Bella's POV"No Dad. I… I just realized I have something I need to do in my room. Can I be excused?" My voice quivered slightly, and I tried to hide the unease that threatened to bubble to the surface.He gave me a puzzled look but nodded. "Of course, Isabella. We can continue this later."I barely managed a smile before quickly retreating to my room. Once the door was safely locked behind me, I sank onto the edge of my bed, my thoughts racing. Alpha Max was someone I had been running from, trying to get away from him. And now it seemed nature wanted us to be together by all means. Hearing that he'll be here made me tremble unconsciously. What would he do if he saw me? How would he react? And the baby?As I stared out of my window, I remembered that day all too vividly. The way Jessica poisoned me, the way the rogues chased me, the way he trapped me with that contract… I can't bear to face him again. Before I knew it, tears started streaming down my face as I clutched my belly. "The

Bella's POVThe entire training area seemed to hold its breath as Alpha Max, Jessica, and my father, the Beta, entered the scene."What is going on here?" My father asked, trying to mask his anger.I wanted to speak, to open my mouth and explain it was an accident but I couldn't. My body and mind froze and I couldn't do anything. Everything in me wanted to step forward and help Selena up but I was paralyzed.Selena on the other hand, stood up and put on her previous pretentious attitude. She walked to me and pulled me into a side hug. "My cousin and I were just sparring a bit. It wasn't something serious, we're fine as you can see. To see you show concern for us fills me with warmth. Thank you." She said with a bow to the people in front of us before whispering to me. "Oh Bella, you're going to regret pushing me! I'll make sure I give you the disgrace of a lifetime before I kill you," she threatened while smiling.My father shot me an angry glare then stepped forward and took Selena t

Bella's POVMy heart skipped a beat as the young man's words hit me. Michael's girlfriend?Heat crept up my neck, and I could feel my cheeks turning crimson. I glanced at Michael, hoping he would respond quickly and diffuse the awkward situation. Michael leaned back in his chair, a friendly smile on his lips. "Hey, Jake. Good to see you too. This is Bella, a friend."Jake raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "Just a friend? Are you sure about that, man? I've only seen you here with the new chics.""New chics? Is that what he meant by new girlfriend? Did Michael bring me where he brought his previous new girlfriends? What the …" I bit my lip, feeling increasingly uncomfortable and angry. Just before they could say anything more, the waitress arrived with our food and luckily Michael's friend took it as his cue to leave. "Have a nice dinner," he said and left us. "Bella… I…." Michael started but I cut him off with a smile. "Let's just have dinner," I answered i

Bella's POVAs I stood at the entrance of the grand palace, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight, my heart raced. The heavy wooden doors of the palace seemed to loom over me as if they held the answers to the questions swirling in my mind."I'm scared, Dessa. What if she has told them about it? What would I say? How would I explain myself?""Take a deep breath, Bella. Let's go in first, and see their reactions first. I'm with you."Taking a deep breath, I pushed the doors open and stepped inside. To my surprise, the bustling activity in the palace continued as if nothing had changed. The palace staff moved about with their usual grace, attending to their duties. The laughter and chatter of guests and family echoed through the corridors.As I made my way through the halls, no one cast me strange looks or avoided my gaze. Instead, familiar faces greeted me with warm smiles and kind words, as if the encounter with Jessica and Selena never happened.I didn't want to confront anyone,

Bella's POV"Just a little kick and you're squirming on the floor?" One of the girls teased, while the others laughed at me.My desperate whisper barely reached Michael's ears, but I hoped it was enough to snap him out of his trance. Once again, I shut my eyes as another wave of pain shot through my entire body system."What happened?" I heard Michael ask urgently, his voice filled with worry and I opened my eyes to see him a few inches from me. He knelt beside me, his strong hands gently supporting me as I struggled to sit up."We were just sparring when I mistakenly hit her on her stomach. We thought she was pretending," the girl who kicked me lied."The baby," I whispered into his ears.Michael's eyes widened in shock and horror as he realized what just happened. Without another word, he carefully lifted me into his arms, cradling me gently.I managed a weak smile despite the pain coursing through me. "I'm sorry... for everything," I whispered, tears brimming in my eyes.Michael's