Chapter 4

OLIVIA’S POV No one came. The confinement room’s stone walls pressed closer with every breath, the air thick with the stench of betrayal—not just from Evelyn, my once-friend, but from Dominic. My mate. The man who’d rather see me rot than question the lies poisoning our pack. Five years as his Luna. Five years of enduring his contempt. And still, he didn’t know me at all. Didn’t care to. A whimper escaped my cracked lips. My body ached from dehydration, my wrists raw from the cuffs, but the real agony was deeper. Nestled beneath my ribs, where my pup fluttered weakly. Alive. For now. The door groaned open. My heart lurched—Dominic?—but the scent of pine and parchment hit me first. My adoptive father, Beta Jason. Just his presence brought me a sliver of comfort in this nightmare. When he entered the cell, his eyes filled with undisguised worry, the last of my composure shattered. He knelt before me, his calloused hands trembling as they closed around mine. "Olivia..." His whisper was barely audible. "Tell me the truth. Did you hurt Evelyn?" I shook my head violently, my lips moving soundlessly. Tears spilled down my cheeks as his grip tightened—his own eyes glistening. "I'll get you out of here," he vowed, voice thick. "I promise." I clutched his hands like a lifeline, sobs wracking my body. At least someone still believed in me. At least I wasn't completely alone. "Dad... thank you. I need to see Dominic. Can you help me?" He hesitated. "Yes, but not yet..." Seeing my confusion, he added, "Elder Alyosha knows what's happened. She went straight to the Alpha. They're speaking now." A spark of hope flickered in my chest. If anyone could make Dominic listen, it was Alyosha. "I have to go," he said reluctantly, "but I'll return the moment there's news. James and I won't abandon you." The cell door clanged shut behind him, leaving me to curl against the freezing stone. I clung to that promise, gathering my fractured strength. Every second of waiting felt like an eternity. Then— The screech of metal. A guard shoved inside, unlocking my cuffs with brutal efficiency. "Alpha's orders. You're free to go." I stumbled into the hallway, ribs protesting, but my legs gave out halfway. A searing cramp tore through my abdomen— No. Not the baby. *** The sharp sting of antiseptic burned my nose as consciousness returned. James' clinic. My adoptive brother's worried face swam into view above me. "You're finally awake, Liv." His shoulders sagged in relief. "How do you feel?" My hand flew to my stomach before I could speak. "The baby—" "Is fine," he soothed, squeezing my shoulder. Then quieter: "It's you I'm worried about. You shouldn't have been able to survive that crash." "As long as the baby's safe," I whispered, tears welling. Then the realization hit. "Dominic? Does he—" "Isn't here." James' voice turned glacial. "I sent word. He's... preoccupied." The unspoken with Evelyn hung between us. I clenched the sheets, then made my choice. "I need to tell him." "You'd go back?" James blocked my attempt to rise, his surgeon's voice scalpel-sharp. "After everything?" "I have to." My palm cradled the barely-there swell beneath my hospital gown. "He deserves to know." James exhaled hard through his nose. "Why would the Moon Goddess do this?" He turned away, running a hand through his hair—a gesture so uncharacteristically distressed it chilled me. "James?" I reached for him. "What's wrong?" When he finally met my eyes, his stethoscope clattered onto the tray. "Without your wolf... without Dominic renewing the mating bond..." A swallow. "The pup won't survive past twelve weeks." The world tilted. "You're lying." "I wish I were." His clipboard hit the counter with a crack. "Werewolf fetuses need magic from both parents. You're already at eight." All the pain—Evelyn's schemes, the pack's hatred, Dominic's cruelty—meant nothing compared to this. I would crawl through broken glass for this child. Even if it meant begging the man who hated me most. The packhouse loomed like a gilded prison. Through the study window, I saw them: Evelyn adjusting Dominic’s collar, her fingers lingering on his neck. He allowed it—no, leaned into it—his gaze soft in a way I’d never earned. My knees threatened to buckle. But then—a flutter. Faint but fighting. For my child. Taking a deep breath, I shoved the door open. Dominic turned, golden eyes flashing with annoyance. "What?" Every instinct screamed to run. Instead, James’ words echoed in my mind. "I need to talk to you," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady as I looked right at Dominic. He frowned but nodded. I placed a trembling hand on my stomach and whispered the words that would change everything. "I’m carrying your heir." For the first time in years, I saw something flicker in his eyes—shock, disbelief, something else I couldn’t name. And just like that, the fate of my child rested in his hands.