She couldn’t just tell Adrian and Calvin about Rhea. It would be as though she was having a jealousy fit, which she was but that was beside the point.
She’d had to contact Dorian to find out about her. The conversation had been stilted and she knew that Dorian was coming to conclusions on his own, not that it mattered to get in that moment. She’d just needed to find something. Anything on her.
When she found out the truth and even confronted her all she thought about was what was her plan?
Was she really Calvin’s mate? What sort of sick coincidence was that? No, Cynthia of all people couldn’t believe it but it seemed real enough for Calvin to abandon her for the mad woman.
There had to be something that she was missing. Cynthia continued her morning walk routine. The doctor had asked her to keep her energy up for the delivery process.
“Cynthia. Can we talk?”
Cynthia was startled out of her thoughts to see Ivy next to her wearing a smug smile.
What could Ivy possibly want with her?
“Whatever about?”
“I want to take up the offer you gave Rhea. I’ll even let you have Calvin, in exchange you will do exactly what I want.”
Cynthia paled. Had Ivy overheard the entire conversation? She had only been so honest with Rhea because the woman wasn’t as cunning as she wanted to be yet plus she had a card on her that was the greatest equalizer. Her identity.
She wouldn’t have anything on Ivy. She would be relegated to the sidekick role but on the flip side, Ivy had more power at her fingertips than Rhea could ever dream of. She would be able to use her to get her revenge on Adrian and Ava.
The only problem was that if things went south, she would be unable to ditch this ship. It was going to be all or nothing.
Before she could say anything about this, however, Rhea came out of nowhere.
“You bitch! You ruined everything!”
She charged at Ivy who evaded her easily.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist, dear. I have been at this game for far longer than you have. You tried your best and made a good effort but you weren’t good enough.”
What was Ivy even talking about? Rhea seemed even angrier when she turned to Cynthia.
“You told her about everything. Right? Just because you wanted to keep your little boyfriend right? How long have the both of you been planning this?”
“Calm down. I don’t even know what you are talking about.”
It would seem like Ivy had done more than eavesdrop on her conversation. Something else had happened that Cynthia had missed.
Rhea looked more than a little unhinged as she looked at both of them with startling hatred.
“You won’t get away with this. I’ll kill both of you.”
Right.
Cynthia was once more being drawn into something that she had no concern with. The both of them could sort out their issues. She had nothing to do with any of that.
As she was about to move to leave them to their drama, Rhea pulled a silver dagger on them. Before she could blink, she thrust the dagger into Cynthia who was closer before pulling it out of her belly and advancing on Ivy.
Cynthia gasped holding her bleeding belly, her legs giving out beneath her making her fall to her knees, her hand still wrapped around her belly. Her baby. Her child. The air around her warped and for a moment all the sound and colours left the world and all she could feel was the pump of blood beneath her fingertips.
“Cynthia!”
In her dazed state, she could almost imagine she’d heard Calvin’s voice.
She looked at her bloodstained hands and her vision blurred. The last thing she saw was Calvin’s brown eyes filled with tears as he looked at her. Weird. She’d always thought that the last thought she would have would be one of Dorian.
Then she was out.
*******
Calvin was waiting for Cynthia on her circuit route against his better judgement when he heard the screams. He hadn’t wanted to see her so soon.
Every time he saw her, he lost control of himself and forgot the woman he should be in love with.
He saw her and despite the fact that he had a mare, all he wanted to do was kiss her senseless and ask her to run away with him.
His mate felt cold and distant and for all her kind gestures, he couldn’t feel the same way he felt for Cynthia about her.
The pack doctor had reached out to him the day before to get some medications for Cynthia. Both of them had gone for her medical checkups together so when she had been unable to reach Cynthia, she’d reached out to him.
He would give her the medications then he would leave before he kissed her or confessed his love for her or both. He had a newly found sense of empathy for Adrian. Then he heard the scream.
His legs carried him faster than he thought possible. Had the rogues attacked again? Or was it the hunters? Was Cynthia safe?
Only for him to happen upon the clearing. Cynthia was on the ground on her knees, she had been stabbed and his mate was brandishing a bloody dagger at Ivy who seemed to be doing her best to fend her off.
“Cynthia!”
He wasn’t sure how the scream had escaped him.
His mate was startled and turned to look at him. Ivy took advantage of her distraction and knocked her over the head with a heavy-looking stone.
Rhea fell over knocked out and Calvin heard a muttered ‘Fucking hardheaded cunt’. But all his attention was on Cynthia.
He caught her before she hit the ground.
“Stay with me.”
“My baby.” She gasped out, her eyes clouded over with pain.
“Will be fine. I promise.”