MasukGreta walked through the mansion corridors with measured, unhurried steps. Anyone who happened to pass her would have thought she was simply another servant going about her morning duties.No one would have guessed that hidden beneath the folds of her sleeve was a tiny glass vial. Her fingers brushed against it and the cool glass felt heavier than it should have.Desmond's plan echoed in her mind as she remembered what she had overheard from the guard's message to Jack, who had been too much of a coward to do what he was instructed to do.A small smile tugged at her lips."Leave it to everyone else to hesitate. But I won't. I have nothing left to lose" she said.She turned the final corner and arrived outside the mansion kitchens.The moment she stepped inside, a wave of warmth washed over her. Large pots simmered over roaring fires, fresh bread cooled on wooden racks and the rich aroma of roasted meat, herbs, and baked pastries filled the room.Servants hurried in every direction car
Pain was all Becca could feel.Every muscle in her body trembled with exhaustion as she lay against the pillows, her breathing shallow and uneven. Sweat clung to her forehead, damp strands of hair framing her pale face.She felt as though every ounce of strength had been pulled from her body."I...I can't..."She could barely keep her eyes open but the elderly healer gently squeezed her hand."You've done wonderfully, My Lady. You were incredibly brave."Becca wasn't even sure she heard her properly. Everything around her sounded distant, blurred, like she was listening from underwater.Then a tiny cry filled the room. The sound instantly cut through the haze clouding her mind and Becca's heavy eyelids fluttered open.Her lips curved into the faintest smile."My baby..."Another little cry echoed through the healer's chambers and tears welled in Becca's eyes.One of the younger healers carefully wrapped the newborn in a soft cream-colored blanket before turning toward Eugene."My Alph
The corridor outside the healer's chambers had never felt so suffocating.The heavy wooden doors remained firmly shut. Every few moments, muffled voices drifted through from the other side, followed by hurried footsteps as healers moved about inside.Mira couldn't stand still. She paced from one end of the corridor to the other, wringing her hands together.Her heart felt as though it would burst from her chest."Come on, Becca, please be alright" she prayed. She stopped in front of the closed doors."I should be in there" she muttered under her breath.Instead, she was trapped outside, forced to imagine every painful scream Becca must be enduring.Her stomach twisted."I hate this..."Without thinking any further, she reached for the door handle but before she could touch it, a firm but respectful voice stopped her."Mira stop."Mira turned to see Max standing directly in her path. His arms were folded across his broad chest, but there was sympathy in his expression."I'm afraid you
The news spread through Blackwood Mansion with astonishing speed..Every servant seemed to be whispering the same thing."My Lady Becca has gone into labor and the healers have already begun.""The Alpha King hasn't left her side."Jack had only just heard the news himself."What? She went into labor already?" He asked, his eyes widened.One of the young servants nodded excitedly."Just a little while ago, Sir Jack. They rushed her to the healer's chambers not too long ago" he replied. Without another word, Jack turned on his heel."I need to get there."His boots echoed sharply against the polished stone floor as he hurried through the corridors. His heart raced.He had barely rounded the next corner when a voice stopped him."Sir Jack."Jack frowned and looked over his shoulder to see one of the castle guards standing several feet behind him.The man looked unusually uneasy."What is it?"The guard glanced nervously up and down the corridor before lowering his voice."I have a messa
Chaos erupted throughout the Blackwood Mansion.Servants hurried through the corridors with bowls of steaming water, fresh linens, herbs, and medical supplies. Every hallway buzzed with anxious whispers as the news spread like wildfire."Lady Becca has gone into labor!"Becca barely registered any of the noise. A sharp contraction tore through her abdomen, forcing a cry from her lips. She gripped the edge of the stretcher so tightly her knuckles turned white."It hurts...it hurts so much..."The healers surrounding her spoke gently as they hurried her toward their chambers."Easy, Lady Becca. Take slow breaths. You're doing well.""Just a little farther."Another contraction struck and Becca squeezed her eyes shut."Eugene...It hurts" her voice trembled.Eugene walked beside her without taking his eyes off her. His usually composed expression had completely disappeared, his jaw was clenched, his fists were tight.Every cry that escaped Becca seemed to strike him harder than any blade.
The castle gardens had become unusually quiet. The afternoon sun cast long shadows over the neatly trimmed hedges, while a gentle breeze carried the sweet fragrance of blooming roses through the air.Mira sat on a stone bench beneath the sprawling branches of an ancient oak tree, her fingers absentmindedly tapping against the smooth surface beside her.She hadn't stopped thinking, not since yesterday. Every time she replayed the events in her head, she became more convinced that something wasn't right.Footsteps approached and Tyler appeared carrying two steaming cups of herbal tea."I thought this might help" he said kindly. Mira accepted one with a grateful smile."Thank you."He sat beside her."So, you said this was our first strategy meeting" he said.Mira couldn't help smiling."It sounds more official when you call it that" she replied. Tyler chuckled."I suppose it does."She looked around cautiously before lowering her voice."I don't know who might overhear us" she said.T
Becca’s hands were still shaking but not from fear. She only felt rage now and it directed at one person who had dared to cross her.The army commander’s words echoed in her head again and again, each one sinking deeper like a blade meant to humiliate rather than kill.He had the guts to call Eugen
Becca woke slowly, dragged out of sleep by a dull ache that seemed to live in her bones.It was the kind of ache that wasn’t born of injury alone, but of tension held too long. Her body felt heavy, as though the bed itself had swallowed her halfway, reluctant to leave her alone.Becca’s stomach twi
Eugene could not look away and he watched Becca stand by the window like a ghost trapped behind glass.Her arms were wrapped around herself, her shoulders slightly hunched as if she were cold but Eugene knew that posture. She did that when she was anxious or when her mind was racing and she was tr
The garden was the only place in Blackwood that still felt normal.Becca stood barefoot in the damp grass, her toes sinking slightly into the soft earth as the early morning chill crept up her legs. The cold should have bothered her, but it didn’t. She welcomed it because it reminded her she was s







