Chapter 4

Selene

I was five months pregnant. And all I can say is life hasn't been kind to me. A lot has happened over the course of those five months. The night my parents took me to the hospital to abort the child, it didn't go through. Zayn saved me before the doctor could come into the room I was taken to. I didn't know how Zayn did it. He helped me escape from the hospital and gave me some cash—all without our parents noticing.

I left the city without looking back. And that was how I found myself in the rogue territory. I also lost contact with Zayn since then. The money he gave me helped in getting food to keep myself alive.

Just like every other day, I walked into the convenience store to get canned food and water. I had come here several times, but the cashier had never asked me any questions. The curiosity was there, and she always looked at me and my baby bump with pity, but had never asked the reason.

Setting the canned food and bottled water on the counter, I gave the store a brief glance, just like I always did whenever I came there. As I scanned the shelves, my eyes caught a newspaper on the nearest shelf. I picked it up, and bile instantly rose in my throat at the sight of a familiar face.

Him.

The man I slept with and a beautiful woman standing next to him. They looked like they were taking a couple's picture. I didn't waste time. I paid for the newspaper using the last money I had on me and left. Outside, I found a bench and sat down. My hands slightly trembled as I began reading what was written on the newspaper.

Alpha Tristan getting engaged to the daughter of Alpha Max. 

My vision blurred with tears. So I slept with an Alpha? What shocked me more was the engagement. He probably cheated on her with me. How silly of me to have hoped to meet him someday. I even dreamt about our future together. Starting a family. Raising our child together. Maybe I shouldn't have followed the girls that other night. I wouldn't have met him, let alone slept with him and ended up pregnant.

I wiped away the tears that threatened to fall, shaking all the thoughts away. He had moved on. I had my own situation to focus on—like how I would afford money to feed myself, and how to protect myself from getting attacked by the rogues. Even though I had been living here pretty well, that doesn't mean it won't happen.

I avoided the patrol and made my way back to the forest—to the stone cave I found two weeks ago. The howling of rogues and wild animals always scared the hell out of me, but I stayed in. The cave barely sheltered me. Sitting down on the harsh sand, I started eating the cold canned food I bought. The image of Alpha—or should I say Alpha Tristan—and the beautiful woman flashed before me, making me think about my life before everything. Before I met him. And the difficult days in the forest over the past few weeks. Fresh tears gushed out of my eyes and down my cheeks. I didn't try to stop them.

I don't regret what I did—not deciding to keep the baby, and running away from home. I did it all for my baby. To keep my baby. I placed my shaky hands on my belly bump and whispered, "Hang in there, little sunshine. Mommy will protect you."

**

It had been raining nonstop for the past two days. My clothes couldn't keep me warm enough, the pit fire had gone out a long time ago, and I didn't have the strength to start another one. I missed my old life—where, despite my parents not caring about me, I still had the freedom to do what I wanted and the love and support of my brother. Now I'd lost everything. The cave was all cold, but my skin was burning. I couldn't do anything but hug myself tightly and lay down on my bed made of weeds. The most important thing was to protect my baby.

I slowly began drifting to sleep. By the time I fell into a deep slumber, I dreamt of Tristan's pretty face again but he ignored me and walked away.

My eyes fluttered open to an unfamiliar ceiling.

Gone was the cold, damp cave. I was in a bed. A real one. Warm blanket, soft sheets. The scent of food drifted in the air, leading my eyes to the small kitchen nearby where a woman stood with her back to me.

Where was I? And who was she?

I sat up slowly, my hand instinctively pressing against my belly. Still there. Still safe.

“You’re finally awake,” the voice came. 

The woman turned with a soft smile and placed a steaming bowl of soup on the table. She sat on a nearby stool. “I’m Parisa. I found you unconscious in the woods and brought you here. You’re safe now.”

I nodded, wary.

“What were you doing out there alone?” she asked gently.

I gave a half-truth, careful not to reveal too much. I didn’t mention who I really was—or that the father of my unborn child was Alpha Tristan.

She reached out, gently touching my hand. “You’re brave. And you did the right thing. That baby of yours… it deserves to live.”

I tried to return her smile, but something about the way her eyes studied me made my skin crawl. Something oo intense in her gaze. Too interested.

“I live alone,” she continued. “You can stay here if you want. I own a little coffee shop down the street. You can help out once you’re stronger.”

Then, something shifted. The warmth in her voice didn’t reach her eyes anymore.

“It would be good for you to keep busy, before you deliver,” she said, tilting her head slowly. “You wouldn’t want your mind wandering. Thinking about things you shouldn’t.”

“I… excuse me?”

She smiled again, but this one felt different. Tighter. Too perfect.

“I said it would be good for you,” she repeated calmly, standing. “To have structure. Routine. That’s what helps girls like you heal.”

Girls like me?

Parisa moved toward the kitchen. Humming that somehow felt strange. But then, as she reached the counter, she paused and looked over her shoulder.

“Rest well tonight, we start early tomorrow.”

“Start what?”

But she was already busying herself with something behind the counter, her back to me.

I glanced toward the soup and suddenly I wasn’t hungry anymore.

Something about her words stuck to my skin. The calmness. The way she’d said ‘girls like you.’

And the way her smile never dropped not even once.