Hazel's POV
Everything was quiet.
For a moment, I thought I was dead. There was no pain, no burning mark, no echo of Ivy's voice in my head. Just stillness.
Then came the faint, rhythmic sound. A soft beeping that pulled me slowly back into my body.
My eyelids felt heavy as I forced them open, blinking against the light. The scent of drugs and antiseptic filled the air. The sheets beneath me were clean and soft, not the rough linen used in the pack's infirmary.
And I wasn't in the pack house either. The walls here were white, the curtains thin and sterile. My left hand was connected to an IV liner.
A hospital. But which?
I shifted slightly, wincing at the ache in my lower abdomen. My other hand moved on instinct, resting there, and I froze.
Someone was sitting beside me. He was a middle-aged man in a white coat with calm eyes and hands stained faintly with the scent of herbs. He smiled when he saw me stir.
"Oh, thank the Moon you're awake," he said softly. "You gave us quite a scare, Luna."
"Luna?" My voice came out dry and weak. "Where… where am I?"
"You're safe," he said gently. "You're in Silverpine Medical Center just near the Darkvale pack. You've been unconscious for two days."
Silverpine medical center.
My mind struggled to catch up. How was it possible there was a medical facility so close to our borders, and I had never known? How long has it been here?
Then his last words sank in, hitting me like a tidal wave. Two days. I had been out for two whole days and my first thought was about the hospital? My mind must be failing me.
"Two days?" I croaked, disbelief burning through the fog in my mind. "Why? What happened?"
He gave a small, relieved smile. "Yes, Luna. Two days. But I'm glad to say both you and your baby are safe now."
My breath caught. "My… what?"
"Your baby," he repeated, gentle but sure. "You're about six months along. We stabilized your vitals and ran some tests. Both you and the pup are strong."
The words didn't make sense. My mind tripped over them.
"No..." My lips trembled. "I think… I think you're mistaken."
He frowned softly. "You don't remember?"
""I—" My voice faltered, shame curling like a fist in my chest. "It's been months since he last… touched me."
And when he did, it wasn't out of love. It was out of cruelty.
I pressed a trembling hand to my stomach, half-expecting to feel nothing. Just emptiness. But there it was. A faint warmth, almost like a heartbeat that wasn't mine.
"No," I whispered. "There must be a mistake."
The doctor hesitated, his expression softening. "We are as surprised as you, Luna. There has been no change in your body which is… quite mysterious."
He paused, studying my face as if debating how much to tell me. "You know how it works, of course. In our kind, the scent of life begins to form after the third week of conception. The Alpha, especially if he is the mate, would be the first to sense it. The body of a pregnant wolf carries a warmth in her scent, a hint of sweetness that deepens with time. By the third month, everyone around her can sense it too. It's nature's way of protecting the unborn pup."
I nodded faintly. Every she-wolf knew this. It was how packs identified expecting females and exactly what made this impossible.
"But in your case," he went on carefully, "there was no such scent. Not even the faintest trace. Your pack healer's records mention no scent change, no bulging of the belly. Your hormonal levels were present but mysteriously muted – as if your body concealed the pregnancy completely, even from your mate."
I could barely breathe. "Then how do you know it's real?"
He reached for a clipboard, his tone steady and professional. "We ran a full series of tests; blood, hormone panels, even a sonograph. There's no doubt, Luna. The pup is healthy and strong."
My pulse quickened. "You're certain?"
He smiled faintly. "Absolutely. We also confirmed the sex, if you'd like to know."
My mouth went dry. "Sex?"
He hesitated, studying my face for a moment. "It's a boy, Luna."
For a second, the room tilted. A boy. The word echoed in my head like a foreign language.
Zane had always wanted a son. He said it every time Bianca brought up heirs in front of me. "A true Alpha needs a male pup," he'd say. "Not like your parents, who couldn't even manage that."
A weak laugh escaped me, bitter and broken. "Of course," I murmured. "A boy."
The doctor didn't seem to know what to say, so he simply offered a small bow. "Rest now, Luna Hazel. Your body has endured more than it should have. We'll continue to monitor both you and the child closely."
I pressed my palm against my abdomen again, half expecting to feel him move. Nothing. Just that quiet warmth.
A boy. Elliot's son.
"He's developing normally," the doctor continued, unaware of the ache building behind my ribs. "It's as though the pup cloaked himself — hidden, even from the Alpha's senses. I've never seen anything like it. Perhaps the Moon Goddess had her own reasons."
I stared at him, my throat tight.
Hidden… even from his father.
Part of me wanted to believe it was divine protection. Another part knew better — nothing the Goddess ever gave me came without pain.
"I'll have the nurse bring in something light for you soon. You should eat when you can." He turned, walking toward the door.
"Doctor," I called weakly. He paused by the doorway. "Who… who brought me here?"
He blinked as if he was surprised I didn't already know. "Ah. That would be Maren. She hardly left this room since you were admitted. If not for her quick thinking, I doubt we'd have stabilized you in time."
Maren. A wave of guilt washed over me. How could I have forgotten she was with me before I blacked out?
"Can you call her for me?"
"Of course, Luna." He gave a small nod and slipped out.
A few seconds later, the door opened again, and Maren stepped in, her red hair pulled back into a tight braid. Her expression was calm, but there was a heaviness to her eyes I had never seen before. She bowed her head slightly when she saw me awake.
"Luna," she said quietly. "Thank the Moon, you're finally up."
I managed a weak smile. "You don't have to call me that right now, Maren."
Her lips curved faintly, but her eyes didn't soften. "But I do. I don't know any other way to address you."
My heart swelled at her unwavering loyalty despite everything. I gestured toward the chair beside me. "Sit. Please."
She did, hands folded neatly in her lap, eyes lowering briefly to my stomach before she looked back up.
I hesitated, not knowing where to start. "The doctor said… he said it's been two days. And he told me… He told me about the baby."
Maren's eyes flickered briefly, but she nodded. "Yes, Luna. He told me too. I'm happy for you." Her voice was calm, but not happy. She didn't even sound relieved.
I swallowed hard, looking down at my hand resting on my stomach. "I can hardly believe it," I murmured. "After everything, I… I didn't think…" My voice trailed off, and I looked back up at her. "Have you… have you told the Alpha? Does he know I'm here?"
For a heartbeat, Marin didn't answer. Her gaze dropped to the floor.
"Maren?" I pressed gently.
"Yes, Luna," she said at last, her tone clipped. "He knows."
A chill crept up my spine. "He knows," I repeated. "And he didn't come?"
She nodded once. "The Alpha saw you when you blacked out. You collapsed in the kitchen…"
My fingers clenched the blanket covering me tightly. Gods. Let it not be what I think. "And?"
Maren closed her eyes briefly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He didn't move, Luna. He and that woman came down as soon as they heard my scream, and he just… watched."
The air left my lungs all at once, the words cutting through me sharper than any blade.
"He just… watched with that woman on his arm," she continued, her voice thick with a bitterness I'd never heard from her. "It was a stranger, a man just passing through, who saw me struggling and actually rushed to help. Your mate didn't lift a finger
My heart stuttered painfully. "A stranger?"
Maren nodded. "He brought you to the border with my help. We didn't think you'd make it through the night. But the stranger insisted we bring you here — to Silverpine. He said this hospital owed him a favor."
I tried to speak, but no words came. My lips parted soundlessly as my vision blurred with unshed tears.