CHAPTER 5 — The Heir

Kaia’s POV

When I woke up my head hurt so badly.

I was lost for a few seconds, not knowing where I was.

We had white ceiling above. The air was filled with the aroma of medicinal herbs and medicines. Glass bottles tapped lightly as footsteps made their way across tiled floors, somewhere nearby.

A hospital.

I slowly opened my eyes and attempted to sit up, but I was dizzy right away.

The voices could be heard in the partially opened door nearby.

Angry voices.

“…impossible,” Selene snapped.

“Yes, I have confirmed it,” a mature man replied composedly.

My chest tightened.

It was immediately clear to me what voice it was.

Doctor Elias.

A very trusted healer in the pack.

Mother spoke sharply all of a sudden. “There has to be a mistake.”

The doctor shook his head and said, "No, there is no mistake. “Your daughter has become pregnant.”

Silence followed.

I became as cold as a stone.

Pregnant?

It was a repetition of the word in my mind.

No.

The possibility of that was unthinkable!

Panic spread through me and my hand slowly made its way towards my stomach.

Outside the room, Selene suddenly laughed bitterly.

“Pregnant?” she repeated. “With whose child?”

I shut my eyes shut.

I had the solution.

The mark on my neck was back on fire!

Next came the voice of the mother, even colder.

“She will tell us.”

The door suddenly swung open.

Then, they all went in together.

Mother.

Father.

Selene.

And standing awkwardly behind them Doctor Elias.

The second she saw me awake, hatred was in her face.

“You little liar,” she hissed.

My body curled inwards at the bed.

Mother moved closer right away. “Who is the man who gave you birth?”

I stayed silent.

I was in a state of confusion and chaos in my mind.

This just has to be a mistake.

This has to be a mistake.

Not now.

Not when everything had finally come to rest.

Helena demanded, “Answer me, I say.”

I turned my head towards Father, crying out for him.

But Alpha Magnus just stood near the window silently with his arms crossed.

He would not come to my aid.

Of course he wouldn’t.

Selene jumped into the fray with a quick and fierce move. “Who touched you?”

I cried because of the tears burning behind my eyes.

I didn't want all this.

I didn't expect it.

Mother's voice turned into a shriek. “Kaia.”

My throat just clenched in pain.

At last, with a barely audible voice, I replied.

“The Alpha.”

The room burst open in an instant.

Selene screamed.

“You bitch!”

She was moving toward the bed, and before I could react she lunged toward it.

Her hand raised as if to slap me, but Father stopped her from reaching me.

“Enough!” Magnus barked.

Selene resisted him furiously. “Let go of me!”

“Next time you’ll get hurt again,” Father said.

She shouted “I don't care!“Don't care,” she shouted. She did it intentionally!”

I was stunned that I was looking at her.

“I didn’t—”

“You are taking my life away with you! Selene shouted hysterically. “But now the ceremony and this?

I cried as soon as I read it. “None of this ever happened.”

“Liar!”

Finally, Mother intervened.

“Quiet,” Helena snapped.

Selene’s breathing became ragged with fury.

This was the most hatred I'd ever seen in her eyes.

Mother slowly turned toward me again.

Now, her face seemed to be perfectly placid.

How long have you been dating?” she asked.

I said nothing, I whispered honestly, “I didn't.” “Oh, I just learned of that now.”

For several long seconds, mother looked at me before saying something again.

“This child is not to be.

The words came at me like a bolt out of the blue and I couldn't breathe.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

I shook my head weakly. “No…”

Helena's face was still as stone. “If the Alpha finds out the truth, everything will be destroyed.”

Nearby Selene wiped at the tears angrily. “He will send me away.”

It was the first time Father had spoken.

The pregnancy should go away.

I looked at him in amazement.

Disappear?

It was as if the baby didn't exist.

As my baby, she wasn't worth anything.

“No,” I whispered right away.

Mother’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

“Innocent,” I said, shaking my head, “The child is innocent.” “He or she did not do anything wrong.”

Selene laughed bitterly. “Listen to her.”

I looked up at Father again desperately. “Please…”

But Magnus refused to even meet my eyes.

Helena went on, “I have who lives near the western territories.” “Until this scandal is forgotten you shall remain there.”

I was shocked at her sight.

“You’re going to send me away?”

“Thank heavens you're getting out alive,” Selene snapped right away.

I ignored her, I didn't speak to her, I didn't look at her.

My hand shook a little in my stomach.

In fact, there was a baby inside me.

Draven’s baby.

But it was already dead they wanted it.

I whispered, "I can't.

Mother's face grew as hard as a rock.

“You’ll abort the baby.”

My eyes were again filled with tears. Don't make me do this!

“Will the Alpha ever get the truth?” Helena demanded sharply. “If he found out the woman he marked is not Selene, what would happen?”

My heart was clenched tight.

The mark.

I was almost unaware of it.

Mother’s voice became colder.

“The Alpha is not yours, it is your sister's.”

I lowered my eyes slowly.

Everything hurt.

My chest.

My head.

My heart.

I was feeling completely helpless.

Father finally gave a deep sigh. “This is not a situation that can go on.”

He never asked me about how I felt.

I was never defended by him.

I was all alone.

Mother's voice was slightly softer but her eyes were cold.

“This is the only way to keep the family safe.”

The family.

Always the family.

Never me.

There was no one else in the hospital room, and it was silent for several long moments.

Then eventually…

I was broken and tired and said the words that they wanted.

“…okay.”

Selene immediately relaxed.

Mother made a quick, sharp nod.

“Well, we're leaving tonight,” she said.

The doctor was not at ease. “Lady Helena, maybe we should let her recuperate for a while before—”

“On the way she is going to be fine.”

After that, there were no objections.

The hospital room fell silent once more several hours later.

Mother was preparing outside while Father was away.

I sat there silently on the edge of the bed, my hands in my lap.

Pregnant.

I still didn't really take it in.

Mother went in alone and there was a soft knock on the door.

She had a tiny glass bottle containing something dark in it.

I clenched my stomach right away.

“What’s that?”

She looked indifferently at him.

“A medicinal potion.”

I stared at it nervously.

“It will take care of the problem before the trip,” she said quietly.

The cold fear rushed upon me in an instant.

“You mean…”

“Yes.”

My hands shook a little.

Mother walked over, and handed me the bottle.

“If it is handled early it will be easier.”

I glanced at the liquid.

There was a little voice in my head that said, "Don't do it.There was a little voice in my head that said, "Don't do it.

However, what options did I have?

I was left with no choice but to stay.

If anyone would have looked after me.

But what if Draven found out the truth…

Everything would explode.

Mother's voice became quieter.

“Drink it.”

My eyes were filled with tears again.

Slowly… shakily… I held the bottle up to my lips.

Then I drank.

The liquid was bitter tasting.

Almost rotten.

I swallowed and winced.

Mother picked up the empty bottle, took it up calmly. “Good.”

There was no reaction in the beginning.

Then suddenly—

My stomach was torn open with sharp pain.

I gasped loudly.

I collapsed forward in a flash, feeling so much agony in my abdomen that it was like it was raining bullets down there.

“Mother—”

The second wave of pain was stronger.

I was about to fall out of bed.

There was instant panic.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

“Help…,” I whispered feebly.

I suddenly lost my sight.

Mother’s face suddenly looked slightly alarmed now.

“Kaia?”