Pregnant

Calista’s POV

I once thought nothing mattered as long as I followed the rules. That there was a set framework to go through life.

A plan. A goal. And the right amount of discipline to see it through.

That was what I was taught—how I was raised—but not long after being thrust into the real world, I realized the truth was far more cruel.

Raising my gaze, I looked towards the grand ballroom, watching as my husband, Crown Prince Aldrid, took the hand of his fated mate, Seraphine Eryndor.

His eyes softened as he looked down at her, carrying an emotion that seemed so foreign to me.

My throat tightened as they moved flawlessly across the dance floor, bodies pressed against each other, almost as if they were one.

She laughed at something he whispered into her ear, and his arms snaked around her waist ever so gently, dropping small kisses against the curve of her shoulders.

The rest of the guests followed their lead, scurrying to the dance floor with their significant others. Crystal chandeliers bathed the ballroom in warm golden light.

Laughter filled the air, blending perfectly with the orchestra's soft music.

The Kingdom of Vargath was celebrating their love, a story woven by fate itself.

Everyone smiled. Everyone was happy. Everyone…

Except me.

I stood in the corner of the hall, carrying less presence than the pillar statues. No one had spoken to me in nearly half an hour, not that I had expected them to.

I’ve gotten used to blending into the background, left with no choice but to watch everything play out.

It didn’t matter that I was the Crown Princess, a title that didn’t hold a candle against the moon goddess’s wish.

But that didn’t make it hurt any less.

It didn’t stop the tears burning behind my eyes, nor the ache slowly hollowing out my chest.

I couldn’t even leave if I wanted to, and as much as I tried to look away, my gaze always followed Aldrid’s broad frame.

Perhaps some foolish part of me still wondered what it would have felt like if he had ever looked at me the way he looked at her.

To everyone else, they were a perfect couple, a stark contrast to our marriage.

“I’m so happy the prince found his mate.”

A group of women gathered not too far from me, chuckling among themselves.

“The Moon Goddess truly knew what she was doing.” Another added, throwing a condescending glance my way. “He’s finally with someone of his caliber.”

They burst into laughter, not even bothering to lower their voices.

“God knows what the council was thinking back then,” one shook her head. “An omega as future queen is unheard of.”

I lowered my gaze, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth.

They were right.

Vargath was known as the most powerful kingdom in the werewolf realm, so having an omega as crown princess didn’t sit well with everyone. Especially Aldrid.

But there was nothing they could do about it, because the decision was made by the Council of Wolves, an organization that maintained peace and order across the realm.

They were revered as the highest authority, and even the mightiest kings and queens couldn’t go against them.

So how did a mere omega become the crown princess?

Well, it all came down to one thing.

I was the last surviving member of the Moonborn bloodline, a unique clan of wolves that were wiped out in a deadly plague. The Moonborn were said to have been blessed by the Moon Goddess herself, gifted with extraordinary powers unlike any ordinary wolf.

I had no memories of my childhood, and everything I knew about my people came from the Council of Wolves.

They had saved me from the plague, nursed me back to health, and raised me with high hopes. I had been told countless times that my life no longer belonged to me. It belonged to the future of werewolf kind.

When I turned eighteen, everyone expected my Moonborn gifts to manifest. They waited for me to shift…but it never happened.

Many believed the Moonborn blessings had died with my people, and I dedicated myself to prove that I was still valuable, afraid they would cast me aside if I didn’t.

Then, on my twenty-first birthday, the Council informed me that they had arranged my marriage to Crown Prince Aldrid Sylvaris of Vargath.

The kingdom needed stability. The royal family needed heirs. And despite my lack of powers, the Moonborn blood still flowed through my veins.

I accepted without complaint, thinking it was the least I could do to repay their kindness, but little did I know….that performing my duty would cost me more than my freedom.

The music stopped, followed by a deafening round of applause. I blinked back to reality, maintaining my position as the king and queen walked up to them. Queen Helena pulled Seraphine into a tight hug, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips, one that didn’t reach my eyes.

The queen had never acknowledged me, but now she looked at Seraphine as if she was her long-lost daughter.

King Edric proudly patted his son’s back, and Aldrid mirrored his expression, intertwining his hands with his mate.

They were the picture of a perfect family, and with that, I quietly turned on my heels, a lone tear slipping down my cheeks as I drifted through the crowd.

No one would even notice I was gone, and for some reason, I felt lightheaded. I stopped in the middle of the hallway to take a breath, the sounds from the ballroom gradually fading behind me.

Normally, I would have headed toward Aldrid’s bedroom.

It was my duty to wait on him, and that was the only time he openly interacted with me. Sex was needed to bear an heir, and I understood that much.

But I always dreaded spending a night with Aldrid. He didn’t just want sex. He wanted complete domination.

A shiver ran up my spine as I brushed my forearm, feeling the dull ache of the bruises from the previous night.

Tonight was different, he had Seraphine now, and they would want to spend the rest of the evening together.

The thought made me sigh in relief, and with that, I returned to my chambers, my shoulders slumping in exhaustion.

I stood in front of the mirror, unable to recognize the woman staring back at me. She was wearily thin, the color drained from her rosy skin. Dark circles settled under her eyes, still peeking through the heavy makeup. Her red hair stood out like a sore thumb, resting against one shoulder like an accessory.

And her eyes, a mix of brown and green, had no light in them.

A sapphire crown rested on her head, but in the mirror, I saw it as a chain. One that wrapped around her body, and if you looked closer, you could see it lock around her soul.

I stood there for a little longer before lifting the crown from my head. But even as I did so, the chains didn’t disappear.

But…

Without the crown, without the elaborate gown, without the jewels…

I was simply Calista.

And even I didn’t know what that meant.

With another sigh, I moved away from the mirror, reaching behind my back to loosen the lace of my dress.

Then—

Bang!

The bedroom doors slammed open with enough force to shake the walls.

I jumped, whirling around. My breath hitched as Aldrid stormed in, his eyes blazing with something deeper than rage.

“Aldri—”

His hand clamped around my throat, cutting me off.

In the next second, my back slammed against the wall, pain searing through my body as I gasped for air.

My eyes watered as I desperately looked up at him, my vision blurring at the edges. But he didn’t release his grip. Instead, he closed the distance between us, his Alpha aura flaring dangerously.

“Where were you?” He growled, veins popping in his temple.

“I…” I coughed, my hands trembling at my sides. “I…thought—”

“Thought what?!”

“I thought….” I spoke through pants, my voice strained. “…you…would…want to be…with your….mate…”

Aldrid narrowed his eyes, and the temperature in the room suddenly dropped.

Gone was the graceful prince who easily charmed the crowd. The man before me was unapologetically ruthless, a side he only showed to me.

“And who the fuck said you get to decide that?” He seethed, “You think you can just abandon your duties?”

“No…” I whimpered, my lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. “I would never—”

“Shut up!”

He slammed me against the wall again, my head meeting concrete. I coughed harder, the metallic taste of blood stinging my tongue.

“Listen you filthy omega…” his hand moved from my neck to my face, his fingers digging into my cheeks. “Until you bear an heir….your only use is to satisfy me. My mate and other affairs have nothing to do with you.”

I pressed my lips into a straight line, my heart dropping to the pit of my stomach.

I didn’t need anyone to remind me of my duty.

For three years, I had waited.

Every single night.

I let myself be reduced to nothing more than a sex toy, degraded and beaten down to soothe his ego.

And despite this…..somewhere in my twisted heart….

I fell for this man.

Our marriage was strictly political, but along the lines, I found myself hoping for more, carried along by my delusions of true love.

Maybe…if I finally bear his heir, things would change. So I held onto that single belief like it was my lifeline, knowing I would come apart without it.

“Got it?!” Aldrid’s eyes glowed menacingly, and I replied with a weak nod, left with no choice but to comply.

He let me go, and my knees gave out from under me. My back slid against the wall as I slumped to the ground, shoulders quivering as his shoes came into my line of sight.

“Now get up and strip.” He ordered, simply turning away to sit at the edge of the bed.

Taking a deep breath, I bit back the pain in my muscles and dragged myself to my feet.

Aldrid sat with his legs spread and his arms crossed against his chest, his piercing gaze leaving no room for mistakes.

Swallowing hard, I reached for the lace of my dress once again. But then—

My heart skipped a beat.

I froze.

A strange heaviness slammed into me, making me stagger back.

Aldrid sat up, his brows furrowed.

Panic flared in my chest as the room spun violently, the dim lights dissolving into distorted streaks as darkness crept into the edges of my vision.

Aldrid’s lips moved, but I didn’t hear him.

My body swayed, and before I could catch myself, everything faded into darkness.

****

My eyelids fluttered open, a dull throb pulsing through my head.

For a brief moment, all I could see was the pale white ceiling above me, and the carvings looked different from the one in my bedroom.

The scent of medicinal herbs tickled my nostrils as the fog clouding my mind slowly cleared.

Where was I?

“….Your Highness?” Someone called, their voice growing louder with each passing second.

I blinked, slowly turning my head to find the royal physician standing beside me, his hands clasped behind his back.

He wasn’t alone. King Edric and Queen Helena stood a few steps away, their expressions unreadable.

Near the window, Aldrid stood with his back to everyone, his broad frame rigid as morning light spilled over his shoulders.

My brows furrowed. What was everyone doing here?

“What… happened?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

A beat of silence passed, and the physician glanced at the royal family before returning his gaze to me.  

“Congratulations, Your Highness,” He began, his stern features softening into a smile. “You are carrying the Crown Prince’s child.”

My eyes widened.

What?!