Bound By Shadow Forged By Fate

Chapter 3: Hidden Pregnancy

Aria’s POV

The toughest thing I had ever had to do was to hide my pregnancy. I was confident that the pack would ultimately detect my altered scent. But I needed time to think about what I was going to do in the interim. If Luca found out, how would he respond? Could a human like me have a child with him?

I kept my distance, only venturing out of my cabin when absolutely required. When I did, I covered my fragrance with the herbal knowledge I had acquired. It was nearly sufficient to cover up the slight shift in my scent if I mixed some herbs and applied them like perfume. I had to push myself to smile and hide my fear every time I saw Luca.

I sensed his presence before I even saw him one day while I was in the garden collecting herbs. I felt chills down my spine when Luca approached me silently and stared at me intensely.

With a gentle power in his voice, he shouted out, "Aria." "You haven't been around me."

My heart thumping, I stood up straight. "I've been... occupied."

He crossed his arms and squinted. "What are you busy with?"

I pretended to look at the plants in my hands, avoiding his eyes. "Pack duties, just."

"You no longer attend meetings very often. His tone sharpened as he replied, "You're hiding something."

I gritted my teeth and smiled. "Luca, I'm all right. Actually.

I knew he wasn't convinced, though, even as I said it. For a second, I thought he may see right through my charade as his eyes darkened.

Later that evening, I believed I was sorting herbs by myself in the tiny lab. The door opened as I was bending over a heap of dried leaves, even though I had made sure no one was following me. My heart leaped into my throat as I whirled around.

"Luca," I exclaimed, holding my chest tight. "I was afraid of you!"

His eyes were a mix of worry and frustration as he shut the door behind him. Aria, you have been avoiding me for days. I require answers.

"I'm fine, like I mentioned. You don't have to be concerned about me.

However, he stepped forward, his eyes harsh and relentless. "That is insufficient. Something about you seems unusual to me.

His gaze was exploring my face, and I could feel our tension rising. I muttered, trying to sound steady, "Luca, please." "It's difficult."

"Difficult?" His eyes narrowed as he repeated. "Ariana, tell me the truth."

A knot formed in my throat as I realized I could no longer conceal it. I took a deep breath and stared into his eyes as a flood of feelings swept over me.

My voice was no more than a whisper when I eventually confessed, "Luca, I'm pregnant." "With your kid."

In a moment, his face softened, and he stepped back, seemingly attempting to take in what I had just said. "You're... expecting a child?"

My hands automatically went to my stomach as I nodded. Indeed. I was unsure of how to inform you.

He simply gazed at me for a time, his expression a mix of surprise, incredulity, and another emotion I couldn't quite place. "I'm at a loss for words."

"You don't need to speak," I said hastily. "I don't expect you to make all the changes for me."

With an angry grimace, he shook his head. "This is also my child, Aria. The child you are carrying is mine.

I felt an odd mix of relief and anxiety as he spoke. I was terrified that he would turn me down, but here he was, facing me with an expression of unwavering resolve.

Luca took a step forward, his eyes softening as he glanced at my stomach and then down at me. "I never imagined... I never thought this kind of thing would occur. But now that it has, I promise to keep you and our child safe. Regardless.

I blinked away the tears that pricked at the corners of my eyes. His remarks grounded me in the tidal wave of feelings I had been carrying, feeling like a lifeline.

"Luca, you're not required to"

His hand rested lightly on my shoulder as he interrupted me. "Listen to me, Aria. I am also accountable for this. Our child deserves to be cherished and safe.

I felt the warmth of his hand as I gazed down. What about the pack, though? What happens if they reject us? Luca, I'm a person. I'm not like you.

He forced me to look into his eyes by tilting my chin up. "What other people think is irrelevant to me. Our child and you come first.

He gently brushed away a tear that had fallen down my cheek. "I'll protect the two of you. Whatever is necessary.

I felt the weight of his words as I swallowed hard. I still had a lot to learn about him, this world, and the perils that lurk in the dark corners. However, I experienced a glimmer of optimism at that precise moment. Perhaps, just possibly, everything would be alright.

The weight of our unsaid anxieties hung thick in the air as we stood in quiet. His warmth encircled me like a shield as he drew me into his embrace.

"I'm grateful," I muttered, pressing my face to his chest.

His voice was a low rumble as he laid his chin on my head. Aria, you're not by yourself in this. I'm available to you. For the two of you.

Luca stayed near to me for the following few days, keeping watch over me with a reassuring yet confining protectiveness. Even though I knew he was concerned, I couldn't get rid of the uneasy feeling in my gut.

Then, one night, on my way back to my cabin, I experienced an odd feeling—a prickling at the nape of my neck, as if I were being watched. I looked around, but nobody was there. Only the faint sounds of the forest and the dark shadows of the trees.

However, the sensation persisted. My skin crawled from the severity with which it gnawed at me if anything. My pulse thumping, I accelerated till I arrived at my cabin and closed the door.

"Aria?" I let Luca in after hearing his voice calling from outside.

I looked over my shoulder and said, "Something's wrong."

He scowled as he looked around the room. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure... We have the impression that someone is observing us.

Luca's jaw tightened as his face grew serious. "I'll ask the guards to guard the area more closely."

I nodded, but I still felt uneasy. I sensed a malevolent force lingering just out of our grasp.

As I lay in bed that night, I couldn't get rid of the sense that our secret wasn't as secure as we believed. Then there was a gentle knock on my door in the wee hours of the morning.

Anticipating Luca, I opened it to discover one of the pack guards, his face white with terror. His eyes darted about anxiously as he muttered, "Luna… I mean, Aria." There have been reports of sightings. Unusual people in the forest.

A beat skipped in my chest. "Unusual figures? What are you saying?

"Spies," he said in a shaky whisper. They're trying to find something. Or someone.

When I realized what this meant, a shiver went down my spine. We were discovered by Victor's spies. They were aware of the baby.

With my heart racing, I slammed the door. How were they going to know? What would they do at this point?

To regain my composure, I inhaled deeply. Regardless of the circumstances, I would not allow them to kidnap my child. I wouldn't allow them to ruin the life that was developing within me.

However, a chilly, sinking sensation took hold of my chest as I stood there with my hand protectively covering my tummy. It was closer than I had ever imagined, yet the threat was real.