Chapter 2

A chill ran through me.

When no one was watching, I drew power into my palm until a thin strand of silver light gathered there. I slid my written note into a sealed capsule and sent it to the tiger tribe using a hidden spell.

"The wedding is in seven days. I need your help that day."

I let out a breath of relief after I wrote the message.

In my previous life, the heir of the tiger tribe, Keaton Voss, wrote to me after he learned that Lucien and Lina wanted to get married.

He offered to help me leave Lucien, but I turned him down. This time, I wouldn't make the same mistake again.

As the capsule went on its way, the weight on my chest finally eased.

Just then, the door creaked open.

Lina stepped in with a barely showing belly. "Aria, were you asleep?"

I kept my face flat. "What do you want?"

She stopped a few steps away from me, her eyes shining with open glee. "Look at me. Isn't my belly bigger already? You used to be the bird tribe's lofty princess, and I was just the maid who followed you around.

"But now? Lucien says this might be triplets, maybe even quintuplets. When that happens, do you really think you'll still be the Queen Wolf?"

I let a faint smile touch my lips. "If you wanted Lucien, you could have said so, and I would have given him to you. No need to work this hard or turn yourself into a waddling brood sow just to make sure everyone notices your belly."

Her smile stiffened, and the hand she pointed at me trembled. "What did you say? Do you think you're still the high-and-mighty princess? You're nothing now! You're a castoff who can't even lay an egg!"

I gave a cold laugh. "A castoff is better than chasing a man to be his second wife and trying to secure your place with a bastard."

The words hit her hard. Nothing enraged her more than doubts about her pups.

Her voice rose sharply, strained and tearful. "How could you say that? I'm carrying Lucien's pups!"

She suddenly went limp with a sharp cry, as if her foot had caught on something, and pitched toward the floor.

"Ah!"

Right then, Lucien caught her just in time.

Lina slumped against his chest, her shoulders trembling, looking heartbreakingly fragile.

"Lucien, don't blame Aria. She didn't mean it. She was just upset and gave me a little shove. Thank goodness the pups are fine."

She clutched her belly, looking as if she were still terrified.

Lucien turned with her in his arms and pinned me with his stare. "Aria, how vicious can you be? I only said I wanted to take Lina as my second wife, and you couldn't stand it, so you went after her pups?"

His eyes were full of fury and wounded disappointment, as if I had done something unforgivable.

I almost laughed. In my previous life, when he carved the flesh from my bones and broke them apart, where was that sense of righteousness then?

Pierce burst in, saw Lina crying, and jabbed a finger at me. "Mom, how could you push Lina? She's carrying my baby brothers and sisters. You're a bad mom! I don't want you anymore!"

I closed my eyes, forced down the surge of emotion, and held my ground.

Lucien pulled Lina closer, his gaze cold enough to kill. "I've indulged you long enough! From now on, you're confined to Ember Hall! You're not going anywhere near Lina! Cross that line, and I won't show you mercy!"

He threw out the threat and stormed off, Lina crying into his shoulder. Pierce shot me one last glare before following them out.

I let out a slow breath. The house arrest suited me. It spared me the sight of them.