Chapter 63

Holding my breath, I watched as Dominic's enraged expression slowly melted away upon hearing my words about the baby's kick. His eyes, previously blazing with fury, now shone with a new light - a tender, almost childlike wonder.

"The...the baby kicked?" he repeated slowly, as if struggling to process this simple yet monumental piece of information through the haze of his anger.

Alpha Scott loosened his restraining hold, giving Dominic a cautious amount of slack.

I felt my cheeks flush with a sheepish warmth because of the lie I had told. Would he get angry at me?

"No...no, not yet," I admitted in a small voice. "I just...I had to find a way to reach you, to pull you back before it was too late."

Silence stretched between us, taut and fragile. I couldn't bear to meet Dominic's eyes, scared of what I might find there. Anger at my lie?

But then his thumb gently grazed my chin, tilting my face up once more. Dominic's expression was unreadable for a beat before melting into one of pure adoration.

But then his thumb gently grazed my chin, tilting my face up once more. Dominic's expression was unreadable for a beat before melting into one of pure adoration.

"Thank you," he rumbled, the depth of gratitude in his voice surprising me. He dipped his head, resting his forehead to mine. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

A watery smile tugged at my lips as I nuzzled against him. "I promised to always fight for you, for us. No matter what."

Dominic's arms tightened around me almost imperceptibly. "And I for you, my love." His lips brushed my forehead with a feather-light touch. "Always."

Alpha Scott cleared his throat, the sound seeming overly loud in the tense silence. Instinctively, I pulled back from Dominic's embrace, heat blooming in my cheeks. But before I could fully disengage, his arms tightened around me, keeping me flush against his powerful frame.

"Congratulations, you two," Scott said gruffly, the hint of a paternal smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "A new pup on the way is a blessed event."

"Yeah, congrats," Sage piped up, trying for an enthusiastic tone. But her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, which shone with a sad longing.

Dominic rumbled deep in his chest, the vibration reverberating through me. "Thank you, Alpha. But we don't have time for celebrations just yet." His expression hardened as he looked towards Sage. "I want to know what the hell is Lucas planning? And how can we stop him before it's too late?"

I felt the tender moment with my mate fade into the background. As much as I relished Dominic's tender affections, he was right - we needed to regroup and get ahead of Lucas's next treacherous move.

Sage's gaze suddenly turned hesitant, conflicted. Before I could ask what was wrong, Dominic seemed to sense her reluctance too. A low snarl rumbled from deep within his broad chest.

"Out with it, Sage," he growled, eyes narrowing dangerously. "What else do you know?"

"The leader of the rogues...it's not Lucas. At least, not entirely." She drew in a steadying breath before dropping the bombshell. "It's Mia. Your sister, Freya."

Sage's revelation about Mia rang in my ears, that sickening truth burrowing deeper with each passing second.

My own sister, the one who had tormented me relentlessly, was the force behind this entire mad plot against our pack. It was almost too cruel to be real.

Flashes of Mia's bright smile as we played as pups, quickly overshadowed by the cutting smirks and cruel laughter as she bullied and belittled me years after. Her words like knives, slicing into my self-worth over and over.

"You're just jealous I'm stronger than you, runt," she would sneer, lips curled in a mocking pout.

"Aw, is the little baby crying again? No wonder father never wanted a pathetic excuse for a daughter like you so died instead."

Harsh shoves, malicious pranks, vicious insults about my looks, my skills - nothing was off limits when it came to Mia's sadistic torment. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying in vain to block out the onslaught of recollections.

Since coming back to my pack I hadn't seen her and simply thought she had found her mate and went to live with his pack. My mother hadn't said anything about this either.

I looked up at Dominic, confusion welling within me. "Why didn't you tell me? That my sister was a rogue?"

"I didn't want to burden you with it," he said, averting his gaze. "Not when it involved your narcissistic sister who tormented you so much."

"How is this any different?"

Dominic's gaze snapped back to me, blue eyes blazing with a mixture of protectiveness and regret.

"Because your mother is still here, still part of this pack," he stated, an edge to his deep rumble. "I could always make her acknowledge her failings, force her to apologize for her behavior toward you."

He stepped closer then, cupping my face in his palms with tenderness. The hard lines of his expression softened minutely.

"I thought it would be better for you if she stayed out of sight, out of mind. I will not lie, I had hoped her poisonous presence was finally out of your life for good."

"Let's not forget who else contributed to my-"

Before I could complete my sentence, Dominic smashed his lips onto mine, his molding perfectly against mine making my heart flutter for him. I closed my eyes savoring our kiss while feeling butterflies fluttering in the pit of my stomach.

Suddenly my mate pulls away, his blue eyes staring down at me.

"I know, and I wish I could go back in time and change everything. I'm truly sorry for hurting you, my Luna." Dominic mind-linked.

I smiled knowing he sincerely meant it and had learned from his past. Giving a small nod, I reached out and squeezed his hand. An unspoken acknowledgment and acceptance of his words.

Dominic held my gaze for a beat longer before refocusing, his alpha instincts kicking into high gear. Turning to Sage, his brow furrowed sternly. "Tell us everything you know about Lucas's plan to attack - specifics on their weaponry, numbers, tactical targets. We need to get ahead of this before it's too late."

I felt Dominic's thumb rub soothingly over my knuckles. A simple gesture, but one that centered me, reminded me of my mate at my side.

Before Sage could disclose any details about Lucas's attack plan, the thought suddenly occurred to me - one of the main reason why I was here to see her.

"Wait, Sage..." I interjected, feeling Dominic tense beside me as I spoke up. All eyes turned towards me as I focused my gaze on the seer. "You mentioned before...my baby would have to be sacrificed to the Moon Goddess."

An uneasy silence fell over the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dominic's jaw ticking, the muscle tensing.

"Now that I'm with child...do you see anything regarding my pregnancy? Any visions about whether my baby will be safe?"

For a long moment, Sage didn't respond. She seemed almost...saddened, a shadow passing over her features. When she finally did speak, her voice was hauntingly subdued.

"I don't have the Sight anymore, Freya. The Moon Goddess, she took it back. I can no longer see anything." Sage confessed, making my eyes widen.

I instinctively brought a protective hand to cradle my stomach, suddenly feeling very vulnerable despite being held by my mate.

If she had been rendered completely powerless, stripped of her foresight as punishment for defying the divine decree...then what did that mean for the innocent life taking root within me?

"I believe this is a good thing." Dominic broke through my thoughts.

"Why?" I questioned, curiously.

"Maybe it's the moon goddess way of saying we need to forget about the prophecy. Maybe she has forgiven us." he says.

"I hope so," I murmured as he hugged me.