Chapter 5
The steam from the shower enveloped me as I tried to wash away the stress of the past few days. With Jayson occupied in meetings with the pack elders, I'd finally found a moment of peace. My hands instinctively moved to my belly, caressing the small bump that had become my only source of comfort.
"We'll be okay," I whispered, though Kira remained restless within me.
*Something's wrong,* she insisted. *I can feel it.*
I ignored her warning, allowing myself to relax under the hot water. The baby was all that mattered now. Everything else—Jayson's betrayal, Francesca's manipulations—would fade once I secured our freedom.
---
I didn't hear the door open.
When I stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, I froze. Francesca stood by my dresser, her manicured fingers clutching something small and white.
"Looking for these?" she asked, her voice no longer carrying the fragile tremor she used around Jayson.
My prenatal vitamins. The ones I'd hidden in the back of my drawer, behind old journals and unused cosmetics.
"Those are mine," I said, reaching for them.
Francesca's eyes narrowed as she examined the label. "Prenatal. How... interesting."
She tossed them onto the dresser, her movements deliberate and controlled—nothing like the helpless victim she portrayed to others.
"You're pregnant," she stated flatly. "Carrying the next Alpha heir."
I straightened my spine, refusing to show fear. "Yes."
"Jayson didn't mention it." Her lips curved into a cold smile. "Though I suppose that makes sense, considering."
"Considering what?"
Her eyes flashed with genuine malice now, all pretense gone. "Considering he never wanted you or your spawn in the first place."
Kira surged forward, my eyes flashing amber as my wolf responded to the threat. "Get out of my room."
"Your room?" Francesca laughed, the sound sharp and brittle. "Nothing here is yours, Elle. Not the title, not the pack, and certainly not Jayson."
She moved toward the door, then paused. "You know what happens to obstacles in our world, don't you?"
The threat hung in the air long after she left.
---
The next afternoon, the winter sun cast long shadows across the snow-covered grounds. I paced the library, unable to concentrate on the foundation paperwork spread before me.
My phone buzzed with a text message.
*Meet me by the lake. I want to talk. Please. I think we got off on the wrong foot.*
Francesca's name appeared on the screen. I stared at the message, suspicion flaring.
*It's a trap,* Kira growled immediately. *Don't go.*
"I know," I murmured, my finger hovering over the delete button.
But then another message appeared: *I'm leaving tomorrow. Just want to apologize before I go.*
I hesitated. If Francesca was truly leaving, it would solve everything. No more manipulation, no more watching Jayson fawn over her while I carried his child.
*She's lying,* Kira insisted. *Can't you smell it?*
I closed my eyes, trying to sense the truth through our bond. There was something off about the message—too convenient, too timely.
Yet hope persisted. What if she really was leaving? What if this was my chance to restore peace to the pack house?
"I need to do this," I decided, grabbing my coat.
---
The lake glittered under the winter sun, its surface frozen solid. I wrapped my scarf tighter around my neck as I approached the small wooden dock that extended into the ice.
Francesca stood at the end of the dock, her golden hair catching the sunlight. She wore a simple white dress that contrasted starkly with the snow, her bare arms showing no sign of cold.
"Thank you for coming," she called as I approached. "I wasn't sure you would."
I stopped at the edge of the dock, unwilling to venture further. "You said you wanted to apologize."
"Did I?" Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "I think there's been a misunderstanding."
Kira's warning grew louder, her growl reverberating through my mind. *Turn around. Now.*
"Where's Jayson?" I asked, suddenly aware of how isolated we were. The main house was visible in the distance, but no one would hear if I called out.
"Busy with pack business." Francesca took a step closer. "He doesn't need to be part of this conversation."
The wind shifted, bringing her scent to me—French perfume mixed with something else. Something metallic and cold.
"You're not leaving, are you?" I asked, my hand instinctively moving to protect my belly.
Francesca's eyes followed the movement, her expression hardening. "No. I'm not."
She took another step forward, her bare feet making no sound on the wooden planks. "You see, I've been doing some research on pack inheritance laws."
My heart pounded as I realized how completely alone we were. The lake stretched behind her, frozen and vast. No witnesses. No help.
"And what I discovered," she continued, "is that an Alpha heir changes everything."
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