A Nightmare's Reality
"Hello? Is anyone there?" I shouted, my voice swallowed by the eerie quiet. This place felt wrong; everything was an unrelenting white—the walls, the floor, the doors. I had no idea where I was. I moved forward, hoping to find a way out. "Ethan?" I called, hoping he'd hear me, but silence was my only answer.
I reached a hallway and saw a large room across from me. I walked toward it, and as I entered, a woman stood with her back to me, eating something aggressively. "Hello?" I called out. She turned, and that was it—a scream tore from my throat, burning my lungs. In front of me stood Grace, her eyes blood-red, her mouth a bloody, smirking mess, crimson liquid dripping from her lips. It was terrifying. Behind her, a mangled corpse lay, its stomach ripped open. And then, with sickening clarity, I recognized the pale, vacant face. It was me.
Suddenly, a wave of agonizing pain slammed into my own stomach. "No... no..." I choked, the agony too much to bear. I looked down, feeling something warm and sticky trickling down my thighs. Grace's vicious laughter echoed, cold and hollow, as my own screams ripped through the empty walls of that mansion. "No! Please! Save my baby!"
She woke up screaming and panting. "Mila, baby, it's okay. "You're okay," Ethan consoled her. She was disoriented; it felt so real. She started crying, and Ethan held her close, whispering sweet things into her ears. "Ethan, that was terrifying, she... the baby....." She rambled continuously. "Hey, it's okay, it's just a bad dream.
"Don't think about it.
"Everything was fine.
"Our baby's fine, look." He placed a hand on her belly. She looked at his hand, feeling the slight bump in her stomach, the tiny life within. A breath of relief escaped her, and she drifted back to sleep in Ethan's embrace. Once he was sure she was deeply asleep, Ethan carefully shifted into a sleeping position, propping pillows to support her belly. He kissed her forehead before quietly leaving the room.
Ethan got ready in the guest room, then headed to the pack house meeting room, located on the third floor of the sprawling mansion. The five-story mansion, with its four majestic wings stretching in each direction, was a grand architectural marvel, occupying a vast space. The top floor was reserved for the royal family of the Pack Alpha. The fourth floor housed advisors, guests, the Alpha's commander, and pack ministers. The third floor, dedicated to pack issues, boasted a massive meeting hall, a ceremonial hall, and the Pack Alpha's office, along with cabins for important pack members.
After reaching his office, Ethan sank into his chair with a sigh. He picked up his phone and dialed. Once the call connected, "Come to my cabin," he ordered, then hung up.
A few minutes later, a knock sounded. "Come in," he muttered. "Alpha, is there something important?" the person asked. Ethan sighed. "Damien, please," he said tiredly. "Please what, Alpha?" Damien pressed, serious.
"Stop calling me Alpha, for God's sake, Damien! It's getting on my nerves now!" Ethan barked.
"Oh, is it? But that's what I'm supposed to call you. You showed me my place, remember?" Damien retorted.
Ethan clenched his jaw, his voice low and serious. "I did what was best for the pack."
Damien scoffed. "Stop fooling yourself. You did what you wanted. This was never about the pack; it was about you. About how you cheated on her, how you betrayed my trust, and how selfish you've become. And the audacity to bring her here while Mila was pregnant!"
"She was pregnant too! What was I supposed to do, leave her? Grace is carrying my child, Mila is pregnant, but Grace is carrying the heir of this pack—a true-blood Alpha! While Mila is carrying a normal Alpha child!" Ethan yelled.
Damien looked at him in disbelief. "Did you ever love Mila, your fated mate, or was it just for the heir?" he asked.
Ethan clenched his jaw. "If I don't give a true-blood heir to the throne, every member of the council will tear Mila apart with their words. So I think this is for the best."
Damien sighed. "Well, as a Pack Alpha, you certainly did your best, Your Majesty. Please tell me why you summoned me." he asked, his voice now flat and withdrawn.
Ethan sighed in frustration. "I want you to call a healer for Mila. She's having nightmares again. Make sure to inform Mila about the healer's visit."
Damien nodded and left.
Ethan sighed in exhaustion, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling, lost in thought about the whole agonizing ordeal.
He reminisced about their beautiful past, a time when everything was simple. He recalled hearing only her unfettered laughter, the adorable way she pouted when he playfully teased her, and the light in her eyes as she playfully glared when he forgot her favorite ice cream. She had been his queen, and he, her willing slave. She had wrapped him effortlessly around her finger, and he'd delightfully danced to her every whim.
But then, what changed? Where did it all go downhill? Even he couldn't quite remember anymore. Now, when he looked at her, all he saw was betrayal, fear, and a deep-seated hate.
He knew his actions were wrong on many levels, but he truly believed he had no other choice. He had to protect her and the pack, making a sacrifice to keep everything from crumbling. "Please, Mila, my love, don't give up on me," Ethan whispered to himself, a desperate plea hanging in the air. "I know what I did to you was wrong. Trust me, I will change everything back to how it was."