جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

—•Avery Pov•—Hours later, I stood at the entrance of the pack house, squinting against the bright sunlight. The dress was even worse when I put it on. It was too tight around my chest, making it hard to breathe, and the rough fabric itched against my skin. The yellowed color made my pale skin look sickly, and the uneven hem dragged on the ground, collecting dirt. Around me, omega servants bustled about, preparing for the ceremony. I could feel their judging eyes on me, hear their whispered comments. "Look at her," one of them sneered. "Even on her wedding day, she looks pathetic." "She thinks she’s Luna material”’ Another voice, sharp with laughter. ‘That dress looks like it’s from the garbage.’ "I don't know what Alpha Ryan sees in her," another replied. "She doesn't even have a wolf. It's unnatural."I felt every word like a slap across my face, but I refused to let them see me break.So I smiled to spite them. Wide and bright.Even if it didn’t reach my eyes.Let them tal

—•AVERY’s POV•—Days turned into weeks full of misery and futile escape attempts. I was caged. The east wing of the pack house was nothing more than a glorified prison. The windows were barred. Guards stood at my door day and night, never speaking, just watching with cold eyes. Even when I screamed or begged, they stood like statues. Unmoved. Uncaring.The room itself was plain—just a bed, a nightstand, and a small bathroom. No freedom. At first, I counted the days by scratching lines into the wood beneath the bed, but eventually, I stopped. What was the point?I had no one left. No allies. No wolf. No family who cared about me. Not even a future.Only Ryan. Ryan visits me sometimes, not to check on me, not to apologize. But to remind me of my duty. "The pack needs an heir, Avery. Stop fighting your fate."Fate? Was it fate to be used like livestock? To be locked away and stripped of everything that made me me?When I refused to comply, the son of a bastard started taking from

—•Avery Pov•—Two months passed in my gilded cage. I was now showing a small bump, and each day brought new discomforts. Morning sickness plagued me constantly, and the loneliness was crushing.Tonight was the annual Moon Festival—a celebration where all packs gathered under the full moon to strengthen alliances and honor the Moon Goddess. In previous years, I had been allowed to attend but was mostly ignored, the wolfless omega nobody wanted to acknowledge.This year, Ryan had ordered me to attend as well. "People are starting to talk about your absence," he'd said coldly. "You will come to the festival and smile. You will tell everyone how happy you are to be carrying the future heir of Red Stone Pack."So here I was, dressed in a loose green gown that did little to hide my slightly swollen belly, standing alone in the gardens away from the crowd in the grand hall. I couldn't bear to watch Ryan and Kira playing the happy couple, accepting congratulations for both their marriage a

—•AVERY•— I woke up in an unfamiliar bedroom, on a bed softer than any I'd ever slept in. The ceiling above me was painted with intricate patterns, and silk curtains billowed gently from open windows that let in a cool breeze. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. Then the memories came rushing back—Kira attacking me, Alpha Damon stepping in, his impossible claim about my baby. I sat up with a gasp, my hand instinctively going to my stomach. "Your pup is fine," a deep voice said from across the bedroom. I whipped my head around to see him—Alpha Damon—sitting in a large armchair, watching me with those intense hazel eyes. In the dim glow of the room, he looked even more handsome than before, but no less dangerous. His sheer size was intimidating; even seated, I could tell he towered over most men. The muscles of his arms strained against the fabric of his shirt, and the set of his jaw spoke of a man unaccustomed to being disobeyed. Fear shot through me. I was alo

—AVERY’S POV— “Avery, I needed to see you. Just talk to you.” I finally faced him. Ryan. He looked like a shadow of himself. Pale, unshaven, eyes hollowed out. But whatever pity might have flickered in my chest faded away the second I noticed the smear of red lipstick at his collar. Kira’s mouth had been there, and it was then that I suddenly understood the agonizing pain I’d felt earlier. Bastard. “We have nothing to talk about,” I retorted flatly. “I never meant to hurt you,” he said softly. “You know that, right?” A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “You burned down my fashion house. You took my money. You locked me up and tried to use my body like some sort of surrogate and now you want sympathy?” His jaw clenched, but he stepped closer. “Kira’s dying.” “She’s always dying!” I snapped. “And somehow I’m the one who keeps paying for it.” He looked down, unable to meet my eyes. “I didn’t think things would go this far.” “But they did. And now… now I’m carrying someone e