Chapter 5: Bound And Accused
1038 Words
Mia's POV
The moment we pulled into the driveway, my stepmom and Lyra ordered the guards to bind my hands behind my back. I didn't even have time to protest before I was hauled out of the car and thrown onto the cold tiled floor of the balcony, my knees scraping painfully against the tiles.
Lyra stood over me, her arms crossed, studying me the way someone might study something disgusting stuck to the bottom of their shoe.
"Look at you," she said, tilting her head with mock curiosity. "I didn't expect you to be this bold. So who's the baby's father? Some drunk you picked up off the street? A bum with nowhere else to go?"
"Neither," I said, my voice trembling.
"Please... just let me go."
She didn't answer right away. Instead, she walked over to the small table near the balcony railing, picked up a glass of water, and, without warning, poured it over my head.
The cold water hit me like a slap, soaking my hair and running down the collar of my shirt until my clothes clung to my skin, leaving me trembling.
"Still want to leave?" she hissed, crouching until her face was level with mine. "You ruined everything. Do you understand that? I lost my chance to marry into the Blackwood family because of you."
Her fingers dug painfully into my arm as she yanked me closer.
"So tell me... how exactly are you going to make this up to me? You've already sold yourself once, apparently, so why stop at one man? I could find you a few more clients if you'd like. What's your type, huh? I'm sure I can arrange something."
Tears streamed down my face, mixing with the water dripping from my hair.
"Please... let me go. I swear you'll never see me again."
That was when my stepmom stepped forward, her heels clicking sharply against the tiled floor.
"You want to leave?" she repeated, her voice as cold as ice.
Then her eyes narrowed.
"Wait... where did you get the money to run away?”
She turned to Lyra.
"Search her. Let's see what she's hiding."
Lyra didn't hesitate.
She grabbed the collar of my shirt and searched my pockets roughly until her fingers found the black card hidden inside.
She pulled it out immediately.
Ethan's POV
Meanwhile, across the city, Xavier Kingsley burst into my office, clutching a folder tightly against his chest, his expression filled with urgency.
"Sir, I found the woman from the banquet," he said, struggling to catch his breath. "Her name is Mia Hawthorne.
She's a freshman at City College. I checked her hospital records and... Sir, she's pregnant."
I looked up from the documents on my desk.
"Pregnant?" I asked calmly. "And what exactly does that have to do with me?"
"I verified everything myself," Xavier replied, sliding the folder across my desk.
"The paternity results are conclusive."
"The child is yours."
I let out a short, humorless laugh.
"Impossible."
"My doctors confirmed years ago that I was sterile."
"There is no way."
Before I could dismiss it completely, my wolf stirred inside me.
I told you.
That woman is your mate.
Soul-bound. Destined.
She is the only woman in this world capable of carrying your children.
Something inside me shifted.
A slow smile spread across my face as the truth finally settled in.
"Perfect," I murmured.
"I'm finally going to have an heir.’
"The Blackwood bloodline will continue."
I stood immediately, reaching for my coat.
"Find her."
"Wherever she is..."
"Bring her to me."
"I'm going to marry her."
Mia's POV
Back at the house, I was still tied up.
My clothes were soaked, and I couldn't stop trembling.
I watched helplessly as Lyra turned the black card over in her fingers.
"Please..." I begged.
"Give it back."
"That's mine."
My stepmom snatched the card from Lyra and held it up, carefully examining it.
"Where did this come from?" she demanded.
"She definitely stole it," Lyra said without hesitation.
"Mom, we need to call the cops."
"We've got a thief living under our roof."
My stepmom looked down at me with nothing but disgust.
"Mia, not only are you low-born, you're rotten on the inside too."
"Stealing from others..."
"You shameless little bitch."
"Someone gave it to me!" I cried, struggling against the ropes around my wrists.
"I didn't steal anything. I swear."
My stepmom laughed.
A cold, mocking laugh.
"Someone gave it to you?"
"Stop lying."
"Look at yourself."
"Who would willingly give someone like you anything?"
Lyra took the card back and examined it more carefully.
Suddenly, her expression froze.
"Wait..."
Her eyes widened.
"This..."
"This is the Blackwood family crest."
For a brief second, the color drained from her face.
Then anger quickly replaced the shock.
She rushed toward me, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and yanked my head back so hard tears sprang into my eyes.
"You little b***h!"
"You dared to steal from the Blackwood family?"
"Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"You want to drag our family into a war with the Alpha?"
"Alpha Ethan hates thieves more than anything."
"If he finds out this card came from our house..."
"He'll hate all of us."
"He'll hate me."
"I didn't steal it!" I cried.
"I'm telling you the truth."
The slap landed before I could finish speaking.
My head snapped to the side.
My cheek burned with pain.
"Lying..."
"And stealing."
"Disgusting."
My stepmom folded her arms and stared down at me with the same expression she always wore, as though I were something beneath her notice.
"Mia," she said coldly, "remember your place."
"You are my servant for life."
"There is no escaping this house."
"There is no escaping me."
"And don't you dare dream of anything more than that."
"The Alpha will marry Lyra."
"That has always been the plan."
"And nothing you do will ever change it."
I lowered my head without another word.
My soaked clothes clung to my body, and the ropes around my wrists dug painfully into my skin.
No matter how hard I tried to stay strong, hope was slipping through my fingers.
I didn't know...
My worst nightmare was only just beginning.
- Writer
