“You are to be united by sacred marriage, binding the two clans—vampires and werewolves—to peace. Therefore, only death can part you,” declared the powerful oracle, who had devised this union.

I looked at Lucas, whose face was cold and smug. A pang hit me deep inside because I knew the Alpha King would never love the idea of marrying me, a vampire queen.

But he had no choice. It was his duty.

We kissed under the moonlight, and I hoped that night he would be able to look at me without seeing me as a hindrance to the first love he couldn’t marry. That somehow, we would find love within our marriage.

But I shouldn’t have hoped. Because his words still linger inside me.

“Remember this. You will never be Amethyst, Serene. You can never reclaim my heart from her. You are nothing but a duty to me.”

I had never felt so disregarded, so unwanted, so weak—until he became my husband. Because I fell in love with him, and he didn’t. I lived with his misery and anger, and I suffered every day.

-

“Lucas, where are you taking me?” It was hard to even utter a word because of the sharp pain in my stomach.

He was dragging me down the stairs, gripping my hand so tightly that I squinted in pain.

“I’ll make you remember your place! I’ve been trying to understand your silly attitude towards Amethyst, but now, I cannot let this go!” His voice was enraged.

My forehead creased. I couldn’t understand what he’s saying. What had I done to Amethyst? I hadn’t even seen her in a month!

“But what did I do—Lucas, you’re hurting me!” I snapped.

But the more I tried to pry his hands off, the tighter he gripped me.

He glanced at me, his face murderous.

“You sent her death threats and even sent her things to hurt her.”

“I didn’t do that! I haven’t had the time—with this pregnancy! I don’t have the strength. I am weak—”

I couldn’t finish my sentence because he shoved me inside the carousel.

He tossed me aside as if I wasn’t carrying our child. Another wave of pain seared through me, too much to bear. Nausea overtook me, and soon, darkness swallowed me whole.

When I woke up, I heard echoing footsteps and hollow voices. It felt like they were invading my head. My sight was dim—so dim, I almost forgot I had enhanced eyesight.

My eyes turned red as I checked my body. I was tied to the largest pillar of the ruins. A shiver ran down my spine as I realized what kind of place I had been brought to.

Then I saw my husband, Lucas, standing before me. Not an ounce of guilt was visible on his face—only anger.

“You'll stay here until you accept that you're no match for Amethyst—that you'll never have what she does. Until you stop hurting and threatening her out of jealousy." He smirked darkly. "Stay here."

My eyes widened in shock. I shook my head, my lips trembling uncontrollably.

“No, Lucas! You can’t do this to me! This place will kill me—it will end my life! I am pregnant, p-please—”

I couldn’t stop myself from crying as my gaze darted around the enormous, haunted ruins.

If I stay here, I'd die. My baby would die.

I tried to grasp his hand, but a rope yanked me up, forcing a sharp scream from my lips.

If only I weren’t so weak from this pregnancy, I could handle this.

I felt terror as I watched Lucas turn his back on me.

“Lucas! P-please, you… you can’t do—our baby—ahh!”

Pain ripped through me. My stomach twisted, my body stretching as if the baby was coming too soon.

“L-Lucas, he’s coming—”

But he didn’t let me finish. He shut the heavy doors and left.

I screamed at the top of my lungs. From pain, terror, betrayal.

I had done nothing to deserve this. Nothing to warrant these accusations.

Then I felt it. A warm, sticky liquid trickling down my thighs.

The echoing voices of those who had died in this cursed place filled my ears, suffocating me. Their souls clawed at my sanity. This ruin had imprisoned traitors and criminals—its curse was to take the life of whoever was locked inside.

Did he know that?

Did he really want me to die here?

Did he truly not care about our child?

I had believed—foolishly—that somewhere beneath his cold demeanor, he carried guilt for our child.

But I was wrong.

We meant nothing to him.

Only Amethyst did.

Cold enveloped my body. The ruins trembled as an ancient mechanism was activated. I heard something drop onto the ground.

With my last shred of strength, I lowered my gaze. The tiny bit of sanity I had left shattered.

Blood—My baby—lifeless, unmoving.

“My baby—” I whispered, weakly.

Tears streamed down my face in agony. I had carried him for nine months—dreamed of a life with him. And yet, I couldn’t protect him.

He’s the only part of his father that could have loved me. The only one who would have treated me kindly.—and now he’s gone.

I lifted my head, staring at the top of the ruins. A mirror reflected the faces of all who had perished here. Their sorrowful eyes met mine.

Soon, I would be among them—I’d die too—just like my baby.

And it was all because of Lucas.

“Queen, you’ve been experiencing that pain since your pregnancy. Shouldn’t you tell the Alpha King about it?” my servant asked, concerned.

I shook my head, keeping my focus on the parchment before me. The letters I needed to send to the human world were crucial. Their accusations had grown louder, blaming our kingdom for their missing persons. Their suspicion fell on Lucas and his regency, convinced his kind couldn’t suppress their primal urges—their hunger for human flesh—just as we, vampires, constantly battled our thirst for blood.

Beyond that, the humans never trusted Lucas—they despised him and preferred to deal with me. But my condition made meeting them impossible, so I relied on these letters to ease the rising tensions—tensions Lucas struggled to contain and had borne for weeks.

“Your birthday is tomorrow. Will the Alpha King celebrate it privately with you?”

“I still don’t know. He’s busy, isn’t he?” I replied with a small smile, though I already knew the answer.

My servant said nothing, merely pushing forward a small bottle of yellow oil—the one I was meant to mix into my drink. By now, it was routine.

“Your tonic, Queen,” she murmured, not quite meeting my eyes.

“We both know it’s not a tonic,” I said softly, though I still reached for it.

She lingered as I wrote another letter, this time addressing an issue Lucas struggled to handle. He had made it clear—I was never to interfere in his leadership. He didn’t rely on me or need my help. So I did it in secret, ensuring my involvement remained hidden. He was a man—an Alpha. Accepting a woman’s help would make him appear weak.

Or so I thought.

“Let’s have a round of applause for Amethyst,” Lucas’s voice rang out, loud and confident.

On the night of my birthday, a feast was held—but not in my honor. The humans had received the letter, strengthening our alliance after I helped locate half of their missing people.

“She made this possible,” Lucas declared. “She truly is our miracle.”

Then he chuckled, guiding her forward—giving her the recognition I had fought so hard for.

Draped in white, her dark hair woven with delicate flowers—flowers I knew well. They came from Lucas’s personal garden, his favorite place. He had never given me flowers. Amethyst, his first love, had everything. I, his wife, got only what was left.

“Queen, the credit is yours, isn’t it?” my right-hand man asked, his voice tight with anger.

He knew the truth—how many sleepless nights I had spent commanding my servants to find the missing.

I smiled, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He had stood by me since we were thirteen, and I knew he hated seeing me like this. But despite Lucas’s cruelty, despite his indifference, my heart still found a way to love him.

He didn’t.

Later that night, as Lucas left the gathering with Amethyst by his side, I called out, “Lucas…”

They both turned to face me. The celebration was over, and all I wanted was a moment—just a sliver of acknowledgment. Maybe even a greeting.

But I should have known better.

“Go to your chambers, Selene. I’m staying with Amethyst. We have something important to discuss,” he said dismissively, his tone void of any warmth.

With a flick of his hand, he dismissed me—like I was nothing. Like I wasn’t his wife.

Amethyst smirked, rolling her eyes as if I were pathetic. Triumph was etched across her face as she followed him.

Pain struck deep, sharp and suffocating. My vision blurred with unshed tears, but I stood frozen, foolishly hoping he would turn back. That he’d realize his mistake. That he’d at least remember my birthday.

But he didn’t.

Instead, his right-hand man approached, holding a goblet of thick, crimson blood.

“The King requests that you rest, my Queen. He instructed you to drink this. It will help you sleep peacefully.”

My fingers trembled as I took the cup. It nearly slipped from my grasp. I did not drink it. Not yet. Not when something inside me felt… wrong.

I made my way to Lucas’s office. The door was slightly ajar. He wasn’t inside. But beyond the grand bookshelf, the hidden passage to his private chamber was left open.

And when I looked inside—I saw them.

Lucas sat upon his throne. Amethyst was astride him, bare-skinned and writhing. Their bodies moved in perfect sync.

She moaned his name, nails digging into his flesh. He groaned in return, gripping her hips with the same possessiveness I had once longed for. The sounds of their pleasure echoed through the dimly lit room, slicing through the air like a cruel symphony.

The betrayal crashed into me, stealing the breath from my lungs. My body convulsed. My lips cracked, my chest tightened, and I felt the warmth of blood trickling from my nose. I could withstand this—I had withstood so much already. But not now. Not when I carried our child.

Tears blurred my vision. My heart screamed inside my chest. I looked down at the goblet still in my hands. Without hesitation, I raised it to my lips and swallowed it.

The blood was not a tonic.

It never had been. It was a potion. A carefully crafted remedy designed to suppress the effects of my husband’s infidelity. To numb the agony of my breaking soul. To silence the pain inside me as he stoked the flames of his passion with another woman.

“What are you doing here, Amethyst?” I asked coldly, my voice void of patience.

I hadn’t expected her. She’d never sought me out before, and I had no reason to entertain her now. Did she think I was like Lucas—always at her disposal?

“You look ugly to me,” she mocked, ignoring my question.

My glare hardened. How could everyone see her as sweet and innocent when she was anything but? A liar. A schemer. A wolf in sheep’s clothing. And my husband, blinded by her spell, refused to see it.

“At least I’m carrying his child,” I said smoothly, making sure she felt every bit of the jealousy she tried to hide.

Her expression darkened. She came to push me and hurt me.

“How dare you!” she shrieked, shoving me hard.

I gasped, pain searing my stomach. Seven months pregnant, and she did that on purpose.

Her eyes burned with jealousy and rage.

“You’re just a pawn,” she sneered. “He will never love you—never see you as his equal.”

She slowly unbuttoned her blouse, revealing the marks on her skin. My heart nearly stopped.

Love bites. Territorial marks. Possessiveness.

Lucas had left those marks—he had claimed her in a way he never claimed me.

Amethyst smirked, shoving me again, her touch dripping with venom.

“Do you know how he worships me every night—how he never thinks of you?” Then her hand struck my swollen belly. I gasped, stumbling back. She laughed. “Or this child. He hates that his bloodline starts with you. He wishes I were the one carrying his heir—”

“But you can’t,” I snapped. “No matter what you do, you’ll never give him what I can.”

Her breath hitched, her composure cracking.

With a strangled sob, she lunged, claws bared. I sidestepped, and she crashed to the floor.

“Aghh!” she screeched.

The doors burst open. Lucas stormed in, his eyes locking onto Amethyst, concern immediate.

He didn’t even glance at me.

“Amethyst, what happened?” he asked, rushing to her side.

And that’s when she pointed at me. I barely had time to react before he was on me.

“Selene! You’re making me do this!” he roared.

His hand seized my arm, yanking me forward before striking me across the face. My world spun. My body slammed against the wall. A cry of pain tore from my lips.

“And she told me she wants me out of your life, baby,” Amethyst added, her voice trembling with fake distress.

Lucas’s fury erupted. He dragged me into the bathroom, shoving me toward the tub. Before I could brace myself, he forced my head under the water.

I panicked! I struggled, my lungs burning as I fought for air.

“You wanted power, huh? You wanted to hurt Amethyst?” he growled above me.

He yanked me up. I gasped for breath, only for him to grab my chin—forcing me to meet his gaze.

“Should I kill you now so I’ll never have to deal with your nonsense again?”

I had always convinced myself that he could never truly harm me. That deep down, he would come to his senses—that he’d one day see me. Love me. Accept our marriage.

That he’d realize Amethyst was the monster, not me.

But I was wrong.

Because he didn’t stop.

He left me there, gasping for breath, drowning in the ruins of my own suffering.

-

“I... I don’t want to live in pain anymore,” I whispered, tears mingling with the blood pooling around me.

The ground beneath me darkened with my lifeblood. The ruin had claimed me. From the shadows, black souls rose. I watched—helpless, as they reached for my unborn child.

“No,” I sobbed. My precious baby.

The souls devoured him ruthlessly.

I looked up, praying—praying that my child would not feel the pain.

I heard a voice.

“Selene...”

I gasped. My eyes darted through the darkness. A crimson glow flickered before me, and from its depths, a figure emerged. A towering shadow with horns, his presence felt dangerous to me.

“Your heart aches for vengeance, Selene,” the figure murmured.

A broken sob escaped me. I had no fight left. Nothing left to defend. All I wanted—all I needed—was for Lucas and Amethyst to suffer.

“But I can’t, can I?” My thoughts bled into the silence. “I’m dead.”

The shadow chuckled, its voice laced with echoes of the damned.

“You can,” it whispered. “I offer vengeful souls one last chance.”

My heart clenched with fragile hope. If I stayed here, I’d never be reborn—never be loved again.

The shadow leaned in.

“I will give you twenty days,” it murmured, “to make him regret, to make him suffer. If he mourns, loves, and begs for you within that time, your body will come back to life but only to—” the shadow’s voice darkened—“make him kill you willingly.”

I shuddered. It seemed impossible.

How could a mere soul break a man as heartless as Lucas?

But if I had to return to the one who destroyed me, I would.

For one reason.

“I want my son to be born again through me in my next life.”

The shadow chuckled darkly.

“As long as you make him regret. Love you. And beg for your forgiveness. Within twenty days.”

Then everything went black.

When the light returned, I was standing in front of Lucas’s chamber, where he slept peacefully—unbothered—unaware.

Tomorrow, he would wake to the news of my death.

And my ghost will lurk here to see him suffer.