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The Unknown Within.
Luna woke up gasping.
Her skin was clammy, her nightshirt soaked in sweat. The sheets tangled around her like restraints. For a moment, she couldn't tell if she was in her room or somewhere else—her senses were sharper, her vision too clear, even in the dark.
Her ears twitched at sounds no one should be able to hear—whispers from the next room, the hum of streetlights outside.
She pressed a hand to her chest.
Her heart was racing.
And so was something else.
Her baby.
It didn't kick—it pulsed. A ripple of heat surged through her belly, so sudden and strange that she flinched.
Downstairs, Miranda shouted something, but Luna didn't catch it. Her hearing had gone from crystal clear to painfully loud. She stumbled to the bathroom, barely catching her reflection in the mirror.
Her pupils were slightly… elongated. Almost animal-like. Her skin glowed faintly, too pale, too smooth. Her hands trembled as she splashed cold water on her face.
What's happening to me?
---
Later that morning, Uncle Raymond—her dad's closest friend and now guardian—arrived to escort her to the new school he'd helped enroll her in. But one look at Luna's pale, shaking form, and he dropped the paperwork.
"You're not going anywhere today," he said, gently gripping her shoulder. "You look like you're about to pass out."
"I'm fine," Luna tried to lie.
"You're not," he replied firmly.
---
At the Hospital...
The sterile white walls offered little comfort. Luna sat quietly on the examination table as the nurse took her vitals—again.
Her temperature was too high.
Her blood pressure fluctuated.
The fetal monitor kept skipping strangely, as if it didn't understand what it was listening to.
Finally, the doctor—a middle-aged woman with tired eyes—entered the room, looking more confused than concerned.
"Luna," she said, glancing at her chart, "we ran the tests three times. Your baby is… well, it's healthy. But…"
"But what?" Luna asked.
The doctor frowned. "There are anomalies. Your hormone levels are off the charts, but not in a dangerous way. More like… your body is evolving. And your baby's vitals… they're stronger than anything I've ever seen. Almost unnatural."
Luna's stomach turned. "Is something wrong with the baby?"
"We don't know," the doctor admitted. "Frankly, we don't even know what kind of child this is. It doesn't fully register on any of our monitors. We need to run more tests. Maybe bring in a specialist—"
"No," Luna said quickly, her voice firmer than she expected. "No more tests."
The doctor looked surprised.
Luna slid off the table, hands protectively over her belly. "Whatever this child is… it's mine. I'll protect it."
Raymond stood in the doorway, quiet but worried. He'd heard everything. And he was starting to realize Luna was wrapped in something far bigger than just an unexpected pregnancy.
---
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(Continued): Secrets Unspoken
The ride home from the hospital was quiet.
Uncle Raymond's hands gripped the steering wheel tighter than usual, his jaw clenched with unspoken questions. Luna sat beside him, staring out the window, one hand resting gently on her belly.
She could feel the baby's warmth—alive, aware, watching her even from within. It comforted her, but also scared her. Something was happening inside her that no doctor, no science could explain.
And Uncle Raymond could sense it.
When they arrived home, he turned off the ignition and spoke without looking at her.
"Luna… I need to ask you something."
She tensed. "Okay."
"That baby," he said slowly. "It's not… normal, is it?"
Her heart skipped.
"I don't mean that in a bad way," he added quickly, voice gentler. "I just… I've seen things, Luna. Your father and I, we grew up together. There were things your family was connected to—secrets I never asked about. But this—this isn't just a teenage mistake, is it?"
Luna swallowed hard. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying the baby's father—he's not just some boy, is he?"
She shook her head.
Raymond looked at her now, really looked. "Then who is he? Someone dangerous?"
Silence stretched between them.
Luna's fingers tightened over her stomach. She wanted to trust him. He had always been kind to her, the only adult who tried to keep her safe. But this… this wasn't just a secret. It was a curse… or a miracle. She wasn't even sure yet.
"I can't tell you," she whispered.
Raymond nodded slowly, disappointment flickering in his eyes. "Then at least tell me this—did he hurt you?"
Luna looked at him sharply. "No."
"You sure?"
She nodded. "It was… my choice. I don't regret it."
He exhaled, sitting back. "All right. I won't press. But if things get worse—if you change more—I need to know, Luna. I need to know what I'm up against if I'm going to protect you."
Luna looked down at her belly.
Not what. Who.
Because deep in her soul, she knew this baby was more than flesh and blood.
It was power.
It was destiny.
It was his.
---
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Blood and Secrets...
Damian stood by the glass wall of his penthouse office, the city stretched beneath him like a glittering graveyard. He hadn't slept in days. His wolf paced just beneath the surface, restless, agitated.
He could feel her.
Somewhere, Luna was out there. Carrying his child. And with every hour that passed, the air grew thicker—more electric, like a storm building on the edge of the horizon.
Then the doors opened behind him.
Without turning, he knew who it was.
Lucien.
His younger brother—equal parts charm and chaos. Unlike Damian, who kept his emotions buried under cold calculation, Lucien wore his mischief and malice like a second skin. But today, there was something darker in his scent. Anticipation.
"Long time, brother," Lucien drawled. "Miss me?"
Damian turned slowly. "Cut the drama. Why are you here?"
Lucien smirked as he sauntered in, uninvited, dressed in black from head to toe like the shadow he was. "I heard a rumor. A delicious little whisper riding the wind… about a child."
Damian said nothing.
Lucien's grin widened. "Your child, Damian. The infamous Alpha King finally breaking the sacred oath. You always said you'd never curse someone else with our blood. What changed?"
"Stop," Damian growled.
"Where is she?" Lucien's tone shifted, colder now. "The girl. The mother. Tell me she's not human."
Damian's fists clenched. "You heard wrong."
Lucien's eyes gleamed. "So you're denying it?"
"There's no child," Damian lied flatly. "There's no girl. Just old ghosts and wild rumors."
Lucien tilted his head, clearly unconvinced. "Strange. Because the Seer confirmed it. Said a new Alpha is forming—one that threatens the order of everything we know. That child could break the ancient blood laws. Or destroy us all."
"I said enough."
Lucien paused. His face was unreadable now. "Do you even know what's growing inside her? You think it's just a baby? It's a signal, Damian. Every pack leader in the northern and eastern circles felt the shift. The moment she conceived. They'll come for her eventually. For it."
Damian's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "If they try, I'll burn their packs to ash."
Lucien smiled faintly. "So you do know where she is."
"I know nothing," Damian lied again. "And if I did, I wouldn't trust anyone with it. Not even you."
A long silence passed between them—two predators in a glass tower.
Then Lucien gave a soft chuckle. "Always the big brother. Always trying to carry the world alone."
He turned to leave but glanced back once more. "If she's what they say she is… she won't just carry your blood. She'll carry your fate. And that's something even you can't outrun."
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