Chapter 3

Mireya’s POV

Murmurs filled the room. I saw how their gazes lingered in my direction. None of them looks pleased with my announcement but I acted like it didn't hurt. I don't care about their opinions. All I care about is Caius' decision but he seems to be deeply torn. Was it really hard to choose our child and me over Blaire who didn't even think twice about abandoning him?

“Do you really think Caius will buy your lies, Mireya? You will tell you're pregnant now that you are being thrown out? Really?" Blaire mocked.

I keep my eyes on Caius, refusing to throw a glance at Blaire.

“I had symptoms but I don't want to tell you yet. I want to confirm if my suspicion is right so I consulted Aurelia and she told me I am three weeks pregnant. I am carrying your child—"

“You're not pregnant," he cut me off, his icy tone prickling my skin. "Not a weak woman like you will carry my heir,” he added, before storming out of the hall leaving me humiliated…and scarred.

I tried to run after him but Blaire blocked my way. Her arms were folded on her chest.

“Where do you think you're going, my dear step-sister?"

I shoved her away, only to be yanked back as she grabbed my hair and flung me mercilessly toward the guards. Then she turned to face the council, wearing that infuriatingly angelic smile.

“May I ask for your permission to bring Mireya to the dungeon, Alpha King? I am worried she might cause a scene during Alpha Caius's coronation,”

King Victor stared at me. I looked at him pleadingly hoping that he would take mercy on me and the child I was carrying but just like his son he gave me a cold ruthless stare.

“Take her away,” he commanded.

I saw how Blaire’s smile widened upon hearing King Victor’s approval. She didn’t waste a minute. He ordered the royal guards to drag me out and as I was taken away I begged for mercy…I cried for help but none of them came to my rescue…not even my own mother.

“Leave us,” Blaire ordered when we reached the dungeon.

Few torches hang on the corner, preventing the walls from being fully swallowed by the darkness. This place was where rogues who were caught were thrown or those werewolves who had committed a crime. I never belonged to them. I am not a rogue. I am not a criminal but why did they throw me here like I committed a grave sin?

“Do you think your child could save you, you fucking slut?!”

Blaire pushed me to the ground, my butt slamming against the cold floor. My body even bounced from the push.

Seeing me sitting on the cold floor was not enough for her. She lunged at me and began kicking my stomach.

Not my baby please…

Not my child…

"C-Caius," I desperately called as I hugged my belly. "Caius please..."

I looked at the door hoping he would emerge from the dark and save us…but he didn't.

“B-Blaire please stop,” I begged but Blaire kept on kicking me.

I hugged my belly tightly letting my thin arms receive her kicks but it was no use. A searing pain settled on my belly as if my flesh was being torn apart.

A few more kicks and I felt warm and sticky liquid cascading down my legs.

My baby…

Please not my baby…

I crouch on the floor, hoping that I can still save my child. Hoping I could still protect my baby…but as blood kept coming out my hope grew faint.

I am losing my baby…

My chest grew tight…

My eyelids turn heavy…

Darkness slowly swallows my vision but before everything turned black, a flick of the finger echoed in my ear. Blaire’s kick stopped.

Eerie silence filled the room. I fought my drooping eyelids and scanned the surroundings. It feels like the world took a pause. The fire of the torch that dances with the gentle wind froze. Nothing was moving except for me and...a silhouette of a man approaching my direction.

His heavy and commanding footsteps enveloped my ear. His figure got closer and closer until he towered over me.

“Mireya,” he spoke my name as if he had known me for a long time.

When he crouched down and leveled my gaze my heart grew frantic.

His eyes…

His scent…

Everything about him brought chaos into my system.

Who is this man? How did he know my name?

I have never seen him before but as my gaze lingers I notice a cunning resemblance…his nose…his eyes…he looks like King Victor.

“W-Who are y-you?” I asked, voice trembling from weakness and fear.

He was quiet. His gaze was stuck on me like he was contemplating whether he would answer my question or not but after an agonizing silence I heard his voice again.

“Azrael Sterling,” he spoke. “King Victor’s son,”

I shook my head. That can’t be right. Caius never mentioned to me that he had a brother. No one in the palace mentioned the name Azrael either. His name was foreign to my ear but it doesn’t sound like a lie.

“Then why are you here?” I asked, buying his story. “Why did King Victor keep you in his dungeon? Why are you locked up?”

“Because I was a mistake—a son who should never have been born.”

My body was aching but hearing those words made all the pain I felt physically, less painful.

I couldn’t question how a father can do that to his own son because even my own mother didn’t say a word while I was being dragged.

“W-What do you want from m-me?” I bravely asked.

“Free my wolf, and in return, I will give you a chance to rewrite your fate. You will be reborn, Mireya,”

I shook my head looking at him in disbelief. “You can’t fool me. You can’t do that. Only a sorceress can do that and the last sorceress was burned into ashes—“

“She’s my mother,” he said, pain flashing in his eyes but he wiped it off with a smile. “I’m a hybrid, Mireya—the son of King Victor and a powerful sorceress.”

While I struggled to process his words, he leaned in, tilting his head, his pang tracing a slow path along my neck. “Accept my offer,” he murmured, “and I will help you burn them to the ground, Mireya.”