The cold bit into my skin like sharp teeth, sinking deep into my bones as I hung, trapped by stone and rope. The rough ropes cut into my wrists and ankles, making my limbs ache from being stretched apart.

My swollen belly felt heavy, twisting with discomfort. A sharp pain shot through me, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out. The wind howled through the trees, making the sweat on my skin feel even colder. My breath came in short, shaky gasps, misting in the freezing night air.

Seram stood below me, his eyes blazing with fury as he looked up at my bound form. His stance was rigid, fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Behind him, the pack stood in grim silence, their expressions unreadable in the flickering torchlight.

"This is your punishment, Marian," Seram's voice roared like thunder, echoing in the empty night. "For pushing Deanne off the cliff."

"No!" My voice cracked, choked with desperation. My body trembled, not just from the unbearable cold but from the sheer terror of his words. "Seram, I swear, I didn't do it! I would never!"

"Lies!" he snarled, his growl reverberating through the air. "You always have an excuse, always playing the victim! You've always been a jealous, selfish woman, Marian!"

"No! That's not true! Please, just listen to me-"

"Shut up!" His voice was like a whip, lashing against me, making me flinch. His eyes burned with contempt as he took a step forward. "You can never stand to see me with Deanne! You'd rather kill her than accept my choice!"

Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision. "I never refused you, Seram! I was willing to accept her! It's Deanne. She's the one who-"

"Enough!" His roar cut through my words like a blade. "I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses!"

I sucked in a shaky breath, my chest tightening. "Seram, please, I—I love you! I-"

"You don't know the meaning of love!" he spat, eyes flashing with fury. "If you did, you wouldn't have tried to get rid of Deanne! You wouldn't have tried to steal my happiness just because you can't bear the thought of me having another wife!"

"I never…" My voice cracked, but it didn't matter. He wouldn't listen. He never did.

Seram exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "You've been nothing but a burden, Marian. Always clinging to me, always making trouble. I tolerated you, and it was fine as long as you gave me a child. And yet, you're not only useless but also unable to bear sons!"

The words stabbed through me, deeper than any physical wound. My lips trembled as silent sobs wracked my body. "But she's our child… she's yours…"

"I need an heir, Marian! A son! Not a pathetic girl!"

His fury surged, and he swung his arm violently, knocking over a torch on the ground. The flames flickered wildly before settling, mirroring the rage burning in his eyes. "Deanne is now carrying my son. She is carrying my heir."

My heart clenched so painfully I thought it might stop beating. No wonder…

Seram gave me one last look before he turned on his heel, his subordinates following without question.

My vision blurred as I watched him leave, his broad back disappearing into the shadows. I could still hear their voices, their laughter, as if my suffering was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

The only one left behind was a beta warrior, a man who did not even spare me a glance as he stood a distance away, arms folded, watching the night pass.

The wind howled louder, wrapping around me like a cruel lover, sinking its icy teeth into my flesh. Pain rippled through my abdomen, sharper than before. I gasped, twisting in my restraints. A warm, wet sensation trickled down my thighs, and realization struck me with horror.

No.

Not now.

"Help," I whimpered, my voice weak, barely above the wind. My bound hands clenched as a wave of pain crashed through me, tearing a strangled cry from my throat. "Please help me!"

The guard did not move. He did not react.

My body convulsed as another contraction hit, more vicious than the last. My breath came in shallow gasps, my vision tunneling with the intensity of my pain. My baby, our baby, was coming.

"Please!" I screamed, my voice raw with agony. "Anyone, help me!"

No response.

Tears streamed down my face as I writhed against my bindings, my body demanding release. The pain tore through me, unbearable, unstoppable. My stomach clenched violently, and I felt the unmistakable pressure of life forcing its way out of me.

A sob choked out of my throat as I realized that I was up here, a few feet above the ground. One drop could have killed me. Looking down, there was no one.

No one to catch my child.

Then, the worst happened.

A final contraction, stronger than before. I wanted to stop it by closing my legs, but the bindings did not allow me, keeping them spread apart. My body arched, my vision flashed white, and then-

Something passed through me, warm and full of life. Then…

A wet, sickening smack against the cold, hard ground.

For a moment, the world stood still. My breath hitched, my body frozen in horror.

My child...

My baby...

Had fallen.

A wail, small and weak, pierced the silence. My entire body stiffened at the sound, and my breath hitched painfully in my throat.

My baby.

"No! No, please! My baby!" I sobbed, twisting against my restraints, my body screaming in agony. My arms burned from the tight ropes, my legs ached from their unnatural position, but none of it mattered.

Down below, the beta warrior moved at last. His gaze flickered to the fragile, blood-covered form lying on the dirt. His face was unreadable as he took slow steps toward the newborn.

"Pick her up!" I pleaded, my voice raw, my entire body convulsing with anguish. "Please, she's just a baby! Pick her up!"

The warrior hesitated. His hands twitched at his sides before he finally crouched, lifting the tiny bundle in his arms. A long silence followed as he examined the child. Then, his eyes widened slightly.

"It's alive," he stated flatly. He turned the baby in his arms, inspecting its delicate form. Then, almost hesitantly, he added, "And… it's a healthy baby boy."

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. My baby…is a boy?

Seram's heir.

Tears blurred my vision. I didn't care if it was a girl or a boy. I just wanted to hold my child, to warm him against my skin, to whisper that everything would be alright, even though I knew it wouldn't. But all I could do was hang there, powerless, as the night swallowed us whole.

The beta warrior looked uncertain. He held the baby close, his grip awkward, as if unsure what to do next. My lips trembled. "Please, can you let me down? I want to hold him."

The warrior grimaced, torn between duty and morality. "I… I can't. Alpha Seram ordered you to stay here. I can't disobey."

"Please…" I sobbed.

He glanced between me and the squirming baby in his arms before finally nodding. "Fine. But I'll go to the pack and tell him first."

He hesitated for a moment longer before removing his coat. Carefully, he spread it on the ground, making sure the fabric cushioned the baby before placing him down gently.

"I'll be back," he promised. "I'll tell Alpha."

With that, he turned and sprinted into the night, disappearing between the trees. My breath came in rapid, panicked bursts as I stared down at the tiny bundle on the ground. My son's tiny cries reached my ears, and my heart clenched painfully.

A rustling noise made my stomach twist with unease. The hairs on my arms stood on end, and a shiver crawled down my spine. Then, from the darkness, a figure emerged.

Deanne.

My eyes widened in horror as she stepped closer, a slow, deliberate smile spreading across her lips.

"How pitiful," she murmured, tilting her head as she gazed up at me. "Hanging there like a broken doll… watching everything, yet unable to do anything."

My breath came in shaky gasps. "Stay away from him," I warned, my voice barely above a whisper.

Deanne chuckled. "Oh, Marian…" She took another step forward, her eyes flickering with amusement. "I wouldn't hurt your baby. I'm not that cruel."

For a fleeting moment, relief washed over me. But then, a low growl echoed through the clearing. I froze. My heart pounded wildly as shadows shifted in the trees. Then, stepping into the torchlight, their eyes burning red with hunger, came a pack of wild wolves.

A cold dread seeped into my bones. "No…"

Deanne smirked, watching as the beasts prowled closer. "I won't harm the child, Marian. But I can't say the same to them."

"No!" I shrieked, struggling violently against my restraints. "Deanne, you can't! Call them off!"

She merely gave a small wave, turning on her heel as she strolled away. "Goodbye, Marian. Try not to cry too much."

"Deanne! Deanne, stop! Please!" My voice cracked, but she didn't turn back.

I whipped my gaze down at the wolves, who had already formed a tight circle around the baby. Their lips curled back, revealing razor-sharp fangs. Their hungry eyes gleamed with merciless intent.

"Get away from him!" I screamed, my throat burning. "GO AWAY!"

But they didn't listen. A deafening snarl split the air.

The baby's cry was a desperate wail, high-pitched and terrified—until it wasn't.

Silence.

A sickening crunch. My mind shattered. My body froze, my screams dying in my throat.

My baby.

Gone.

The world blurred. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. My ears rang with a terrible emptiness, an aching void where my child's cries should have been. Then, as if a joke, the ropes that I had been trying to loosen suddenly snapped.

I plunged downward, crashing into the cold earth. My body trembled as I lifted my gaze, eyes locking onto the gruesome remains of my child. The wolves turned their attention to me now, their hunger unsatisfied, their glowing eyes filled with madness.

Tears blurred my vision. My lips parted, a hoarse, broken whisper escaping into the night. "Moon Goddess, have you forsaken me?"

The wolves lunged.

And then, there was nothing.

There was nothing but cold darkness.

The beta warrior sprinted through the dense forest, his breath coming in ragged gasps. As he reached the pack's encampment, he slowed his pace, his eyes darting around in search of his Alpha. Before he could take another step, several of Seram's subordinates spotted him.

"What are you doing here?" One of them asked, frowning. "Weren't you supposed to guard Marian?"

Another scoffed. "What's the point? It's not like she can escape. Our lands are safe, and she's tied up tight."

A few of them chuckled, exchanging knowing glances. The beta warrior hesitated, his mouth opening to explain, but before he could get a word out, the scent of medicinal herbs filled the air. All of them turned to look just as Deanne stumbled into the gathering.

Deanne was wearing simple, light clothing, exposing some of the bandages and herbal poultices covering her wounds. She moved with difficulty, her steps slow and her breath uneven. Her face, usually bright with arrogance, was pale, her expression drawn with exhaustion. She was limping, as if in pain, but she forced a weak smile as the warriors turned their attention to her.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity. "Why are you all gathered here?"

One of the warriors stepped forward. "We just got back from punishing Marian."

Deanne stilled, her eyes widening in feigned shock.

"Punishing Marian?" she repeated, her voice soft, almost hesitant. She placed a delicate hand on her chest. "Where is Seram?"

As if summoned by her words, Seram emerged from the side, his towering presence sending a ripple of silence through the warriors. His gaze locked onto the beta warrior, his expression darkening.

"Why are you here?" Seram demanded, his voice sharp. "I told you to guard Marian."

The beta warrior swallowed hard. He was about to explain the reason for his presence when Deanne suddenly stepped between them, her voice trembling with concern.

"Seram," she murmured, looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Is it true? Did you really punish Marian?"

Seram's jaw tightened. "Yes," he said firmly. "She deserved it after what she did to you."

Deanne lowered her gaze, her fingers twisting together.

"I… I don't blame her," she whispered. "Maybe she acted out of anger because of her pregnancy. It must have clouded her judgment."

Seram's scowl deepened. "And you're pregnant too, but you don't act like her."

Deanne looked away, as if ashamed.

"Perhaps I understand her pain," she said softly. "I don't want her to suffer, Seram. Please, let her go. I feel terrible knowing she's out there, alone in the cold."

Her words did not soothe Seram's anger. Instead, his eyes darkened with frustration.

"You're too kind," he growled. "Marian needs to learn her lesson. You begged me to spare her once before, but look what she did. She pushed you off a cliff!"

Deanne lowered her head, biting her lip as if holding back tears. "I just don't want to be the reason for her suffering…"

Seram cupped her face, his touch surprisingly gentle. "She brought this on herself," he assured her. Then, turning to the beta warrior, his expression hardened once more.

"Forget about her. Don't go back. Let her feel the full extent of her punishment."

The beta warrior hesitated, guilt clawing at his insides, but he could not disobey a direct order. He gave a short nod.

Satisfied, Seram turned back to Deanne. He wrapped an arm around her waist, guiding her away from the gathering. "Come, you need rest."

Seram stayed the night with Deanne. They were intimate, but Seram was careful, afraid of harming the baby growing inside her. Once they were done, he lay beside Deanne, pulling her into his arms.

"Don't worry about Marian. Don't stress yourself. You should focus on yourself more," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her flushed shoulder.

Deanne reacted shyly. "I know. Alpha is wise, and I will follow his words."

The night passed in a haze of pleasure and whispered promises. Deanne lay beside him, her soft breath fanning against his skin. Seram held her close, his possessiveness growing stronger with each passing moment.

Yet, something felt off. He could not understand it, but a cold sensation crawled down his spine, making him shiver lightly. He glanced at the window and saw that there was no moon tonight. He shrugged, pulling Deanne into a tighter embrace before closing his eyes.

Sleep came easily, deep and undisturbed.

Until it wasn't.

A loud howl ripped through the early morning air, followed by frantic shouting. Seram's eyes snapped open, his body tensing as he listened. The dreadful feeling he had the previous night returned, fully clearing the fog from his mind.

He turned his gaze toward the window, subconsciously looking in the direction where they had left Marian last night.

Something was wrong.