Chapter 137

Cateline Fire

"I can't, Zebeu... it hurts too much!"

Cateline spoke amidst groans of pain. Thedeu approached; the cursed one tracked the human by scent, while Zebeu attempted to help Cateline stand. Someone struck him on the head, and the old man fell unconscious.

Cateline began screaming in despair, and a gag was placed in her mouth; shortly after, her arms were tied.

"Take the human to the carriage!"

Thedeu shouted to some of the men with him.

"And what about the others?"

One of the men asked.

"The she-wolf won't be able to get up for a while... as for the other one... let him die; the poison will finish its effect soon. Just take this old human; he'll serve when the woman goes into labor."

One of the men picked Cateline up, carrying her to the back of the castle. She was transported by carriage, feeling dizzy from the pain, barely able to keep her eyes open.

Some time passed, Cateline woke up not knowing what was happening. She was in a dark and foul-smelling place, unaware of how she got there or how much time had passed. She was without her gag and untied, as was Zebeu.

The old man bled from his head; the healer touched the wound, feeling the still warm blood. It trickled a bit down to his forehead, causing the old man to grimace, not understanding how it had happened.

He saw Cateline waking up, immediately contorting in pain.

Cateline felt intense pain; the baby was overdue, and she needed to push and continue with the delivery.

"Cateline..."

Zebeu approached the woman; it was time for the baby to be born. The healer looked around and realized it was not a good place for the child to come into the world, but they had no choice; it was a cell, full of bars, and appeared abandoned, a prison cell.

"Cateline, I need you to be strong... the baby needs to be born..."

The healer spoke, and Cateline nodded, starting to push while holding the hand of her old friend.

Zebeu glanced around and noticed someone looking from behind the bars: a tall man, shirtless, wearing only a fur coat. He observed them with a smile on his face.

"Well done, Thedeu... you did a great job... and better a half-breed than nothing..."

He said; the wolf healer was by his side, saying nothing.

Cateline tried to focus and screamed in increasing pain. Contractions were coming every two minutes; the baby was on its way.

Zebeu helped the woman open her legs more; she now gripped the prison bars, pushing harder when Zebeu asked.

"Strength, Cateline, just a bit more!"

The healer saw something: it was the baby's head. He assisted Cateline as best as he could; unfortunately, he was without his bag and had nothing to use at the moment.

After cries and groans of pain, Cateline felt exhausted but pushed once more, gripping the bars tightly, turning red from shouting, and finally, the sound of crying was heard. She had succeeded; she felt all the pain vanish when her baby emerged completely.

Cateline breathed a sigh of relief and could hardly wait for Zebeu to hand over her son. She pulled him close and hugged him. It was a boy, a beautiful and strong boy. Cateline held him tight, feeling their hearts connect.

She had never felt such a thing before, a connection between mother and son; it was an intense bond. The human was tired and sweaty; blood still trickled between her legs. At least now she had her baby in her arms.

She looked into the baby's eyes, and he stopped crying instantly, looking back at his mother as if he recognized her. Cateline cried with emotion, as did Zebeu, who couldn't contain himself. Their baby would be named Fênix, a name chosen by her and her husband. She whispered for him to hear.

"My Fênix Mommy loves you, okay?"

She smiled at the baby, who also looked back at the human.

Suddenly, they heard a feminine laughter coming from behind the bars, and the door opened.

"My baby... I missed you so much..."

It was Amanda, well-dressed, with her hair styled, approaching Cateline. As soon as the human saw her, she began to crawl, trying to get away, but there was nowhere to run. Zebeu stood in front of Cateline, protecting her.

"Don't come closer!"

He yelled, making the wolves laugh.

Amanda continued to advance, reaching Cateline, who was fatigued, trying to get up to leave, but she was too weak and couldn't. She squeezed her eyes with sadness, holding her baby to her chest, not wanting to lose him.

"Give me my baby!"

Amanda said, reaching out. Cateline pulled her son closer to her, and Zebeu tried to protect her, as he had promised the girl's father and also the Alpha.

Amanda growled angrily, and two men entered the cell, going after Cateline, trying to take her baby, but Zebeu stepped in.

He tried to push the wolves, but they were too strong. The healer tried to hit one of them but was struck; blood began to flow. Cateline didn't know what to do. She tried to help the old man, still holding the baby in her arms, but the men moved towards her, holding her back. She tried to defend herself, but they were too strong.

They took out a dagger and cut the cord that connected mother and son.

Once again, Cateline felt unbearable pain in her abdomen as soon as the cord was cut. The woman was thrown to the ground; she could barely stand because of the returning pain. "Give back my son, you wretched woman!"

Panted Cateline, seeing her son being handed over to Amanda. She tried to stand up, but the pain intensified; she looked at Zebeu desperately and saw that the old man was already lifeless. There was a huge pool of blood around the healer on the ground.

The woman was now alone, with no one to help.

Cateline couldn't cry anymore; she was overflowing with hatred. All she wanted was to kill that she-wolf with her own hands.

"My baby! Finally... they tried to take you away from me, but I would never allow it!" emotional Amanda spoke while crying, hugging the baby tightly. The boy started crying, and Amanda quickly wrapped him in cloth.

"He is my son! You filthy human, my baby with my love Felix..."

Amanda said, leaving through the prison door, leaving it open. The huge man who was there walked alongside Amanda, smiling, leaving Cateline on the ground next to Zebeu's body.

"And what about the human?"

One of the men who had taken the baby asked.

"Leave her... the effect of the stones should wear off soon, and the place will become traceable again... I bet Diego must be arriving..."

They left the cell, and Cateline became desperate. She needed to get her baby back. She started shouting frantically, trying to get up again, but the pain returned, and she fell, leaning against the wall. Cateline began to walk, leaning on the wall.

Her dress was all wet and dirty; her feet were freezing, but she had to continue.

The woman looked at her friend before leaving, bidding a tearful farewell with her eyes, but she had to go.

She heard the echo of her baby's crying fading in the corridor of the abandoned prison. She tried to follow as fast as she could, but there was still something moving in her belly; there was someone else there. Cateline held her belly tightly and bent over, crying.

"Forgive me... they took your brother... I tried, but they got him... I will get him back... I promise."

Cateline cried, shrinking into the corner of the wall. She needed to get out of there, as the man had said. Felix would only find her if she left that place.

The woman crawled, leaning on herself until she finally reached the outside. Snow fell, and the woman walked weakly, staggering, stepping slowly, leaving red blood marks wherever she went.

She continued until she entered the frozen forest.

As she approached the trees, the forest became denser, darker, and colder. Cateline ended up losing strength and lay down on the snow-covered ground. She could no longer walk and felt it was time for the second baby to be born.

Yes, she would have two children. She didn't know how, but after feeling the vibration in her belly, it was confirmed that there was another one there. She felt the contractions coming again. She held her belly with both hands and spread her legs wider. She was tired and didn't know if she would manage alone... She sat with her legs open and firmly held her belly, starting to push...

Even though she thought she wouldn't make it, she tried her best to continue. Cate cried while pushing. She pushed her baby harder, and put her hand beneath her legs to feel the baby. She felt more blood flowing and screamed as she felt an intense contraction. She strained, feeling exhausted. As she concentrated, she felt the baby start to slip through her hand. Cateline let a faint smile appear.

She was tired, didn't know how, but she had managed alone. She lay in the snow and placed the baby on her breast. She looked at the baby for a long time. It was a girl, with clear eyes like hers. Her daughter stopped crying as she looked into her eyes, just like her Fênix had done. Cateline ended up crying; she had lost her friend Zebeu, dead in front of her, her son had been stolen from her arms, and now her daughter was there, on her body, while the snow fell—her Crystal, the name Felix and she had chosen in case a girl came.

Her daughter was the only good thing she had left now. Cateline held her daughter close, crying inconsolably.