0004: A Stranger's Offer

Pregnant?

The word echoed in my mind like a distant bell,its sound growing louder until it consumed me.

I laughed,but it wasn't a laugh of joy . It was sharp, bitter, like something dark clawing its way up my throat.

How could this be real? It felt like a cruel dream, and any moment now, I'd wake up in my tiny cabin — still heartbroken,but not pregnant.

Not like this .

"Are you serious?"My voice trembled, barely holding back the storm of emotions building inside me. I glanced at the man who had helped me ,his expression unreadable.

He didn't finch, though.My hands trembled, gripping the blanket tightly.My heartbeat felt like a drum in my chest ,fast and erratic.

"I wouldn't joke about something like that ?" He said softly,his tone unusually gentle. "The physician was certain."

I swallowed hard. There had been no one else— Drake . The thought of carrying his child,afterall that had happened, twisted my stomach into knots.

" I saw you at the Alpha's Mating ceremony, rumours said you were his mate and destined to be Luna."

"Yes." I swallowed,the words bitter on my tongue. " I was his mate . For three long years , I waited , hoping he'd choose me as his Luna . But loving him ...it was just a losing game."

"I'm Antoine," he finally said,his voice steady. " I've been around these parts long enough. Let's just say ...I know what it's like to be discarded by those you trust."

He leaned back in his chair ,his arms crossed. " You had a mate but to him you were just an ordinary wolf to him ," he said and pointed to my stomach." He is responsible, yeah ?

My throat tightened at the mention of Drake ,of the ceremony where he had humiliated me in front of the entire pack. "Yes," I said quietly." "But he chose someone else ,and now , he's the father of my child ."

Saying the words ,felt like opening a fresh wound.

The rejection seared through me every time I thought of Drake. My fist clenched involuntarily, my knuckles white. I couldn't even think of him without feeling a hollow ache in my chest, as if I was still standing at a ceremony watching him choose someone else

But then I thought about the child growing inside me, the flicker of life that gave me something to hold onto, something to fight for. I imagine what it might be like to cradle it, to see its first smile and for a moment the weight of my despair lightened

Antoine's eyes softened,but a guarded look remained behind them,like a door left half open.

"You don't have anywhere to go now ,do you ?"

I shook my head ."No, I was going to leave first thing in the morning." I said my voice cracked. I will figure something out . I always do ."

He stood up and walked over to the window and staring out into the rain. "You can stay here."

I looked up at him , surprised at the offer. "I— I appreciate it . But I can't, I need to work , to fend for myself and the baby."

He turned to me ,his brows furrowed. " Who is going to take in a pregnant woman? Especially a banished wolf?" His words were blunt but true. The human world was harsh enough and with the wolf blood in my veins , I was more of an outcast than ever.

"I'll find a way ." I muttered,even though the words felt hollow,like an empty promise I didn't believe. My situation only seemed hopeless.

"You don't have to be scared of humans." He said suddenly as if reading my thoughts. " You are at Shadowsville Pack. The rules are simple ,if any banished wolf is caught ,he or she is immediately beheaded. So you really have to be careful."

"Oh," that was the only thing I managed to say and silence stretched between us before he spoke again,his voice quieter this time .

"You don't have to leave in the morning," he added softly, almost reading my thoughts." Stay as long as you need. The door's locked,and there's food in the kitchen if you're hungry."

I glanced around the room,the warmth and safety of it overwhelming. I didn't know this young man, not really. But right now ,I had no one, nowhere to go

The thought of venturing into an unknown pack , pregnant and alone , terrified me.

His kindness was unexpected and for the first time in what felt like forever ,I didn't feel completely alone .

"Why do you care ?" I asked ,my voice low ." You don't even know me."

For a moment ,he didn't respond,as if deciding how much to tell .Then ,with a deep sigh ,he spoke

"I had a mate once. Elena. She was everything to me,but ...she was killed in a raid during a pack war. After that ,I was too broken to lead ,so my pack cast me out. Left me to rot." His jaw clenched slightly." I've been alone ever since."

His words hung in the air,heavy with the weight of his past. I felt a pang of empathy, knowing too well the pain of being abandoned by the ones you trusted the most.

His eyes flicked to my stomach and back to my face.

"I lost someone else too ."he continued his voice rougher now,"My mate Elena ,died in a raid like I said earlier. We were going to have a child... But it never happened. Maybe in some twisted way, helping you is my chance for redemption."

He smiled again."This is your home now," he said, but there was something in his eyes—something unreadable, almost calculating. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into another trap, but right now, did I really have a choice?

A small ,thin smile tugged at my lips. I silently thanked the Moon Goddess for this unexpected miracle.Something I had never expected. I thought about the child I was carrying, when his voice broke into my thoughts again.

"So will you tell him about this child?"

I shook my head slowly , silent anger bursting into me.

"No. There's no need for it . I have died a thousand deaths since he rejected me and I want my heart to remain dead too."