The Crippled Wife They Tried to Erase - Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Two weeks had crawled by since the hospital released me. Two weeks of suffocating silence, so heavy it felt like it might crush me. Trapped in this damn wheelchair, I'd done nothing but stare out the mansion's grand windows, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
It dropped that night.
The pack gathering was supposed to be about unity—a show of strength in uncertain times. For me, it was a sentencing. And I already knew my fate.
I sat beside Xavier, my husband, my mate, who couldn't even bother to look at me. No, his attention was fixed on the woman next to him—my sister, Celeste.
Her laughter, bright and mocking, cut through the room as she leaned in, whispering something that made him smirk. Like they were the only two people who mattered.
My fists clenched in my lap, nails digging into my palms. I forced myself to stay still, to breathe, but the whispers around me were getting louder.
"What a shame," someone murmured behind me. "The Luna can't even walk. How's she supposed to lead?"
"And no heir," another voice chimed in. "The Alpha deserves better. Tsk."
I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. I wouldn't break. Not here. Not yet.
Then Xavier's mother, Evelyn, stood and called for silence.
"Thank you all for coming," she began, her voice sharp as a blade. "Our pack's future is at stake. Without an heir, the Nightshade bloodline is in jeopardy. And with Lyra unable to bear children..." Her gaze flicked to me, cold and dismissive. "It's only logical for Xavier to take another mate. Someone who can give him the heir this pack needs."
The room erupted in murmurs of approval.
Evelyn stepped forward, her eyes locking onto Celeste. "Fortunately, the solution is already here. Celeste has graciously agreed to fulfill this duty."
My heart stopped.
I turned to my sister, searching for any flicker of remorse—but there was none. Just a smug, triumphant smile.
"It's for the pack, Lyra," she said sweetly, as if she weren't stabbing me in the back.
"You should be grateful!" someone shouted. "Your sister's saving your mate and your family's legacy!"
"Grateful?" My voice shook. "You expect me to be grateful that my sister is stealing my husband?"
"Don't be dramatic, Lyra," Xavier snapped, his voice colder than I'd ever heard. "This isn't about you. It's about the pack."
The words hit like a punch to the gut. "About the pack?" I whispered. "Or about what's convenient for you, Xavier?"
"Stop embarrassing yourself," he hissed. "You've done enough damage as it is."
Laughter rippled through the room, cruel and mocking.
"Don't act so surprised," Celeste added, her tone sickeningly cheerful. "You knew this was coming. After all, you can't give Xavier what he needs anymore."
I wanted to scream. To lash out. But what good would it do?
"Fine," I said, forcing my voice steady despite the tears burning behind my eyes. "Take her. Take the heir. Take everything. But don't expect me to stand here and pretend to be happy about it."
Xavier's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. Evelyn stepped forward, smug satisfaction written all over her face.
"You're making the right choice, Lyra," she said, dripping with condescension. "This is for the good of the pack."
I couldn't take another second. The humiliation, the judgment, the laughter—it was too much. When Xavier ordered a warrior to escort me home, I nearly laughed.
The ride back was silent except for the rattling of my wheelchair. I refused to cry. Not here. Not where they could see me.
At the mansion, a maid helped me to my room. I wanted to snap at her to leave me alone, but I was too exhausted. She tucked a blanket over my lap before slipping out.
Still, Xavier didn't come.
The moment the door clicked shut, the dam broke. Silent, gut-wrenching sobs wracked my body as I sat there, staring at the empty room.
I gripped the armrests of my chair, my mind flashing back to the Xavier I once knew.
The Xavier who had sprinted through the rain to find me, drenched and breathless, clutching a bouquet so big I could barely see his face.
"Lyra!" he'd shouted, desperate. "I don't care what anyone says! I want you—only you. Please, be mine."
I'd laughed through my tears, shaking my head at how ridiculous he looked. But I'd said yes. How could I not? He'd looked at me like I was his whole world.
Then there was the time he'd flown across the ocean after a fight, showing up at my dorm with another absurd bouquet.
"I can't do this without you, Lyra," he'd whispered, voice breaking. "Marry me. Please."
I'd thrown myself into his arms, laughing and crying at the same time.
Now, all of that was gone.