Page 23 of Surprise Baby for My Fated Alpha

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “No. It didn’t. I thought it would. I thought killing Axel would make me feel something—relief, maybe even satisfaction. But all it did was make me feel emptier. Katherine was still gone. And killing Axel didn’t bring her back.”

I sat down again, my shoulders heavy with the weight of it all. “After I killed him, I left his body for the wolves.”

“Where was Marcosias during all this?”

“I have no idea where he was. He’s just ten years older than Miranda. So, I’m guessing he was with a relative at that time. He wants to avenge the death of his father, and also strip me of my power and status as the Alpha.”

Luna’s voice was barely a whisper. "You’ve been carrying this alone ... all this time."

I nodded, unable to meet her eyes. "I didn’t want you to see this part of me. This part of my life. But you need to know. Marcosias isn’t just a rival clan leader. He’s a monster. He is worse than his father and very unpredictable, and now that he knows about you ... he’ll come for you, too. But I won’t let him get to you."

“I know you won’t let him hurt me. I believe in you,” Luna said, and gave me a tight hug.

Luna led me to the bed, where we both cuddled like it was our last time on earth. Having her so close to me made me feel a sense of relief. I kept on stroking her hair till she fell asleep.

I need to find Marcosias, but where could he be hiding? He can be very irrational, which means that he is bound to make a mistake. Oh, Orion, you need to be two steps ahead,I thought, as I held Luna in my arms.

The night was still, the only sound the rhythmic beating of Luna’s heart against my chest. We lay tangled in each other’s arms, her warmth pressed against me, as we shared the quiet comfort of just being together. For a moment, everything felt right. The chaos of our world was kept at bay by the simple fact that she was here, in my arms, and I could protect her.

Her breathing was slow, soft, and I traced lazy patterns along her back, content in the silence. But as the minutes passed, I felt something shift. Her body, which had been relaxed, suddenly stiffened.

I frowned, pulling back slightly to look at her. “Luna?” I whispered. Her eyes were closed, but her face had twisted in discomfort, her brow furrowed, as if she were fighting something in her sleep.

At first, I thought she was dreaming, but then her breath caught, and she let out a soft, almost painful whimper.

“Luna, wake up,” I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her skin was damp with sweat, her breathingquickening with every passing second. I tightened my grip on her. “Luna?”

She didn’t respond. Her body jerked slightly, her fists clenching around the sheets, and a low moan escaped her lips. Something was wrong, this wasn’t just a dream. The air around us grew heavy, thick with tension. My chest tightened as I watched her.

“Luna,” I said louder, my heart pounding now. I shook her gently, trying to wake her. “Luna, wake up.”

But she didn’t. Instead, her breathing grew more frantic, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Sweat dripped down her face, soaking her hair. Her whole body trembled, trapped in whatever vision had gripped her.

“Come on, Luna. Wake up,” I urged, my voice tinged with panic. I shook her harder, but it was like she was locked in a nightmare she couldn’t escape. Her lips parted as she gasped for air, her hands clawing at the sheets.

My pulse quickened. “Luna!” I called out, fear creeping into my voice. She was burning up, her body radiating heat, her breathing labored. The room felt stifling, the air was thick, like it was pressing in on us.

I pulled her closer, trying to ground her, to snap her out of it. “Luna, wake up! Please.”

Suddenly, her body tensed one last time, and with a sharp gasp, her eyes flew open. She shot upright, her chest heaving as ifshe’d just been pulled from the depths of the ocean. Her hand flew to her chest, and her wide, terrified eyes found mine.

“Orion,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

I reached out, gripping her arms gently but firmly. “It’s okay. You’re here. You’re safe. What happened?”

She stared at me, her body still shaking, and for a moment, I thought she wouldn’t answer. But then she exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over her face, as if trying to clear the remnants of the vision.

“I saw them,” she said, her voice hoarse.

“Who?” I asked, already dreading the answer.

Her eyes darted around the room, as if the shadows held the danger she had seen. “The traitors … in your clan. They were meeting with the rival clan. They’re planning to attack.”

I felt my blood run cold, a chill creeping up my spine. “Who? Who’s betraying me?”

She swallowed hard, her hands trembling, as she gripped the edge of the blanket. “I don’t know, I couldn’t see their faces clearly. But from the conversation they were having, I could tell they were from your clan.”

I clenched my jaw, fighting the rage that surged inside me. “What else did you see?” I asked, my voice rough.

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