Selene POV
The phone slipped from my hand and clattered on the ground as I froze with shock.
A baby? Was it even possible?
"Selene!" Lucius stared at me with worry "Are you alright? Did something happen?"
"No," I shook my head still in a daze, I managed a small smile "I'm fine, just tired. I'll go to my room now and rest,".
"Are you sure?" his gaze searched mine doubtfully.
"Yes, Lucius," I nodded "I'm just tired and a little rest would help me. You know how tired I get,".
"Maybe I should call Xavier," he suggested and pulled out his phone.
Tears blurred my eyes as I thought about how Xavier would react if I told him about the baby. He has drummed it into my head several times that he didn't want a baby with me. That he didn't love me and if I tried to be stubborn and get pregnant we would be on our own… I and the baby.
"You know it'll change nothing," I said softly placing a hand on his arm to stop him "I already wasted his time this morning when he drove me to the Pack Hospital. He will not come again,".
I saw pity flash in Lucius's eyes as he nodded and insisted that he would see me to my room before he leaves. As Xavier's Beta… there was not much he could do. Like me, he was bound to Xavier through the Beta bond and there were certain things he couldn't do.
My room was a tiny box located at the end of the same floor; as Xavier's room. I had chosen it because it was the warmest in the whole house. Due to my weak nature, modern heating didn't do much for me and since I didn't sleep on the same bed as Xavier, I was constantly cold.
But the room was perfect because it had a single, high window, and clay walls and it helped me block the impact of sounds from the footsteps of others or whenever Xavier's perfect girl – Belinda came around.
I sat on my bed, trying to think. It was said that having a baby in this kind of union could help break the mate bond between us by at least 50%. Which meant, Xavier would no longer need to mate with me every full moon for strength. And also, a baby could bring love… but it was very rare.
Slowly, I placed my hand on my stomach, wondering if this pup was healthy. The chances of giving birth to a healthy pup like Xavier or a pup as weak as me was 50%. So, I could either do away with the pup or take chances with it.
A small knock sounded on my door and before I had the chance to react, Xavier burst into my room. He was looking furious.
"What is it?" he barked looking at me coldly.
My eyes widened with surprise at his presence. I wasn't expecting to see him until another full moon. Why was he here?
"N-Nothing," I stuttered eyeing him fearfully.
"Don't be fucking difficult, Selene," he scowled "Lucius said you had a call from the hospital and was frightened by it. What is it?"
I opened my mouth to tell him about the news from Doctor Trisha but I paused for a second to look at the man standing in front of me. He wouldn't care. Worst case scenario, he would ask me to schedule an appointment for an evacuation and I felt my heart squeeze with fear.
Suddenly, I wanted to protect the life growing inside me; even from its father.
"It was nothing," I said calmly "I'm sorry I reacted that way… I had a weak spell at that moment and my phone fell to the ground,".
His eyes softened for a moment… but I knew my eyes were playing tricks with me because, in the next instant, he flung a pack of wild blueberries at me.
"Eat that… it'll help you recover," he said gruffly. "Have you had something to eat today?" he followed up.
In our seven years of marriage, Xavier had never wondered about if I ate or not. Aside from Lucius and my parents, no one has ever asked me if I was hungry or if I wanted to eat. Was this it? The thing the old tales said about a baby sparking love? Could he feel that I was with child?"
"Are you deaf, Selene?" he demanded "Say something,".
"I only got to my room, I'll go down to the kitchen and eat something later on,".
"If you don't eat, how do you expect to remain healthy," he hissed and was going to say something more but decided against it and said instead "Don't go down to the kitchen, I'll ask a maid to bring you food and try to rest. You look like death,".
With that, he turned on his heels and walked out of the door.
That was strange.
A few minutes later, true to his promise, a maid came into my room with a food cart and waited until I was done eating. I didn't know what to make of this but I felt hopeful. Perhaps, this baby would change things between us and we would be able to live as true mates.
It was with that thought that I drifted off to sleep.
~~~
I don't know how long I slept but when I opened my eyes, it was dark and it felt like my bladder would burst if I didn't go to ease myself. Stumbling through the darkened room, all thanks to my night vision which was a thousand times stronger than an average wolf, I walked out of my room towards the bathroom at the other end of the corridor.
As I passed by Xavier's room, something strange happened… I smelt him out. It was almost impossible for me since my wolf was super tiny and didn't have its nasal sensory activated.
His scent was the smell of the earth after rainfall and strangely… I knew it was his without being told. My wolf, Bea, sighed in relish as his scent wafted into our nostrils again. From the light in his room, I knew he wasn't asleep yet.
My wolf was excited as she urged me to go to him.
"Tell him about the baby," she insisted "I'm sure he'll be happy,". She said.
As I placed my hand on the doorknob… another scent hit me. It was strawberries with a tang of lemon and it was coming from Xavier's room. Confused, I pushed the door slowly to reveal Belinda bent over the pool table in Xavier's room naked while he pounded her from behind.
His face glistened with excitement and raw pleasure as he thrust into her while Belinda moaned like a banshee.
"I'm going to plant my seed deep into your womb… you'll carry my child," Xavier grunted and leaned down to plant a kiss on the back of her neck.
He threw his head backwards and his movements became unstable…in one final heave, he emptied himself inside her while my heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
This wasn't the first time; I had seen them like this but Xavier's plea for Belinda to carry his child kept ringing in my ears as I watched the couple lock lips again.
My breath caught in my throat, suffocating me as the weight of the truth finally settled on my shoulders… I and Xavier would never be true mates. He would never love me like he did with Belinda or mate me so lovingly… he never even kissed me.
Xavier must have sensed my presence because our eyes met and he stared back at me with defiance and almost mockery boldly written in his eyes. The ache in my heart intensified as I looked at the stranger who had been my husband for seven years and tears gathered in my eyes.
I clutched the doorway for support, my knuckles turning white… The baby wouldn't change anything. This was reality and the stupid legendary tales would not work for me.
Emotions surged within me – first, it was pain and then anger followed by a profound sense of loss. At that moment… it felt like there was a disconnect between me and Xavier. Silently, I closed the door and turned back to my room, forgetting about the reason why I had woken up in the first place.
As I walked back the quiet corridor to my room… I allowed the tears to flow freely… I was mourning not only because I'd been enduring my cheating husband for seven years without complaint but because I would finally set myself free.
I was going to leave… with my non-existent dignity and the pup in my womb.