Chapter Twelve

‎The manor felt different now, quieter, like it was holding its breath after the battle. The air still carried the faint tang of blood, but the fires burned low, and the pack moved softly, cleaning up the wreckage, tending to the wounded. I stood in my room, the cloak from Rex draped over my shoulders, his scent—pine and iron—clinging to it like a promise. My hand rested on my stomach, where that faint flutter stirred, a reminder of the life inside me, Cassian’s child, but mine too. I wasn’t the girl who’d arrived here, trembling in a car, sold to settle a debt. I was Lycan, a warrior, and I had fought for this place, for myself.

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‎Rex’s words lingered: *I can’t lose you.* They were heavy, not just duty, but something deeper, something that scared me as much as it warmed me. He’d stood by me, protected me, even after I’d told him about the pregnancy, about Cassian’s betrayal. His pain, his guilt over the other girls—it was real, and it tied us together, blood or not. But I didn’t know what we were, what we could be, with so much still broken between us.

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‎A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I tensed, my heart skipping, but it was only the servant from before, her eyes soft, her hands clutching a tray of bread and tea. “For you,” she said, her voice quiet, almost reverent. “The Alpha said to make sure you eat.”

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‎I nodded, my throat tight. “Thank you,” I said, taking the tray, my fingers brushing hers. She hesitated, like she wanted to say something, but then she turned and left, her steps silent on the rug. I set the tray on the table, the tea’s steam curling in the cold air, but I couldn’t eat. My stomach was too knotted, my mind too full of Rex, the prophecy, the child I carried.

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‎I moved to the window, the glass cool against my palm. The courtyard below was calm now, the bodies gone, the blood washed away. The forest stretched beyond, dark and endless, the blood moon just a night away. Sage Elara’s words echoed: *The cursed wolf will save or destroy.* I’d saved the pack last night, my Lycan strength tearing through the rival wolves, but the prophecy wasn’t done with me. I felt it, like a shadow waiting to fall.

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‎Footsteps sounded behind me, heavy and sure. I turned, my heart racing, and saw Rex in the doorway, his red eyes steady, his face etched with exhaustion. He’d cleaned the blood from his skin, but his shirt was torn, his hair messy, like he hadn’t slept. “You’re still here,” he said, his voice low, almost surprised.

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‎“Where else would I go?” I asked, my voice sharper than I meant. I crossed my arms, the cloak slipping slightly, my hand brushing my stomach. “This is my place now, isn’t it? Your cousin, your Lycan, your… whatever I am.”

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‎He flinched, just a fraction, but stepped closer, his eyes searching mine. “You’re more than that,” he said, his voice rough but soft. “You’re not just blood, Talia. You’re…” He stopped, his jaw tight, like the words were too heavy to say.

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‎I looked away, my throat burning. “Don’t,” I said, my voice trembling. “Don’t say things you don’t mean. I’m carrying his child, Rex. Cassian’s. Not yours.” The truth hurt, sharp and raw, like a blade in my chest. I wanted him to care, to want me, but I was afraid—afraid of what it meant, afraid of losing myself again.

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‎He stepped closer, his hand hovering near my arm, not touching. “I don’t care whose it is,” he said, his voice fierce, steady. “It’s yours. And I’ll protect you both, no matter what.”

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‎My breath caught, tears stinging my eyes. I wanted to believe him, but the pain was too deep—Cassian’s betrayal, Nyla’s cruelty, the other girls who’d broken before me. “Why?” I asked, my voice breaking. “Why me? Why not them?”

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‎He looked away, his eyes distant, pain etched deep in his face. “Because you’re different,” he said, his voice low. “The others… they couldn’t handle it. The prophecy, the power, this place. They broke, and I couldn’t save them.” He met my eyes, raw and open. “But you fought, Talia. You’re still fighting. That’s why I can’t let you go.”

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‎My heart twisted, torn between hurt and hope. I wanted to hate him, for bringing me here, for the pain of this place, but his words, his eyes—they held me, like the warmth in my chest, the bond that wouldn’t let go. “And what if I destroy you?” I whispered, echoing the prophecy. “What if that’s what I am?”

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‎He shook his head, his hand finally touching my arm, warm and steady. “You won’t,” he said, his voice firm. “You saved us last night. You’re not a curse, Talia. You’re our redemption.”

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‎The warmth in my chest flared, not just the bond, but something deeper, something mine. I looked at him, his red eyes fierce but soft, and for the first time, I didn’t feel like the cursed daughter. I felt like a warrior, a mother, a woman who could stand beside him. But the fear was still there, the weight of the child, the prophecy, the blood moon.

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‎A shout from the courtyard broke the moment, sharp and urgent. Rex’s head snapped toward the window, his body tense. “Stay here,” he said, his voice hard, but his hand lingered on my arm, like he didn’t want to let go.

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‎I shook my head, my jaw tight. “No,” I said, my voice steady. “I’m done hiding. Whatever’s out there, I’m facing it with you.”

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‎His eyes widened, a flicker of pride crossing his face. “You don’t have to,” he said, but there was no fight in his voice, only respect.

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‎“I know,” I said, stepping closer, my hand brushing his. “But I want to.”

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‎We moved together, down the stairs, through the hall, the pack parting for us, their eyes still heavy with awe. The courtyard was tense, a small group of pack members gathered, their faces pale. Sage Elara stood among them, her silver hair glinting in the morning light, her eyes locked on me.

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‎“The blood moon rises tonight,” she said, her voice clear, cutting through the murmurs. “The prophecy is here. The cursed wolf has awakened, but her choice remains—salvation or ruin.”

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‎I felt the pack’s eyes on me, their fear, their hope. My hand drifted to my stomach, the flutter stronger now, a life tied to me, not Cassian. Rex stood beside me, his presence steady, grounding. I wasn’t alone anymore, not in this moment.

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‎“I choose to fight,” I said, my voice loud, steady, surprising even myself. “For this pack, for my child, for me.”

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‎The pack went silent, then a low cheer rose, their voices strong, like a howl building. Rex’s hand found mine, his grip firm, and I felt it—the bond, the strength, the future we could build. The prophecy wasn’t done, but I wasn’t afraid anymore. I was Lycan, bound to the Blackfur line, and I would carve my own path.

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‎As the sun climbed higher, the blood moon waiting, I stood taller, my heart steady. This was my home now, my fight, my family. And no matter what came, I’d face it, with Rex beside me, with the child I’d protect, with the power I’d claimed as my own.