Chapter 5: A Debt

Anya

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“M-Mrs. Patricia…” I stammered, unable to form words properly. “What—”

“Pack your things,” she ordered, her hands neatly clasped in front of her, her posture flawless in a way only the Luna of a pack could achieve.

“Ma’am…?” My mind couldn’t process the command, much less the reason behind it.

“Take her things. Only the essentials,” she said impatiently, turning her head toward one of the guards, who immediately forced his way inside.

He shoved me aside, and I nearly lost my balance. I didn’t even have time to argue.

“What is happening?” My voice trembled as fear began to consume me.

Patricia turned to the other guard and gave a small nod. I instinctively stepped back, but before I could react, he grabbed my arm. I was pulled against his body and spun around, my back pinned to him.

“Let me go! Help!” I screamed, until a sharp pain shot through my neck.

My vision blurred almost instantly. The last thing I saw was my kitchen, water boiling on the stove, a bowl of fruits on the table.Then everything went dark.

That was the last time I saw my home.

…

A pounding headache was what woke me.

I tried to lift my hand to my forehead, but I couldn’t. My eyes slowly opened, my vision adjusting, and I realized I was tied up. Panic spread through me like wildfire. I started struggling, looking around frantically.

“You’ll hurt yourself if you keep that up.” Patricia’s voice pulled me back to reality. She stood by the door. “And that could harm the pup.”

My body froze. She knew, of course she knew. Why else would she kidnap me?

But how?

I hadn’t told anyone, except… No. It couldn’t be. Sasha was my best friend. She wouldn’t do something like this.

And then it hit me: the hug, the tone in her voice, the way it felt like a goodbye.

The panic inside me twisted into something deeper, something heavier and much worse: betrayal.

I was about to break into tears when I heard Patricia’s heels clicking against the floor as she approached. A guard placed a chair in front of me and she sat down gracefully, adjusting herself.

“Well then, Anya,” she began, crossing her legs, her hands resting neatly on her knees. “I would like to start by thanking you for the way you took care of my son. Noah has become a much happier child with you. I recognize the affection you have for him.”

She paused, as if giving me time to respond.

“Th-thank you… he’s like a little brother to me,” I said, my voice shaky.

She smiled and nodded, satisfied.

“Now that we’ve addressed gratitude, let’s move on to the important matters.” Her gaze turned condescending, as if this were a casual conversation and not something happening after she had me kidnapped. “You see, Nathan is a young man. And young men make mistakes.”

My wolf growled softly inside me. I wasn't a mistake and Nathan wasn't confused. He knew exactly what he was doing every night he came to my room. I clenched my teeth, forcing myself to stay quiet.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, though my voice betrayed my tension.

Patricia let out a soft laugh, tilting her head with mock pity.

“Do you really think we don’t know?” she asked, crossing her arms. “Let me be clear, Anya. Nathan’s marriage to Mirella will happen. The packs will unite, peace will be sealed, and nothing will stand in the way of that.” Her eyes dropped to my stomach with clear disdain. “Especially not a bastard child.”

Her words cut deeper than any blade, I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to cry.

“I have no intention of stopping anything. I know my place,” I said, my voice thick with anger.

“Do you?” she asked again, that same condescending tone.

“I do. And whether you believe it or not, I wasn’t the one going to Nathan’s room every night. He came to me,” I said, finding a strength I didn’t know I had. “And yes, I know exactly what I am: an omega, a servant, an one-night stand. Nothing more. And I have no intention of interfering.”

She studied me for a moment, as if deciding whether I deserved punishment for my boldness. Then she smiled, not a graceful one, but a cold and controlled smirk.

“The problem, my dear, is that even if I choose to believe you, we both know Nathan would come after you.”

That hurt. And not because it was true, but because I knew it wasn’t.

My gaze dropped. “No… he wouldn’t. He doesn’t care.”

“I prefer not to rely on luck,” she replied. “If my son ever wonders where the nanny he decided to sleep with went, he will look for you. And if he finds you pregnant, it won’t be difficult to connect the dots.”

“Then just keep him busy for a year or something,” I said desperately. “I’ll disappear. I’ll take my family and leave the country.”

“Hm…” She pursed her lips in disapproval. “I don’t think so. Even years from now, he might decide to look for you. And if he finds you with that child, he will smell it. He will know it’s his blood.”

My throat went dry as it hit me: they had already decided everything, I was problem and I knew how the Volkov handled their problems.

“Are you going to kill me?” I asked, a sudden burst of courage pushing the words out.

“That is what Dimitri wants,” she replied with a casual shrug.

I froze. The Alpha wanted me dead, and when the Alpha wanted something… it happened. Sooner or later.

At first, the idea of dying didn’t scare me. I had lived with death ever since my mother fell ill. But the pup inside me… this child had never even breathed fresh air, never laughed, never run free.

“Don’t hurt my pup,” I begged, my voice breaking. “You can kill me after. You can take him away. But please… don’t hurt her.”

Patricia smiled. I couldn’t tell if it was kind… or cruel.

“I began this conversation by thanking you for saving my son and taking care of him. You may disagree with me now, but I am a fair woman. Nothing matters more to me than my family.” She stood up. “That is why I will spare the pup. He is my grandson, after all. And I owe you that much for saving Noah. That’s how I’ll pay my debt.”

She crouched in front of me, meeting my eyes.

“But don’t misunderstand. You will die. Just not now. You will give birth, and the child will be raised as mine. As Nathan’s sibling.” Her gaze dropped to my stomach, then returned to mine. “Your death will be quick and peaceful. That is what I managed to negotiate with the Alpha.”

She stood again, reality crashed down on me as I started to think about the implications of my death.

“My… my family…” I whispered weakly.

“Sasha will take care of them,” Patricia said as she walked toward the door. Before leaving, she glanced back. “I will visit once a month with a doctor. Get comfortable. You will be here for nine full moons.”

My lips trembled.

I didn’t know what to feel. Gratitude? Fear? Despair?

She disappeared through the door. The guards untied me and left shortly after, but I stayed still, staring at the floor, unable to move, unable to even look around the room.

Or rather… My cell.

Where I would wait for my death sentence to be carried out.