Alice

Darkness swallowed me in waves and sound came first. Beeping, rushing feet, distant shouting… then pain

It split me open from the inside out. I tried to move, but my body felt submerged beneath water. 

“Her blood pressure is dropping.”

“Prepare the OR.”

“No…” My lips barely moved. “My… babies…”

A contraction tore through me so violently that I screamed.

The sound didn’t feel like it belonged to me.

“Where is my husband?” I gasped. “Call Javier. Call him!”

No one answered me directly.

That terrified me more than the pain.

“Please,” I begged, clawing weakly at the sheets. “He needs to be here.”

Another contraction hit, and then I understood this wasn’t just stress.

I was in labor.

Too early.

“No,” I whispered hysterically. “It’s too soon. They said I had to be careful. I came in. I did everything right.”

“You did,” a doctor said firmly, gripping my shoulder. “But the cervix has shortened further. We can’t stop this now.”

Tears blurred my vision. “Save them. Please. Save them.”

“We’ll do everything we can.”

Everything.

That was not the same as promise.

Pain ripped through me again, and I bore down instinctively, a scream clawing its way out of my chest.

I don’t remember how long it lasted.

Minutes, hours, or an eternity.

And then…

A cry.

Like a tiny warrior announcing his arrival.

“He’s breathing!” someone shouted. “Strong lungs!”

Relief shattered through me so violently I sobbed.

“My baby,” I choked. “My son…”

“Push again!” the doctor commanded.

I didn’t think I could, but I did. Because there was another life inside me… another heartbeat.

I pushed.

And pushed.

And pushed.

Silence.

No cry.

No sound.

The room shifted.

“Why isn’t he crying?” My voice trembled. “Why isn’t he crying?”

“Resuscitation team, now!”

I tried to lift my head but hands held me down.

“Breathe, Luna. Breathe.”

“I can’t hear him!” I screamed. “Why can’t I hear him?!”

The first baby’s cries echoed from somewhere across the room.

The second…

Nothing.

Just frantic movement.

Machines, urgent whispers.

My heart began to race uncontrollably.

“No. No, no, no. Please. Please don’t let him…”

The doors burst open.

Javier.

His presence filled the room.

“Where is she?” he roared. “Alice!”

Relief surged through me so sharply it hurt.

“I’m here,” I sobbed.

He reached my bedside in seconds, gripping my hand.

For one brief, fragile moment, I saw the man I loved.

“Are you okay?” he demanded.

“They’re not crying,” I whispered brokenly. “One of them isn’t crying.”

He looked toward the medical team.

Their silence said everything.

The first baby was carried past us, red-faced and screaming, tiny fists flailing.

Riley appeared out of nowhere, stepping in to take him carefully as nurses directed her toward the neonatal ward.

She didn’t look at Javier.

He didn’t look at her.

They must not meet.

And then…

The doctor approached slowly.

“I’m sorry.”

My body shook violently as they placed the second baby briefly in my arms.

He was still.

“I’m sorry,” I kept whispering, over and over, rocking him weakly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

Javier stood frozen.

And then something shifted in his face.

Not grief or devastation, but suspicion.

“What is this?” he asked coldly.

I blinked at him through tears. “What?”

He stepped back from the bed.

“How far along were you exactly?”

The question felt wrong.

“Javier…”

“You said third trimester. But the size…”

My chest tightened. “What are you implying?”

His jaw clenched. “The timeline doesn’t match.”

My heart stopped.

“What?”

He pulled something from his coat pocket… papers.

“DNA reports.”

The room spun.

“You ran a test?” I whispered.

“I had to be sure.”

“Sure of what?!”

“That the child you’re carrying is mine.”

The cruelty of it broke something inside me.

“You think I would…”

“You lied about your family!” he roared. “You hid who you are! How do I know you didn’t hide this too?”

A hysterical laugh escaped me. “I just lost a child and you’re accusing me of infidelity?”

Before he could answer, the door opened and Valeria stepped inside, composed, elegant and victorious.

She carried a folder in her hands.

“Alpha,” she said softly, moving to his side like she belonged there. “I found something.”

I stared at her, disbelief mixing with rage.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded.

She ignored me, handing Javier the folder.

“I went to confirm something,” she said gently. “The hospital mistakenly gave me records earlier… thinking I was your wife.”

“That makes no sense,” I snapped. “Why would they think you’re his wife?”

She smiled faintly. “Because I’m carrying his child.”

Silence detonated in the room.

She placed a hand over a visible baby bump beneath her dress.

“Impossible,” I breathed.

She pulled out ultrasound photos.

Dates, medical stamps.

Everything looked official.

“You’re lying,” I hissed.

She tilted her head. “Am I?”

Javier’s face darkened with betrayal.

“You see?” Valeria murmured to him. “I told you.”

I looked between them, horror dawning. “You knew?”

She finally met my eyes fully.

“You were never meant to last,” she said softly enough that only I could hear. “You were a placeholder.”

My wolf snarled weakly inside me.

“I am his mate,” I growled.

She laughed quietly. “You don’t even know who you are.”

I froze.

“You think it was coincidence?” she continued smoothly. “The letters? The nickname? The hotel?”

The letters.

V.

My stomach dropped.

“Valeria,” I whispered.

“Finally,” she smiled.

Javier stiffened slightly.

“You were supposed to be forgotten,” she continued. “You made him forget me. So I reminded him.”

“You’re insane,” I breathed.

“And you’re naive.”

She leaned closer.

“By mate bond law, cheating is punishable by death,” I shot back, fury cutting through grief. “If he betrayed me, he would answer for it.”

Her smile widened.

“Who do you think told him that?” she whispered. “He planned to rid you of your title quietly. After the birth. Execution would have been messy.”

My blood ran cold.

“You’re lying.”

“Am I?” she hummed. “You think he wants a Luna who can’t even give him a living heir?”

Rage and sorrow stirred violently inside me.

Javier suddenly threw a set of papers onto the bed.

“Divorce documents,” he said flatly. “Sign them once you recover.”

I stared at him.

“You thank her?” I whispered.

“Yes,” he said bitterly. “Thank the goddess Valeria was here to expose this.”

Doctors intervened then, calling him aside urgently.

He left without another glance, but Valeria lingered.

“You should have known better,” she said lightly. “You saved him once. But you could never keep him.”

“I will destroy you,” I whispered hoarsely.

She only smiled and walked out.

The room felt empty.

Riley slipped back in quietly moments later.

“He’s stable,” she whispered about the surviving baby.

I nodded numbly.

“I can get him out,” she said. “Now.”

I looked down at my silent son still cradled in my arms.

Tears fell freely now.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to him. “Forgive me.”

I wrapped him gently in the blanket.

Kissed his forehead.

“I will come back stronger,” I promised softly. “For you.”

Harper took the breathing twin, concealed carefully.

I forced myself to stand despite the agony te

aring through my body, but I did not look back.

Outside the ward, Riley waited.

“You’re sure about this?” she asked quietly.

“My parents will hate that I’m bringing his child,” I said slowly.

“They already hate him.”

“I chose him over them.”

“And now?”

I looked down at the tiny bundle in her arms.

“Now I choose my son.”