Chapter 27: Deal

Chapter 27: Deal Kaya I don’t know if I’m still breathing, or if everything that’s happening to me right now is real—or if it’s some kind of never-ending, horrible dream that I can’t seem to wake from. Shelly is pregnant. How can she be pregnant?! I don’t even realize I’m staring, my eyes wide open in shock, but Shelly seems to know exactly what I’m thinking—or rather, what I’m trying not to think about. "It’s true," she says, her voice grim, the words heavy in the air between us. "It can only be his child. I haven’t slept with anyone else in the last three months. I missed my period last month, but I brushed it off as something minor. It happens to me sometimes, but... right before we were supposed to move to Alpha Arcanis’s pack house, I took a test. And it was positive." I blink rapidly, my mind racing to process the words. I’m struggling to grasp the reality of the situation, still unsure if this is some kind of nightmare I’ll wake up from any second. "The human pregnancy test?" I finally ask, my voice shaky. "You know those aren’t always reliable, right?" "It wasn’t the kind meant for humans," Shelly snaps, cutting me off, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice. "I borrowed one from Camilla’s room. Our pack’s doctor had a batch of them made specifically for her, so I had one of the maids steal one for me when she had the chance." "I see," is all I manage to say, my throat dry, my thoughts spinning. Camilla. That name alone sends an icy shiver down my spine. The mere thought of her makes my blood run cold. It offers me a strange comfort that I may never have to face her again, but the memory of her presence still lingers like a dark shadow, creeping over me. Camilla cannot get pregnant. I’ve heard Damien mention it several times in my presence. She’s seen countless doctors, but the verdict remained the same every time. She could keep trying, they’d say, like a broken record, but ultimately, it was in the Goddess’s hands. Damien has always been meticulous with us. I was the only one he didn’t use protection with, but even then, he never finished inside me. And if he made a mistake, our pack’s doctor would be there to give me a pill to prevent pregnancy. It was always taken care of, no questions asked. So, could it really be possible that Damien had made such a crucial mistake with Shelly? "Shelly," I begin again, snapping out of my frantic thoughts, the words almost choking me. "Why do you want to keep your pregnancy a secret? Luna Camilla most likely––" "Are you insane?" Shelly cuts me off, her face flushed with mounting frustration. "Camilla will be the first one to tear me apart if this baby’s secret comes out! Damien too..." She pauses, her eyes darting away, her expression sinking as if the weight of her own words is too much to bear. Her voice drops to a whisper as she continues. "Damien will kill me too, I’m pretty sure of that. And if not me, then the child. It’s all politics to him, you know? If he can’t have children with his Luna, then he definitely can’t have children with an omega. Besides..." I watch as Shelly’s expression shifts, becoming darker, quieter, almost resigned. It’s strange, unsettling even, to see such a drastic change in her. "He had no issue throwing the two of us out. Even you, his treasure. That male has no morals, no loyalty. We are nothing but insects to him. You gotta open your eyes and see it." Honestly, I do see it. I see it now, after the hell we’ve gone through because of Damien’s "politics". And I see how I am not the only one who was affected by that revelation. The once lively, vibrant, and cheerful woman now feels like a mere shadow of her former self. She’s nothing more than a husk of a wild flame that could have burned forever—had it been nurtured, had it been allowed to thrive. For the first time in all the years I’ve known her, I feel a genuine wave of pity for Shelly. The urge to reach out, to hug her and offer some comforting words, swells within me. But that thought fades as quickly as it comes because I know deep down that nothing I say or do could ever bring her any real solace. "You’re probably right," I speak again, my voice soft but steady, carefully controlled for her sake. "But you can’t keep this hidden forever. What are you going to do when they all find out?" By "they," I mean everyone in the Blood Moon pack, of course. Shelly lets out a deep, resigned sigh, her frustration evident as she bites at the nail of her right thumb. "I haven’t let their doctor examine me. In fact, I’m not letting anyone come near this room for now. I’ve been pretending to be frightened by them, and so far, I think they’re buying it. Last night’s events are working in my favor." I can’t help but glance around the room, my eyes scanning the space before me. It’s obvious no one has come to check on her since she was left here. There are no discarded plates or empty wrappers from snacks—nothing that suggests she’s been eating or taken care of in any way. A single glass pitcher of water sits on the wooden dresser, the surface of the liquid disturbed only by three thin slices of lemon, floating lifelessly at the waterline. "What about food?" I ask, my concern growing. "You have to eat, especially in your condition." Shelly rolls her eyes, a gesture that feels almost too practiced. "I can sneak something at night. It’s not the first time, anyway," she says, but the deflection only deepens the sadness that settles over me once more. During the times when Damien was away from the pack house, Camilla would forbid the maids from serving us any food. As a result, I knew that Shelly and her friend had taken to stealing from the kitchen, constantly sneaking around like thieves in the night. I had never dared to do the same. The fear of Camilla finding out, of her fury falling on me, was far worse than the gnawing emptiness that settled deep in my stomach. "Then what happens when your stomach starts to show?" I ask, my voice almost pleading. "You’ll need the doctor’s help during your pregnancy, Shelly." I shift my gaze back to her, only to find her expression as cold and unyielding as stone. "I’ll get rid of it," she says coldly. My heart sinks at her words, the weight of her decision pressing down on me. "What...? How?" I ask, still unable to process what she’s saying. "It doesn’t matter," she replies flatly, her eyes hardening. "I’ll find a way. It’s none of your concern. What I need from you is simple—keep quiet and play along when anyone tries to approach me. In exchange, I won’t breathe a word about you. Deal?" She extends her hand toward me, her eyes locked on mine, unwavering and intense. I hesitate for a moment, staring at her outstretched hand, my mind racing to process everything she’s just said. It’s a lot to take in, and my thoughts are a tangled mess, but I know I have to act fast. So, for the first time, I do something I would never have done before. I nod and take her hand. "Deal."