Chapter 6 – Bingo

Chapter 6 – Bingo

Rhiannon’s POV

It’s maddening. No matter how many times I replay the events in my mind, something still doesn’t add up.

That aphrodisiac should’ve done its job. It wasn’t some cheap brew whipped up by a street vendor. I spent a fortune acquiring it, not to mention the connections I had to bribe and the danger I faced just getting it out of restricted hands. It was supposed to be foolproof... strong enough to bring even a high-ranking Alpha to his knees with lust.

And yet… Selene walked away unscathed.

I close my eyes, trying to recall every second of that morning. She looked like a mess... her clothes rumpled, her hair tangled, lips a little swollen... but it wasn’t the kind of mess I had planned for. There were faint marks on her neck, almost like bite marks or hickeys, but I can’t be sure. It’s like the night went wrong... but still... something happened.

“If that overgrown brute hadn’t interfered,” I mutter under my breath, fingers curling into fists, “my plan would’ve worked perfectly.”

Yes, my original goal was to humiliate Selene... force a dramatic public breakup, watch Corwin walk away in disgust while she cried her pitiful little eyes out. That would’ve been satisfying. But the plan slipped through my fingers like dust.

Still, I’m not one to give up. If anything, her mysterious escape only makes me more determined. I toss on my cloak and head for Corwin’s place... he’s a moron, but he’ll still be useful. My boots click against the cobbled road as I think through next steps, too lost in thought to notice where I’m going until I crash into someone.

It’s her.

Selene.

We both freeze for half a heartbeat, but neither of us says a word. She brushes past me without looking up, and I watch her go. Something feels off. She’s walking faster than usual, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. I glance at my wristwatch. Strange. She’s back from the potion shop early... which never happens.

Curiosity prickles my skin.

Selene practically lives for her work. Elias often has to chase her out of the shop at midnight. Why would she abandon it in the middle of the day? I double back and slip into the shadows near the side of the house. From there, I watch as she bolts into the bathroom.

Maybe she’s sick? But there’s a bathroom at the shop… Why rush all the way home just to throw up?

My suspicion deepens. I wait until she’s out of the house again... this time, she doesn’t even close the door properly. Her face was pale, almost frightened. And the way she clutched her stomach...

As soon as I’m sure she’s gone, I step inside. I know her too well. Selene's too cautious to leave things lying around, but desperation makes people sloppy.

It doesn’t take long.

There, buried beneath a pile of scarves in her closet, is a small plastic strip... still faintly damp.

And the result?

Two bold, unmistakable lines.

A twisted smile tugs at my lips. "Bingo."

I snap a quick picture with my phone and tuck the test back where I found it. Selene’s entire world is about to crumble... and I’m going to make sure I’m the one who delivers the final blow.

***

Lucian’s POV

“Kael. Enough.”

I grip the edge of the window sill in frustration as my wolf continues to whine inside me. He’s been at it for nearly an hour, ever since I returned from my walk through the northern district of the pack. His thoughts echo in my head like a relentless heartbeat.

You should have asked her name.

You should have followed her.

You should have at least gotten her scent.

“I don’t need to know her,” I reply, trying to stay logical. “It was just one night.”

She’s different. Special. You felt it too, Kael argues.

Yes, I did.

That girl... Selene, I later learned... had something about her. Something that tugged at my instincts in a way even Isolde never did. But it doesn’t make sense. My bond... my fated mate... is supposed to be Isolde. That’s what the Moon Goddess decreed. So why did everything in me scream that night not to leave Selene?

“You’re losing it,” I mutter aloud.

Kael scoffs, or at least I feel the scoff ripple through me. No, you’re the one refusing to face reality. Isolde’s gone. Whatever bond you had is fading. Open your eyes, Lucian. That girl... she’s the thread that’s pulling you forward.

“I don’t even know where she lives.”

Then we find her.

I sigh. Fine. One walk around the town. If fate really wants us to cross paths again, maybe I’ll get my answers.

It’s almost instinct that draws me to the potion shop at the edge of the market. A small, warm place with dried herbs hanging from the ceiling and dozens of bottles glowing faintly on wooden shelves. I step inside, inhaling the familiar tang of brewed magic... and freeze.

One of the scents… it’s hers.

Not just hers... it’s the exact same blend I smelled on her skin that night. It lingers strongest around a delicate vial nestled in the back corner. I reach out, my fingers brushing the label, when a voice calls out.

“Ah, that one’s not for sale,” says a man as he approaches. “But I see you’ve got good taste. Selene made that. She’s the best potion designer we’ve got.”

Selene.

So that’s her name.

“She made this?” I ask, my voice calm but firm.

“Every potion here,” he nods proudly. “She’s a genius. Never trained formally but has instincts like no other. It’s a shame really…”

“A shame?”

He shrugs, a bit awkwardly. “Well, she doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. People still treat her differently, you know? Her mother was a surrogate. Some of the old families still hold that against her.”

My jaw tightens. That explains a lot.

Just then, another shop girl... young, blonde, cheerful... leans in. “She’s not here right now. Felt sick this morning and went home early. Might be pregnant,” she adds with a laugh, not knowing how hard her words hit me.

Pregnant?

“Impossible,” the man says, waving it off. “She’s never even dated anyone. Barely talks to people, honestly.”

My mind swirls. Pregnant? After what happened that night…

“Where does she live?” I ask, sharper than I mean to.

***

Selene’s POV – Continued

I back stagger home again, barely able to breathe.

Pregnant.

I clutch my stomach, still flat beneath my coat, as if the motion could make the truth go away. It doesn’t. Nothing does.

The moment I step inside, dread floods my veins.

They’re waiting for me.

Rhiannon, lounging on the couch with smug satisfaction. Cassara, pacing with folded arms and sharp eyes. Corwin... my fiancé, or was... stands awkwardly near the fireplace, avoiding my gaze. And then there’s my father, sitting rigidly with both hands clenched around his cane like he might snap it in half.

My breath catches.

On the coffee table, lying in plain view like a damning relic, is the pregnancy test.

The two bold pink lines scream louder than anyone in the room.

Cassara’s voice cracks the silence like a whip. “You filthy little whore.”

Before I can move, before I can even think, she’s on me.

Her palm lashes across my face with a sharp crack, snapping my head to the side.

Pain explodes across my cheek. My knees buckle, and I stumble back, dizzy.

“Cassara... ” I gasp, blinking back the tears burning my eyes.

“How dare you shame us like this?” she spits. “A bastard in your belly before the wedding? Before we could even secure Corwin’s dowry?”

“I didn’t mean to... ” I choke out.

“Oh, so you accidentally got pregnant?” Rhiannon sneers from the side. “Let me guess... you tripped and fell onto some stranger’s dick?”

“Enough,” my father snaps.

But the air has already turned to fire.

“Do you deny it?” Cassara demands. “Do you deny this thing inside you?”

I can’t speak. I can barely breathe.

Rhiannon strides over, eyes gleaming. “I heard she’s been flirting with Bram behind Corwin’s back. Wouldn’t be surprised if he knocked her up.”

My stomach twists in horror. “That’s not true. I’ve never even... !”

“Well, he seems to think you’re his,” Cassara says coldly. “And your father agrees. You’re to go to him by week’s end.”

My knees give out entirely, and I fall to the floor. “No,” I whisper. “Please. Not Bram. He’s... he’s cruel.”

“Then perhaps you should’ve thought about that,” my father growls.

I crawl to him, gripping the hem of his coat, my voice cracking. “Papa, please. He’ll hurt me. He’ll destroy me. I’m begging you... don’t do this.”

His eyes are hard. Empty.

And then... SLAP.

The second blow lands harder than the first. My head snaps sideways. A coppery taste fills my mouth. Blood. My father’s hand hovers in the air, trembling from fury or disgust... I can’t tell.

“You disgrace this family with every breath you take,” he says, his voice ice. “You should be grateful Bram is even considering you.”

I don’t know what hurts more... the sting of his slap or the silence that follows it.

No one speaks. Not Corwin, who just stares at the floor. Not Rhiannon, who looks gleeful. And certainly not Cassara, who has already turned away.