The night beast

Rachel’s POV

I woke up with an excruciating pain in my head, my body aching, slowly, I opened my eyes.

Where am I?

The last thing I remembered was falling, no, being thrown from the balcony.

I jerked up from the bed, only to groan as a sharp pain shot through my ribs. My fingers clutching my sides.

This was my room, my little prison where I was kept for nine months and had Aaron's son.

Then, like a whisper in the back of my mind, I heard it again.

Mate.

I took in a deep breath, remembering the man who had caught me. His piercing gaze, the way his touch had sent a shiver down my spine, I didn’t understand it.

I shook my head. No. That didn’t make sense. Aaron was my mate. That’s what I had been told, what I had believed for years till he broke my heart to different pieces.

But why did my wolf call another man mate?

I didn’t have time to dwell on it. My heart clenched as I realized something was missing.

My child was still with Davina.

I scanned the room, my breath quickening, His cradle, his soft blankets—gone.

I threw the blanket around me off, ignoring the pain in my body as I stumbled out of bed.

The hallway was empty. I knew I had to be careful or else if Aaron caught me he might do something worse than he has already done.

With every step, memories of the betrayal replayed in my mind. Aaron’s cruel words. My mother’s slap. My father’s disgust. And Davina—smiling, holding my child like he was hers.

I clenched my fists, rage fueling me as I walked through the hallway quietly. I still couldn't believe Aaron would be so cruel to me and my parents—who had given birth to me -- were in support, it didn't matter how hard I tried to please them, they always found fault.

Carefully, I made my way down the hallways to Davina's room.

Peeking inside, I saw them.

Aaron stood near the window, his shirt loose, his sleeves rolled up. He laughed at something Davina said, pulling her into his arms. They looked so... comfortable, like they didn't just betray me and leave me to die.

Disgust curled in my stomach.

I hid quickly behind a statue as I saw Aaron coming out, he passed by without noticing me.

I inhaled deeply, my eyes scanning through the room, my eyes finally landing on the cradle beside his bed.

Suddenly he started crying, Davina ignored him taking a seat in front of the mirror, my body trembled in rage as the cries of my son filled the room.

Davina just sighed, rolling her eyes. “Ugh, be quiet, already,” she muttered, picking up a blanket and roughly throwing it over him.

Without thinking, I pushed the door open and lunged at her.

Davina gasped as I tackled her to the ground, my hands wrapping around her throat. “You dare,” I hissed, “treat my son like that?”

She struggled beneath me, her nails clawing at my skin. “He is my son now,” she spat. “Get away from me, you bitch.”

I slapped her hard on the face.

She let out a shriek, her eyes wide with shock. “You little—”

Before she could finish, I grabbed my son from the cradle, holding him tightly to my chest. His cries softened the moment he was in my arms.

“You and Aaron will regret everything,” I spat, holding up my son.

“Let's see who will regret anything,” she smirked suddenly, and she raked her claws across her own wrist, drawing deep, bloody gashes.

Then she screamed.

The doors burst open, sentinels rushing in.

“She tried to kill me!” Davina sobbed, clutching her wounded wrist. “She was trying to kidnap my child!”

“No!” I gasped, my heart pounding. “She’s lying!”

Aaron stormed into the room, his eyes filled with fury. He took one look at Davina—her fake tears, her bleeding wrist—then at me, holding the child.

“I have had enough of you, Rachel,” he growled. “You will not cause any more trouble.”

I took a step back, gripping my son tighter. “Aaron, please—”

He ignored me, turning to the sentinels. “Take her away. And this time... make sure she doesn’t come back.”

My blood ran cold.

“W-What?”

Aaron’s gaze was ice. “Take her to the execution field. Behead her.”

The sentinels dragged me outside, the cold air biting at my skin. My feet stumbled against the hard ground as I fought, but they were too strong.

The execution center was far from the palace and we were almost getting there.

Panic seized me.

I was going to die.

"Please!" I sobbed. "Please, don't do this!"

Seeing that my pleas meant nothing to them, I turned to the palace, rage flaring up through my veins.

“Curse to you, Aaron, may the moon goddess punish you for your crimes,” I cursed loudly.

Then a snarl cut through the air.

Everyone froze, our eyes scanning the dark.

“Fuck,” one of the guards cussed. “It's the night beast.”

“The night beast doesn't hunt in this area, stop joking with such evil things, let's just kill this bitch and be done with it,” another scolded him.

Before they could do anything again, the first sentinel that spoke, disappeared in an instant, faster than the blink of an eye.

I shouted in fear as blood spattered around the ground, the sentinels with me, left me, scanning the bushes.

Something dark and massive moved through the shadows.

A beast…the night beast..

A huge wolf, its fur black as the night, its fangs glistening with fresh blood.

The other sentinels tried to fight, but it was useless. The beast moved like a shadow, tearing them apart one by one until they were all gone.

Everywhere went silent except for my own heartbeat hammering loudly in my ears.

I stood frozen, my chest heaving.

The beast turned toward me, its glowing eyes locking onto mine.

I should have been terrified.

But I wasn’t.

The beast seemed familiar, I felt a connection and suddenly the beast morphed back into its human form.

And standing before me, stretching out his hand, was him.

The man who had saved me before.

The one my wolf had called mate.

His piercing gaze softened as he whispered,

“Two saves in one night,” he smirked, crouching down in front of me. “Come, come let's go home, Rachel.”