CHAPTER 301: _BLOOD...

"Slow and steady, hon," Kaelos whispered with a small smirk as we twirled around the dance floor.

I placed my hands on his shoulder, letting his hold on my waist ground me as I followed his move, maintaining eye contact.

It was hard looking away when those silver orbs stared at me with so much warmth, glinting under the lights of the event hall. The music being played was slow and melodic.

I was so entranced by Kaelos’ gaze that I didn’t even notice the other Alpha Kings and their wives. It was just me and him.

No one else and nothing else.

The whispers and murmurs from people, as well as the silent cheers and occasional clapping all felt like background noise. All that existed in my mind was this man who had once been full of darkness but yet brightened my world beyond anything I could imagine.

"You’re... Drifting away." He suddenly muttered, chuckling softly. "Let me guess... It’s the clean shave I have on, right? I caught lots of ladies staring for way too long on my way here."

I tilted my head when I heard that last part. I knew he was only teasing me but I brought my lips to his ear until they brushed his ear lobes, whispering.

"You know I’ll obliterate them before they get a chance."

Kaelos raised an eyebrow, leaning closer until it felt like our lips were inches away from each other. "Careful there. That sounded... Dark. But yet weirdly seductive."

I blinked, a single word ringing in my mind.

Dark.

Yeah, that did sound kinda dark coming from me...

’Girl, take a deep breath.’ Sirena whispered in my mind just then. ’It was only a joke and I’m sure he thought so too. You’re overthinking it.’

Overthinking...

It was at that moment that my gaze trailed off to the crowd watching us. Hundreds of people from all around, wolves who have always looked at my kind with fear.

They had their eyes on me.

My gaze locked with the eyes of some of them across the hall, my ears catching the distant whispers and conversations they had.

"What is North America turning into?" One asked with a sneer, her eyes glinting with disgust as she covered her mouth with a fancy fan.

"She’s a walking time bomb." Another chimed.

"Have we forgotten what happened at the charity Ball so soon?"

"Dangerous."

"Evil."

My breathing spiked, my eyes fluttering as I tried pushing those words away.

I shouldn’t be overthinking. Aunt Althea’s tea should be working.

What the heck was—

"Hey." Kaelos’ voice interrupted my panic attack, pulling me back to reality. His silver eyes glinted with both worry and reassurance as he leaned me back, supporting my back gently with his arm.

’I’ve got you. Always. Don’t focus on what any of them says...’ he used the mind link, causing my heart to flutter with warmth. Then he added, ’It’s just me and you.’

I nodded, a smile curling up my lips. "Just me and you..."

Eventually, the music reached a crescendo and the Alpha Kings and Luna Queens stood in front of each other before bowing.

Despite the judgmental whispers, the hall still erupted with cheers and thunderous claps. My smile brightened a little as we walked back to our thrones.

I held Kaelos’ hand tightly, glancing at him while Layla’s voice echoed through the mic in her hand.

"Thank you, Your Majesties, for that wonderful display. I felt like the moon Goddess herself came down to watch." She complimented, causing the people to laugh.

Just when Kaelos and I got to the steps leading to the thrones, a sharp pain hit my head. This one was more intense than the last one, causing the room to spin around me.

It was followed by a small pain coming from my stomach, causing my heart to skip a beat.

"Odessa?" Kaelos called, staring at me with worry. He brought his other hand to my cheek, glancing around before whispering. "What’s wrong?"

I shook my head as the pain subsided, smiling at him. "I’m... I’m fine. I just need to sit."

I didn’t even believe those words.

Something was horribly wrong. I didn’t know what yet but all the nerves in my body seemed to scream: Danger.

Kaelos wrapped his right arm around my waist, pulling me closer to his body and ignoring the glances from the other Alpha Kings and Luna Queens.

As we sat on our thrones, he held my hand tightly, caressing my fingers gently while Layla continued addressing the people, moving to the next event for the night.

"Ma’am Odessa?" Caroline spoke from behind me, her hand on my shoulder a reminder that she was standing behind my throne. "You don’t seem good. Should I get you anything?"

I drew in a sharp breath, my gaze going to the ceiling. I blinked slowly, my eyes locking on the glass dome and the red light from the blood moon shining through it.

At that moment it seemed like the brightness of the moon slowly began shifting into a darker red colour. Like actual blood.

"Don’t worry..." I whispered, managing to glance back at her and meeting her worried gaze. "Just get me more of Aunt Althea’s..."

I trailed off when yet another sharp pain tore through my stomach. A gasp escaped my throat as I swallowed hard, looking away from Caroline.

"Odessa?" Kaelos stared at me again, tightening his grip on my hand. "Screw this. I’m taking you back to the mansion."

I breathed heavily, each breath filled with even more pain.

"I’m..." I rasped, my gaze landing on my stomach.

A sudden wetness began pooling under my legs all of a sudden. It felt like sweat at first... But the wetness began spreading rapidly, feeling like it had soaked my underwear and my crimson gown.

"No..." My eyes began getting damp, and cold sweat ran down my body as I shook my head. "No, no, no... Please..."

I brought my left hand to my back, touching the padded seat of the throne. I felt the cold liquid underneath me and shivered with terror.

Slowly, I drew out my left hand, my mind getting hazy. When I finally brought my hand in front of my face, the air stilled.

My heart stopped, and the pain in my stomach felt numb compared to the heartache that tore through me like a stab wound.

Blood. There was blood on my hand.

"Goddess..." Kaelos’ voice broke beside me, and I felt his grip slacken on my hand as he froze with shock.

That was the final nail in the coffin for me.

"Luna Queen Odessa, is that blood?" Janelle blurted with concern beside me just then and I could feel the stares from the other Alpha Kings and Luna Queens.

But none of their lives mattered at this moment. The only life that mattered, the only life that I could think of, was the one that was growing inside me these past five months.

My baby... He’s... He’s...

"No," I whispered, getting on my feet as something primal began burning inside me, coiling and rising with the emotions blurring my being.

I brought my gaze to the glass dome on the ceiling, the tears building up in my eyes streaming down my face like waterfalls.

And then I screamed, falling to my knees. "NOOOOO!"

The glass dome shattered in sync with my voice, my pain. My despair.

People screamed all over the hall as glass fell like snow on them. The Alpha kings and Luna Queens got to their feet as well, backing away from me.

Thunder began rumbling in the sky, clouds spiralling as the lights coming from the chandeliers flickered. A strong metallic scent filled the air.

And then, a terrified scream tore through the event hall.

"Blood. It’s raining blood!"