Pregnant and Rejected

A Secret to Keep

The days drifted by in fragments, like pieces of a shattered mirror. I seemed to slip between consciousness and a darkness thick as tar.

Each time I woke, the pain clawed at my insides, sharp and unrelenting. Greta’s concoctions dulled it some, at least enough for me to hold onto what little strength I had left.

But the ache of rejection mixed with the pregnency made my body feel like a battlefield.

One night, barely clinging to the here and now, I grabbed for Greta’s hand. I didn’t have the energy for fancy words. I just wanted to know one thing, needed to hear it from her mouth. “Greta… my baby. Will it survive this?” My voice barely croaked out, raw and desperate.

Greta, bless her, didn’t even blink. Her hand covered my belly with this fierce, protective warmth, and she looked me dead in the eye. “This child’s stronger than you think. No harm’ll come to it, not while I’m here, you understand?” she said, her voice as sure as a promise carved in stone.

It wasn’t just words. She meant every bit of it. Her loyalty and steady hand were the only solid things I could count on.

Selene… she was a different story. The poor thing had barely left my side, a constant shadow, always trying to feed me, cool my forehead, and murmur whatever comfort she could think of.

I knew she was anxious and stressed. Armand is her brother, after all and the shock of it all showed on her face. I’d catch her chewing her lip, eyes darting like she didn’t know which way was up.

She’d mindlink Marcus, hoping for news, hoping for something. But he was cagey with his responses.

She stayed with me, though, determined to make sure I was cared for, no matter the toll it took on her heart.

One evening, she put a hand on my stomach, her touch so gentle I barely felt it, and whispered, “This baby… Amelia, no matter what happens, no matter if Marcus brings Armand back or not… this baby’s going to be loved, cared for.”

She hesitated, and for a moment, I saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes, the weight of having to choose loyalty to her brother or to me. But she pushed it aside and nodded. “And that’s a promise I can keep.”

Days of waiting, aching, and half-breaths between dreams and pain ended the moment I heard footsteps, strong and steady, in the hall.

The air in the room changed, and I knew Marcus was back. Before I could even sit up, Selene was gone in a blur, rushing to meet him at the door. But it was the look in his eyes that told me everything.

The room went silent as I watched his face, a mask of grief. In that instant, I knew. My chest tightened, another wave of grief attacked my heart that I couldn’t hold back.

The tears started, silent but endless, long before Marcus could say a single word. All the hope, all the dreams I’d held onto are now gone.

When Marcus spoke, his voice was thick with the kind of hurt that cuts deep.

“The vampire... she isn’t just any vampire. She’s the Vampire Queen.” He paused, looking from Selene to me, letting the weight of the news sink in. “She lost her mate… and Armand reminded her so much of him, she… she had to have him. She turned him.” His voice broke, raw and barely holding. “He’s to be her king.”

Selene staggered, her hands flying to her mouth as she choked out a sob, and I felt something inside me crumble completely. I did not think I could feel any worse. The idea that Armand was lost was brutal, but knowing that he was now bound to our greatest enemy? It felt like a curse a never ending nightmare I’d never escape.

We clung to each other, Selene and I, two broken hearts sharing one unbearable pain. She cried with me, her hand gripping mine so tightly that I thought we’d crush our fingers.

I held my stomach grieving for my child too. A child who would never know the love of it's father. The pain that racked my body was so intense I would not wish it on anyone.

Selene sniffled a thought suddenly distracted her from her grief. A look of concern creased her face she took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she finally spoke the words that had been weighing on her.

“Amelia is pregnant,” she revealed, casting a worried glance at Marcus. Her gaze flickered with a mix of fear and concern. “What will happen if the Vampires and Armand finds out? Will… they try to take the baby?”

Her words hung in the air, thick with the dread we all felt. It was as if even the walls held their breath, listening to the fear that seeped into every corner of the room. Marcus’s jaw tightened, his gaze hardening with a newfound intensity.

With his eyes blazing with fierce resolve he said. “We’ll protect Amelia and this child." he vowed, his voice unwavering. “But we’ll need to keep this a secret. The vampires can never find out about the baby.”

A chill ran through me, the reality of his words sinking in. Concealing my pregnancy felt like hiding a piece of my soul, but I knew he was right. If the vampires knew, they’d come for my child.

Selene gave a firm nod, her expression steeling as she processed the plan. “We’ll keep this between us,” she whispered, glancing toward Greta. “No one else can know.”

Greta stepped closer, her face grim but resolute. “This will take strength, Amelia. I’ll craft spells to disguise your condition as much as possible, but you must remain vigilant. We can’t risk anyone’s suspicion.”

She paused, her gaze hardening as she continued, “If the vampires catch wind of this child, it won’t just be any lycan they’re after.

"Your turquoise eyes mark you as a unique lycan. They are a symbol of an ancient power over the earth and its elements. It’s a gift rarely seen, a gift that allows control over all living things, a mastery of the land itself if trained to control it.

If this child inherits those eyes, it won’t be just any weapon; it will be their ultimate weapon, capable of commanding nature and shifting the very ground underfoot.”

Amelia’s heart pounded as she absorbed the weight of Greta’s words, the significance of her heritage mingling with her fear. The thought of her innocent child being weaponized by vampires sent a wave of protective anger through her, but she dared not reveal too much.

Greta’s expression softened slightly, though her resolve remained firm. “Amelia, the child’s father can never be revealed, not to anyone. There’s too much at stake, for both the werewolves and the world itself. We must protect this child, keep it hidden. Do you understand?”

Amelia nodded, her eyes blazing with a newfound determination. She knew now that she would do anything to protect her child from falling into the wrong hands, from becoming a pawn in a war that had already claimed too many lives.

Marcus placed his other hand over my stomach, joining Selene’s touch, their presence grounding me. “We’ll make sure this child is safe, well hidden from our enemies” he assured me, his gaze holding mine with a fierce promise. “We’ll shield you both from any threat, but we must be careful. One slip, one hint… and we’ll have more than Armand to fear.”

As I looked into their faces, a sense of resolve anchored me. Together, we would protect this child, no matter what danger lay ahead.