Chapter 3: Blood for Blood

Sovia’s POV

“What do you want?” My voice shook with tension as he stepped closer.

I moved back until my back hit the wall. Goosebumps trailed up my neck.

His smile revealed his perfectly shaped fangs as his eyes lit up with a blue glint. “What do you want?”

Everyone called him the Demon because he had a dominant lycan blood. Ruthlessness, he wore like a second skin—Janova always told me to stay away from him.

I tried to move, but he caught my arms and I froze. A surprising soft warmth coiled through my cold skin. Yet I shivered.

Was it from his stare? Or his claws that were already trailing my arm?

“You haven’t answered, Little Red.”

Little Red?

I lifted my chin, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m the Luna Queen—how dare you address me…”

He chuckled. And for a moment, I feared that people would see us together.

Janova’s room was just to the side. With this kind of compromising position, it would be easy to spin different narratives.

“That’s cute.” He leaned in, enough for me to feel the heat from his breath. “Your mate brought a wolf—she could be his breeder.”

His head tilted slowly, and his eyes dipped lower as they fell onto my lips. “Or his next Luna.”

My nails started digging into the wall; the tear in my skin burned with ache.

“Make me your consort. I’ll be good to you.”

“Have you lost your mind?”

He cupped my chin. I froze under his touch. I shivered as his claws started to brush gentle circles over my skin.

“Tell me, Red—all these years chasing my half-brother. Has he made you happy?”

I opened my mouth to speak. No words came out. I wanted to say it. Say that I was. But deep down, I wasn’t.

He smiled and took a step back. The light caught his features.

Sharp jawline, stormy gray eyes, and the way he looked at me—like I was something he needed.

It made my thighs clench. I was overthinking. Besides, he was my brother-in-law.

His hands reached for me again, and for a moment it felt like I wanted him to touch me—and when he did, it burned.

Moon Goddess, what was wrong with me?

His fingertips grazed my arm. I winced in pain, only for a moment. He lifted his lips as he brought his fingers to his mouth.

And flicked his tongue against my blood. “Hmm—you taste… sweet.”

I gulped. Wrapped my arms around my body and turned away from him. “Whatever it is you want, I won’t help you.”

“But you helped my brother—I even heard you sacrificed your wolf for him. Else, how could he have become Alpha King?”

My eyes widened. “How did you…”

He placed a hand over my lips. “Shhh.” He rasped. “We wouldn’t want your mate knowing I’m spending some alone time with his woman.”

“Leave…”

“Come with me to the North. I’m a businessman with a successful company. It won’t be glamorous like royalty, but I can promise comfort and peace. Something your precious Janova cannot give you.”

I ground my teeth. “And what is that?”

“A mate would watch the world—” He reached for my hair; his fingers sank into its length and yanked me to his body. “—then gather its ashes at your feet—and worship you as my woman.”

“You’re insane. I’m the Luna Queen of Janova. I will not leave my mate.”

“Foolish. If you don’t leave now, you’ll regret it. And I’ll be waiting to gather the pieces.”

Footsteps approached. I spun toward the sound and found a familiar figure closing in.

I turned back, only to find him gone. His jacket had been firmly placed around my shoulders.

His thick musk lingered even though he was gone.

“My lady…” It was Vanessa, my personal maid who had grown up with me since childhood.

“How could the Alpha treat you this way?” she mumbled, her tears dripping as she grabbed my shoulders. “He promised he would give you a better future. I thought we would finally escape from that hell. My lady, you deserve better.”

She was right. When I married into the royal family, I thought I had escaped. But sadly…

Even if I was tearing up inside, I had to be strong—at least for Vanessa.

I pulled her close. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. We’ve already survived worse.”

Vanessa sniffed as she hugged me, squeezing my injury. I shut my eyes and hugged her back.

“We will survive.”

***

After that day, I became an outcast in my own home—my palace was given to that rogue. They said I had to atone for my sin—what a joke.

Janova must have been so busy with his little rogue that he didn’t come to see me.

Until today. The door opened and Janova stepped inside. I was seated on my bed, a blanket draped over my legs.

My nerves still shook with the aftermath of that day.

“Finally, you’ve come to see me.”

Janova paused a few steps from where I was before he sighed. He walked over to the bed and took a seat beside me.

“Do you still resent me?”

I scoffed, pulling my legs together. “How could I possibly resent my Alpha—his word is law.”

Janova frowned as he pulled the blanket further up my body. Then his hands reached forward to my face. I avoided his touch.

Retracting his hand, he exhaled. “We need to talk.”

“About what?”

“Us. It’s been years—and I don’t have an heir.”

I already knew what he was going to say. I swallowed, but a hard lump burned in my throat. It made my fists squeeze the sheets. “She’s carrying your child, isn’t she?”

Silence.

Then he dropped the words. “Yes.”

I already knew. But it hurt even more knowing he was not denying it.

“So what do you want from me?”

“I want you to adopt Blossom’s pup and raise it like your own.”

A bitter laugh rose in my throat as I rolled my eyes. He grabbed my hand and moved closer. “This is for our people—for you. Didn’t you always want children? I’m giving it to you.”

“Can you even hear yourself? You want me to raise a child from your affair.”

“That is precisely why you must adopt the child. So it would be ours legally. You’ll be its imperial mother. We will be a family.”

The way he smiled. It was like he knew this was the right thing to do… he believed it.

“You’re sick if you think I’ll do that.”

Janova’s face turned cold with shock as I snatched my hand away from his.

The door opened again. It was my mother who strolled inside.

“Mom?”

She didn’t even look at me before she asked, “Did she agree?”

When Janova didn't respond, my mother marched forward and grabbed my hand. “Sovia, this is a very serious decision concerning our family. Adopt Blossom’s child so our family can have a legal ground in the royal family.”

I smiled as tears filled my eyes. “Mom, so even you want me to do it too?”

“Of course. You’re infertile. Janova cares for you so much he’s willing to keep you by his side despite your shortcoming. The least you can do is show gratitude.”

I pulled my hand away from hers. “All these years you’ve never treated me like a daughter, but I didn’t ever think you’d ask this. This time I won’t.”

“You…”

I set my feet on the floor and forced my spine straight. My vision swam for a moment before I lifted my chin. “Get out. Both of you…”

A hand grabbed my neck hard. I gasped when I saw that it was Janova, his eyes flooding red as he groaned.

“Blossom told me you were not going to agree—too bad I’ve let you grow wings all these years.”

He lowered his voice, looked me right in the eyes, and mumbled, “Now I have to break those wings.”

“Janova, you… you’re hurting me.”

His claws sank into my skin, tearing my flesh as more tears ran down the side of my face.

“Please… Janova… I’m your mate.”

“Stupid girl—you really believe that?” My mother chuckled as she came beside Janova. “If it weren’t for your grandfather’s Moonshade treasury under your name—why would His Majesty choose you?”

Blood slipped from my lips, my face stained with tears.

“Is that true?”

Janova’s eyes narrowed, the last of his restraint slipping from his face.

“You are nothing but a pawn I chose. And do you know what happens to pawns when they try to control the game—they die.”

Crash! The sound of broken plates filled the air.

“My lady!” Vanessa yelled as she charged toward us.

“Nessa… leave!”

“My Lady. I'll protect you…”

“Useless.” Janova hissed, caught her by the neck, and swiftly clawed her throat out.

Her blood sprayed the air and stained my face.

I screamed as Vanessa’s body dropped to the floor. Janova lifted me by the neck and started moving. I struggled, clawing him with my nails. “You monster. I’ll kill you!”

“Shhh,” he hushed and then pressed me against the window.

“Blame yourself. All you had to do was obey me. But you didn’t. Don’t worry, though—I doubt anyone would miss you.”

I choked when he pressed me against the window. I couldn’t feel the cold air biting against my back.

“The Luna Queen, overcome by jealousy, committed suicide. Once I marry Blossom, our child will be the legitimate heir. But I have to say—thank you. All of this would not have been possible without my Luna.”

His eyes filled with tears as he smiled. “If there’s a next life… perhaps I’ll choose you first.”

“No, I’ll be your worst nightmare.”

Janova’s lips curled into a cold smile. “Then I’ll wait for you.”

Janova shoved me out the window. My hands clawed the air as I struggled to breathe.

No. I can’t die.

Thud!

My head connected with something hard. Something wet started to pool over me.

“Sovia!”

I heard the scream from a distance. It was familiar and faint.

It was my sister, Lydia, trying to run toward me, but guards held her back.

I smiled. In this cold world, someone still cared.

If there is a next life—Moon Goddess, don’t let me be so pathetic.