I lay dying, my vision fading, the world around me blurring into shadows. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was how I was going to die. I felt it was a pity. I couldn’t avenge my dead child and here I was, going to accompany him soon.
---
Three years into my pregnancy, I had felt the life inside me stir for the first time. As the months went on, the fetal movements became stronger, more insistent, like the beating of war drums inside my belly.
I could feel it—my child was coming.
A vision descended from the moon itself, a sign of the child’s importance.
Lying in bed, I waited, my body aching with the effort of labor. But just as I thought I might finally bring my child into the world; I heard voices outside the cabin.
“The Alpha comes here every day,” said an unfamiliar voice, hushed but brimming with curiosity. “I want to see what treasure he’s been hiding.”
Another voice followed, filled with uncertainty. “But this is sacred ground. No one is allowed to enter, not even us.”
“Yes, Lady Lila,” came a third. “The last time someone wandered in here, the Alpha killed him without hesitation. It caused a war between the Demon Wolves and Immortal Wolves. Should we really be doing this?”
I felt a chill run through me, hoping the voices would leave before the Alpha returns.
But Lila’s voice rose above the rest. “Who cares? I’m the only one worthy of the Alpha’s attention! He won’t dare punish me.”
My heart raced. Whoever these wolves were, they had to leave—immediately. I knew what would happen if they didn’t.
Blood would spill again, just like it had years ago when the elder wolf had strayed too far.
Frowning, I pushed myself out of bed. The Alpha had made sure no one disturbed me here, especially after the fetus reacted violently to anyone who came too close. He cared for me himself, driving away even the most trusted of his pack.
But now… someone had crossed the boundary.
I struggled to my feet, ignoring the pain that shot through my body, and made my way to the door.
The moment I stepped outside, I froze. Lila stood before me, her face a twisted mirror of my own.
Her eyes locked onto mine, and before I could say a word, her hand shot out, slapping me hard across the face.
“You bitch! How dare you look like me and hide in the Alpha’s domain! Do you think you can compete with me for his favor?”
Her eyes glittered with fury, a storm brewing behind her gaze.