The Mate He Bought

Cravings and Warnings

Athena’s POV

I’m tired.

Not the normal tired. Not the tired where sleep fixes it. No, this is different. This is bone-tired. Soul-tired. The kind where you wake up and feel worse than when you closed your eyes.

That’s if I even slept.

I didn’t, though.

The cold floor pressed into every part of me last night. My back’s still numb. My arms too. My legs feel like they don’t belong to me anymore. Maybe they don’t. Maybe nothing belongs to me now.

I hear her breathing above me. Isabella. Soft. Calm. Like nothing’s wrong in her world.

But me?

I’m stuck here. On the floor. Like a dead thing she forgot to throw out.

I thought about getting up early. Trying to sneak away. But what’s the point? Where would I go? Back to Raphael? To beg him? To be hit again?

So, I stayed. I just lay there. Eyes open.

At some point, she kicked me.

“Get up.”

I did. Without thinking. My body just moved.

She told me to wash her clothes. Again.

I don’t know how my hands still work.

I knelt by the water, scrubbing until the skin peeled. The soap burned the cuts. I didn’t care. Pain felt normal now. Something I could understand.

I hated how normal it felt.

After a while, she got bored and left. Probably to flirt with Raphael. I stayed in the corner, pretending to scrub, just so no one would notice me.

That’s when it happened.

I smelled something from the kitchen.

Food.

But not normal food.

It was something strange. Something I didn’t even like before. Meat. Burned. Oily. And… gods, I wanted it. My stomach twisted. I wanted to eat it so bad I almost cried. I don’t even know why. I hate oily meat. Always have.

I clenched my fists, pressed my hands against my belly, told myself to stop. Told myself to focus.

But the craving wouldn’t leave. It sat there. Heavy. Like a stone.

I shook my head. It’s just hunger. That’s all.

Right?

I told myself that. Over and over.

But I’m not sure I believed it.

A maid passed by then. The older one. The one who sometimes gives me water when no one’s looking.

She paused, looked around fast, then whispered to me.

“Watch yourself.”

I frowned. “What?”

She leaned in closer.

“Isabella wants you dead.”

My whole body froze.

The maid pulled back quick. Too quick. Someone must’ve been coming.

She left me there. Kneeling. Soaked in dirty water. Shaking.

I wanted to laugh. Honestly, I did. As if things weren’t bad enough.

Now I’ve got a target on my back.

Perfect.

I stood up somehow. My knees nearly gave out. But I kept moving. If I stop, I fall. And if I fall… I’m not sure I’ll get back up.

I found a quiet spot later. Behind the storage crates.

That’s when I counted.

I thought back.

My body’s been hurting. I’ve been tired. Sick. And now, the cravings.

And then it hit me.

I’m late.

I’m late.

I counted again, just to be sure. But I didn’t need to. I knew.

I’m late.

By weeks.

I sat there for a long time. Not breathing. Not thinking. Just… empty.

Pregnant.

I’m pregnant.

No.

No, no, no.

I pressed both hands to my stomach. Shaking.

I can’t be. I can’t.

But I know.

I know my body.

And it’s screaming the truth at me.

I’m pregnant.

With Raphael’s child.

The thought made me sick. I gagged. I almost threw up right there behind the crates. My stomach twisted in knots.

What now?

What am I supposed to do now?

If Isabella finds out…

If Raphael finds out…

They’ll kill me. Or worse.

I tried to tell myself maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it’s just stress. Maybe I’m overthinking.

But deep down, I know.

I felt it.

Something’s changing inside me.

A life.

A child.

I can’t cry. If I cry, someone will hear. If someone hears, it’s over.

So, I sat there.

Silent.

Still.

A ghost.

And then his voice came.

Raphael.

Cold. Sharp.

“Athena.”

I flinched so hard I hit my head against the crate. My heart jumped.

I stood up fast. Too fast. My head spun.

He stood there, eyes dark, mouth tight.

“Isabella’s calling for you.”

My throat closed.

“She wants her bath.”

Of course, she does.

I nodded. I didn’t speak. I couldn’t.

He didn’t wait for me to answer anyway. He just turned and walked away.

I followed.

Because what else can I do?

What else can I ever do?

I walked behind him. Step after step. I kept my head down, but I could still feel his eyes on me, like needles. My feet dragged. My legs felt too heavy. My stomach twisted again, not just from hunger this time. Something else. Fear. Sickness. Whatever’s growing inside me.

Is it real? Or am I losing my mind?

I don’t know anymore.

I reached Isabella’s door. He stopped and pointed.

“She’s waiting.”

Then he left.

Just like that.

I stood there for a moment, breathing hard. My hands were shaking so much I had to press them against my stomach again just to hide it. Then I knocked. Lightly. Hoping maybe she didn’t hear.

She heard.

“Come in!” she snapped.

I opened the door.

There she was, stretched out on the bed like a queen waiting for her slave. Her hair perfect. Her skin glowing. I hated how beautiful she looked. Not because of jealousy. No. Because her beauty was a weapon. And I was bleeding from it every day.

“You’re late,” she said.

I said nothing. What’s the point?

She sat up slowly, eyes cold.

“Prepare my bath.”

I moved to obey.

She watched me like a cat watches a mouse. Calm. Patient. Knowing it could kill me any time.

I filled the tub. My arms burned from lifting the buckets. I lost count of how many trips I made. Maybe ten. Maybe twenty. I don’t remember. My head felt foggy.

At some point, I slipped. Water splashed everywhere. My knees hit the stone floor hard.

I gasped but forced myself up fast. If I lay there too long, she’d scream.

She didn’t scream.

She laughed.

“That’s right. Crawl.”

Her laugh hurt more than the fall.

I cleaned the mess as best as I could. My hands raw. My dress soaked. My knees bleeding.

When the bath was ready, she stripped like I wasn’t even there. Like I was part of the wall. I kept my head down, eyes on the floor, pretending I wasn’t human.

But I was human.

That’s what made it worse.

She stepped into the bath. Sank down with a satisfied sigh.

“Stay.”

I froze.

“Did I tell you to leave?” she snapped.

I shook my head.

“Good.”

So I stood there. I stood there while she bathed. While she hummed. While the steam filled the room and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

Time passed.

I don’t know how long.

Then, her voice again.

“You’ll scrub my back.”

I swallowed hard. My fingers shook.

I picked up the cloth.

Moved closer.

I didn’t feel like me anymore. I felt like a shadow of myself. Like I was watching someone else’s life. Someone else’s nightmare.

Her skin was soft. Mine was torn.

I scrubbed gently. Too gently.

“Harder,” she hissed.

I obeyed.

I wanted to disappear. I wanted to sink into the floor and never come back up.

Then, out of nowhere, she spoke again.

“Why do you look so sad, Athena?” Her tone was fake sweet.

I didn’t answer.

She laughed softly. “Pregnant women shouldn’t frown so much.”

My heart stopped.

I froze.

My hand trembled so badly I dropped the cloth.

She turned slightly. Her smile was slow. Cold.

“I’m not stupid.”

My mouth opened, but no words came out.

“I can see it. Your skin. Your eyes. The way you hold your stomach.”

I stepped back. I couldn’t breathe.

She leaned back in the tub. Calm. Enjoying my fear.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell him.”

I swallowed hard.

“Not yet.”

Her smile widened.

“Let’s see how useful you stay.”

I couldn’t move. Couldn’t think.

She closed her eyes.

“Keep scrubbing.”

I picked up the cloth with numb fingers. Forced my body to move.

I scrubbed.

I scrubbed while shaking so hard I thought my bones would shatter.

She knew.

And now… she owned me even more.

I don’t know how much longer I can survive this.

I really don’t.