Chapter 29 What are you hiding?
"Zoe's POV"
Two days passed.
Ryan wouldn't talk to me. Wouldn't look at me.
He moved to another room in the pack house. The family room.
Away from me.
I cried every night. Alone.
Then... Scarlett came to my room.
"I invited someone to help us." She said. "A friend of mine. The pack priestess."
"A priestess? Why?"
"To understand why the baby won't come out. Why nothing worked." She squeezed my hand. "Maybe she can give us answers."
An hour later, an old woman arrived.
She was small. Thin. With white hair and sharp eyes.
"Luna Olivia." She bowed slightly. "I'm Priestess Mara."
"Thank you for coming."
She sat down. Pulled out strange items from her bag. Crystals. Herbs. A small bowl.
"Give me your hand."
I held out my hand. She took it. Closed her eyes.
Silence. Long silence.
Then... she gasped.
Her eyes flew open.
"Goddess above." She whispered.
"What? What is it?" Scarlett moved closer.
"This baby..." Priestess Mara stared at me. "This baby is special. Very special."
"Special how?"
"This child is a king." Her voice was filled with awe. "A powerful Alpha king. I don't think any werewolf this powerful has ever existed."
My blood went cold.
"What do you mean?"
"The baby's power... it's protecting itself. And protecting you." She touched my stomach gently. "That's why nothing worked. No medicine. No herbs. No methods. The baby won't allow itself to be harmed."
"But..."
"More than that..." She looked at Scarlett. Then at me. "The baby has made you powerful too. Seven times more powerful than your normal self."
"Seven times?" I could barely breathe.
"Yes. As long as you carry this child, nothing can hurt you. No poison. No attack. No weapon." She smiled. "You're invincible, Luna."
I stared at her. Shocked.
"This baby..." I touched my stomach. "This baby is protecting me?"
"And itself. It knows. Somehow, it knows it needs to survive. And it's making sure nothing stops that."
Scarlett sat down heavily. "Oh goddess."
"This child is meant for greatness." Priestess Mara stood up. "You must protect it. Nurture it. This baby will change everything."
"Mara... Don't forget our agreement, dear friend. No one gets to know about this baby yet." Scarlett said, staring deep into the priestess's eyes. "Not even the Alpha."
The priestess shook her head gently with a slight smile and left.
After she left, I sat there.
My hand on my stomach.
This baby. This powerful baby.
Was keeping me safe.
Was making me strong.
"Zoe..." Scarlett said softly. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking..." I looked at her. "I'm going back to Lakewood."
"What? Why?"
"To finish what I started." My voice was firm. "To get my revenge on Jeremy. For what he did to me. To my family."
"But..."
"I'm powerful now, Scarlett. Seven times more powerful. Nothing can hurt me." I stood up. "And I need to do this before the pregnancy becomes noticeable. Before my stomach starts showing."
"Zoe, this is dangerous..."
"It's the perfect time." I looked at her. "I can finally make him pay. And I'll be safe. The baby will keep me safe."
Scarlett was quiet for a long moment.
"Are you going to tell him?" Scarlett asked, observing me.
"Tell who... what?"
"Jeremy."
The mention of his name made my blood run cold.
"No... This baby is mine and mine alone."
"When will you leave?"
"Soon. Maybe in a few days." I took her hands. "Will you help me?"
"Tell me... What do you need?"
"When I'm back, I will break the news to Ryan about my identity. Then let him decide... Will you be there?"
She sighed. "Always."
...
That evening, I went to find Ryan.
I needed to see him. To try again.
He was in the family room. Sitting on the couch.
Little Marcus was there too. Playing with his toy cars on the floor.
When Ryan saw me walk in, he stood up.
Walked to another corner of the room.
Sat down there instead.
Away from me.
The rejection hurt. So much.
"Mommy!" Marcus looked up. His little face brightened. "Come play with me!"
My heart broke.
"Okay, sweetheart." I sat down on the floor beside him.
He pushed a red car toward me. "You be this one. I'm the blue one."
We played for a while. Rolling the cars back and forth.
But then Marcus stopped. Looked at me.
"Mommy... you don't play right anymore."
"What do you mean, baby?"
"You used to make funny car sounds. And you'd chase me around." His little face was sad. "Now you just... sit there."
Guilt crushed me.
This little boy. Missing his real mother.
And I didn't even know how to play with him properly.
"I'm sorry, Marcus." I touched his face gently. "Mommy's been... sick. But I promise I'll try harder. Okay?"
"You promise?"
"I promise."
He smiled. Then hugged me. Tight.
I held him. This innocent child.
Who had no idea the woman holding him wasn't really his mother.
Across the room, Ryan watched.
His jaw tight. His eyes hard.
But I saw something else there too.
Pain. Deep pain.
Watching me with his son.
We played for a while longer. Then Marcus got sleepy.
"Come on, baby. Let's get you to bed." I picked him up.
He wrapped his arms around my neck.
"I love you, Mommy."
The words stabbed my heart.
"I love you too, sweetheart."
I carried him to his room. Tucked him in.
Kissed his forehead.
When I came back to the family room, Ryan was still there.
"Ryan, please, we really need—"
Then there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," Ryan commanded, as if it were perfect timing.
I looked back at the door and saw Scarlett standing there.
She stepped inside, her face serious. Urgent.
She bowed in greeting to the Ryan.
Then she looked at me and gestured with her hand.
Come.
Without another thought, I started walking toward her.
"Where are you going?" Ryan's voice stopped me.
I turned. He was looking at me now. Really looking.
"Scarlett needs me for something..."
"For what?" He stood up. Walked closer. "What does she need you for at this hour?"
"Just... girl things. Nothing important." Scarlett answered, looking down.
"Don't lie to me." His eyes narrowed. "You two have been sneaking around. Whispering. Disappearing together."
"We haven't..." Scarlett murmured.
"Yes, you have." He looked at Scarlett. Then at me. "What are you hiding?"
"Nothing..."
"Olivia." His voice was hard. Commanding. Alpha voice. "Tell me the truth."
I looked at Scarlett. Her face was pale.
"What have you two been hiding from me?"
The room went silent.
Everyone waiting.
Waiting for me to answer.
Waiting for the truth.