Chapter 7

Maya's POV:

I knew that Declan could be ruthless, but hearing it stated so plainly still cut deep. At this point, I was irrelevant to him, something to be sacrificed for his own survival but I swallowed hard and nodded. “I won’t go back on the agreement.”

He studied me for a while, then gestured to the guards . They drove me in silence through winding roads until we reached the dense forest bordering Bloodhound and Moonclaw territories. There, four huge men dressed entirely in black waited like statues.

They took me without a word, bundling me into a black SUV. The drive felt endless, the forest blurring past until we pulled up at a sprawling packhouse that looked imposing. They led me inside, through echoing halls, and finally into a vast living room.

A tall man rose from a leather couch. He was over six feet, easily taller than Declan’s six-three frame, with dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and a muscular body that made him far more handsome than Declan had ever been. But the aura rolling off him was darker and deadlier than anything I had felt from even the strongest Alpha and my knees gave out instantly. I dropped to the floor in fear, certain this was the Night Reaper.

He sent the guards away with a single wave, leaving us alone in the echoing space. Then he crossed the room, crouched in front of me, and gently tilted my chin up so I had to meet his eyes.

“Don’t be scared of me, I won't hurt you.” He said, voice surprisingly soft. “I won't hurt the woman that I want to make Luna of the nine packs I’ve taken over.”

A thousand questions burned on my tongue, but I could only manage one. “Who… who are you?”

He smiled, the expression transforming his sharp features. “Call me Cassian.”

“Why do you want me as your Luna?” I whispered.

“We can talk about that later.” He replied smoothly. “For now, you need to eat something.”

He helped me to my feet with surprising gentleness and led me to a long dining table already set with steaming dishes. As we ate, my mind raced in circles. I was pregnant with Declan’s child, and now this strange man wanted me as his wife.

How would he react if he found out? Would he force me to end the pregnancy? The thought terrified me. Still, I forced myself to eat, afraid refusing might anger him but his eyes never left me, watching every movement as if he could see straight into my soul.

He served me more food with a warm smile, like we were old friends, but the attention only made my skin crawl with discomfort. When the meal ended, he called for maids to clear the plates, then rested his hand on the table and stared at me with open affection in his gaze as I gathered my courage again. “Why do you want me to be your wife…”

A sharp pain lanced through my stomach, cutting the words off and I gasped, pressing a hand to my abdomen. It passed quickly, so I tried to continue, but the pain returned worse than before, twisting like a knife. I cried out, doubling over and Cassian rose instantly, concern flashing across his face. “Are you okay?”

The pain intensified and I screamed, clutching my belly as warm blood trickled down my legs. Tears streamed down my face while Cassian scooped me up and carried me out of the room as the world blurred, and then everything went black.

When I woke up, I was lying in a soft bed, while Cassian sat on a stool beside me, holding my hand. The moment I regained awareness, I yanked my fingers free and pressed both palms to my stomach. “How is my baby?” I demanded, voice hoarse.

He met my eyes steadily. “You lost it.” The words shattered something inside me. For a moment I couldn’t breathe. I had considered ending the pregnancy at first, but over the days that followed I had grown to love the tiny life inside me because it was the one remaining thread tying me to Declan even if we would never share a future and now it was gone.

My thoughts swirled until I remembered the pain had started right after eating. “You poisoned the food.” I whispered, sitting up abruptly. Then I grabbed his collar with both hands, and shook him. “How could you be so cruel? How could you kill an innocent baby?”

Anger flashed across Cassian’s face as he shoved me back against the pillows. “I had to. There was no way I was going to let a woman carrying another man’s child become my Luna.”

He stormed out of the room, leaving the door to slam behind him while I sat there alone in the silence, tears streaming down my face, staring at the empty space where he had been as my hand rested on my now-empty stomach.