Chapter Four_ The Arrangement.

Nerissa’s POV

This situation at the academy clinic was unrelenting and my father commanded Doctor Hale to get in touch with the Draven family.

After that few words were spoken.

Vivian kept staring at me, as if I  had ruined her life; meanwhile Cedric was pacing around the room with a dark expression.

I sat in silence on the hospital bed as I tried to understand I was pregnant.

Pregnant. As the word came to my mind, so did the panic. I put my weak hand to my belly. There was really a baby inside me.

Kaelen’s baby.

A sense of fear, and worry, and fragility filled me with fear.

What would the baby  be like?

How would Kaelan react to this?

The answer came quicker than I expected. After a few hours, the door to the clinic blew open. The Draven family came into existence. Cassian Draven was the first to enter.

Though without the title, he could have made the room fall silent with his mere presence. Tall and imposing and sharp-eyed, the old Lycan King resembled Kaelen but was older, and far colder.

Kaelen was standing by his side. His silver eyes fixed on me brought out the fury in his face. My stomach twisted. 

The room looked even smaller with two elders behind them and a few guards. 

Cedric was respectfully straightening his standing posture. “Alpha Cassian.” My father started. 

Cassian nodded briefly and turned his gaze towards Doctor Hale. “Explain.”

Doctor Hale nervously shifted his glasses.

“Lady Nerissa has been with child,” he said softly. “The child's odds of being conceived on prom night were greatest based on the time of the exam. And her…tale seems to add some sense to it.”

Once more there was silence in the room.

Then Kaelen grimaced in a bitter laugh. “She is a lying bitch!”

Cassian swung his head to face him. “Watch your tone.”

Kaelen didn't even listen to the warning.

“This is a ruse, I'm sure,” he spat at me, his eyes almost glaring with anger. “She planned this. She planned this! Fat motherfucker!”

 Shocked, I shook my head right away. “I didn’t.”

Kaelen scoffed loudly. “Shut up!”

“Mind your words.” Cedric warned, veins bulging on his forehead.

Kaelen ignored him. 

“She enters my room in prom night and suddenly she becomes pregnant in a few weeks?” he said in a very uncool manner. “How can I be sure that was just a coincidence?”

I immediately had tears in my eyes.

“I told you  what happened,” I whispered weakly. “It’s the truth, I swear on my mom it is.”

Kaelen’s jaw tightened.

Cassian suddenly spoke.

“Kaelen.”

The room instantly became silent when the authority was expressed in his father's voice.

Cassian fixed his eyes on his son. “Remember that night? Do you remember anything at all?”

After hesitating for several long seconds, Kaelen remained silent.

My heart was beating rapidly and anxiously.

Eventually he said brusquely.

“Parts of it.”

Vivian gasped softly.

Cedric squinted his eyes right away.

Cassian placed his arms across his chest. “Explain.”

Kaelen was upset to be questioned.

He reluctantly admitted he was drugged, “I remember that. I recall there being someone else in the room. His eyes looked at me for a split second then narrowed. But “after that” things became hazy.”

My chest felt tight, and it hurt.

So he did remember.

At least some of it.

Cedric spoke immediately. “So you do agree tat something happened between you two? That this child may be yours after all…”

Kaelen was repulsed by the comment.

Cassian rubbed his forehead slowly; it seemed like it already exhausted him.

Suddenly, one of the elders said quietly, “This can't go anywhere. If the future Lycan King got himself into trouble before he's declared King, it will only make political problems worse.”

Vivian nodded quickly. “Exactly.”

I couldn't help but feel unwell when everyone was talking about my pregnancy as a political inconvenience.

No one asked me how I was doing.

Nobody cared.

Cassian glared at Cedric with steadfast eyes. “Whatever happens , politics or not my daughter has Kaelen's baby inside of her.”

Kaelen laughed coldly. “Allegedly.”

Cedric's eyes glared menacingly.

Before the quarrel got any more heated, Cassian intervened.

“What do you mean by that?What do you want? “Cassian asked calmly.

Cedric didn’t hesitate.

“Responsibility.”

There was again a hush in the room.

Kaelen's face turned red and he glared at her.

“No.”

Cassian glared at him with a warning.

Cedric said without giving up, “A child is involved now, irrespective how we feel about this situation. You have to take responsibility for whatever happened, young man.”

“And Nerissa is already ruined,” snapped Vivian bitterly.

It did hurt a bit more than I anticipated it would.

Cassian pondered a few seconds.

Then finally he spoke.

“There will be a solution worked out.”

I felt my stomach turn over in my stomach.

Kaelen looked horrified. “Father—”

“But you will remain silent and listen,” Cassian interrupted sharply.

Kaelen clenched his fists, but didn't say anything else.

Cassian looked at Cedric. “Remember, your daughter is still in the academy. If you rush to marry now, there will be even more rumors.”

Cedric nodded slowly.

“So here is  what it will be like,” Cassian said again. “As soon as Nerissa graduates, she and Kaelen will officially get married….”

A glimmer of hope, for a split second, glimmered in Vivian's eyes.

When Cassian had finished, he said nothing.

“When the child is a boy.”

It once again became quite still in the room.

I grimaced a little in bewilderment.

Cassian's face was impassive.

“If the child is female,” he calmly continued, “Kaelen will cover the cost of the child, but there will be no marriage.

My chest, it was tight and hurt.

My destiny was entirely up to whether or not a son was born in my womb.

Kaelen immediately spoke.

“This is the absolute idiotic thing.”

Cassian ignored him.

Cedric didn't say anything for a while, and then slowly nodded his head.

“Agreed.”

I looked at my father in amazement.

That was it?

Just like that?

I had no idea what I wanted, and my future had been determined for me.

Kaelen was very angry.

“No, I'm not going to marry her,” he spat at me, his eyes fixed on mine.

Nobody answered immediately.

Kaelen laughed bitterly. “You seriously want somebody like her as your Luna?”

Each word struck me in the head.

“She had trapped  me,” he continued angrily. “Now I have to be stuck with her!”

“No, I didn't trap you,” I whispered shakily.

I was totally ignored by Kaelen.

“Oh, I love Selene and you’re just a jealous bitch,” he said firmly. “That's common knowledge.”

It was embarrassing to hear them in front of everybody.

Vivian looked uncomfortable, Cedric's face became darker.

Finally, Cassian lost his patience.

“Watch how you speak to the lady!You're the one who made this happen,” he said harshly to Kaelen. “You will have to face the repercussions now. My decision is final!” 

This meeting lasted only a short time.

They all departed one by one until I was left alone once again. I quietly sat on the hospital bed, and tears slipped silently down my cheeks.

I should have felt my relief.

Rather, I just felt fatigued. Coming home that night I was just too exhausted to change my clothes and my bedroom door went smashing.

Selene stormed inside.

Her face was filled with rage.

“You bitch.”

I flinched instantly. Selene closed the door, slamming it shut behind her.

“How dare you?” she hissed.

My voice grew tight with fear in my throat. “Selene—”

“No!” she snapped. There's no point in calling my name after what you did.

I cried at once, as tears burned my eyes at once.

“This wasn't my intention.”

Selene laughed bitterly.

“Do you see the words dumb-dumb written on my face?” she sneered. “You've been fascinated with Kaelen for years.”

“That’s not true.”

“You trapped him.” She hissed. 

“I didn’t!” I cried softly.

Selene moved closer menacingly.

“He was supposed to be mine,” she whispered furiously. “Everyone knows that.”

I felt pain twisting through my chest but I said nothing. 

The expression on Selene's face grew cold.

“Well, let me put this straight.” Her eyes narrowed.  in a menacing manner. “It won't happen, that marriage will never happen. And I will make sure of it even if it is the last thing I will ever do!” 

In my heart I was filled with fear.

“Selene…”

She smirked cruelly. “ do you think Kaelan would ever love you even if you gave him an heir?”

I stayed silent.

Selene went towards the door but paused for a moment.

“You should have been in your place, Nerissa!” She hissed. 

Then she left.

That night I hardly slept at all.

The following day at the academy, I had whispers tagging me behind.

The pupils openly looked. Some looked curious. Others looked disgusted. The word quickly went round inside the academy. In particular, when strong individuals were in the mix.

After class I walked through one of the quietest hallways in the building, with my head down.

That's my bad. All of a sudden, a bunch of girls came in my way. Selene was in the front.

I felt my stomach drop.

“Well,” one girl made a loud noise at this. “See the future Luna.”

The others laughed. I wanted to get away, but another girl pushed me backwards.

“Where are  you going?”

Selene folded her arms and sat down quietly. “Don't act like such bad girls, Nerissa is wearing a carrying  heir these days.”

More laughter followed.

I felt humiliated as my face was burned in the heat.

One girl looked down at my tummy and made a mock of herself. “Will the baby be as big as her mother?”

The girls laughed again and again, in cruel laughter.

I wrapped my arms around myself tightly.

“Go away; let me be.”

Another girl suddenly jostled me with her shoulder.

“Are you a special somebody now? Little miss baby mama!”

I backpedaled a little bit.

Selene listened quietly and didn't interrupt.

One girl grabbed my arm rather roughly. “Tell us honestly. Did Kaelen close his eyes the whole time?”

The rest laughed out loud.

I cried right away, tears streaming down my face.

“Stop it.”

There was another push, right away. Then another. All of a sudden, someone slapped me hard in the face. My face was pierced and my pain erupted in my cheek. This all rapidly unfolded from there. My hair was being held in the palms of two hands.

I was kicked repeatedly. 

Another girl hit me against the wall.

“Please stop!” I begged them. 

But nobody listened.

The girls continued to hit, stomp and spit on me  for quite a while.

Selene simply watched.

Suddenly there was a sharp pain in my stomach as selene finally walked to where I was and brought down her foot on my stomach, repeatedly. “Die little bastard, die!”

My fear grew to be too big to handle.

“My baby—” I cried but one of the girls connected her feet with my mouth.

“Please…” I cried meekly, my mouth full of blood.

Then suddenly… Everything went dark.

When I opened my eyes again, soft beeping sounds filled the room. A hospital room. Confusion filled my mind slowly. My body hurt everywhere. A doctor stood beside my bed quietly. Panic instantly rushed through me. My hands flew toward my stomach. Fear consumed me immediately.

I looked at the doctor desperately.

“My baby?” I whispered weakly.

The doctor lowered his head sadly. Then he spoke the words that shattered my world completely.

“I’m sorry, but you lost the child.”