ACCUSED
1065 Words
THALIA
I woke up to the sound of my own scream, then the burning sensation in my throat, but it wasn’t what bothered me. It was the strong, metallic scent clinging to my body, both thick and suffocating.
My eyes fluttered open, blinking rapidly to adjust to the dim light, only to feel dizzier. I languidly got up. The nursery was quiet except for the faint creak of the cradle near the window. The light from the moon outside seeped through the windows and curtains, illuminating the place and finally revealing what had been assaulting my senses since earlier.
I looked down at my own hands, immediately feeling nauseous seeing blood, not only on my hands but my nightgown and the floor beneath me… and it wasn’t my blood.
“No…”
I rushed towards the crib, hands trembling as I gripped the edge of the crib, only to find an empty baby bed. The only thing left was the small baby blue blanket that was embroidered by our pack’s crest, its side also darkened by blood.
I frantically shook my head and looked around the room, “Elias? Eli, baby, where are you?”
My mind frantically tried to make sense of what was happening. I remembered finally
holding my baby in my arms, finally being able to move around after the rough delivery and its unexpected aftermath on my mental health.
I remember his tiny hand clinging to my finger, his heartbeat pressed against my chest. I remember feeding him then setting him to sleep… but nothing else after that.
I nearly stumbled from the bed, slipping on the slick floor. Panic already shot up to the point that I couldn’t think properly.
“Elias!” I exclaimed, my mind’s attempt to find my child while it desperately tries to ignore all the blood surrounding me.
The door burst open. One of Elias’ nannies, Merin, stepped inside and gasped in horror.
“B-blood,” Merin stammered, “Moon Goddess! Luna Thalia, what happened here? What have you done?!”
“Merin, thank goodness you’re here. Please, Eli’s gone. You have to help me find my baby,” I tried to reach out for her, but she screamed before I could get near, stumbling backward out the door. I could hear her voice echoing down the hall, calling for help.
A few moments later, several footsteps filled the place and came in. First was Dr. Lalaine, our pack doctor, followed by two guards. Right after that, another person came in hurried strides. Celeste gasped, seeing the situation.
Celeste had been one of Darius’s most trusted advisors, and once, his fiancée, before he chose me instead as the Alpha, and I were fated mates.
“Luna Thalia… what happened here?” she demanded an explanation, looking around the whole place in horror before her eyes landed on me once again.
“I don’t know.” I didn’t have a choice but to admit, “I just woke up, and Eli was gone. There’s blood everywhere. Celeste, call more people. We have to find him immediately.”
Celeste’s eyes softened slightly. “Luna, please calm down. We’ll find him, but you need to tell us what you remember.”
“I-I can’t remember anything after feeding him,” I admitted, trembling in tears, “It’s all blank after that.”
The doctor and the guards have already entered to investigate the place. They hurried toward the crib, inspecting the scene.
“We found a weapon,” One of the guards declared, lifting a bloodied silver dagger that I didn’t even notice earlier.
“This carries the pup’s scent. This was his blood.”
My knees trembled seeing the weapon. It was my husband’s, Alpha Darius. It should be in the armory, locked up, with only the two of us having access to it.
“That’s one of Alpha Darius’ weapons.” Celeste supplied, looking at me again, this time with suspicion in her eyes.
Dr. Lalaine inspected the cradle with a grim expression, “There’s too much blood for a simple injury. The blood is definitely the young alpha’s…” she muttered, and couldn’t continue with her remark.
“Stop it. That can’t be right. He can’t be… he’s not gone. I would feel it. Someone must have taken him. We shouldn’t be congregating here. We should be finding my son!”
But my orders suddenly didn’t mean anything to them. They just stared at me with judgment in their eyes, as if they had already made up their minds that I did something grim to my own child.
Before I could say anything else, I felt a familiar presence approaching.
Darius.
He rushed inside, and the rest quickly gave way to him. Darius was topless and probably went straight from border patrol, and was informed that something was happening. His eyes widened as he saw the scene, sweeping over the cradle, the floor with blood before his eyes, and he landed on me, filled with horror and betrayal.
“Thalia,” His voice cracked, “tell me this isn’t real.”
Terror hit me in waves. I didn’t need the mate to know the thoughts running in his mind. I frantically shook my head, “I-I know what it looks like, but I swear to you, it’s not what you think. Our son needs our help. Someone took him, Darius.”
“What did you do to Eli, Thalia?!” He exclaimed, his wolf’s voice now melding with his.
My shoulders jolted, terror running down my spine with his tone. “Darius, p-please listen to me. I am his mother; our bond runs deep. If he were gone, I would feel it. I would feel it. Eli is still alive, and he needs our help. Please, let’s find him already.”
Darius slowly shook his head in clear disbelief. “I can’t believe you would do this to our own child. I-I thought you were already doing okay. You said you were. This is my fault. I should have known not to trust you with our son, not after how you acted after giving birth.”
I tried to talk, but he quickly cut me off.
“Don’t you dare utter another lie!” He snarled, grabbing my arm and squeezing painfully, “That’s his blood on you. Where did you take my son?!”
- Writer
