Chapter 3

"Nia, you're a Rogue, so you don't understand how packs work. For any Alpha, only their firstborn pup receives the Moon Goddess's blessing and inherits a pure bloodline and power.

"Freya's pup has to be born first and become first in the line of succession. That's the only way you'll be safe."

It felt as though something was grinding my insides apart. Cold sweat soaked through my clothes. I looked at the empty pouch of dried fruit I had just finished, and the realization hit me like a hammer.

"Kael, this is your pup too. How could you be this cruel?"

Kael pulled me close, his eyes red, apologizing over and over.

"I'm sorry, Nia. Freya already knows about you.

"You conceived before she did. If your pup is born first, it'll claim the Moon Goddess's blessing. She'll never allow that."

He had laced the honeyed dried fruit with an abortion drug.

"Kael, the drug just kicked in. Our pup can still be saved. Go find a healer now!"

He did not move. I broke down completely and threw away every last shred of pride.

"I don't need a title anymore. I won't stand in the way of your bonding with Freya. All I want is my pup. I'll take him far away. I'll never interfere with your lives. Please, just save him."

No matter how I begged, he did not move.

He held me and rubbed my back, his voice soft. "Be good. Just bear with it and it'll be over soon. Remember? You always used to say that being in my arms made the pain go away. This will be the same. It'll be over before you know it."

I shoved him away. My vision blurred with tears and every word tore itself out of me. "Go find a healer. I'm begging you, Kael."

"It won't make a difference." He passed the sentence on my pup without a flicker of emotion.

"Healers that powerful only exist in the royal court, and they’ll only treat those with royal blood. They'd never help a Rogue.

"Just do as I say. Once Freya's pup is born, I'll give you another one."

I clenched my teeth and seized his wrist with everything I had.

"Kael, listen to me carefully. I'm not a Rogue. I'm Princess Serafina of the royal court. Now go find a healer and save my pup."

He did not believe a word of it. He pulled his wrist free and looked at me with nothing but disappointment.

"Nia, you've really let me down. There's a limit to how far a lie can go.

"Impersonating royalty is one of the worst crimes in the wolf kingdom. In the best case, you’ll get your wolf power stripped and be exiled to the frozen wastes. At worst, it's a death sentence.

"This isn't some unclaimed forest. This is the Thunderpeak pack's territory, right on the royal court's border. Say whatever you want if you've got a death wish, but don't drag me and my pack down with you."

He stood and left without looking back.

"It's just an unformed pup. It won't kill you. Stay here and think about what you've done."

I watched him walk away, and the last flicker of hope I had went with him.

I curled up on the cold floor. I could feel it clearly, the faint spark of life inside me growing weaker and weaker until there was nothing left.

The pup I had dreamed of through countless days and nights had been killed by the pup’s own father before ever having the chance to live.

With my bloodline sealed, my body had almost no ability to heal itself. I was unconscious for two full days.

When I finally came to, my dress was soaked red with blood.

The door slammed open with a deafening crash. Freya stormed in with her entourage, fury written across her face.