Bonded For Blood, Not Love

It was Judy.

She was behind all this!

To protect Gloria and the babies, the Dixon brothers had arranged a secluded villa for us, hidden deep in the hills.

A while ago, it was Arthur's birthday. Gloria and I went to his party together.

On the way back, we ran into Judy. She put on her usual gentle, considerate act. Since she was Lesley's close friend, we didn't think much of it.

She said antlers from the Mistbound Pack were good for women after childbirth, and she wanted to deliver some to us. Gloria believed her and even drew her a map to our place.

Gloria told Judy that she could bring them to the villa later. We thought it would be nice to have someone to talk to, someone to pass the time with.

But we never could've imagined what Judy was really planning.

We waited an entire month.

What came wasn't a visit. It was people crashing through the gates, fists flying, and two bowls of labor-inducing medicine shoved down our throats.

My baby was almost full term. Even if he came early, there was a chance he could live.

I heard him cry. I know I did.

I begged them to hand him to me. I could still save him. I had to. His cardiogen was the medicine Arthur needed to stay alive.

Lesley had once saved Gloria and me. I owed him my life.

He had pinned all his hopes on this child. I couldn't let him down. Even if I died, I had to protect my baby.

But all my pleading got me was more bitter liquid forced between my lips and more blows crashing into my body.

I watched helplessly as my son slowly stopped moving, his eyes closing for good under their fists.

I was terrified out of my mind.

By the time Regina finally came back from searching everywhere for Lesley, I thought help had arrived.

Instead, Lesley was busy moving plants for Judy.

He decided I was lying, that I was just fighting for attention.

My baby had died.

And Gloria, trying to shield me, was forced to drink the brew, too.

She was only five months along. Just days before, she had told me with a smile that she could finally feel the baby move. Her baby had been saying hello.

In the blink of an eye, it was all gone.

Gloria knew how to fight, but there were too many of them. She was protecting me, and that was how she was dragged down, too.

Even now, after miscarrying, she was so weak that she could barely stand. Yet, she still had someone make a bowl of warm chicken broth and brought it to my room herself.

We sat side by side on the bed.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "If I hadn't believed Lesley's pretty words, if I had paid more attention, I would've seen that he and Judy were never just friends. I wouldn't have let her into our lives. You wouldn't have lost your baby. I wouldn't have married Lesley. And you never would've met Eddie."

Gloria grabbed my hand. Her tears fell on my skin.

"It's not your fault. I was blind, too. I only realized today that Judy was involved with Eddie as well. Don't worry, Margot. This time, I'm leaving with you. I'm severing my bond, too."

We were still talking about how to get away from those two brothers when the villa gates were thrown open again.

It wasn't some lucky day, and it sure as hell wasn't the Dixon brothers' conscience waking up.

They were here for Judy and for their fragile pride.

Sure enough, before they even stepped inside, shouting echoed through the courtyard.

"Gloria, how dare you bring up severing the bond with me! Can you stop comparing yourself to that so-called sister of yours?” Eddie sneered.

"She's the daughter of the chief healer, the pride of the Binders. Everyone envies her. And you? You were picked up off the street! You were raised just to take care of her. Did you really think you were some kind of noble lady, too?

"And now, you want to leave me? Who do you think would marry you after that? What man doesn't keep other women around? I let you be my legal mate only because your child could be used as medicine. You should've been grateful for that!"