LOGINAt the shelter. The footsteps came closer.I tightened my grip on the knife and pulled my baby against my chest. My body was still weak from the birth. Every muscle ached, every movement sent a dull warning through me, but fear gave me enough strength to stand.Another branch snapped outside. Someone was coming. I held my breath. The door opened.I raised the knife. “Stay back!”A woman froze in the doorway.For one terrible second I thought Blackridge had found me. Then I saw her face.“Lydia?”Her eyes widened. “Malia?”The knife slipped from my hand and clattered to the floor.Lydia rushed inside and wrapped her arms around me. I nearly collapsed. She caught me and held on tightly.“Oh, Malia.” Her voice broke. “I thought I would never find you.”I closed my eyes. For months I had imagined seeing a familiar face again, hearing Lydia’s voice. I had never truly believed it would happen. I held her just as tightly.“You found me.”“I searched everywhere.” She pulled back and looked at
The great hall suddenly erupted the moment Aria stepped inside.Music filled the room, and conversations stopped as every guest turned toward her. Eyes followed her as she walked beside Deucalion.Aria lifted her chin.This was what she had always dreamed of. To be at the center of attention. Deucalion reached for her hand and guided her toward the seat beside his.“Careful,” he whispered. “Take your time.”“I am fine,” she replied with a smile.“I know. I still want to be careful.”Aria’s heart warmed. She sat beside him, resting one hand over her stomach. The room returned to life.A male representative from one of the neighboring packs approached them. “Alpha Deucalion, congratulations.”Deucalion nodded. “Thank you for coming.”The man looked at Aria. “And congratulations to you, Luna. Six months is an incredible achievement.”Aria smiled proudly. “Thank you.”Another guest came forward. “We heard the child is strong.”“The healers say the baby is doing very well,” Deucalion answe
The next few weeks passed quietly inside Blackridge. Aria’s pregnancy continued without another serious problem. The healers examined her every morning and evening. They watched her eating, checked her pulse, listened to the baby, and made sure she took every medicine given to her. The Luna did not allow anyone to take chances. “Do not let her overwork herself,” she told the servants one morning. “She barely leaves her room,” one maid replied. “Then make sure she walks for a little while. Too much rest is not good either.” “Yes, Luna.” Aria heard them from her bed and smiled. For the first time, she was being treated like someone important. She now had four maids attending to her. Her meals were prepared separately, and the healers brought better medicine. Even the way people spoke to her had changed. Before, some servants had looked at her as the woman who had taken Malia’s place. Now they looked at her as the mother of the Blackridge heir. Aria loved it. Every day, her c
Back at the Blackridge family Elena woke to another morning with pain twisting through her stomach.She slowly opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. For the past few weeks, her life had changed completely. She was no longer treated like an ordinary maid. Healers visited her every morning. She was given special meals, medicine, and strict instructions about what she could and could not do.But none of it made her feel safe.She remembered the Luna’s warning.‘You may not survive the pregnancy.’Elena placed a trembling hand over her stomach. “Please,” she whispered. “Let my baby live.”The door opened. A healer entered with two assistants behind her.“How are you feeling today?” the healer asked.“I’m tired.”“Any pain?”“A little.”The healer frowned. “Where?”“Here.”Elena pointed to her lower stomach.The healer examined her carefully before placing a hand against her abdomen.“The pain is stronger than yesterday.”Elena looked worried. “Is something wrong?”“We need to keep w
My labor had started.And I was completely alone.Another contraction tore through me before I could even think. I grabbed the side of the shelter and squeezed my eyes shut.“Please,” I whispered. “Please, let me do this.”The pain only grew stronger.I reached for the piece of cloth I had prepared and pushed it between my teeth. I couldn’t scream. Not here. Not with unknown wolves somewhere beyond the trees who might hear and come for me.I bit down as another contraction came.Tears ran down my face. My whole body shook. “Come on, Malia,” I whispered through clenched teeth. “You can do this.”The pain eased for a moment. I breathed slowly, trying to gather enough strength for the next one.There was no one to hold my hand. No one to tell me what to do.No healer. No midwife. Only me and the child I had promised to protect.Another contraction came. I cried into the cloth. Hours passed. I lost track of time.Sometimes I thought I couldn’t take another minute, but then another wave ca
I barely slept that night.Every time another howl came from the forest, I tightened my grip on the knife and stared at the cabin door.Something about those sounds frightened me.I had survived Blackridge. I had survived being rejected by the settlement. I had survived walking through the forest while carrying a child.But those howls were different. They made me feel like I was being watched.When morning finally came, I packed my things.I didn’t wait.I wrapped Mara’s cloak around me, picked up my bag, and stepped outside.The forest looked peaceful again.That almost made it worse.I looked back at the cabin.“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “But I can’t stay here.”I had no idea what had made the cabin’s previous owner leave, and I wasn’t interested in finding out.I walked deeper into the neutral land.I stayed away from roads, paths, and anything that looked like it had been used by other wolves. I needed a place where nobody would find me.By midday, my legs were already aching.I r







