"Hello, cousin." Zara greets me with a smug smile.
I'm frozen with shock. I can barely comprehend what is going on right now.
"Father, Zara and I have agreed to spend the rest of our lives together. She's my mate and with your permission, we'd love to seek the blessings of the Moon Goddess and get married as soon as possible." Hector repeats.
My heart is pounding like a runaway train as the Supreme Alpha turns to me.
"Did you hear that, Athena? My son says he's not responsible for your pregnancy."
"But he is!" I blurt. "Hector is the only man I've ever been with. Please believe me. He's the father!"
Suddenly, someone grabs my arm from behind and spins me around. Before I can defend myself, a resounding "thwack!" echoes throughout the fighting ground.
The slap sends me stumbling backwards as whimpers of pain slips past my lips. For a moment, I'm totally confused.
"What the heck do you think you're doing, you fool? Have you no shame?"
My head snaps upwards and I come face-to-face with Hector's mother, our Supreme Luna Queen.
Her lips are curled in disgust.
"My son has already said that he's not responsible for this pregnancy. What more do you want from him? Why don't you get out of here and look for the real father of your baby? Leave my son alone!"
I turn to Hector;
"Is this really how it's going to be? Aren't you going to say anything about this?"
His lips tighten in anger and he pulls a smiling Zara tighter against his side.
"I am not the father of that child, Athena. You're dead to me for all I care."
His mother grabs and harshly pulls me towards the exit of the fighting ground.
"Get out of here, you stupid witch. Leave!!"
I stumble after her, nearly falling on my face.
"Please, slow down. You're hurting me. Please…!"
She doesn't listen. She keeps pulling me until we arrive at the exit, then she pushes me out of the fighting ground and I land on my knees with a pain-filled cry.
"If I see you close to Hector ever again, you might not live to tell your story."
Pain radiates through my entire body as I kneel there, unable to move.
"It hurts," I whimper helplessly. "Someone please help me. My stomach hurts."
No one comes to my rescue. They just stand there and keep laughing at me until Jasmine arrives.
"Athena! Oh my God, you're bleeding."
She turns to the crowd;
"Shame on all of you!" She roars. "It doesn't matter what you think she did. She does not deserve this treatment. Shame on you!"
Another sharp pang cuts through my belly and I bite my lips to keep a howl of pain from slipping out.
"Jasmine, we need to get out here. I don't feel so good."
She helps me to my feet with much difficulty and together, we hobble to her car.
I keep expecting Hector to call me back and say that this was all a sick joke, but my heart finally shatters to pieces when Jasmine starts her car and I don't hear his voice.
This is it. This is really it.
I try to fall asleep but the pain in my tummy keeps me awake. Three minutes later, it becomes worse.
Despite the AC, I'm sweaty and feverish. I feel like I'm going to die.
"Jas, I don't feel so good. Why does it hurt so much?" I whimper.
My best friend looks panicked.
"I'm taking you to the hospital, Chipmunk. I don't know what's happened but you're bleeding very badly."
I look down and sure enough, the entire seat is stained with blood.
Twenty seconds later, the contractions begin to hit and I can slowly feel my soul slipping away.
"Stop the car, Jas, please." I cry. "I really can't take it anymore. Please…"
Jasmine wipes the tears on her cheeks and gives me a reassuring smile.
"I'm not sure we'll be able to make it to the hospital. Let's stop at our hideout and call for help."
A few seconds later, the car skids to a stop and she helps me out.
Our hideout is a small uncompleted building a few metres away from college. It's our secret spot.
By the time Jasmine helps me onto the hard, rough ground of the building, my contractions have already worsened.
"Hold on. I'll call for help."
She fishes out her phone with trembling fingers, dials a number and presses it against her ear.
After many unsuccessful attempts and dialling a couple of numbers, someone finally answers.
"Hector! Oh, thank God. I need your help."
At the mention of his name, my heart grows cold.
The call is on speakerphone and I can hear the rich timbre of his voice loud and clear.
"If this is about Athena…"
"Yes. This is in fact about her and your unborn child. Look, I think she's gone into premature labour. I've called everyone I know but strangely, no one is answering. We really need help to get her to the hospital. Please…"
"Athena and her bastard child are really none of my business, Jasmine. Today is my engagement ceremony to Zara and I can't leave. Find someone else to help you."
"Hector, please…"
He ends the call.
At that very moment, every single ray of hope that I ever harboured in my heart for him is replaced with hatred — pure, venomous hatred.
I hate Hector Kensington with a vengeance. I will never, ever forgive him for what he's done.
Another sharp pain wracks my frame and I bite my lips until I taste blood.
"Jas, I think the baby's coming. I can feel it. I need to push. Now!"
"Oh my God. What do we do?" She sounds so panicked.
I grab her arm and look her straight in the eyes.
"It's only the two of us now. We have to deliver this baby. There's no other way."
***
After five hours of pain and agony; when I nearly gave up and literally felt my soul leave my body… the cries of a newborn baby finally pierce the air.
Or should I say, new born babies.
"Jeez, Chipmunk. You just gave birth to three babies. Three!" Jasmine sounds genuinely thrilled. "You're a superwoman."
I'm tired to the bone, but looking at my babies cradled in Jasmine's arms, I've never felt any better.
But alas, the Moon goddess is not done punishing me.
"Uh… Athena?" Jasmine suddenly calls.
"Yeah?" I respond weakly.
"I think something's wrong."
My eyes fly open immediately.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
She looks at me with a gaze filled with dread.
"Only two of the babies are crying. The third one isn't. And he's very cold and stiff. I… I think he's dead."
I can swear that I feel my heart stop beating. I try to get to my feet but fall back to the ground due to excruciating pain.
My eyes are burning with tears.
"G-give him to me." I stutter. "It can't be. Please, goddess. It can't be…"
Tears are already falling in torrents down my face as Jasmine hands me the baby. Just one look at his frozen, half open eyes, I know deep in my soul that he's really dead.
If I was broken before, I'm completely shattered now.
"Wake up, baby." I whisper, kissing his forehead. "Please… please, wake up. I'll do anything."
Jasmine breaks into sobs and tries to take the baby from me.
"He's gone, Athena. You have to let him go."
"I'm sorry." I apologise over and over again to a dead baby. "I failed you. I'm so sorry. Please forgive your mother."
We're all crying now. Me, Jasmine and my two surviving babies.
Ten minutes later, I wipe my tears, kiss my dead baby's forehead and lay him gently on the floor next to me.
"What are we gonna do now?"
"I have no idea, Jas. All I know is that I can no longer stay here."
Her eyes widen in surprise. "What do you mean? Where will you go with two babies?"
My body, soul and spirit have gone cold with hatred.
Hatred for the NightHunters Pack.
And most importantly, hatred for Hector Kensington.
"I don't know where I'll go, but I'm leaving this goddess forsaken pack today… and I'm never, ever coming back…"