Hope's POVI grabbed on to the rope that was holding the weight of the dumbwaiter and pulled it down with all my strength. The contraption slid down once more but I wasn't satisfied, whoever was tugging at it, needed it. It was safer here in the box than outside.I held on to it and looked up for where the exit was. It rumbled again and I felt the rusty rope quiver before it moved upward again, I tried to pull it down, but my hands slid across the wound rope and it burned into my palms.“Fuck!” I winced in pain and yanked my hands away from the rope, wiping the raw skin on my underwear. I didn't know who was at the other end of the dumbwaiter, it could be anyone. A maid, a warrior, or fucking Orion.The thought of him being at the other end made my heart constrict with a feeling of fear and I swallowed. The box continued to slide up, like an elevator without the awful form of music that tried to persuade people's minds.It felt like an endless and tortuous ride, a slow accompaniment t
Hope's POV I stood, frozen on top of his body, the knife still clutched tightly in my hand. My eyes slowly moved toward the corpse and back to Orion and at once I realized what this looked like. The knife slipped from my bloody hands as Orion staggered in. His eyes weren't fixed on me but on his father's paling body. It was like I was no longer in the room with him. I couldn't even speak, the words I yearned to say were clogged in my throat like some wicked phlegm. I slowly scrambled from the bed toward the floor as Orion approached it. His hands were outstretched like he was walking in the dark, and his eyes held a foreign look that I couldn't tell from here. He fell to his knees by the bed and his hands grasped his father's hand. “Dad?” He called out and for the first time, I could hear the voice of the boy who was my best friend all those years ago. It was soft and broken, and my heart ached. It ached to comfort him, I wanted to wrap my arms around his shoulders and tell h
Orion's POV“Sir, I don't think she's here, but I don't know how far she must have run…”Their voices faded into the background as I glided past them into the room. I felt like I was being carried by the wind, as light as a feather but a heart heavier than tons of bricks. I didn't even know how to feel…what to feel.Grief? Yes, I felt an enormous amount of grief, I had just lost my father to the cruel hands of death. No, it was Hope. She killed my father because she wanted to finish the evil plans she and her dad had hatched all those years ago.How had I been so blind? So stupid to think for a second that there was no way she could do it? I thought that she was some spineless coward, some apple that fell far from the tree and rolled downhill. I knew she had that traitor's blood running in her veins but I never believed that she would do it.I misjudged her…never again. She wouldn't ever have the chance if we caught her.Now, anger? Yes, I was fucking angry! Angry that he was ripped f
Hope's POV I stifled my breath as the door fell to rubbles, and the wood crunched under the heavy feet of whoever was at the door. I closed my eyes tightly and pressed my body against the wall, trying to flatten it, almost merging with the wall. I felt if I sucked in my stomach, my chest would contract and I would be smaller for some reason. The only thing I couldn't stop was the pounding in my heart, I was afraid that the loud thumps would give off where I was hiding. The room became oddly quiet, I couldn't even hear a shivering of any other breath apart from mine. I risked it, I decided to slowly part my eyes to see if I were truly alone. My eyes landed on bright eyes staring back at me. I shrieked and shoved myself further into the tight space. I was done for, there was no way he wouldn't talk. My tear duct must have felt overworked by now because of how much I had tried. I felt that familiar prickle as the tears started to form. “You owe me, Hope.” I immediately recogni
Hope's POV The kiss was electrifying, it felt like my entire brain had turned off and the signals were radiating through my entire body. My eyes remained open like they were taped to my skull, from shock or fear. I didn't know. His lips felt soft, too soft for the kind of man he was. I don't know what I was expecting because I had never thought about the texture of his lips, but whatever it was, I didn't think it felt like clouds or pillows. He pushed his lips deeper on my lips and my eyes fluttered and finally closed. A warm feeling scurried across my belly as I felt his finger trickle along the edges of my body. I felt his warm tongue rub along the bottom of my lips, asking for permission and my body responded like it was auto. I opened my mouth and his thick tongue invaded my orifice. I couldn't stop the moan that escaped from my mouth. His fingers caressed my waist till they cupped my lower back. He pulled me to himself and my hands jutted out due to the sudden movement
Hope’s POV SMACK! I felt the slap jolt me from my sleep. My face burned intensely and the force caused my head to ache a bit. I sat upright, clutching the spot that stung so badly. Everything was blurry for a few seconds as I looked around for what had caused it. “How dare you!?” the shrill voice of Kaia pierced my eardrums when my eyes slowly focused on the room. I was on a bed, a strangely soft bed and the sheets were wrapped around my chest. But these sheets weren’t the torn ones I had used to cover myself when I was fleeing for my life, these were white and smelled neat. My scalp ached when I felt a violent tug and then I crashed to the floor scraping my elbow on the carpet. I groaned in pain, the tiredness from the previous events slowly overpowering my body. I didn’t understand nor remember where I was and I wasn’t even given time to remember before I felt another hard slap to the other side of my face. “You think you can drug my man and sleep with him, you bitch!?” K
Orion's POV When I woke up, everything felt foggy to me. My head was spinning and there was a steady throb at the back of my skull. Every time I moved, it felt like my brain was being scrambled and juggled around by some circus freak.I groaned as I moved to stretch, that's when my hand hit a body. I froze when I did and immediately concluded that it was a figment of my imagination. There was no way there was any other person in this bed.I remembered clearly that Kaia had left, she had stormed out of the room in anger, or had I imagined it? I turned slowly toward the ruffled sheets and I saw her face, Hope's face. I shrieked and gasped, my breath clogging in my throat.No, this can't be happening. She isn't really real, no, no. I closed my eyes, my heart pounding faster than my thoughts, maybe if I just closed and opened, I wouldn't see her again.I would see only the ruffled sheets from me sleeping peacefully last night caused by a reckless sleep and nothing else. My eyes slowly pa
Hope’s POV“What the fuck do you mean she’s pregnant? How is that possible?”Kaia’s scream cut through the room the moment the door slammed shut. The sound rattled in my skull, but I could barely process it. My body swayed, unsteady, as I stepped forward. My eyes burned, blurred with tears—unless that was the blade the Priestess had turned to water, slicing through me in ways I couldn’t comprehend.Each step forward sent a sharp chill through my skin, a reminder of how drained I was. Physically. Mentally. A cruel laugh bubbled up in my throat, bitter and jagged. I was supposed to be dead by now. I had been ready—ready for that quiet, eternal escape. But instead, I was here. Alive. And now… I was pregnant?A sickness churned in my stomach, and suddenly, the nausea I’d been feeling made sense. The strange sensitivity, the exhaustion. But how? Why?“The Alpha did sleep with her, didn’t he?” The Priestess's voice was calm, but her eyes flickered between Orion and me, searching for somethi
Hope's POVI let the events of the day swirl down the drain with the water. I wish I could wash myself clean of everything, every scent of him, every touch, every kiss. It was too difficult to forget that night, how his touches had made me feel so important, how his kisses made me feel like I was the most important girl in the world.My hands scurried down to my belly, the only thing keeping me alive. It was almost impossible to think that something was growing inside me, a life of another form. A few months ago, I didn't even think I was going to see another day, but now, I had found my mate and I was going to be a mother.I stepped out of the bathroom, already used to the depressing nature of the walls and the sometimes awful smell that would breeze through the windows. At least, it was better than sleeping on a cold cell floor.I spied the black phone Draven had given to me and it roped with it, a memory of the entire day. I didn't know what to think of him, he was…eccentric to say
Orion's POVI stared at the phone and read the message over and over again, trying to make sense of what exactly it was. “Pay me or I'll tell Orion everything you did to his father and who you truly are!”My father? What did she do to my father? I didn't know how long she had been standing in the doorway till she ripped her phone out of my hand and my eyes landed on hers.“What is the meaning of that message?” I flung my feet off the bed and stood, moving close to her.“How dare you go through my phone? Did you read my messages? You don't have that right!” She yelled back at me and I was stunned. Was that all she would say?“Look, I'm sorry, okay? But who the hell sent you that text message and what did you do to my father?”She scoffed and rolled her eyes, walking toward her closet. I was not done with having this conversation. I trailed her as she slid into the small gap she opened at the door and almost slammed it in my face.I wedged my feet into the gap. The sting that racked my
Orion's pov I gritted my teeth, gripping the wheel so hard my knuckles ached. My mind kept replaying the way that bastard had looked at her, the way she let him—like a desperate whore. The sun was a blur of my rage and betrayal, blinding me as he drove home. I had ordered my men to shove themselves into the convoy because I wanted to be alone with Hope to fully address her as the vermin she was. The warriors had shared understanding glances and obeyed. Some subtly shook their heads knowing what was to come. I ignored it, I didn't give two fucks what people thought, but if they dared step out of line once, they would face immediate subjugation. "Slut." The word left my mouth in a sneer. "I should’ve known. Should’ve listened to Kaia." Kaia had warned me about the child, she had asked vital questions but I didn't listen. The more I thought about it, the worse it got. She had slept with that man even before our wedding. And now I was supposed to believe this child was mine? My stomach
Kaia’s POVAs soon as the door closed and Orion was gone, I flung the sticky sheets off my body. I had to pour a bit of water on the sheets and my body to ensure I was able to pull off the perspiration. There was gentle knock on the door and my heart skipped a beat, was that Orion? Had he come back to check on me so soon?“Who is it?” My eyes widened when I remembered I was supposed to be sick.I coughed and asked the question again in a sick voice.“Luna, I was asked to bring you some soup?”Oh, the maid. I scoffed and rolled my eyes, quickly changing from my sticky clothes before moving into the bathroom.“Come in and leave it on the table,” I shouted, then slammed the door. I heard the other door open and the footsteps of the maid as she walked into the room and dropped whatever she was holding.I pressed my ears against the door, straining to hear anything else after the door closed again for the second time. There was no one in there, I breathed a sigh of relief. I ripped the clo
Hope's POVI stared at his image in the mirror, my brain feeling like a blank canvas and my body was an empty husk. I turned toward the door, glancing at every corner of the room: there was no one else in the room with us. I swallowed hard and turned off the tap.“The men's bathroom is the other way,” I spoke softly without looking up. I didn't trust myself to hold eye contact with him, especially when that proud smirk was on his face.“I'm not lost, Hope,” he said. I didn't like how confident he sounded, it unnerved me for some reason. The way he said my name like he had known me forever.I quickly dried my hands and pushed myself away from the sink. I hit his body and I froze, he had moved closer to me…too close for comfort. He bent and I felt the tip of his nose grazing my skin, my entire body went rigid, like I had swallowed bags of concrete.“You smell good,” his hot breath fanned my entire neck. What was this? What was I doing? Orion was waiting for me and I was carrying his chi
Hope's POV“Emberfang?” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. A chill ran down my spine, seizing my entire body in an icy grip. No. This had to be a joke. Was Lucian toying with me? My breath came in short, shaky bursts as I slowly unwrapped my arms from Orion, dread clawing at my chest. My lips trembled, fear settling deep in my bones at the thought of returning to that hellhole—the place that had broken me piece by piece, the dungeon where I had wasted away for years. I would rather die than go back.“Yes…” the man drawled, his voice dripping with something unreadable.“Is your mate alright?” the so-called Alpha asked, his eyes flickering toward me. Before I could react, Orion’s hand shot out, gripping mine in a bruising hold. I winced, startled by the sudden pressure, my pulse hammering against my skin. My gaze darted between Orion and Draven, my chest rising and falling in quick, panicked bursts. I didn’t want to be here.“She’s not my mate,” Orion muttered in disgust.T
Orion’s POV“Babe, are you sure you can’t join me?” My voice was barely above a whisper as my fingers traced gentle circles on Kaia’s stomach. Her body tensed, her breath hitching before she let out a small, pained groan.She curled into herself, drawing her knees toward her chest as if the movement would somehow shield her from the pain wracking her body. My heart clenched at the sight. I hated seeing her like this. Hated how powerless it made me feel. No matter how strong I was, no matter how many battles I’d won, I couldn’t fight this for her.“I’m sorry, my love,” she murmured, her voice raspy. She dragged a trembling hand to her mouth, barely stifling a violent cough. “I know I promised to be there, but I just… I can’t.”I exhaled through my nose, swallowing the frustration that threatened to rise. It wasn’t her fault. It never was.“Hey, it’s okay.” I reached for the glass of water on the side table and brought it to her lips. “Here, drink.”She took slow, measured sips before w
Hope’s POV“What the fuck do you mean she’s pregnant? How is that possible?”Kaia’s scream cut through the room the moment the door slammed shut. The sound rattled in my skull, but I could barely process it. My body swayed, unsteady, as I stepped forward. My eyes burned, blurred with tears—unless that was the blade the Priestess had turned to water, slicing through me in ways I couldn’t comprehend.Each step forward sent a sharp chill through my skin, a reminder of how drained I was. Physically. Mentally. A cruel laugh bubbled up in my throat, bitter and jagged. I was supposed to be dead by now. I had been ready—ready for that quiet, eternal escape. But instead, I was here. Alive. And now… I was pregnant?A sickness churned in my stomach, and suddenly, the nausea I’d been feeling made sense. The strange sensitivity, the exhaustion. But how? Why?“The Alpha did sleep with her, didn’t he?” The Priestess's voice was calm, but her eyes flickered between Orion and me, searching for somethi
Orion's POV When I woke up, everything felt foggy to me. My head was spinning and there was a steady throb at the back of my skull. Every time I moved, it felt like my brain was being scrambled and juggled around by some circus freak.I groaned as I moved to stretch, that's when my hand hit a body. I froze when I did and immediately concluded that it was a figment of my imagination. There was no way there was any other person in this bed.I remembered clearly that Kaia had left, she had stormed out of the room in anger, or had I imagined it? I turned slowly toward the ruffled sheets and I saw her face, Hope's face. I shrieked and gasped, my breath clogging in my throat.No, this can't be happening. She isn't really real, no, no. I closed my eyes, my heart pounding faster than my thoughts, maybe if I just closed and opened, I wouldn't see her again.I would see only the ruffled sheets from me sleeping peacefully last night caused by a reckless sleep and nothing else. My eyes slowly pa