Chapter 2

"You're awake."

I struggled to open my eyes and found myself lying in Fenris's bedroom. The black silk sheets, the familiar scent of cedarwood, and his cold voice.

He sat by the bed, looking as if he'd been there for hours. The worry in his eyes looked real.

"Drink this." Fenris sat on the edge of the bed, holding a glass filled with a milky white liquid.

I tried to sit up, but a tearing pain shot through my chest.

"Don't move," he said, his hand pressing down on my shoulder. "You're still too weak."

"I don't need—"

"I told you, you owe me for the lives of my entire pack," Fenris cut me off, his eyes devoid of warmth. "Don't even think about dying."

He gripped my chin, forcing my mouth open. The cool, bitter liquid slid down my throat. I tried to spit it out, but he held his hand firmly over my mouth.

"Swallow it."

I had no choice but to obey. As the liquid entered my system, the Silverthorn Toxin was temporarily suppressed, and the pain eased slightly. Perhaps because of our mate bond, the tension in Fenris's face relaxed as well.

"Alpha!" A frantic knock came from the door.

"Enter," Fenris said, releasing me and smoothing his cuffs.

His Beta, Marcus, burst in, his face alight with excitement.

"Good news!" Marcus's voice trembled. "Alpha! Vanessa… she's pregnant!"

Fenris shot to his feet, a look of pure ecstasy flashing in his eyes.

"Are you certain?"

"The doctor just confirmed it. She's six weeks along!" Marcus was so thrilled he looked like he might jump. "It's a gift from the Moon Goddess! Our bloodline will continue!"

Fenris threw his head back and laughed, a genuine, heartfelt joy I had never seen on his face before. Not even on the night we had marked each other had he laughed like this.

"Wonderful," he said, his voice shaking. "Finally… finally, an heir for Black Moon."

The rejection from our mate bond ripped through me, a fresh agony that felt like my very soul was being carved out. I heard something inside me whine, then shatter.

"How is Vanessa now?" Fenris asked eagerly.

"She's a little scared, worried about her health. She-wolves are so fragile during pregnancy," Marcus said carefully. "She was hoping someone could be assigned to look after her."

Fenris's gaze fell on me.

"Freya," he said, his voice turning cold again. "Starting tomorrow, you will take care of Vanessa."

"What?"

"Did you not understand me?" He strode to my side, looming over me. "You will serve the mother of my future heir. You should consider it an honor."

I clenched my fists. "I won't—"

"This isn't a request." His Alpha authority crashed down on me like a physical weight. "It's an order."

My body began to tremble uncontrollably. In my current state, I had no strength to defy a direct Alpha command.

"Good," Fenris nodded, satisfied. "And remember this: if anything happens to Vanessa or the child, I will make you wish for death."

Marcus discreetly slipped out of the room, leaving Fenris and me alone.

"Why?" I looked at him. "You know what this means for me."

Watching my own Alpha have a child with another she-wolf was a torture worse than death.

"What it means?" Fenris sneered. "It means the blood of Silver Crest will serve the blood of Black Moon. Isn't that fitting?"

He turned and walked toward the door.

"Be at Vanessa's villa at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Don't be late."

The door slammed shut.

I closed my eyes, my very soul trembling.

The next morning, I arrived at Vanessa's villa precisely on time. It was located in the city's most exclusive neighborhood, the kind of prime real estate where the city's elite resided.

"Freya!" Vanessa appeared at the door in a pink silk robe, a look of false surprise on her face. "You're finally here!"

Her waist was still slender, showing no sign of pregnancy.

"Come in, I have so many things for you to help me with," she said, pulling me in affectionately, though her eyes held no trace of a smile.

The villa was decorated in shades of pink, like a giant dollhouse.

"Look, Fenris prepared all of this for me," Vanessa said, gesturing to the lavish floral arrangements that filled every room. "He said he wants only the best environment for our child."

She paused deliberately.

"Oh, that's right, I almost forgot. You were pregnant once, weren't you? Such a shame you lost the pup. But don't worry, you can help me take good care of this precious one."

I didn't respond.

"Why don't you start by tidying up the garden," Vanessa said, pointing to the backyard. "I want to sunbathe there. It's good for the baby."

The backyard was an enormous rose garden. Red, white, and pink roses bloomed in profusion, their fragrance so thick it was suffocating.

Roses had always been my favorite. Fenris had once planted an entire garden of them for me. I was surprised to see they were still perfectly tended.

I began to prune the withered branches, but my body quickly gave out.

Before long, the Silverthorn Toxin began to act up again. The familiar tearing pain returned to my chest. A warmth spread across my face, and blood trickled from my nose.

I quickly wiped it away with the back of my hand, but it only flowed faster.

"Oh my god! Freya!"

Vanessa's horrified voice came from behind me.

I turned to see her covering her mouth, staring at me in shock.

"You're bleeding!" she cried, stumbling backward. "This… this is a bad omen!"

"It's just a nosebleed," I said, dabbing at it with a tissue. "It'll stop soon."

"No!" Vanessa's voice grew shrill. "Seeing blood… it's a terrible omen for a pregnant she-wolf! The elders say it can curse the pup!"

She clutched her stomach, her face turning pale. "I feel dizzy… my baby…"

"I'll leave right now," I said, turning to go.

"No!" Vanessa grabbed my arm. "It's too late! I saw it! If anything happens to this child, it will be all your fault!"

"Please, don't let anything happen to my baby, please!" she started to wail, her voice loud enough to be heard throughout the entire garden.