Chapter 2: A Blood-Line Heir

 

Mercy’s POV

I did what the alphas asked of me, and forgot about the night of the Blood Moon. We barely spoke after that night. And it hurt my heart knowing that I’d lost my three best friends.

It wasn’t long though, after that night, that I found out I was pregnant.

When the doctor said  the words, my heart fluttered.

Maybe my child was…the future leader of the pack?

A hundred years ago, a powerful sage prophesied that a powerful female would give birth to a Legendary-level bloodline. This child would grow up to lead our pack, the Crimson Rose pack, to glory.

For a hundred years, our pack had waited for this year to come, the year when the King-blood heir would be born.

Our pack was riddled with anxiety. The Thornbrook Pack of the South had been growing. Their warriors were strong, and they were seizing territory from the packs of the north. They were on the rise. And it was only a matter of time before the Thornbrook Pack breached our pack borders.

Which was why our entire pack was waiting for the birth of this legendary child. This child would lead our pack into a new era, an era ripe with prosperity and success.

At least, that’s what the prophecy said.

So the moment I heard I was pregnant, my thoughts turned to the prophecy. My baby belonged to either Filo, Storm, or Devlin. They were all alphas. Maybe, just maybe, the wolf pup growing in my womb was the prophesized one.

Of course, everyone thought that Lily, the Beta’s daughter, would be the one to bear the legendary child. I didn’t blame them. Lily came from a good bloodline. She was beautiful and strong. Plus, Lily had a wolf with a rare light attribute.

Her wolf was capable of visions, and it claimed that Lily would bear a powerful baby. Lily told the elders about her wolf’s vision. That was enough to convince the elders that Lily was the chosen one.

The elders decided to perform a mate bond on Lily that would bind her to Devlin, Filo, and Storm. This would increase her chances of becoming pregnant, which would, in turn, fulfill the prophecy.

At least, that’s what everyone thought.

No one knew that I’d been bound to the three alphas the last Blood Moon. I’d kept their secret, just as they asked.

I was pregnant now though. That changed everything. I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. So, I left the pack doctor and went straight to the pack house.

Devlin, Storm, and Filo were all together in the armory. Pausing outside the door, I overheard their conversation.

“But if we don’t defend our position, the pack will move on our borders,” Storm’s firm voice came through the door.

“Our army isn’t strong enough,” Filo quipped in.

“Gamma Marlin is working with them,” Devlin pointed out.

“We’re running out time.”

Their voices were tense. I hated to interrupt an important strategy meeting over pack boundaries, but time was of the essence for me. The pack doctor would tell the elders I was pregnant. So I knocked lightly and then opened the door.

They all turned towards me in unison.

“Mercy,” Devlin said, raising his eyebrow. “This is a confidential meeting. What are you doing here?”

“I know and I’m sorry,” I said, wringing my hands in front of my skirt. “But I had to see you. I just came from the pack doctor. I’m pregnant.”

Storm inhaled a sharp breath. Filo balked. And Devlin raised his eyebrow even higher. The room fell silent as the three alphas absorbed the news. Storm was the first one to speak.

“Who else knows?” he said, raking his hand through his hair.

“Just the doctor. But he’ll tell the elders. And then…” My voice trailed off.

“Are you sure the baby belongs to one of us?” Devlin asked. He side-eyed Filo.

“Of course I’m sure. It happened…that night. The night of the Blood Moon. One of you is the father.”

“Sssh,” Devlin said. “Keep your voice down. We agreed we wouldn’t talk about that,” Filo hissed.

“And I haven’t,” I said. “I swear. But this baby…it changes everything. Doesn’t it?”

“We’re being bonded to Lily,” Filo said, stepping forward. “The elders are already preparing for the ceremony.”

“But you’re bonded to me.” My voice cracked. My cheeks turned crimson. “What if this child is…” I lowered my voice and bent closer to them. “The prophesized one.”

“That’s impossible,” Storm shook his head. “You’re an omega, Mercy. You can’t carry a blood-line king. Why would the Moon Goddess bless a wolfless omega with the heir to the Crimson Pack?”

“I don’t know,” I said, my voice small. “The baby belongs to one of you though. Please. I need you to claim it. You know what will happen if you don’t.”

Their words hurt, but there was truth in them. I was just an omega. I couldn’t carry a baby of noble blood. I’d been foolish to think I could. I was just harboring silly fantasies.

But even still….there was something else at play here.

“Mercy,” Filo said. His eyes flooded with sympathy for a beat. “We’re very sorry. But we can’t help you. We can’t possibly claim your baby. We’re alphas. You’re an omega. Our pack is in danger. The Thornbrook Pack is a very real threat to us. They could march on our borders any day now. The pack needs strong leaders. We can’t claim the baby of an omega. That will make us look weak.”

“We have to do what’s best for the whole pack,” Storm added.  “Not just what’s best for you.”

“But…” I stammered, tears pricking my eyes. “You know the rules of the Crimson Rose pack. The elders will force me to have an abortion if none of you claim this child.”

To keep the purity of our pack’s bloodline, the elder forced any unacknowledged pregnant female wolf to have an abortion. If none of these alphas acknowledged my child, I would be forced to have an abortion within twenty-four hours.

Storm sighed. Filo spread out his hands while Devlin shook his head.

“We really are sorry, Mercy. But our hands are tied,” Devlin said.

My heart clenched. They looked sincere in their apologies but it didn’t help the burning hurt in my chest. I understood their position, really I did. They were alphas and they had to protect our pack. But even still, deep down, I’d been hoping that maybe, just maybe, one of them would step up and claim this child.

The alternative was too awful to think about it. My hand instinctively went to my stomach.

“Surely you understand?” Storm asked, taking a step towards me. He reached out his hand for me but I brushed it off.

My anger got the better of me. I couldn’t help it. They knew I was in a desperate situation. We’d all been such good friends once.

“I understand that you need to protect the pack,” I said. “But I don’t understand how you could turn your back on your own child. The Moon Goddess bound us together. All four of us for a reason. Please. I’m begging you. One of you has to claim this child.”

“What?”

A female voice filtered through the room. We all turned to see Lily standing at the door. Her hands were folded in front of her, over her plain blue dress that accentuated her bright blue eyes. Her curly hair was pinned high on her head, her cheeks rosy, her plump lips red. She looked like a porcelain doll.

“What did you just say?” she asked, cocking her head to the side and staring right at me.

I didn’t need to answer her though. Because it was clear from the stunned expression on her face that she’d just heard everything.