Chapter 25 Elara's POV
I was feeling strong enough to walk without getting dizzy. Strong enough to keep food down. Strong enough to want to leave the confines of my room.
Damian had gone to check on another patient in the medical wing. Kaden was in his office handling pack business. This was my chance to explore, to stretch my legs, to feel like something other than a prisoner in a gilded cage.
I slipped out of my quarters quietly, walking down the hallway in the opposite direction of Kaden's office. The pack house was massive, with corridors branching off in every direction. I chose one at random and followed it.
The sounds of activity grew louder as I walked. Voices movement the clatter of dishes
I turned a corner and found myself in front of a large set of double doors. They were slightly ajar, and I could see inside.
The servant quarters.
A large room filled with staff in simple uniforms. Some were folding linens. Others were organizing supplies. And at the front of the room stood a severe looking woman with her gray hair pulled back in a tight bun.
The head maid.
"This is unacceptable!" She was saying, her voice sharp.
"I've told you a thousand times the Alpha's quarters must be spotless. Spotless! Do you understand?"
A young girl, maybe sixteen, nodded quickly, her eyes downcast. "Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry, ma'am."
"Sorry isn't good enough. If I find one more speck of dust, you'll be scrubbing floors for a month."
As I watched the scene, something flickered in my mind, a memory fragmented but real.
Standing in that same room. The head maid's voice cutting through the air.
"You are pathetic, Elara. Can't you do anything right?"
Other servants laughed, whispering, looking at me with contempt.
"She thinks she's special because the Alpha looked at her once."
"She's nothing. Just a weak omega who can't even clean properly."
The memory hit me so hard I gasped, gripping the doorframe for support.
One of the servants noticed me. Her eyes went wide. "Is that-”
"It's her." Another whispered.
"The omega who disappeared."
Suddenly, every eye in the room was on me. The whispers grew louder. "What's she doing here?"
"I heard she's staying in the Alpha's quarters."
"Why would he-”
"Silence!" The head maid's voice cut through the chatter. She turned and saw me standing in the doorway.
Her expression changed immediately. The severity melted into something that looked almost like fear.
"Miss Elara." She said, and I'd never heard her voice so respectful.
"We didn't know you were... I mean, we weren't expecting..."
She crossed the room quickly and actually bowed her head to me.
"I apologize if we disturbed you. We'll keep our voices down."
I stared at her, confused. This was the same woman who had just been berating that young girl. The same woman whose voice I remembered from my fragmented memories, always sharp, always critical.
"You don't need to apologize." I said quietly. "I was just walking. I didn't mean to interrupt."
"You are not interrupting, you have every right to be anywhere in the pack house." She was still bowing slightly, and it made me uncomfortable.
The other servants were watching us, their expressions a mix of curiosity and something else resentment, maybe.
"I should go," I said, taking a step back.
"Of course but if you need anything…..anything at all please don't hesitate to ask we are here to serve you."
Serve me? I was one of them or I had been. Why was she acting like I was someone important?
I turned to leave and nearly collided with someone standing directly behind me.
Kaden.
I jumped back, my heart racing.
"I'm sorry," He said immediately, holding up his hands.
"I didn't mean to startle you. I heard you would leave your quarters and I wanted to make sure you were alright."
"I'm fine I was just walking."
"I can see that." His eyes flicked to the servant quarters behind me, then back to my face.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better."
"Good. That's... that's good." He seemed uncertain, like he didn't know what to say next.
"Actually, I was coming to find you anyway. Damian wants to do a full check-up today. Make sure everything is progressing well with the baby."
"I can walk to the medical wing myself."
"The pack hospital is in a different building. It's a bit of a walk. I thought I could drive you."
The thought of being alone in a car with him made my stomach twist. But I didn't want to walk that far either. I was feeling better, but not that much better.
"Fine." I said.
We walked to the garage in silence. Kaden kept a respectful distance, never getting too close, never trying to touch me.
The servants we passed all bowed their heads when they saw us. I was just the pregnant omega he was stuck protecting.
The car was expensive and sleek. Kaden opened the passenger door for me and I slid in without comment.
The drive to the hospital was quiet. Painfully quiet. I stared out the window, watching the pack lands roll by.
"Elara." Kaden said finally.
"I want to apologize again. I know you're tired of hearing it, but I need you to know that I-"
"Please don't." I interrupted. "I can't do this right now."
"I understand. I just... I need you to know that I never meant for any of this to happen. I made a terrible mistake and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
I didn't respond. What was there to say? His apologies didn't change anything. Didn't fix what he'd broken.
We reached the hospital and Kaden parked near the entrance. He got out and opened my door before I could do it myself.
Damian was waiting in the examination room. He smiled when he saw me.
"You look better, how are you feeling?"
"Stronger, less nauseous."
"Excellent, let's take a look and make sure everything is progressing well."
I lay back on the examination table while Damian prepared his equipment. Kaden stood in the corner, silent and still.
Damian placed a device on my stomach, moving it slowly across my skin. He was quiet, focused, watching the screen beside him.
Then his expression changed.
"What is it?" I asked, fear immediately gripping me.
"Is something wrong with the baby?"
"No, the baby has a fine heartbeat. Development is right on track."
But he was still frowning at the screen. "There's just... something unusual."
"Unusual how?" Kaden stepped forward, his voice tight with concern.
"There is an energy signature coming from the womb. It's faint, but it's there." Damian moved the device again, his frown deepening.
"I've only seen this once before, in a textbook during my medical training."
"What kind of energy signature?" I asked, my hand moving protectively to my stomach.
Damian looked up at me, and there was something like wonder in his eyes.
"It's called a lunar pulse. It's incredibly rare. So rare that most doctors go their entire careers without encountering one."
"What does it mean?" Kaden demanded.
Damian was quiet for a long moment, studying the screen.
Then he said softly, "It means this baby is special, very special."