Rejected, But He Begs Me Back

Chapter 3: Two Heartbeats

"Search everywhere! That omega's body must be here! Alpha ordered no trace left!"

Jessica's voice was outside the house. Sweet but cold.

I froze on the wooden table. My blood stopped. My hands went straight to my belly.

Mara blew out the fire. Fast. The small house went dark. Only snow light came from small window.

"Shhh," Mara whispered into my ear. Her hand covered my mouth. "Don't breathe loud."

Heavy boots crunched in snow. Many boots. At least five wolves.

"Jessica, there is a small house here!" A male voice shouted. "Light is off."

"Check it! If that wolfless b***h is hiding, kill her. Make it look like rogues," Jessica ordered.

My heart beat so fast I thought they would hear it. Thump-thump-thump-thump.

And under my hand, my baby's heartbeat also went fast. Thump-thump-thump. Like he was scared too.

Two heartbeats, both terrified.

Mara pulled me off table. My legs were still weak. I almost fell. She dragged me to a dark corner, behind big wooden boxes of herbs.

She opened a small trap door on the floor I did not see before. Cold air came from it. A small cellar for potatoes.

"In. Now," she hissed.

"I can't fit-" I started.

"You can. For pup, you can."

I got inside. It was tiny, wet, smelled like earth. I curled my body to fit, hugging my knees to my chest, holding my belly tight. Mara put two blankets over me, then closed trap door and pushed boxes over it.

Darkness. Complete darkness. Only my breathing and two heartbeats.

Boots came closer.

BANG! BANG! Someone kicked the door of house.

"Old woman! Open! Pack search!"

Mara opened the door. Her voice changed. Old and angry.

"What? Who knocks at old woman's house at night? I have no food for you thieves!"

"Shut up, old hag!" Male voice. "We look for an omega girl. Thin, black hair, white dress, bleeding. Did you see her?"

I held my breath in cellar. My hands shook so much. I pressed them hard on my mouth.

"Omega? In blizzard? She would be dead!" Mara shouted. "You think I keep dead girls in my house? Are you crazy? Get out! Get out!"

"Search the house!" Jessica's voice came inside now. I smelled her expensive perfume, even through floor. Sweet roses.

Boots walked inside. They kicked things. Bottles broke.

"Nothing here! Only herbs!" A man said.

"Check everywhere!" Jessica screamed. "That b***h ran this way! I saw footprints in snow!"

A boot stepped right on the trap door above my head. Dust fell on my face.

I bit my hand to not scream. My belly cramped again from fear. Sharp pain.

No, baby, please not now, please stay, please stay...

I talked to my belly in my mind. Please, baby, don't make me bleed now. They will smell blood.

The boot stayed on trap door for five seconds. Ten seconds.

Then moved.

"Jessica, there is no one. Only old woman. Let's go, Alpha will be angry if we are late," male voice said.

"He said leave no trace! If that omega lives and tells anyone Alpha's mate was killed, we are dead!" Jessica hissed.

Mate? She said mate? So Caleb knew I was his mate? He still ordered to erase me?

My chest ripped open again. Worse than rejection.

"There is blood outside! Small drops! It goes to forest, not here!" Another man shouted from outside.

Jessica clicked her tongue. "Fine. Follow blood. If she is alive, wolves will eat her. Let's go!"

Boots left. Door banged. Snow wind came, then door closed.

Silence.

I stayed in cellar. I did not move. I counted heartbeats.

One minute. Two minutes.

Trap door opened. Light came.

"They are gone," Mara whispered. She pulled me out. Her hands were shaking too.

I fell into her arms and cried. No sound, just tears. My body shook hard.

"They wanted to kill me... even after rejection... they wanted to kill me..."

Mara hugged me tight. Her old body was warm.

"Shhh, girl, shhh. You are safe now. But we must leave. Tonight. Now. They will come back."

"My baby..." I touched my belly. Still flat, but warm. "Is my baby okay? After fear..."

Mara put her hand on my belly. Closed eyes. Listened.

Then she smiled, wet eyes.

"Two heartbeats. Still two. Strong. Your pup is fighter, like you."

I cried louder. I put my own hand there. I felt it. Fast but strong.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Mine and his.

"Decide now, Sophie," Mara said, kneeling in front of me. She held my cold hands. "Decide for real. This pup will make your life very hard. No pack, no money, no father. Human city is expensive. You are 18, weak, no wolf. If you keep him, you will suffer."

"I know," I whispered.

"If you don't keep him... I know a herb... it can... it can make it go away safely now, early... No pain... No one will know..."

My head snapped up. "No!"

My voice was loud. Sharp. Even Mara jumped.

"No! Don't say that! I will not kill my baby!"

My hands covered my belly, protective, angry. My body curled over it like wolf protecting pup.

"He is mine! Only mine! Not Caleb's! Mine! He didn't reject my baby, he rejected me! My baby did nothing wrong!"

Tears poured, but my voice was strong for first time.

"I have no one. No parents, no friends, no mate. But I have him. Inside me. He needs me. And I need him. I will keep him, Mara. Even if I have to beg in street. Even if I have to die. I will keep him."

Mara stared at me. Then tears fell from her old eyes.

"Good," she whispered. "Good girl. That is what mother says."

She stood up and started packing fast. Throwing clothes, herbs, bottles into big bag.

"We leave in 10 minutes. But first, I must check your blood again. That silver thread I saw..."

She took my bloody cloth from earlier and held it near oil lamp. She also pricked my finger with small needle and squeezed drop of blood onto white plate.

We both looked.

My blood was red, but inside red, there were tiny silver lights, like stars moving.

Mara gasped. Her hand shook.

"White Wolf... it really is White Wolf blood..."

"What is White Wolf?" I asked. My voice still hoarse from crying. I leaned close to look.

Mara's voice was excited and scared.

"100 years ago, there was a kingdom of White Wolves. All healers. Their blood could cure any curse, any poison, any wound. Their queen was most powerful. But Black Wolves were jealous. They attacked. Killed all White Wolves. Thought they killed all."

She looked at me, eyes wide.

"Your mother... what was her name?"

"Lena... Lena Lane... she died when I was five... rogue attack..."

"Lena Lane... Lena White!" Mara shouted. "I knew her! She was my student! She had silver hair but dyed it black! She told me she was hiding! Oh Moon Goddess!"

She grabbed my face.

"Sophie, you are not omega! You never were! You are royal White Wolf princess! Your wolf was hiding inside you since birth to protect you! That is why you could not shift! That is why you felt no wolf! Your mother sealed your power!"

Royal? Princess? I shook my head. "No, I am not... I am weak... everyone says-"

"Everyone is blind!" Mara shook me a little. "Feel your blood! Feel it!"

She put my own bloody finger on my chest, over my heart.

"Close eyes! Feel!"

I closed eyes. I felt cold, fear, pain... but under it, deep deep inside, there was warmth. Small warm light in my chest, where bond broke. It beat with my heart and baby's heart.

Thump-thump.

For first time in 18 years, I heard another heartbeat inside me. Not baby's. Mine. My wolf.

A small voice, weak but alive: ...Mama... here...

I gasped. My eyes flew open. Silver light flashed in my eyes for one second. My hands glowed silver.

"My wolf... I heard my wolf..." I whispered. Tears fell again, but different tears. Happy tears.

Mara laughed and cried together. "She is awake! Your wolf is awake because you decided to be mother! White Wolves become strong when they protect pup!"

She hugged me tight.

"Listen, Sophie Lane, not Lane, White. You keep this pup, you will become strongest Luna alive. You will make that stupid Alpha boy beg on his knees."

I touched my belly, feeling two heartbeats now plus my wolf's heartbeat. Three heartbeats in one body.

"I will keep him," I said again. Stronger this time. My voice did not shake. "I will keep him and I will become strong. For him."

Mara nodded and pulled me up. "Then we go. Now. Before they come back. We go to human city. I will teach you medicine. Human and wolf. You will become doctor. Best doctor. And one day, you will return and make them all kneel."

She gave me her big coat and boots. Too big, but warm.

We opened back door of house. Blizzard still blew, but less.

We stepped into snow. Two women, one old, one young and pregnant, walking away from pack that threw them away.

We walked 10 steps.

Then Mara stopped. She looked at snow in front of us.

Footprints. Fresh footprints. Big Alpha boots. Coming towards house. Not going away.

And a tall figure stood in snow, 20 meters ahead, blocking our path. Black coat, black hair, golden eyes glowing in dark.

Caleb.

He was not with Jessica. He was alone. His face was pale. His chest heaved like he ran.

He looked straight at me. At my belly that I was holding. At Mara's bag.

"Sophie?" His voice broke in cold air. "Is that you? I followed the blood... I thought you were dead..."