DrakeI felt the warm pressure of Zelda's hand in mine as we left the room. There was so much left unsaid, but I couldn't bring myself to break the silence. I stole glances at her as we walked, trying to gauge her thoughts. But her face was impassive, giving nothing away. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach, a sense of dread that things were not going to be easy from here on out. I knew we needed to talk, but I couldn't find the words. All I could do was hold on to her hand and hope for the best.As we entered the meeting room, the Elders stood up and bowed to us. I raised my hand, gesturing for them to sit. They did so, their eyes fixed on me and Zelda as we sat down across from them. I kept my expression neutral, my face a mask of impassivity. I met each of their gazes in turn, trying to read their thoughts. But they were as unreadable as Zelda's had been. The silence stretched on, tense and heavy, as I waited for someone to speak first. But no one did.“What brings your househ
ZeldaAs the rain pounded against the roof, I sat by the window, my head in my hands. I could hear the sobs that escaped my lips, but I felt numb to the pain. The Elders' words played on a loop in my mind, taunting me, torturing me. “Wombless.” It was a cruel word, one that cut deep. I knew that I was not what they wanted, that I was not the ideal choice for Drake. But I had thought that they had accepted me when I found my wolf. I had been so wrong.I felt so alone in my pain. No one seemed to care that I was hurting that my dreams of becoming a mother were dashed. All they cared about was Amelia, and the fact that she was carrying the heir. I felt like a means to an end, a tool to be used and discarded. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Anger and sadness warred within me, a storm of emotions that I didn't know how to control. I wanted to scream, to lash out at the world that had betrayed me. But I remained silent, my grief and rage a raging sea that threatened t
ZeldaThe early morning sun streamed through the window, bathing the room in golden light. I groaned as I opened my eyes, cursing myself for waking up so early. I turned my head and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was only 7:00 a.m., and I still had hours of sleep left before I had to start my day. But I couldn't get back to sleep, my mind already racing with the day's responsibilities. I closed my eyes, trying to still my mind, to relax my body. But the sun kept shining, taunting me with its early morning glow.My eyes flew open, and I stifled a scream. Drake was sitting there, mere inches from me, his expression unreadable. I scrambled to the other side of the bed, putting as much distance between us as possible. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins. “What are you doing here?” I hissed, my voice coming out as a whisper. Drake simply stared at me, his face an impenetrable mask. “Let's talk, Zelda,” he said, his voi
ZeldaMy chair scraped loudly against the floor as I stood up abruptly. “You can't allow her to be free,” I said, my voice rising. “She hurt me. She deserves to be punished.” I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “In case you don't know, she poisoned me when she knew I was pregnant.” My eyes blazed with fury, my heart pounding in my chest. He shook his head, his expression unreadable. “It's out of my hands, Zelda,” he said, his tone even. “It's what the people want.”I let out a laugh, but it was more of a bitter bark than a genuine laugh. “Or is that what you want?” I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Just say that you don't want her to carry your child in the cell.” My eyes narrowed, daring him to deny it. “She's not carrying my child,” he yelled, his face flushed with anger. I raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Then whose child is she carrying?” I retorted, my tone daring him to answer. He was silent for a moment, his jaw clenched tight.“That's it!” he said, throwin
ZeldaI emerged from the bathroom, still damp from the shower, and a wave of relief washed over me as I saw that the bed was empty. My heart sank as I realized that he must have left. Part of me was relieved, as I didn't have to face him, but another part of me felt a deep ache. The thought of Amelia being released from prison that day was weighing heavily on my mind, and I felt a tightness in my chest. I opened the closet and pulled out a simple white dress. As I slipped it on, I felt the soft fabric against my skin, and I took a deep breath, trying to relax. I ran a brush through my hair, letting it fall in loose waves around my shoulders. I took one last look in the mirror before heading towards the door. As I stepped into the corridor, I could feel my heart beating faster. The sound of my footsteps echoed in the silence, and I felt a sudden wave of nausea. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself as I walked towards the midwife's room.Without knocking, I pushed open the doo
ZeldaA wave of relief washed over me as the midwife agreed to our deal. She walked over to a shelf and climbed a small ladder to reach the top. She took down a small bottle and carefully placed it in my hands. “Thank you,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. The midwife smiled, her eyes shining with compassion. “I hope this gives you the answers you are looking for,” she said, her voice soft. I nodded, unsure of what I would do with the information once I had it.“And remember, please keep in mind the instructions for how to administer the medicine,” the midwife said, her voice firm. “I want you to be careful. And please, keep our deal in mind.” I pressed her hands in gratitude, the weight of the moment settling over me. “Thank you, truly,” I said, my voice cracking with emotion. She gave me a small smile and squeezed my hands in return. “You are welcome, truly,” she said. With that, I turned and left the room, the small bottle clenched tightly in my hands.I caught sight of Drake
ZeldaWith a deep breath, I picked up the tray of food and headed to Amelia's room. I knew it would be difficult to convince her to eat, but I needed answers, and I was determined to get them. As I knocked on her door, I could hear the faint sounds of voices coming from the inside. A few moments later, the door creaked open, and I was greeted by Amelia's sad, sunken eyes. I held out the tray, hoping she would take it. “I brought you some food,” I said, my voice gentle. I stood there, tray of food in hand, as the door slammed in my face. I could feel the wind from the door hitting me, and I flinched. I knocked again, but there was no answer. I began to turn to leave when the door opened once more. This time, it was Drake who stood before me. He looked me up and down, his eyes dark and unreadable. “What do you want?” he asked, his tone cool and detached. I held up the tray. “I brought food for Amelia,” I said, my voice small.He opened the door, letting me step inside the room. My m
ZeldaI reached out and pushed open the bathroom door, bracing myself for whatever I might find on the other side. I saw her hunched over the toilet, her hair falling around her face as she was violently ill. I stifled a gasp, trying not to gag at the sight and smell. I moved forward, tentatively reaching out and grabbing her hair to hold it back as she continued to retch. She moaned in response, her whole body shaking. My eyes fell on the contents of the toilet bowl. It was a shocking shade of white, and realization hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt my stomach lurch, and I tried to steady myself. Amelia was really pregnant. I felt tears well up in my eyes, and I bit my lip to keep from crying. This was not the outcome I had been expecting. I wanted to be happy for Drake, but I also felt an overwhelming sense of loss. Without thinking, I dropped her hair and stumbled out of the bathroom. I ran down the hallway, my mind spinning. I burst outside, almost falling, and there he wa