The Wolf King’s Claim

Freya: The room fell into silence; the air seemed frozen, and only the yellow light from the ceiling lamp shone on the ultrasound paper in my hand. My eyes blurred; I saw nothing except the last red line, "four weeks pregnant." Those seemingly simple words seemed to turn into daggers, stabbing straight into my heart. I clenched the paper so tightly that it crumpled. How could it be? I was pregnant? That was absurd. I was traditional and hadn't done that with my fiance, Lucas. "This..." My throat was dry; my hand trembled as I placed it on my stomach, and I looked at Dr Alex suspiciously. "You're kidding, right?" He looked at me calmly, shaking his head slightly. A cold wave ran down my spine. My mind was spinning; I tried to rummage through my mind for a memory I had been trying to forget. -A month ago- That day, my half-sister Emily held my hand tightly, her eyes sparkling as she persuaded me to go with her to a party. "Sister Freya, this is the party I've been looking forward to; Father won't let me go without you. Come with me." I didn't want to go, but my heart softened at Emily's insistence. I finally agreed. She pulled me to a fancy bar in the middle of the border, a chaotic place because it wasn't under the control of any pack. The sharp scent of alcohol and the deafening music made my head spin. I wasn't very interested, so I found a corner to sit and wait for Emily. But then, something happened. I remember I drank the alcohol, the sweetness still lingering on the tip of my tongue, along with the hot flashes that needed to be relieved. My mind spiraled into chaos, and my whole body went limp. I don't remember much about what happened after that; I'm just sure I was drugged. No one was beside me when I woke up the following day, but I clearly remembered the debauchery that night. -Present- A wave of nausea rose in my throat; this child wasn't Lucas's—how could I face him? Fear swept through every fiber of my body, making me tremble. If Lucas found out, he would kill me, and my father wouldn't forgive me. I was still drowning in my chaotic thoughts when the door to the medical room burst open. Standing before me were the people I loved the most, but now their eyes were full of contempt and coldness. Before I could react, Lucas snatched the ultrasound paper in my hand. Bulging veins appeared on his forehead; his voice was terrifyingly low. "So this is why you've been avoiding me for the past month?" "No…" I weakly opened my mouth, momentarily at a loss for words, my hands fumbling to grasp his sleeves. "Lucas, please listen to my explanation. I…” "Shut up, Freya! I don't want to hear anything anymore." Lucas glared at me, hatred replacing the love that once filled his eyes. "Freya, do you think I'm an i***t? You rejected me countless times; I thought you were so noble; I didn't expect you to be such a slutty woman. Tell me, who the hell did you sleep with?" I opened my mouth, but no words came out. What should I say? I didn't know. Who would believe me? I looked at my father – Alpha Axel. The last ray of hope in me flashed. If only he would believe me and give me a chance to explain. "Freya, I heard everything from your sister. You were the one who dragged her to that filthy place and nearly put her in danger. And now, you've disgraced our family!" His voice was ice-cold, laced with disappointment. "From this moment on, you are no longer my daughter. I disown you. You will never inherit the Nightshade pack. Now, get out of my sight!" I was shocked, staring at my father and then at Emily. "I didn't, I…" Slap! The slap struck my cheek before I could react. I staggered back; the burning sensation made me unable to believe it. My father hit me? "Shut up!" My father roared. "The evidence is clear; you still don't admit it and want to blame your sister?" A sour voice rang out. I was stunned to see my stepmother - Luna Zara, looking at me with her arms crossed, her eyes filled with glee. The woman who always appeared gentle loved me unconditionally even though I was not her biological child. There was a moment when I considered her my mother, but now, everything had collapsed. "Sister, I'm sorry. I didn't intend to tell Father at first, but Father forced me to tell him; I didn't dare not tell him. But sister, Lucas is good to you; how could you do this to him? You have disappointed me so much and brought shame to the family." She lowered her head, pretending to sob, but the corner of her lips hid a cruel smile. "Emily, you…" I couldn't believe my ears; my chest ached so much that I couldn't breathe. The little sister I cherished with all my heart was now the one who pushed me into the abyss. "Alpha Axel, I have nothing more to say; I'm canceling the engagement." Lucas looked at my father. My father opened his mouth, then sighed again. "But… the marriage contract between the two families has existed for many generations." I suddenly saw Emily's eyes light up; she whispered in our father's ear. "Father, Lucas is the son of Beta Max, who has greatly contributed to our pack. If my sister's misstep were to cause unnecessary discord, it would truly be a shame. I know I may not be as exceptional as her, but as your daughter, I only wish to ease your worries. If it would bring peace to our pack, please—allow me to take her place and marry Lucas." No! I clenched my fists, staring at Lucas, hoping he would refuse. Yet deep down, I knew I had no right to stop him. All eyes focused on Lucas; he shrugged nonchalantly. "I have no opinion; I obey Alpha's orders." My father breathed a sigh of relief. The joy was evident on the faces of my stepmother and sister. Only I was stunned. "Alright, the wedding will still take place on the 10th." My father said, then he turned to look at me coldly. "Get out of Nightshade tomorrow; I don't want to see you in this territory anymore." "Father, please. This pack is my home…" I tried to hold on to a bit of sympathy from him, but I received a straight kick to the shoulder and a look full of hatred. "Don't make me kill you, Freya!" The sharp blade of betrayal cut through my heart, leaving emptiness. I collapsed to the floor, my whole body trembling. I sat in a daze, watching my father's back and everyone else leave individually. I fell from the pinnacle of glory into a bottomless pit. The pack I grew up in and gave my all to is now casting me aside. Betrayed by my sister. Disowned by my father. Humiliated by my lover. I thought this was rock bottom. But I was wrong. This was only the beginning of my nightmare.