Chapter 7: The Rogue's Warning
585 Words
Seraphina's blood ran cold. The heir of the Blackthorne Pack. The words echoed through her mind like a death sentence. Instinctively, her hand pressed against her stomach.
No. It couldn't be. Nobody knew. Not even Lucien. She had only discovered her pregnancy yesterday. How could a rogue possibly know about her child?
Fortunately, neither Lucien nor the warrior noticed her reaction. Both men were focused on each other. Lucien's expression had darkened considerably.
"What exactly did he say?"
The warrior shifted uneasily. "He refuses to speak to anyone except you, Alpha."
A dangerous silence followed. Then Lucien nodded. "Take me to him."
The warrior bowed immediately. "Yes, Alpha."
Without another word, Lucien started toward the door. Then he stopped. Turning back, his gaze landed on Seraphina. For a brief moment, concern softened his features. "I'll deal with this quickly."
Seraphina forced herself to nod. "Okay."
His eyes lingered on her face for a second longer, almost as if he wanted to say something. Then he left.
The moment the doors closed behind him, Seraphina released the breath she had been holding. Her knees nearly gave out.
This wasn't right. None of it was right. How could a rogue know about an heir that nobody knew existed? Unless... The thought made her stomach twist. Unless the rogue wasn't talking about her child. That had to be it. It was the only explanation. Yet the unease remained.
A few minutes later, Emily appeared from the hallway. The moment she saw Seraphina's pale face, she frowned. "What happened?"
Seraphina quickly explained. Emily's expression immediately darkened. "That's impossible."
"I know."
"Nobody knows you're pregnant."
Seraphina nodded. At least she hoped nobody knew.
The two women exchanged worried looks. Then Emily grabbed her arm. "All the more reason for you to leave now."
Seraphina looked toward the front entrance. The path to freedom stood right in front of her. So why couldn't she move? Something felt wrong. As if danger was creeping closer with every passing second.
"Seraphina." Emily squeezed her arm. "You need to go."
She was right. The longer she stayed, the harder leaving would become. Taking a deep breath, Seraphina finally nodded.
Together, they carried the suitcases outside. The cool morning air greeted them. For the first time in years, Seraphina found herself standing beyond the front doors of the Alpha residence without any intention of returning. Her heart ached. But she kept walking.
One step. Then another. The pack grounds were unusually quiet. Most wolves were still asleep. A few guards nodded respectfully as she passed. None of them knew she was leaving forever.
When she finally reached the edge of the pack territory, she stopped. Beyond this point lay uncertainty a new life, a future she couldn't see.
Emily wrapped her arms around her. "Be careful."
Tears burned behind Seraphina's eyes. "I will."
"Send word when you're safe."
"I promise."
The two women hugged one last time. Then Seraphina turned away. This time, she didn't look back.
She crossed the border and stepped into the forest. The moment she did, a strange sensation washed over her. Her wolf stirred uneasily. A warning. Danger.
Before she could understand what it meant, a branch snapped somewhere behind her. Seraphina froze. Slowly, she turned around.
The forest was empty. Silent. Yet every instinct screamed that she wasn't alone.
Then a deep male voice emerged from the shadows. "Well, well." The voice was unfamiliar, cold, amused. "As expected, the Luna is carrying the heir."
Seraphina's heart stopped. Someone knew.
- Writer
