Chapter 2: Selina and the Unwanted Baby

Selina’s feet moved before she even realized it, as if her body had taken over, guiding her straight to the room where Lyra was resting.

"She’s awake now. Our mate is finally going to mark us. Do you think he’ll want this baby?" Nyra, her wolf, sounded caught somewhere between nervous and excited.

"He loves me. He’ll be happy when he finds out," Selina whispered back in her mind, trying to convince herself more than anyone else.

Her heart pounded too fast, the sound roaring in her ears as she reached for the door. It was unlocked. Her breath hitched. She’d imagined a thousand scenarios, but never this.

The sight before her shattered everything. Alaric and Lyra were tangled together in a kiss so deep it looked like the world belonged to just the two of them.

Nyra howled inside her head, and a sharp, searing pain ripped through Selina’s chest. Her legs almost gave out. She barely managed to catch herself on the doorframe.

Alaric’s eyes flicked to her. He tore himself away from Lyra and jumped off the bed, rushing toward her.

Selina stood frozen. Her heart slammed so hard against her ribs it felt like it would burst out. Lyra scrambled up, her face full of shock.

Alaric stopped in front of her and reached for her arm gently. The warm brown eyes that had always made her feel safe now held nothing but fear.

"Selina, Lyra’s awake," he said softly.

"And that’s why you betrayed me?" Selina’s voice cracked, raw from the tears burning in her eyes.

"This isn’t something I can control. After everything we’ve been through..." Alaric muttered under his breath, almost like a growl.

"You..." Her voice broke as tears spilled over. That was all he had to say?

Lyra stepped between them. "You’re nothing but a walking blood bag. A pet my family took in. How dare you think you have any right to touch my man?" she spat.

The words cut deeper than Selina expected. Her chin trembled, but anger surged faster than the pain. She shoved Lyra aside.

The woman stumbled, let out a choked sound, and collapsed to the floor, unconscious again.

Selina stared down at her in shock. She knew she hadn’t pushed that hard. She could barely stand as it was.

"Lyra!" Alaric dropped to the floor, cradling the woman’s head against his chest. "Lyra, wake up..." he whispered over and over, panic rising in his voice. But Lyra didn’t move.

Then Alaric slowly looked up, and Selina’s stomach dropped at the hatred burning in his eyes.

In a blink, he yanked Selina toward Lyra, his grip rough and unrelenting. She fought him with everything she had, her body desperate not to be dragged closer.

She knew what was coming. And she swore she wouldn’t let it happen again.

"Stop! I’m not giving her my blood anymore!" Selina screamed, her voice raw with panic. But Alaric didn’t listen.

He ripped the sleeve of her shirt and pulled a folding knife from his pocket. The cold metal sliced through her skin with brutal precision.

A scream tore from her throat as Alaric pressed her bleeding arm toward Lyra’s lips. Blood dripped slowly into the unconscious woman’s mouth.

His grip tightened. Selina sobbed and begged him to stop, but there was no trace of mercy in his eyes.

One cut wasn’t enough. He did it again. And again. And again. Black spots began to dance across Selina’s vision.

"I... I’m pregnant... please... please stop. I’m pregnant, it’s your baby..." she cried, clinging to the last hope that the words might break through his madness. She had to save her child.

But Alaric kept squeezing her wounds, deaf to her pleas.

Nyra tried to take control as Selina’s body began to shut down, but Alaric forced the wolf back inside.

"Why did you hurt her?" Alaric snarled, sounding more beast than man. "Lyra... please, don’t leave me again. I can’t do this without you."

"I’m... I’m pregnant! Stop! You’re hurting our baby!" Selina screamed. Feeling drained from her limbs, her body was growing cold, like it was giving up.

"How could you hurt her? You know how much she means to me," Alaric hissed.

The bleeding slowed, but blood covered her skin. She couldn’t even hold herself up anymore. The only reason she wasn’t crumpled on the floor was because Alaric kept her upright.

Then he ripped open the fabric at her shoulder and cut again.

Selina’s scream echoed through the room, her whole body burning in agony as blood streamed toward Lyra once more.

The blade came dangerously close to her carotid artery. Deep down, Selina knew... he would kill her if that’s what it took to save the other woman.

She kept screaming, begging him to stop. But her voice was fading, her throat raw from crying out.

Footsteps and frantic shouting blurred somewhere behind her. She heard the pack members begging Alaric to let her go.

A Beta grabbed his shoulder, but Alaric flung him across the room like he was nothing. The man hit the wall and went limp.

"Get someone! We need to save the Luna!" someone shouted before sprinting out.

Voices filled the room, pleading with Alaric to stop, but he ignored them all.

"Please... our baby..." Selina whispered weakly. But still, he didn’t react.

And just before the darkness swallowed her, Nyra’s broken voice echoed in her mind.

We lost the baby.