Chapter 3

Daria’s POV

The mansion was cold. Beautiful, yes, marble floors polished to a mirror shine, crystal chandeliers that scattered light like diamonds, artwork on every wall. But there was no warmth here. No life. Just like Lucius himself.

I barely saw him.

The first three days, I told myself he was busy. Alpha duties. Pack business. Important things that kept him away. But by the fourth day, the truth became painfully clear that he was avoiding me.

He locked himself in his office for hours. Sometimes he left the estate entirely, gone without a word to anyone. And when we did cross paths in the hallways, his gaze slid past me like I was invisible. Like I was furniture. Or even less than furniture.

My wolf howled for him constantly. The cracked bond pulled at me, like a fishhook lodged in my chest, always tugging in his direction. It drove me half-mad with longing.

I tried to ignore it. Tried to focus on settling into my new room, learning the mansion’s layout, and staying out of the way. But the pull only grew stronger with each passing day.

On the fifth day, I gave in.

I began following him. Through the gardens. Down hallways. Anywhere I caught a glimpse of him. I told myself I just wanted to talk, to understand, to maybe somehow convince him we could make this work.

But deep down, I knew the truth. I had become desperate and pathetic. The kind of omega I had always pitied, chasing after a male who didn’t want her.

It was a warm afternoon when everything changed.

I had spotted him near the rose gardens, his tall frame moving between the hedges. My heart skipped with joy that maybe today he would finally look at me. Maybe even talk to me.

I hurried after him, my steps quick on the stone path. “Alpha, please. Can we just talk for a moment?”

He kept walking.

“Lucius.” My voice cracked on his name.

He turned the corner, disappearing behind a wall of roses.

I ran after him. Actually ran, like some lovesick fool, my breath coming in desperate gasps.

But then the world tilted and my vision blurred around the edges.

My legs gave out, and I crumpled into the rose bed. Then everything went black.

°°°°°°°°°°

When I woke, I was back in my room.

Mira sat beside my bed, tears streaming down her face. But she was smiling. Actually smiling.

“Thank the Goddess,” she whispered. “You scared me half to death.”

My head was pounding. “What happened?”

“You fainted. A gardener found you and brought you inside.” She squeezed my hand. “Daria, I need to tell you something.”

The way she said it made my stomach drop. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong.” She took a shaky breath. “I think… I think you are pregnant.”

The words didn’t register at first. They hung in the air between us, impossible and terrifying and wonderful all at once.

“What?” I tried to sit up, but dizziness swamped me. “How… how do you know?”

“I have been helping at the healing center for months. I know the signs.” She touched my forehead gently. “The fainting. The exhaustion. You haven’t had your cycle since that night, have you?”

I thought back to that night and she was right. Over a month had passed since the full moon. Since he came to my cottage.

“Oh Goddess.” My hand flew to my still-flat stomach.

A baby. Our baby.

Joy exploded in my chest, so strong it stole my breath. This changed everything. He would have to accept me now. He would have to love me. We were having a child together. His heir.

This was fate giving me another chance. The Moon Goddess hadn’t abandoned me after all.

“I have to tell him.” I pushed the blankets aside, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.

“Daria, wait.” Mira caught my arm. “Maybe you should rest first. Make sure. Let me get one of the healers to confirm…”

“No.” I shook my head, pulling away. “I need to tell him right now.”

I couldn’t wait another second. This was our future. Our family. He had pushed me away, but this would bring us back together. It had to.

With that, I rushed through the mansion, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. Staff members stared as I passed, but I didn’t care. Nothing mattered except reaching him.

His office was on the third floor, down a long hallway lined with portraits of past Alphas. I had never been there before. Never had a reason.

But now I did.

I was halfway down the hallway when I heard voices through the heavy door. His voice. And Rylan’s, his beta.

I slowed, suddenly nervous. Should I knock? Wait until they were done?

My hand moved protectively to my stomach. “No. This couldn’t wait.”

I stepped closer to the door, ready to knock. Then I heard what they were saying.

“The omega is useful for one thing.” Lucius’s voice was cold. “An heir. Once she births the child, I will dispose of her.”

My hand froze inches from the wood.

“And you are certain the child’s blood will work?” Rylan asked.

“It has to. The curse demands the blood of my offspring. A direct bloodline.” There was no emotion in his tone. He could have been discussing the weather. “She is nothing more than a vessel. A means to an end.”

Rylan chuckled, the sound making my skin crawl. “So we just keep her close until the child is born. Then you will finally be free of the madness.”

“Exactly.”

My hand fell away from the door. Every fragile hope I had built up over the past few minutes shattered like glass.

Not love. Not fate. Not even basic decency.

Just use.

I wasn’t his mate. I was his breeding tool. An incubator for the cure to his curse. And once my baby was born, once he got what he needed, I would be thrown away like garbage.

“Disposed of.” Those were his exact words.

I backed away from the door slowly. Years of being invisible had taught me how to move without being noticed.

I made it back to my room without anyone seeing me. Locked the door. Pressed my back against it and slid to the floor.

Mira appeared from the bathroom, concern written all over her face. “Did you tell him?”

“No.” My voice sounded empty. “And I am not going to.”

“What? Why?”

I looked up at her, my best friend, the only person in this entire pack who had ever cared about me. I placed both hands over my stomach, protective and sure.

“Because we are leaving.”

“Leaving?” Her eyes went wide.

“Yes.” My voice grew stronger, steadier. “My child will never be his pawn. I won’t let him use us and then throw us away like we’re nothing.”

“Daria, if you run, he will hunt you. He’s an Alpha…”

“Then we will run far enough that he can’t find us.” I stood up, my mind already racing with plans. “I need your help, Mira. Please.”

She stared at me for a long moment. Then she nodded.

“Tell me what you need.”