The Scorned Luna Lives Again!

Ashlyn had a subtle bounce in her step as she carried a small red velvet birthday cake in one hand and scrolled through pictures of her loving mate and their newborn pup on her phone with the other. She was humming happily, looking forward to some quality time with her little family. Things had been rocky at home, her mate, Marcus, had been swamped with work lately and had become distant from her since her pregnancy and the birth of their pup. It hurt her but she supported him lovingly, hoping it would pass and thankfully it seemed to have as Marcus promised to come home early and be home to celebrate her birthday with her and their pup. Getting into her car she sat the cake down in the passenger seat and was about to call Marcus to talk about her day when an unfamiliar number called. She answered curiously, "hello?" A calm but stern voice responded. "Is this Luna North?" Ashlyn swallowed hard, nodding quietly. Hardly anyone called her by her title, only for serious matters and official business. Her voice strained as she tried to remain calm, "this is she, who may I ask is calling?" The voice became gentler. Empathetic even. "Luna North... This is Doctor Alexander Wright, your pup was brought into our emergency room... It's not looking good." Ashlyn froze. Stunned in place as she tried to comprehend the doctor's words. He must have been mistaken, her pup was safe at home with her mate. She shook herself from the shock as the doctor called her name. Her hands tightening on her phone and steering wheel as she tried to fight back the tears welling in her eyes. "M..my apologies doctor....a.. Are you sure?" She didn't want to make him feel incompetent, she just prayed there was a mistake but the doctor was certain. "I'm sorry Luna... We tried to reach Alpha North but there's been no response, perhaps you can reach out to him. He shares special blood that could exponentially raise the survival chance." Ashlyn swallowed hard. Marcus was an alpha with special blood passed onto their pup. She trembled as she fought to keep her composure. "Y.. Yes doctor.... I'll try just... Please don't give up on my baby... Please." She begged so earnestly even the doctor's heart ached. When she hung up with the doctor she began to frantically call her mate. Over and over again, all the way to the hospital she tried desperately to reach him to no avail. Tears of rage and fear burned her cheeks. Rage towards her mate being absent in this dire situation and fear for her pup. She managed to contain some of her emotions before running into the hospital. She was met by a gamma of the pack, not even the beta was around in this situation. The lack of sense in this situation infuriated her more but she had more pressing issues. She approached the nervous looking gamma, trying to be calm. "Where is the alpha?" Her voice was venomous, her eyes narrowing dangerously as the Gamma looked away uncomfortably. Her impatience, growing at the Gamma's fear. "Where in her Hunter?! Please... Please... Tell me." Her strength, fading into heart break. Hunter whimpered, pained for his Luna. His voice was soft and meek but full of truth. "I don't know Luna...I-I just found the young heir on a patrol... Laying alone in the back gardens..." Ashlyn's eyes widened with understanding. Her child had been discarded. Left to die in a remote area of the packs even rogues didn't bother with. She felt her stomach bile rise in her throat as she tried to focus. Her voice strained. "Who... Who was watching my pup?" Tears filled her eyes as the Gamma awkwardly shook their head. No one was watching her pup. Their future alpha. He was just tossed out like garbage and had suffered in solitude for the goddess knows how long. She was torn between rage, fear and pain. She turned to the nurses station, begging for an update but they had none to give. She could only sit and wait. Gamma Hunter remained dutifully by her side as she tried desperately to call her mate. Over and over again until the small device lost power and she was left sitting there, her heart heavy and her mind a swirl of emotions. Soon she was disturbed from the eerie silence by an elderly man with kind eyes despite years of his profession etched in his face. She could smell he was an alpha but he didn't exude the superiority most do. He was calm and patient as he looked at her with pitying eyes. "Luna North?" He said softly. Ashlyn quickly got to her feet and ran to him, hopeful he would bear some semblance of good news but his weary eyes told her what she needed to know. "H..He didn't make it. Did he...?" She felt shattered as he nodded softly. Gamma Hunter was quick to catch her as she crumpled from the weight of her pain and misery. Her precious baby. Her whole life. Gone. She couldn't understand it. She left him with his omega nanny, Marcus had confirmed the hand off at her lunch hour so where was he? Why was their child left alone to suffer? Where was her mate now that she needed him most? She had tried to mind-link him but like his phone he was unreachable or simply ignoring her. Ashlyn let out a pained howl. It was a powerful howl that even made the doctor shed a tear despite being an alpha. Gamma Hunter helped escort her to a separate room, he decided it was more appropriate to wait outside, feeling uncorrectable in the entire situation. He stood watch as the doctor and Ashlyn spoke privately. "Do you need some water Luna North?" Doctor Alexander asked softly, when she declined with a weak silent nod he sighed softly and sat across from her in a plush cushioned chair. The room was simple and made for basic comfort. It was known as a consultation room, a place for loved ones of the severely I'll or mortally wounded to grieve privately. Ashlyn had seen one a time or two when she would support a pack mate with a severely sick or injured family member but here she was, all alone in her time of need. She felt used and rejected by her pack. She managed to look up at the doctor, her voice hoarse from her sobs. "H.. How did this happen..." She couldn't understand. Everything was perfect only a few hours ago. She had seen pictures of her baby from Marcus just a few hours before she got off work. Everything seemed fine but now he was missing and their pup was gone. She couldn't understand. The doctor grit his teeth. It was clear he had the cause but given her fragile state he wasn't sure how to tell her so he slipped her a report. She took it her hand trembling as she lifted the paper. Her stomach dropped as she read the toxicology report. Wolfsbane. Enough to kill a grown alpha fairly quickly. Wolfsbane was a poison that killed slowly and painfully, It was the worst kind of pain to a wolf shifter as it not only hurt not just the human body but hurt the inner beast as well. Her son didn't even have a wolf yet to take some of that pain away he faced it all alone and for so long. It was clear he would have been a strong alpha. "Please... Doctor.... Tell me it's not so.... Tell me there was a mistake..." She looked at him trembling as he shook his head quietly. "My condolences Luna North... We checked... Several times. Your pup was poisoned..." He looked at her, his expression hard as he struggled with revealing more but she nodded softly in acknowledgement. He sighed, looking at her gently as he continued to break her heart. "There were signs there was an attempt to...suffocate him."