65

65
Nova's POV

That night came with a dark sky and a wind that seemed to carry ominous omens. I sat on the edge of the bed, trying to calm the anxiety gnawing at my chest. Since Diego left, I had felt uneasy.

I touched my growing belly, trying to divert my fears to keep the baby calm inside me. “We must be strong,” I whispered, as if speaking to the child within me. “We will get through this.”

The sound of the wind rustled outside the window, adding to the tense atmosphere. I tried not to imagine what might be happening out there. Each second felt longer, and worry increasingly clouded my mind.

I stood up and walked to the window, gazing out at the dark forest. There, the shadows of tall trees stood like night guardians. “Where are you, Diego?” I thought, missing his presence.

But that calm shattered instantly when I heard hurried footsteps outside the window, followed by the clanging of metal and shouts of commands. The sound of heavy boots echoed in the corridor and courtyard. I stood in panic, walking toward the window. I could see the shadows of dark-cloaked soldiers surrounding the outer castle.

Tension filled the air, making my heart race. The shouts echoed, and I saw large figures moving quickly, positioning themselves with a frightening discipline. Each passing second felt heavier, and my mind raced. What should I do?

I touched my belly, trying to calm myself. “Stay calm, Nova,” I whispered to myself. “You need to stay calm for this baby.” However, the noise outside made it hard to think clearly.

I stepped back from the window, searching for a safer place in the room. Behind the door, I could hear footsteps and panicked whispers from the guards in the corridor. They were communicating, planning their next steps. In my heart, I hoped they could handle this situation.

But as the sounds of clashing metal grew closer, I knew time was not on our side. I had to take action. Carefully, I approached the door, wanting to hear more clearly what was happening outside.

“Get ready! They are getting closer!” shouted one of the guards. The voice signaled that battle was unavoidable. Fear enveloped my mind, but I knew I couldn’t just stand still.

I stepped back, looking for something to take as preparation. Suddenly, I spotted a small dagger on the table. Quickly, I picked it up, feeling a bit more confident. Although I was untrained in combat, I knew I had to protect myself and my child.

As I stood there, trying to calm myself, the shouting grew louder. I returned to the window, trying to see more closely. The shadows of the soldiers became clearer, and despair began to creep into my heart.

Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded from outside the door. It was Emily. Without thinking, I opened the door and ran toward the sound. I knew I shouldn’t go out because Diego had warned me. But Emily's voice was filled with panic, and I couldn’t stay still. My heart raced as I passed through the long corridor filled with dark shadows and distant sounds of battle.

When I reached the main hall, the scene before me froze my body. I stood rigid behind a large pillar, my hands trembling and my breath caught. My chest felt tight as I witnessed what was happening in the castle hall that night. My heart screamed, struggling to reject the reality that I was witnessing a betrayal… a betrayal by my own blood.

In the middle of the hall, some members of our family faced off against soldiers in dark cloaks. The sounds of shouting and clashing weapons echoed, creating a tense atmosphere. I could see familiar faces, but their expressions filled me with profound sadness and anger.

“What are you doing?” I shouted, my voice trembling. But no one listened. They were all caught up in the conflict, fighting each other with lethal fervor.

From my vantage point, I saw Daniel, a figure I had known for so long, but now he looked different. He stood in the center, leading his troops with confidence. When his eyes met mine, I felt my heart shatter. Why was he doing this?

“He’s a traitor!” shouted one of the guards, his voice filled with anger. “We can’t let him get away with this!”

I wanted to run, but my body felt heavy, trapped between fear and sorrow. Everything happening before me felt like a nightmare I couldn’t escape. A sense of helplessness enveloped me.

Meanwhile, Emily suddenly appeared beside me, her face pale. “We have to go, Nova. It’s too dangerous,” she said urgently.

But I couldn’t move. My focus was trapped on Daniel and what was happening. This betrayal was not just a physical attack; it wounded my soul. “We can’t leave them,” I replied, trying to hold back tears.

“If we don’t leave now, we’ll be caught in this conflict too!” Emily urged, gently pulling my hand.

There, the Alpha lay sprawled with his body covered in blood. His breath was labored, and his once-mighty figure now resembled an injured, powerless old man. In front of him stood Daniel, raising his sword high, ready to end his own father’s life.

Emily stood between them, pleading and crying. “Daniel, please don’t! That’s your father…”

Her cries echoed in the tense silence, but Daniel appeared unmoved. His face was filled with rage and hatred. “He doesn’t deserve to be Alpha! He has betrayed everyone, including us!”

“He’s your father!” Emily screamed, her voice breaking. “Remember everything he has done for us! This isn’t the right way!”

I stood behind the pillar, unable to believe what was happening. Pain enveloped my soul as I witnessed such a deep and deadly conflict. No words could describe the heartbreak of seeing our family torn apart.

“He has weakened us all!” Daniel shouted, his eyes blazing. “I won’t let him destroy our future!”

The Alpha looked at his son with eyes full of sorrow. “Daniel, listen to me… this isn’t the right way. We can fix everything. We can still unite.”

But those words only drew bitter laughter from Daniel. “Unite? With someone who has destroyed everything?” He swung his sword firmly, ready to end it all.

“Don’t!” Emily yelled, stepping forward, trying to block him. “If you do this, you will regret it for the rest of your life!”