CHAPTER FOUR.

MARCH, 18, 2019.

CRYSTAL DIAMOND HOSPITAL.

( CLAUDE'S POV )

It had already been days since I had a discussion with Victoria, and today was the day I was getting an abortion.

Yeah, that was right. I had finally agreed to get rid of my first child. The product of my mating with Denver, and the outcome which has brought me nothing but pain and misery.

I knew my child was a girl. I had felt it. Call it motherly instincts, or whatever.

No one knew I was at a hospital. Since my parents weren't around when I arrived, I hoped they wouldn't know of my whereabouts.

Well, it wasn't as if they cared anyway. All that mattered to them was for me not to do anything that would taint their image in any way.

I patted my stomach fondly.

'Don't forgive me, dear child. This heartless mother doesn't deserve it at all. Hate me all you want, and I hope when you return, the family to which the Moon goddess would send you, would make me more accommodating and happy at your arrival.

I felt an emptiness and void in my heart and closed my eyes.

The door opened, startling me, and a smiling doctor walked in.

"Hi, Claude." Victoria followed closely behind her. I nodded at both of them.

"You would be moved to the operation theater, now. The abortion would be done in roughly four hours or more." The doctor assured me.

I nodded and hoped the decision I had taken was the right one.

THE OPERATION THEATRE.

My eyes were closed as I prayed to the Moon goddess.

Suddenly, I felt a sudden weakness. I tried lifting a finger, but I couldn't.

It felt like my whole body had gone numb somehow.

What was happening?

The door opened again, and I sighed in relief, hoping it was the doctor.

"Doctor-"

My words stuck in my throat, as who the intruder was, came into view.

Victoria.

"Victoria? Are you here to keep me company? I thought the operation theater was a restricted area for anyone, aside from certified personnel?" I asked in confusion.

"Certified personnel? I am a certified personnel, don't you agree?" She scoffed.

Her words sounded strange, and I tried sitting up on the bed, but I fell back weakly on the bed.

"What do you think you are doing, Victoria ?" I whispered.

"I just came to bid you goodbye, Claude," Victoria smirked, and I shuddered.

Her words sounded chilly. Nothing like Victoria at all.

"Goodbye? What do you mean, Victoria? Do you wish me death? Where is the doctor?" I coughed weakly.

I could sense danger emanating from Victoria's being. The ominous feeling I had felt earlier was getting stronger.

Victoria chortled.

"It's quite a pity, you wouldn't get to see Denver Before you move on. Don't you feel a strange weakness, and feel like your breathing vassals have been blocked?

My eyes widened at her words. Realization dawned on me, as I let out a single word.

"Why?"

"Why? Is that a question? Poor girl." She chuckled, a mean look plastered on her face.

In the past, Claude always thought of her smile as pretty. But at that moment, Victoria who was smiling at her looked like the Devil incarnate. No, worse than that...

Her heart began palpitating as she turned to look at the being whom she had grown up with. Her very own friend.

"Why? Is that even a question?" I opened my eyes when I heard her chuckle without mirth.

I winced as a new bout of pain hit me.

I was puzzled by her strange question.

My breaths came out in raspy bouts and I winced at each effort.

Was this how I was going to die?

Images of my parents flashed across my face, images of Denver, and I closed my eyes.

I tried opening my eyes as I heard her chilly chuckle. However, I couldn't.

My efforts proved futile, and I gave up trying, as it was causing me pain.

"Scared? Don't be... This is nothing... Your death will be a very painful one, Claude. That has always been my wish after all..." She laughed again.

Seeing her so happy, I wondered where things might have gone wrong. What really happened that turned my sunny-natured friend into this monster?

Or was I wrong all along? Had she been sunny-natured, or was it all my imagination?

"You know what, Claude? I've always hated you. Hated the fact that you seem to get all the good things. It was manageable until Denver announced that the both of you were mates." She spat.

My heart hammered against my chest at her words. So, was my case one of jealousy?

Was I going to die because my best friend was jealous of me?

But there was nothing to be jealous of!

"What do you hope to achieve from this?" I choked out with much effort.

"Achieve? A lot! Denver Would finally be mine, and I would finally become the Luna of a pack.``  Her voice was menacing and I grabbed at the sheets in fear.

"I thought we were friends, Victoria ?" It was surprising that things turned out this way.

Never for once, did I differentiate the status between the both of us?

And here she was divulging the secrets she had hidden so we'll be within her.

"But was that enough reason to seek my death? We are friends, Victoria ." I placed my hands on my now scorching forehead.

"Were, Claude. We were friends. And for every single day and night that passes, I regret my impulse to be your friend. To you, it's nothing... But do you know how heartbreaking it was for me all these days? Did you know how heart wrenching it was for me?" Victoria asked with reddened eyes.

My heart clenched in pain as I listened to her words.

"Victoria ... I  have always loved you all these years, and I still do. Why didn't you tell me all this? I never knew you were in pain." I coughed violently again.

"But it's fine all the same... I hope you rot in hell!!" Her final words shot into my heart like an arrow, breaking the final feelings I had for my best friend.

The door shut close, and her footsteps died down in my ears.

Images of our happy moments flashed across my mind, and tears cascaded slowly down my cheek.

I coughed weakly and felt my body go numb. I struggled to breathe, but I couldn't.

××××

On the 18th day of March 2019, by  10:30 am,  Miss Claude Murphy gave up the ghost in Crystal Diamond Hospital. May her soul rest in peace.