He Loved Me Too Late

When I was with pup for thirty-five weeks, our pack was struck by an earthquake. I was stuck under a collapsed stone pillar. The pillar was so heavy that I couldn't even sit upright. My mate rushed to the scene, but instead of coming to me, he ran straight to Lucy, who had fallen nearby. "Alpha, Luna is badly injured. The smell of blood is getting stronger. She needs immediate treatment!" Several werewolves gathered around me and were trying to free me, but William stopped them. "Lucy injured her leg. Save Lucy first." One of his subordinates looked at me anxiously. "There could be another aftershock any minute. What about Luna?" William glanced at me. "She's stronger than Lucy. Save Lucy first." Crushed beneath the pillar and unable to get up, I covered my belly protectively. This was the first time I ever begged William. "William, please save our pup–" Lucy suddenly burst into tears. "Alpha, if Luna doesn't want me to be saved, then so be it. "The earthquake happened so suddenly. I instinctively grabbed Luna, but I never expected the pillar to snap and fall on her." William pulled Lucy into his arms and comforted her. "I know you would never do something like that. Annie has just become too sensitive since she became with pup. Even in a life-or-death situation like this, she still can't get her priorities straight." He glanced at me. "I'll come back with more help to rescue you." I felt my wolf spirit growing weaker with every passing second. 'William, I won't survive this time.' Chapter 1 "Quick! Get some tools and lift the pillar a little! "Where's the hot water? Where are the thermal blankets? Hurry up!" Jack yelled. "Alpha took them all for Lucy. He said Luna awakened her wolf spirit before turning eighteen. She's a prodigy and can wait a little longer, but Lucy has always been frail. Without those supplies, her life could be in danger." Another aftershock struck. The already unstable stone pillar snapped completely, and the whole thing crashed down on me. I couldn't move anymore. I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. The scent of blood quickly filled the confined space. I could feel warm liquid continuously flowing out of me. Jack stood outside while desperately trying to move the pillar pinning me down, but against its crushing weight, his strength meant nothing. He was very worried about me. Even after his voice turned hoarse, he never stopped talking to me. "Luna, talk to me. Don't give up. Alpha will be back for you soon. "Think about the pup. Think about Alpha." I wanted to answer him, but I no longer had the strength to even open my mouth. My wolf spirit continued to fade. By the time they finally pulled me free, I gave no response at all. "Luna's heartbeat is too weak! It's almost gone! She's lost so much blood! We can't stop the bleeding at all!" Even the experienced healer's hands trembled. "Where's the stretcher? Why isn't it here yet?" Jack sounded defeated. "Alpha took it. He said Lucy was too weak and needed it to be carried home." One of the werewolves who came to rescue me looked at me before turning to Jack. "I heard Lucy say Luna always pretends to be sick to trick Alpha into coming home. Is this another one of those acts?" Jack shouted back angrily. "Can't you see she's covered in blood?" Lying on the ground, I had no strength left to defend myself. After becoming the pack's Luna, I learned that our territory lay along an active fault line where earthquakes happened frequently. For that reason, I'd gone out of my way to study the possible aftermath of earthquakes. My family had once been healers, so I had also learned quite a bit about medicine growing up. That was why I knew exactly how serious my condition was. I was terrified. It wasn't because I was afraid of dying, but because my pup might leave this world without ever seeing it. Jack reached out to William repeatedly, but the only response he received was William's cold instruction. "Stabilize Annie's vital signs. After I get Lucy home, I'll come back." Jack sounded close to tears. "Alpha, Luna's heartbeat is getting weaker! We can't stop the bleeding! Can you come and save her first? She really isn't going to make it if this drags on!" There was a brief pause before William answered. "Annie awakened her wolf spirit before she turned eighteen. She's one of the rare prodigies. I'm sure she'll make it. "Besides, Lucy once saved my life and ruined her health because of it. I can't abandon her during an earthquake like this." Seeing the despair on Jack's face, I knew he wanted to argue, but William had already lost his patience and cut off the mind-link. I slowly closed my eyes as memories drifted through my mind. When I had just become with pup, I caught a fever and called William. He told me Lucy was on her period and needed him more. "Annie, every shewolf with pup goes through this. You need to be more independent instead of calling me all the time. Lucy has stomach cramps right now. She needs me by her side." It wasn't the first time William had said something like that to me. Back when we'd just become mates, Lucy and I had fallen into the water together. I couldn't swim and struggled desperately, but William still chose to save Lucy first. He'd said something similar then. "Your wolf spirit is stronger than Lucy's. Even if you're injured, you'll recover faster. That's why I have to save her first." That day, when I was on the verge of drowning, it was Jack who saved me. 'You're the genius who awakened your wolf spirit by the age of eighteen. You're stronger than Lucy. You should let her have her way.' Those words had followed me almost every day since I became Luna. I used to think that if I did as William said, he would eventually love me a little more. That never happened. Instead, we only grew further and further apart. While my wolf spirit was gradually fading away right now, William was carrying Lucy farther and farther away from me. I wanted to reach out one last time just to touch my pup in my belly, but the moment I exhausted my final bit of strength to raise my hand, I lost consciousness. The heart monitor made a shrill beep. The healer looked at it, sighed softly, and slowly shook his head. It was three minutes past ten. I died, and my pup died with me. Chapter 2 By the time the stretcher finally arrived, I had already been dead for two hours. My body was drenched in blood while it lay on the stretcher. My belly was still protruding, but neither my pup nor I had a heartbeat anymore. Jack stood beside me and shouted my name repeatedly, but I could never answer him again. The healer covered me with a white sheet, placed a hand over his heart, and announced, "Luna's time of death is three minutes past ten. "The pup has also passed away inside her." Meanwhile, William had brought Lucy back to our villa in the suburbs. Lucy lay there in my clothes under the warm light. She was blushing a little. Several healers surrounded her for an examination. When they finished, one of them reported, "Alpha, Lucy's body temperature and blood pressure are completely normal. "She was only in shock and suffered a few scrapes on her leg. Some ointment and plenty of rest will be enough." Lucy looked at William with tearful eyes. She deliberately let him notice her tears. "Alpha, I really didn't mean it. The earthquake happened so suddenly. I panicked." William lowered his gaze. "It's alright. Annie's wolf spirit is strong. She'll be fine." Lucy reached out and gently tugged at his sleeve. "But what if she blames me? You know she's always had this strange hostility toward me." William replied, "Annie's just become more sensitive since she became with pup. She's kind. She won't hold a grudge." Lowering her head, Lucy spoke in an aggrieved voice. "You left her behind today. She'll definitely blame me." William's tone softened. "It's fine. I'll explain everything to her." My wolf spirit hovered silently above William and watched him. After being William's mate for so many years, I had rarely seen this side of him. Most of the time, he wore nothing but a cold expression around me. I had once believed that was simply how an Alpha behaved. Now I understood that it wasn't that he couldn't be gentle. He simply never chose to be that way with me. I heard hurried footsteps outside. Jack had returned. "Alpha." William looked up. "What is it? Didn't I tell you to stay there and manage the rescue?" Jack's eyes were bloodshot. "Luna is gone." Lucy stopped halfway through lifting her glass. William stood abruptly, and his expression darkened. "What are you saying? "Do you know the punishment for spreading false rumors?" Jack's voice trembled, but his tone was firm. He repeated what he said. "Luna is dead, so is the pup she was carrying." William hurled the cup in his hand across the room. "If you speak another word of nonsense, you'll be punished immediately." Jack met his gaze and said each word clearly, "Alpha, I'm not lying. The healers couldn't save her." William stared at him for a long moment before speaking again. "Did Annie send you to trick me? Is she trying to make me come pick her up myself?" Jack stood there in stunned silence. William smiled knowingly. He picked up his phone and directly dialed my number. There was no answer. However, it only strengthened his conviction. "So she's throwing a tantrum. "Jack, go back and tell her we're dealing with an earthquake. I have too much to handle in the pack right now. This isn't the time for her childish games." Floating above them, I let out a sigh. Jack looked at William in disbelief. "Alpha, Luna is really dead. Everyone there saw it." After hearing those words, Lucy immediately threw herself into William's arms. "Alpha, I'm scared." William gently ruffled her hair. He then glared at Jack. "You know what the punishment for spreading rumors is! "Report to the Beta and accept your punishment!" Jack stared at William with bloodshot eyes. After a long silence, he clenched his jaw and nodded. "Okay." Without another word, he turned around and walked away. Chapter 3 That night, William walked into my room. When he pushed open the door, the light I had deliberately left on was still glowing. I'd always had that habit. No matter where I was, I left a light on. I hoped it would guide him home to me. In one corner sat all the things I had prepared for our pup, along with gifts and blessings from the other members of the pack. This pup was supposed to be born carrying everyone's hopes. Unfortunately, he never even lived to see the sun. I'd left the emergency plans I organized for the pack on the desk. My pup-ready journal was next to them. Every page recorded the things I wanted to tell our pup and the things we would do together. Fearing that something unexpected might happen one day, I'd even written one final note on the last page. [William, no matter what happens, save our pup first.] William picked it up, skimmed through it for a moment, and chuckled. "You're only with pup, Annie. Your anxiety is getting worse." Just as he was about to leave, his gaze landed on the clothes and supplies I'd prepared for our pup. After hesitating for a moment, he retrieved his phone and sent me two messages. [Annie, are you done with your tantrum?] [For our pup's sake, I'm willing to forgive you. But when you come back, you have to apologize to Lucy.] After sending the messages, he stared at his phone for a while. There was no reply from me even after a long time. William frowned. In the past, I always replied to his messages almost immediately. If I spent even a single day away from him, I couldn't help calling him. But this time, not only had I never called him, but I hadn't even replied to a single one of his messages. Just as he was about to type another message, his phone rang. It was my dad, Wilson. After answering, William sighed. "Wilson, if Annie comes home, please tell her to stop causing trouble. The pack is in chaos because of the earthquake. There are matters that require her attention." A hoarse voice came from the other end. "I haven't seen Annie. I was about to ask you where she is." William answered calmly, "After the earthquake, she got jealous because I rescued Lucy first, so she's hiding somewhere to sulk." Dad laughed in disbelief. "Annie is your Luna. Why did you save Lucy first?" William frowned. "Lucy is physically weaker. Besides, she saved my life once. Why wouldn't I rescue her first? "And ever since Annie became pregnant, she's become overly sensitive and suspicious. She's always hostile toward Lucy. Thankfully, Lucy is generous enough not to hold it against her." Dad fell silent for a long time. He then roared, "All you care about is Lucy! Do you even know Annie is already dead?" William's expression darkened. "If you're helping Annie deceive me without considering the bigger picture, then I need to reconsider whether she's still fit to remain Luna." Dad lost his temper. "She's dead! Why would she even need the position of Luna? "I personally brought her body home today. I saw with my own eyes that even in her final moments, she was still trying to protect your pup. "Not only did you choose not to save her, but even now, you still think she's lying to you. This is absurd." Dad hung up. William stood frozen and stared blankly at his phone for a long time. After a while, Lucy walked over. Her eyes were red from crying. The moment she saw William, she threw herself into his arms. "Alpha, I dreamed about Luna again. "In the dream, she said she was going to kill me. She was holding a pup covered in blood. It was terrifying." William wrapped his arms around her. "Don't cry. It was only a dream." After he said that, his gaze drifted to the jewelry on my vanity. Every single piece had been bought to make up for choosing Lucy over me. Throughout all these years, I had never worn a single one of them. They all remained exactly where he'd left them. There was a blue jacket next to the jewelry. It was the one Lucy had been wearing the day she supposedly saved William during an earthquake. William had secretly kept it all these years. From time to time, he would even retrieve it and look at it. I never understood why he treasured that act of kindness so much. Now I finally did. When someone's heart belonged to another person, they instinctively chose that person every time. Every excuse they gave afterward was only to justify their own choices. William glanced at the jacket one last time. He then wrapped an arm around Lucy and left. I remained standing alone in the room. I smiled bitterly. I wondered when William would realize that I truly wasn't coming back this time. Chapter 4 For the next few nights, Lucy had nightmares every single day. On the seventh night, she finally couldn't take it anymore. She threw herself into William's arms and cried out, "Annie really does blame me. She keeps appearing in my dreams, telling me to go to hell. She's trying to drive me to my death." William held her close. "They're only dreams. Don't take them seriously." However, Lucy retrieved her phone and showed him a text message from an unfamiliar number. [You pushed me. I won't let you get away with this.] William's expression darkened after reading it. "Annie has gone too far. How dare she threaten you like this?" I was standing nearby while I watched Lucy. Moments later, a smug smile appeared on her face. No one knew better than she did what would happen after that pillar crushed me. She had pushed me on purpose. When she shoved me toward it, she'd whispered in my ear, "The position of Luna belongs to me and only me." Lucy had dared to do it because she knew William would save her first. She knew I would miss my only chance at treatment and die before anyone could save me. William had believed every word she said, just as he did now while ordering the Beta to revoke my position as Luna. He then sent me another message. [You have twenty minutes to come home and apologize to Lucy.] [Otherwise, even after our pup is born, I won't forgive you.] Lucy lowered her gaze and pretended to be aggrieved. "William, don't make things difficult for Luna because of me." William was silent for a moment before retrieving a jewelry box. There was a moonstone pendant inside. The name we'd chosen for our pup, Frank, was engraved on it. Standing nearby, I could see the name clearly. My heart clenched with grief. I instinctively reached out and tried to touch the moonstone, but before I could reach it, William handed it to Lucy. "Here, take this. Consider it Annie's gift of apology." Lucy accepted it. She couldn't stop herself from smiling. Holding the pendant, she said, "Alpha, if Annie loses her pup, let's name our future pup Frank. Think of it as a blessing being passed on." William froze for a moment. Before he could answer, the bedroom door was pushed open. Dad stood in the doorway. He was dressed entirely in black. There was an evidence bag in his hand. "My daughter had only just died, and you're already thinking about having a pup with another shewolf? "Are you even worthy of being this pack's Alpha?" William stood right where he was and stared at Dad in disbelief. Lucy hid behind him without saying a word. Dad opened the evidence bag, retrieved several gruesome photos of my mangled corpse, and tossed them at William. "Weren't you asking where Annie was? Take a good look at these yourself!" He then retrieved another document. "This is the official death certificate of your pup. "And there's more!" He produced a voice recorder. When he pressed play, Lucy's cold, sinister voice echoed through the room. "The position of Luna belongs to me and only me." Right after she said that, my scream came. It was followed by the deafening sound of the building collapsing.