ZorayaThe room was silent except for the soft crackling of the fire in the hearth. The warmth from the flames should have brought me comfort, yet my body still shivered as if trapped in an endless winter.I laid there, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts a chaotic storm that refused to settle. My heart was heavy, burdened by a truth I had only just begun to grasp.I was pregnant.At first, I had been too weak to comprehend it. Too exhausted to process what it truly meant. But now, as I placed my trembling hand over my stomach, realization set in like a sharp blade cutting through me.I was carrying a child.And not just any child.Jayden’s child.A silent sob built up in my throat, but I swallowed it down, refusing to let it escape. I had shed enough tears for that man. For a love that never truly belonged to me.Jayden had been my first everything. The first man to touch me, to make me feel something beyond the emptiness I had known my whole life. I had been foolish to think that wh
AxelI returned to Zoraya’s room, my heart still heavy with Melody’s words.She had called Zoraya her daughter, and in that moment, I had seen the fierce love in her eyes—the kind of love that did not waver, did not falter.Could I be that person for Zoraya?Could I love her and the child growing inside her?Could I also claim the child as mine? And treat them both right?I didn’t have the answers, but as I stepped into the dimly lit room and saw her lying there, pale and fragile, I knew one thing for certain.I couldn’t walk away.Zoraya stirred as I neared her, her lashes fluttering before her eyes finally opened again.I froze, my breath catching in my throat.She blinked slowly, as if adjusting to the light, and then her gaze landed on me.I had never seen such raw emotion in anyone’s eyes before.Fear. Pain.Relief.“Zoraya,” I whispered, lowering myself beside her.She tried to sit up, but her body trembled.I immediately reached forward, helping her, my hand supporting her back
MelodyThe sun had fully risen by the time I made my way back to Zoraya’s chambers. I had barely slept the night before, choosing to watch over my daughter instead. Even now, exhaustion clung to my body, but I pushed it aside. There was no rest for a mother when her child was suffering.I had left Zoraya’s side only briefly to freshen up, and now, as I neared her door, I hoped she had at least gotten some rest. But what truly weighed on my mind was Axel.He had returned to her.That, at least, was a good sign.Still, I couldn’t ignore the pain in his eyes from our last conversation—the pain of discovering that his long-lost mate carried another man’s child. It was not an easy burden to bear, and I did not blame him for walking away in the moment.But I prayed he would stay.As I stepped inside the room, my gaze immediately landed on the two figures near the bed.Axel sat beside Zoraya, his large hand wrapped around her much smaller one. He was speaking to her softly, his forehead rest
AxelI stood frozen in the hallway long after Queen Melody had left, her words lingering in my mind like an echo I couldn’t silence.“Do what your heart tells you.”“If you truly love her, then love her.”I had spent years searching for my mate, enduring the agony of her absence, hoping that one day, I would find her and bring her home. That day had finally come, yet nothing was as I had imagined.Zoraya was carrying another man’s child.The thought sent a sharp pang through my chest. I didn’t want to feel this way—I didn’t want to resent the child growing inside of her, an innocent soul who had no control over how they were conceived. But the reality of it was suffocating.She was mine.She was supposed to be mine.But someone had stolen a part of her before I could even find her.I clenched my fists, my wolf growling within me, demanding answers, demanding retribution. Someone had taken advantage of my mate, and I had no idea who.I needed to find out.But before anything else, I ne
MelodyMinutes stretched into hours, yet Zoraya remained asleep. I stayed by her side, unwilling to leave her even for a moment. Her breathing was steady, her face peaceful, but I knew the storm of emotions that would rage within her when she awoke.I gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, my heart swelling with both love and sorrow. This child—my child—had suffered far too much. Even in sleep, her delicate features held the remnants of past pain, the shadows of a life filled with cruelty.But she was safe now.I wouldn’t let Elena steal her away, not like Estrella had stolen her from me all those years ago. The past would not repeat itself, not if I had anything to do with it.I had already failed once.I had lost my daughter to lies, deception, and the bitter hands of fate.Never again.The thought of Elena roaming the palace sent a fresh wave of unease through me. She was cunning, just like her mother. Estrella had spent her life trying to take everything that belonged to m
MelodyThe air in the chamber was heavy with silence. Derek sat across from me, his fingers laced together, his sharp eyes scrutinizing every word I had just spoken. The weight of my revelation hung between us like a storm cloud ready to unleash its fury. I could see the thoughts racing through his mind, the pieces of the puzzle shifting into place.Zoraya was my daughter.Elena was Estrella’s.And Mallory stood on the brink of war.Derek leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply. “This changes everything.”“I know,” I said quietly.His jaw clenched as he processed the information, his grip tightening on the arms of his chair. “If Zoraya is your daughter, she is the rightful princess of both Mallory and Dark Flame.” His gaze met mine, unreadable yet heavy with unspoken thoughts. “Does she know?”I shook my head. “No. She doesn’t even know who she is. She was raised in captivity, Derek. She cannot speak, cannot write. The torment she endured…” My voice faltered, and I had to take a ste