Chapter 2

That night, Selene smashed half her room.

I sat in my small room, listening to the sound of things shattering in the distance. My palms would not stop sweating.

The little voice in my head sounded very pleased.

[Serves her right. That’s what she gets for not knowing what she has.]

I whispered, “Stop talking.”

[Don’t be scared, Mommy.]

My heart jumped. “Don’t call me that.”

[You can hear me. That means we’re connected.]

“What are you?”

[The Moon-blessed pup. The Moon Goddess’s blessed pup. But I haven’t decided whether I want you as my mommy yet.]

I almost laughed from anger.

I was about to lose my life, and it was still busy choosing.

Footsteps sounded outside the door.

I stood at once.

Kael came in.

The room was small. The moment he entered, the air turned heavy. I lowered my head. “Alpha King.”

He glanced at the herbs on the table. “You really know how to care for a pregnant Omega?”

“Yes.”

“You’re really willing to bear my heir?”

My throat tightened.

If I said yes, I would be throwing myself into the center of the storm. If I said no, I would be lying to the Alpha King.

I said softly, “If the Moon Goddess allows it, I am willing.”

Kael stared at me. “Are you afraid of me?”

I did not dare lie. “Yes.”

“You were bold enough in Pack Hall.”

“I was only trying to survive.”

He fell silent for a moment, then gripped my chin and forced me to look up. “An Omega without a wolf wants to bear my heir?”

The little voice in my head immediately shouted.

[Don’t back down. Say you can do it!]

I looked at Kael and said quietly, “I’ll do my best.”

That night, he stayed in my small room.

There was no tenderness. No unnecessary words. I knew very well this was not affection. Selene had pushed too hard, and I had become another path.

By the next day, the entire Blackthorn Pack knew.

The people in the herb room looked at me differently.

“She really dared to crawl into the Alpha King’s bed.”

“A wolf-less waste thinks she can bear an heir?”

“Selene is worth more than a hundred of her.”

I acted as if I had not heard and continued sorting the herbs.

At noon, Mara summoned me. Selene was there too.

Selene looked furious, but she still stood straight, as if everyone in the room should be kneeling at her feet.

Mara asked coldly, “Selene, are you still going to use the pup to threaten Kael?”

Selene smiled. “I’m only asking for what I deserve.”

She turned to Kael and said each word clearly. “Luna authority. A Council seat. An heir’s wolf oath. If even one is missing, I won’t give birth.”

Mara snapped, “The pup in your womb is the Pack’s hope.”

“And my bargaining chip.”

Pack Hall fell dead silent again.

I lowered my head, trying to make myself invisible. But Selene looked straight at me, her eyes poisonous.

“As for Ivy?”

She gave a soft laugh. “An Omega without even a wolf thinks one night with you means she can replace me?”

She looked at Kael with absolute certainty. “You can favor her if you want, but you can’t live without me. Without me, you’ll have no heir.”

The little voice in my head snorted coldly.

[Where does she get all that confidence? Her belly is just a temporary place to stay. It’s not my home.]

Kael stood, his face dark.

Everyone thought he would lose his temper.

But he only said coldly, “If you don’t want to give birth, then don’t concern yourself with who I choose to bear my child.”

With that, he turned and left.

When he passed me, he stopped. “Ivy, come with me.”

I froze, then had no choice but to follow.

Behind me, Selene’s voice dropped very low.

“Ivy Reed, you’ll regret this.”

I knew.

She was not speaking to Kael.

She was speaking to me.