Chapter 12 – The Pain That Broke MeAria’s POVI woke up to a soft blanket covering me and the faint scent of chamomile in the air. The world around me felt hazy, like I was caught between a dream and a nightmare.My body ached.My head throbbed.And my stomach… it felt empty. Hollow.Where was I?My eyes blinked open slowly, and I saw white walls, a clean room, and sunlight filtering through thin curtains. Everything looked quiet. Too quiet.Then the door creaked open.Lucien.He stepped in carefully, like he wasn’t sure if I’d scream or run. He didn’t say anything at first. He just looked at me.I turned my face away. I didn’t want him to see the tears already in my eyes.I remembered it all—the rogues, the blood, the pain… the baby.A sharp sob caught in my throat.Lucien moved closer. “Aria,” he whispered. “You’re safe now.”Safe.But I didn’t feel safe. I felt broken.I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t.Just then, the door opened again. It was the pack doctor—Maren. Her face was t
Chapter 11 – Lost and FoundAria's POVMy feet hurt.Every step felt like stepping on pieces of glass, but I kept going. I had no idea where I was. I'd been walking for what felt like an eternity, and everything was the same. Gray streets. Dirty sidewalks. Cold wind. People passing by without even looking at me. No smile. No inquiry about if I was okay.Maybe they could tell that I was broken.I tied the shawl tighter around me. It wasn't enough, but it was all that I had to cover myself. My wet and dirty clothes were from the rain that morning. My hair stuck to my face. My mouth was dry. I licked my lips in the hopes it would help, but it didn't.I was so hungry.It hurt. My stomach rumbled and growled as if claws were ripping it apart from the inside out. I hadn't eaten in more than a day. Longer. I didn't know. Everything was hazy. My legs shook whenever I leaned on them. I was tired, but scared to sit. Scared I'd be stuck there when I tried to stand up again.I leaned back against
Chapter 10– She’s Out ThereLucien’s POVI woke up to silence.Not the peaceful kind.The kind that tells you something is wrong.The space beside me was empty. Cold. Her scent was faint—too faint. I sat up, eyes scanning the room. My voice cut through the still air.“Aria?”No reply.I got out of bed, the floor cold beneath my feet as I stepped into the hallway. My eyes were sharp. Focused.I didn’t like this.I walked through the corridors, past guards who lowered their heads as I passed. They could feel it—the shift in the air. The weight of my silence.I reached the garden.Still nothing.I turned to one of the guards near the entrance. “Where is she?”He looked startled. “My Lord… she—she stepped out a while ago. We didn’t think—”“You didn’t think?” My voice dropped lower. Colder. “Did I not make it clear that she is not to go anywhere without my knowledge?”“She didn’t say where she was going. We thought—”I raised my hand, and he went quiet.I didn’t need excuses.I needed her
Chapter Nine – Nowhere to RunAria’s Point of ViewThe night was cold.But not colder than my heart.I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the supplements the healer had given me. My hands trembled as I held the small packet. One word kept echoing in my head.Pregnant.My chest felt tight. My breaths shallow. I wasn’t ready for this. I wasn’t ready to carry a child. Not now. Not here. Not in this cruel house. Not when the father wasn’t even Lucien.It was Kael’s.And the moment Lucien finds out…I closed my eyes, swallowing the rising panic in my throat. I had seen his anger before. The coldness in his voice. The threat in his stare. He didn’t touch me with love. He never held me gently. He only saw me as something that belonged to him.What would he do when he found out I carried another man’s child?Tears spilled down my cheeks again.I wanted to scream. I wanted to break something. But I didn’t. I sat there, frozen, like a trapped animal.Then I remembered Cara’s voice.“If you
Chapter Eight – The Test That Changed EverythingAria’s Point of ViewI couldn’t sleep all night.My heart was heavy, like something bad was waiting just outside the door.When the healer arrived in the morning, I was already sitting on the bed, hugging my knees, trying to breathe.She was quiet and gentle. Her name was Maren. She looked at me with soft eyes, like she knew I was falling apart.“Lucien said you’ve been feeling dizzy,” she said as she opened her bag. “And you look pale.”I didn’t speak. I just nodded and lay down when she asked.Her fingers were warm as she touched my wrist. She closed her eyes and stayed still for a long time. I stared at the ceiling, holding my breath.Then she opened her eyes.Her face changed.She looked at me like I was something fragile. Breakable.“What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.She sat beside me. “Aria… you’re pregnant.”The room spun.I sat up quickly. “No,” I said. “No, no… please, check again.”She placed a gentle hand
Chapter Seven – A Name That Shouldn’t Be SaidAria’s Point of ViewThe room was cold.I sat alone by the window, my arms wrapped tightly around myself. The moonlight fell across the floor like broken glass—sharp, scattered, beautiful in a way that hurt.My chest was still tight from earlier. Their words still echoed in my mind like thunder that wouldn’t fade.“She’s used goods.”“She doesn’t look like Luna stuff at all.”“What if she can’t produce an heir?”I swallowed the lump in my throat, but it stayed. Heavy and thick.Why? Why did they look at me like that?Was it because I wasn’t born of power? Because I had already been someone’s Luna once before? Because I had been thrown away like something unwanted?I stared at my reflection in the glass—red eyes, pale skin, lips that trembled.I’m not enough for them.I’ll never be.The door creaked open behind me.I stiffened, my heart skipping.Lucien.He walked in slowly, his boots echoing against the wooden floor. His presence filled th