Chapter 5: A Broken Bond  

His mind reeled, the words on the page, confirming Selena's pregnancy screamed at him with relentless finality.

She was pregnant with his child, a truth he had never expected, nor knew how to process. 

"Why didn't she tell me?" he whispered, his voice shaking with repressed emotion. 

Caspian stood close by, arms crossed over his chest, his face shadowed with disappointment. 

"Do you honestly not know? After everything you put her through, why would she trust you with something this important?"

Nelson's eyes snapped up, flashing ruby red in anger. "She had no right to keep this from me! That's my child!" 

Caspian snorted, taking a step closer. "Your child? You made it crystal clear you did not care about her. You humiliated her, pushed her away, and now you have the audacity to demand rights? Maybe you should look in the mirror, Alpha."

The tension was thick in the air. 

Shanice, bursted in a moment later, stood to the side, her face pale but determined. She had tried to stop him from delivering the file, but her efforts were futile. 

"Caspian, enough," Shanice said, firm yet laced with anxiety. "This isn't helping."

Caspian turned to her, his anger softening somewhat. "Shanice you know I'm right. He needs to hear this." 

Nelson slammed a fist on the desk, the sound echoing through the room. "What I need is for you to stop lecturing me and start explaining why Selena thought it was okay to leave with my child without telling me!"

Shanice stepped forward, her hands shaking but her voice firm. "She left because she had no choice, Alpha. You made her feel like she was nothing. You flaunted Sarah in front of her, dismissed her pain, and then expected her to stay and endure it. Luna Selena is stronger than that."

Sarah who stood beside Nelson couldn't contain her rage anymore. She snapptin before Nelson could respond.

"Don't mention that filthy name here again!" She yelled, pointing at Shanice. "And you dare not raise your voice while speaking to the Alpha. Have you lost your manners?"

Shanice shifted, adjusted a strand of hair on her head. “Stay out of this, Sarah. You’ve done enough damage already.”

Sarah’s eyes glittered with malice. “Damage? I’m the one keeping Nelson grounded while your precious Selena runs off to who-knows-where. If anything, I’m cleaning up her fucking mess.”  

Sarah moved closer to Nelson, rubbing a hand on his shoulder with a wicked smile on her face.

"And may I remind that I'm carrying the future of this Pack? Your so-called Selena is no longer relevant here."

“That’s enough!” Nelson’s voice cut through the room, silencing everyone. 

He turned to Sarah, his expression cold and unyielding. “This has nothing to do with you. Leave.”

For a moment, Sarah's boldness was broken, but she quickly regained it. "Leave? I'm your fiancée, Xaren. I'm carrying your child. I have every right to be here." 

Nelson's jaw clamped together; his patience was running out. "Get out, Sarah. Now." 

Sarah glared at him and then turned and left, slamming the door after her.

The silence thereafter was thick, filled with tension. 

Xaren suddenly stood up, pacing around the room like a caged animal. "And now what? She's out there alone, carrying my child? What if something happens to her?" 

Caspian stepped forward, his voice razor-sharp. "I'm sorry Alpha, but you should've thought about that before you drove her away."

Alpha Nelson's glared at Caspian as if to punch him in the face but he quickly regained his emotion.

"Caspian, take enough warriors, go search every home, every nooks and crannies of this Pack and the entire kingdom. Find her and bring her back to me!" 

Nelson moved closer to Caspian who was nodding. "Bring her back to me. I don't care what it'll cost. Find her!!"

Before Caspian could respond, Shanice's voice cut off; the next words were caught in her throat. 

She knew she had to say this. "You don't have to bother about the child anymore, Alpha." 

Nelson froze on his track, his eyes fastening onto her. "What the hell do you mean by that?" 

Cassie said with a deep breath, her hands shaking. "She lost the baby."

Her words hung in the air, battering Nelson as a tidal wave crashed over his shoulders. 

The usually invincible-looking Alpha sagged, for an instant he looked so destroyed, and weakly whispered, 

"Lost?" 

Sarah nodded as tears rose in her eyes. "The stress was too much. Her body could not bear the strain of it."

Caspian's jaw tightened, his gaze flicking to his mate. He couldn't tell if she was lying. 

He knew Shanice had do anything to protect Luna Selena, but did she really lost the child? 

Nelson turned away, his back to them as he stared out the window. 

His mind raced with conflicting emotions -- anger, guilt, sorrow, and a deep, aching regret he didn't know how to confront.

In the hall, Sarah lingered, eavesdropping. A smirk stretched across her lips as she pieced everything together. 

And to think Selena had "lost" the baby, that just cinched it. 

Smoothing her posture, she walked away, heels clicking in satisfaction.

Inside the room, Alpha Nelson finally spoke; his voice was hollow. "She's gone, and now the child is gone too. There's nothing left."

Shanice's heart bled at the void in his voice, but she didn't yield. "I'm sorry, Alpha. I understand how this feels. I hope she returns to us one day." 

Alpha Nelson turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "Get the fuck out! Both of you. Now!"

Caspian hesitated, his gaze lingering on his friend. But he knew there was nothing more he could do. 

He nodded to Shanice, and the two of them left the room. 

But Caspian halted in his step as turned back to face Nelson. "If anyone told me you would treat Luna Selena this way, I wouldn't hesitate to slit his throat."

Nelson glared at him. "Caspian, one day you'd understand why I did this, but until then, know your place and never you dare question my authority. You may be my best friend, but I'm still you Alpha."

Caspian took a deep breath, reluctantly bowed and left the room.

As the door closed behind them, Nelson sank into his chair, the file still clutched in his hands. 

His eyes scanned the document again, the pain in his chest growing with each line.

The thoughts of Selena filled him with guilt, and he hated the fact that he couldn't get her off his head.