem distant."
"I'm fine. Just tired," I forced a smile, though inside, I wanted to scream at him.
"Then rest," he said, before pulling something from his pocket. "I have a surprise for you."
I stared at the necklace in his hands and arrow-shaped pendant.
I almost laughed at the irony. "Why are you giving me this? There’s no special occasion, right?"
A flicker of discomfort crossed his face. "I just thought of you when I saw it…, because I love you."
He reached out to place it around my neck, but I instinctively stepped back. His brows furrowed in confusion.