Freda's POV

The moment I woke up, I knew exactly where I was—the pack’s infirmary. The sterile scent of antiseptic burned my nostrils, and the dull hum of distant voices pricked at my heightened senses. My entire body ached, but one thought overpowered everything else. My baby.

My hand trembled as it slid over my stomach, feeling for any sign of movement. A wave of relief washed over me when I sensed the faint but steady life within. We were alive. Against all odds, my child and I had survived.

I exhaled shakily, forcing myself to focus. I had to get out of here. I couldn’t trust anyone in this pack—not after what they had done to me. Just as I was about to sit up, faint voices from beyond the infirmary door made me freeze.

Helen.

Sybil.

And a third voice—the doctor’s.

I stayed perfectly still, closing my eyes and straining to hear. Their words made my blood run cold.

“She should have died in that accident,” Helen hissed. “Both her and that bastard child.”

A sickening silence followed before Sybil’s voice chimed in, softer but no less cruel. “But she didn’t. So, what do we do now?”

Helen scoffed. “We eliminate the problem. She’s carrying Willard’s child, and I won’t allow it to be born. I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure my son’s future remains untainted.”

My heartbeat thundered in my ears.

“Madame Helen—” the doctor hesitated. “You’re asking me to—”

“I’m not asking,” Helen cut her off. “I’m ordering you. Find the wolfsbane. Make her drink it. And do it before she wakes up.”

I had heard enough.

Terror gripped me, but I forced myself to stay calm. If they thought I was still unconscious, I had a small window of time to escape before they carried out their plan.

The door creaked, and footsteps approached. I felt the weight of Sybil’s gaze as she leaned in.

“She should have died in the accident,” she murmured, her breath brushing against my cheek. “She’s nothing but a stain in Willard’s past.”

Helen let out a dark chuckle. “It doesn’t matter. She won’t be around much longer.”

My nails dug into my palm as I willed myself not to react. I had to wait until they left. Seconds later, Helen barked an order at the doctor. “Call me when she wakes up. This needs to be handled immediately.”

Their footsteps receded, and then the door clicked shut.

I couldn’t breathe. My pulse pounded violently as I fought back the helpless rage clawing at my chest.

I wouldn’t let them win.

I wouldn’t let them take my child from me.

I had to get out—now.

Ignoring the pain, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, biting my lip to keep from crying out. My limbs trembled as I stood, but I forced myself forward. Each step felt like walking through fire, but I didn’t stop.

Just as I reached the door, it burst open.

I stumbled back, my heart nearly stopping as I faced the last person I expected to see.

Jonas.

His expression was tense, his eyes scanning me with worry. “Freda,” he breathed, stepping forward.

My resolve broke. I launched myself into his arms, gripping his shirt tightly. “Jonas, please—you have to help me. Helen and Sybil—they’re going to kill my baby.”

His entire body went rigid. He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes. “You’re pregnant?” he whispered, his voice laced with pain.

Tears filled my eyes as I nodded. “Yes... With Willard’s child.”

Jonas sucked in a sharp breath, his jaw tightening. He looked conflicted, torn between his loyalty to his family and the truth in front of him.

Then, after a long pause, he inhaled deeply, as if making a decision. “I’ll help you get out of the pack’s premises, but I can’t betray my family, Freda.”

My heart sank, but I nodded, understanding his struggle.

“We need to get to the forest before they see us,” he continued, his grip tightening on my wrist. “I can only get you that far. After that, you’re on your own.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and whispered, “That’s enough.”

Jonas led me through the dimly lit hallways of the infirmary, his movements precise and cautious. Every shadow felt like a threat, every echoing footstep a warning. My heart pounded in rhythm with our hurried escape.

We reached a back exit, but as Jonas cracked open the door, voices erupted from down the hall. My stomach twisted as I recognized Helen’s shrill tone. “Find her! Now!”

Jonas cursed under his breath. “They’re onto us. We need to run.”

I clenched his arm, desperation clawing at my throat. “Where can I go?”

Jonas exhaled sharply. “I don’t know. But we have to move now.”

The door behind us burst open, guards spilling into the hallway.

Jonas shoved me forward. “Run, Freda!”

I sprinted into the night, my heart hammering against my ribs. The forest loomed ahead, dark and unyielding, but freedom lay beyond it.

Behind me, Helen’s furious scream pierced the air. “Don’t let her escape!”

I ran faster.

Toward the unknown.

Toward survival.

And as the shadows of the forest swallowed me whole, one name echoed in my mind.

Drake.

Freda's POV

I thought I had a chance. I thought I could make it. But the moment my feet hit the forest floor, I knew I wasn’t fast enough.

They caught me.

A sharp blow to the back of my head sent me tumbling to the ground. My vision blurred as I fought against the darkness threatening to consume me. Rough hands grabbed my arms, yanking me to my feet. I thrashed, kicking and biting, but they were too strong.

The guards didn’t take me back to the infirmary or the maids' chambers. Instead, they dragged me to a secluded part of the pack’s land—a place I had never seen before. The scent of damp stone and blood filled my nostrils as they shoved me into a cold, windowless room. A dungeon.

I hit the ground hard, scraping my palms on the rough stone floor. The door slammed shut behind me with a deafening clang. I scrambled to my feet and threw myself against it, pounding with all my strength. "Please! Let me out! You don’t have to do this!"

The guards didn’t respond. Their retreating footsteps echoed down the corridor before silence swallowed everything.

Panic clawed at my throat. I turned, scanning the small space. No windows. No furniture. Just darkness. My breathing turned shallow. They were going to kill me. They were going to kill my baby.

Minutes passed. Or maybe hours. My body trembled as exhaustion weighed me down, but I refused to let it consume me. I needed to escape. I needed to think.

Then, I heard them.

Footsteps. Slow. Purposeful.

The door creaked open, and Helen Ashbourne stepped inside, her eyes gleaming with triumph.

"You really thought you could escape, didn’t you?" Her voice dripped with amusement as she stalked toward me. "You’ve always been too cunning for your own good, Freda. But not cunning enough."

I clenched my fists, willing myself not to cower. "Why are you doing this? What do you want?"

Helen tilted her head, a cruel smile spreading across her lips. "Did you really think I’d let you leave with Willard’s child? That I’d allow a bastard to challenge my grandchild’s future?"

I recoiled as her words sliced through me.

"But don’t worry," she continued, her voice sickeningly sweet. "We have a different plan now. One that requires you alive—for now."

I swallowed hard. "What plan?"

She chuckled and turned toward the door. "You’ll find out soon enough. Get some rest, dear. You’ll need it."

With that, she was gone, the heavy door locking behind her.

I staggered back, my mind racing. They weren’t going to kill me yet. But why? What could they possibly want with me and my child?

A voice stirred in my head, soft but strong. We will get through this, my wolf whispered. You are not alone.

I took a shaky breath, placing a protective hand over my stomach. She was right. I couldn’t give up. Not now.

Days passed. Maybe weeks. Each day was the same. The guards brought food and water, but no one spoke to me. Pack doctors checked on me regularly, ensuring my health—but never answering my questions.

They wanted me alive. They wanted my baby to be healthy. But why?

Time became meaningless. My only companions were the echo of my own thoughts and the quiet strength of my unborn child. I spoke to them—both my wolf and my baby—whispering promises of survival, of escape, of vengeance.

Then, everything changed.

Pain ripped through me, sudden and unrelenting. I gasped, clutching my belly as the first contraction hit. It was too soon.

The door burst open. The doctor rushed in, followed by Helen. I tried to resist, tried to fight, but the pain was too much. My body betrayed me, forcing me into the depths of labor.

Hours blurred together. I screamed until my throat was raw. My body trembled, wracked with agony. Then, finally, a cry pierced the suffocating air. My baby’s cry.

I reached out, but the doctor stepped away, cradling my child in their arms. I barely had the strength to lift my head, but I saw it—saw them pass my baby to Helen.

"No," I croaked, my vision swimming. "Please… give me my baby."

Helen smirked, rocking the newborn in her arms as if she had won. "Such a fragile little thing," she murmured, looking down at the baby. "Much better suited for a family that actually deserves it."

Terror gripped me. "What are you doing?" My voice cracked as I tried to push myself up, my body weak from the blood loss. "You can’t take my baby!"

Helen turned her cold gaze on me. "Oh, but I can. This child will be raised where it belongs. Not by a disgrace like you."

Rage boiled in my veins, but I couldn’t move. I could barely breathe. "Please," I whispered, my vision swimming with unshed tears. "You don’t have to do this."

Helen’s smile widened as she handed my baby to the doctor. "Proceed with the plan," she ordered.

I struggled, trying to crawl toward them, but the doctor pressed a needle into my arm. "No!" I gasped, but my body betrayed me, going limp as the drug surged through my veins.

Helen leaned in one last time, her voice a poisonous whisper. "You will finally face your fate soon. Goodbye, Freda."

Darkness threatened to take me, but I fought it, forcing my eyes to stay open. "You won’t get away with this," I whispered, my voice hoarse.

Helen chuckled, her expression full of cruel satisfaction. "Oh, dear. I already have."

The last thing I heard was my baby’s cry fading into the distance.

And then, everything went black.