~ELOWEN'S POV~
"Wake up!"
A slap landed hard across my cheek. My eyes flew open, burning from the sting. I was still on the cold floor, just a few steps from the door Alaric had walked out of.
My back throbbed from the fall, but it wasn't the ache that yanked me back. It was the stench of her sickly poisonous, arrogant perfume.
I looked up and saw Tazira standing over me with her hand still raised, eyes full of satisfaction.
"Why... why are you here?" My voice shook as I tried to push up on trembling arms, my vision swam. "Where's Alaric?"
"Alaric?" she repeated with a scorn. "Oh, right. You thought he'd come crawling back to you? Poor little Luna."
"What are you talking about?"
"Tsk." She scoffed, stepping over my legs like I was something rotten. I winced, biting back a groan.
"You really thought you'd give birth to that bastard child and steal everything again like you did with my parents?" Her voice dripped with disgust. "Never, because you're getting an abortion!"
"What?!" My heartbeat slammed in my ears. "I… I never took anything from you, Tazira. How do you even know I'm—"
"Pregnant?" She cut me off with a smirk. "Of course Alaric told me every detail. And just so we're clear, he doesn't want your dirty little mistake. He wants it gone."
I stared at her, my fists clenching against the floor. "No, you're lying."
"Am I?"
She immediately reached into her purse and tossed something down onto the floor beside me. A used pregnancy test stick showing positive.
"That's mine... Alaric wants my baby, and not yours." she said with glee.
I froze, as the ground felt like it tilted beneath me. My stomach twisted so violently I thought I'd be sick. He knew I was pregnant and went ahead to tell her? What he shut me out of?
Yes, I knew they were having an affair for the past few months and had a glimmer of hope that, he would still come around. But getting her pregnant, and wants mine gone? That's out of line!
I sat up slowly, knees tucked in.
"I don't believe you," I whispered. "Alaric can't... he wouldn't dare want to hurt our pup, or tell you to come here and—"
"Oh, sweetie," Tazira laughed, low and cruel as she crouched in front of me, her voice turned mocking.
"You still don't get it, do you? Alaric's done with you... just like my parents were, the second they realized I existed." She uttered, grabbing my chin.
"He couldn't even look at you before he left, and you still call that love? Or are you just clinging to the lie that he'll pick your scraps over me?"
I said nothing, because I couldn't. The pain was stuck in my throat, thick as bile knowing there's an iota of truth in what she just said.
"You know what?" she continued, standing. "Let me show you who he truly cares about."
She turned toward the front door and made a quick gesture with her fingers. I barely had time to react before two men, her bodyguards, stepped into the living room.
"Grab her," Tazira commanded.
"No... don't you dare—!" I scrambled up, but they were faster.
They grabbed my arms, forcing me down to the ground. One of them tied my wrists behind my back with a thick strip of fabric while the other pressed his knee into my spine.
"Let go of me!" I screamed, kicking back, but it didn't matter. "You have no right! I wouldn't let you—"
"Shut up wench!" Tazira interjected. She knelt beside me and pulled out her phone. "Let's call him to see how quickly he comes when I cry. Shall we?"
I thrashed as she pressed the screen to her ear, eyes glittering as she watched me struggle in the men's hands.
"Tazira?" Alaric's tensed voice came through from the speakerphone almost instantly, making my heart stop.
"Alaric…" she whimpered. "Elowen found out about the baby and went crazy. She pushed me. I… I think I'm bleeding... I'm still in your house. Please, please come get me, I'm scared!"
She made a small whimpering sound, clutching her stomach for effect, though she looked perfectly fine. I stared at her, stunned, unable to even find the breath to scream.
"How dare Elowen?! Just hold on, I'm coming now."
"Please, come quick," she begged and the line went dead.
"Told ya, he's on his way."
"You lied to him, I never touched you!" I sucked in a shaky breath.
"Doesn't matter," she tucked the phone away and smirked, "because he won't ask questions. He never does."
She stood and crossed to the living room cabinet. She opened the liquor drawer, pulled out a half-filled bottle of Alaric's whiskey, and began pouring.
The heavy scent of alcohol soaked the curtains, the rug, and even the edges of the couch.
"Tazira, don't," I pleaded. "Please, the baby—"
"I told you," she said, striking a match, "he doesn't want yours."
She flicked the flame down and it caught instantly. The fire hissed as it crawled up the soaked fabric and caught on the wood. Gray smoke ballooned, and heat pressed against my skin in seconds.
I rolled to my side, gasping, "Are you insane?! You'll kill us both!"
"He'll save me, so worry about yourself only." She replied simply as she stepped back, watching the flames grow with sick satisfaction.
The two men already backed out and Tazira walked calmly towards the door.
"Wait... Tazira! Please—" I screamed after her. "Don't leave me here... please, please!"
But she didn't turn around.
The flames cracked louder, heavy black smoke curling toward the ceiling. I twisted, coughing, and tried to crawl on my elbows, but the ties cut into my wrists.
My vision weakened from the heat and tears I didn't remember shedding. The fire spread to the couch and I knew I was going to die.
Unless… he came for me.
I dragged myself forward a bit, gasping with each inch and searing breath. Then came a crash and the door burst open with a loud bang.
Tazira immediately ran to the back of the door beside the cabinet and dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach like she'd just been stabbed.
Her head tilted toward the smoke, tears welling on cue as she was ready for him.
Through the thick smoke, Alaric emerged, eyes scanning the burning room as he covered his nose, coughing.
He looked straight and saw me, our gazes locked for a second as he stood there longer than expected, but he didn't move forward.
Suddenly, he turned to the other side and dropped to one knee, as if listening to Tazira talk before he finally scooped her up from the floor. He carried her outside, disappearing into the smoke without a second glance backward.
My world stopped completely as that moment broke me. He actually saw me… and still chose her? Over our child?
I sat up as far as my knees allowed and my arms trembled.
The heat singed my skin again, the flames roaring louder. Through clenched teeth, I forced out the mate bond with a growl and uttered the only words I had left — the ones I feared most.
But I needed to do it anyway!
"I, Elowen Thorne… reject you, Alaric Veylor, as my mate."
Following the rejection, The bond snapped, splintering me from the inside out and my soul tore. The pain of the bond break was immediate, crashing through me like thunder, and bone cracking in silence.
My breath seized as I dropped to the floor again, curling into myself. No scream came, not even a cry for help because of the pain.
"My child…" I gasped, closing my eyes as I lay there motionless, the flames crept too close.
Let it end, I don't care!
"Elowen!" A sharp and desperate voice roared through the fire.