Chapter 6

Rowan’s POV

News travels fast. I’m not even out of the infirmary before the stares begin.

I know what they mean. I know what they say.

Liar. Deceiver. Whore.

I don’t acknowledge them. I’m just as shocked as they are, but no one will believe that. Not after what they think they know.

Alpha Kael had stormed out the moment Dr. Bradley dropped that bombshell. Minutes later, the shackles were removed from my wrists, and I was told,ever so kindly—to return to my room and keep quiet about my “predicament.”

Well, I suppose I don’t have to keep it a secret anymore. Not with the entire pack whispering behind their hands. Still, the thought of facing Zelma and Perrie makes my stomach twist.

Zelma’s probably already convinced I’ve committed some forbidden act.

Perrie… she’ll have a million questions and not enough answers.

My stomach growls,sharp and insistent. I haven’t eaten since I woke up. So, I head toward the kitchen, the familiar scent of spices and baked bread guiding me. But as I approach the pack house, the chorus of voices inside warns me it’s full.

I take a breath and push the door open.

Silence falls like a guillotine.

Every head turns. Every gaze pins me like a knife.

I walk to the counter, pick up an apple with trembling fingers, and turn to leave. No one speaks. Not a single word. But as soon as the door swings shut behind me, the buzz starts again,louder, sharper, spreading like wildfire.

If they didn’t know before, they do now.

I sigh and retreat to my room, grateful for the quiet that greets me. My limbs feel heavy, my skin sticky with sweat and nerves. I head straight for the bath, avoiding my reflection in the mirror. I don’t need to see myself to know I look a mess.

The water is warm. Calming. It soothes the pounding in my head and dulls the ache in my bones. I don’t bother washing my hair—too much effort. I dry off quickly, slipping into something soft, and settle down on my bed, apple in hand.

There’s a knock.

My entire body tenses. I already know who it is.

“Come in,” I say, voice firm despite the hollowness I feel.

Zelma enters first, her mouth set in a thin line. Perrie trails behind, eyes wide with concern.

“Oh, sweetheart, you look exhausted,” Perrie says gently.

I manage a tired smile. “That’s what happens when you’re unconscious for two days,” I reply, flatly. The joke doesn’t land, but I’m too drained to care.

Zelma stays silent, studying me like I’m something under a microscope.

“Do you feel better now? Did the doc find out what was wrong?” Perrie asks, her eyes bright with curiosity.

I sigh and set the apple aside. “You’ve heard the rumors, Perrie. Let’s not pretend you haven’t.”

Zelma doesn’t wait. “Who’s the father?”

Her voice is sharp. Cold. And I know that glint in her eye—it’s not curiosity. It’s hope. Hope that I’ll say something that gets me killed.

“I haven’t been with anyone but the Alpha since I arrived,” I say carefully. It’s not a claim, just a defense. I don’t say I carry his child. I don’t say I believe it. Because I still don’t. Not really.

And yet, I heard the heartbeat too.

Zelma steps closer, her tone accusatory. “And yet you’re pregnant. That’s impossible.”

“Zee, calm down. For all we know, it’s just a rumor,” Perrie interjects.

Zelma turns on me. “Is it a rumor, Rowan?”

I meet her gaze and smile. Wide. Cold. Unapologetic.

“Thanks for checking in,” I say. “But I’d like to rest now.”

“Slut,” she spits, venom lacing every syllable.

I don’t flinch. I just smile wider.

“Aren’t we all?”

“Don’t drag me down to your level,” she snarls. “I’d never sleep with someone who wasn’t my Alpha.”

Her words don’t shake me. Not because they’re untrue, but because I understand her fear. She knows I haven’t been with anyone else. But if I really am carrying the Alpha’s child—what does that mean for her? For Perrie? For the Luna? For me?

“We’re all owned by a man, Zelma,” I say softly. “A man with two wives. Everyone here knows what we are. There’s no going lower.”

Perrie whimpers. The truth stings.

Zelma’s fists clench. Her fury boils over.

“I should rip that thing out of you and do the Alpha a favor.”

Something stirs in me. Hot. Ancient. Wild.

My wolf rouses, prowling just beneath the surface. My eyes burn—and from the way Zelma stumbles back, I know they’ve changed.

“I dare you,” I whisper. The words are ice and fire all at once.

She falters, then turns on her heel. “Come on, Perrie. Let’s not get lumped in with the whore.”

The door slams behind her. Perrie lingers, offering me an apologetic look before following her out.

The fury leaves as quickly as it came, replaced by a familiar weariness.

I look at the apple beside me. I no longer have the stomach for it.

Maybe I’ll go back for something later, after I rest.

I close my eyes, barely a moment passing before another knock sounds.

Two guards step in.

“The Alpha has summoned you to the meeting room,” one says.

Of course. The Elders.

I knew this moment was coming. Still, my blood turns cold.

I draw a deep breath.

My plan? Try not to get killed.