Chapter 45
“You’re kidding, right?” I continue. “I’m supposed to face the demon king. My stepfather. Or my father, the vampire king. Herself? Who is my true foe?”
“You have more than one true foe, Hannah,” Alara says. “And the first one you must face is the one who is the most dangerous to your child.”
“The female wolf who cut out those vampires’ hearts,” I say, more to myself than to Alara.
“Yes,” Alara nods solemnly. “Rogan’s true mate, the she-wolf. Her vengeance is more dangerous even than the demon king’s. And her hatred for you is stronger than anyone else’s because she believes you’ve stolen Rogan and his love from her.”
A chill runs down my spine. “But why?” I ask, struggling to wrap my mind around it. “Why would she hate me if Rogan is her true mate?”
“Because she wanted him to be hers in every sense of the word.” Alara sweeps her gaze over me. “And to her, your child represents the one thing that’s taken Rogan away from her completely.”
The idea of someone targeting my unborn child because of her own selfish desires drives a hot spike of fear through my heart. My breath comes in shallow gasps as I clutch my stomach.
Alara places a hand on my shoulder. “Do not fear, Hannah. You are stronger than you know.” Her gaze softens. “The love you have for your child and for Rogan is a mighty weapon. Using it allowed you to defeat the phantom.”
“But how can love defeat a flesh-and-blood enemy?” I ask, my voice shaky. “How can I protect my child?”
“Think back to your fight with the phantom,” Alara says, her tone gentle yet firm.
“Remember the power you harnessed when you thought of your child, of Rogan? You channeled your emotions into a tangible force. That is the secret, Hannah. Your love, your desire to protect those dear to you is powerful. You’ve seen it with your own eyes.
Felt it in your soul. Before you can take on your father or your stepfather, you must get rid of Eris. ”
“Eris?”
“That is her name. The she-wolf.”
“I thought you didn’t know much about her.”
“I don’t. Only what I will tell you now.”
“And she is truly Rogan’s fated mate?”
Alara sighs. “I wish I could tell you that she isn’t.
But she is. Nature and what it bestows upon us is more powerful than any being it creates, and nature has decided that Eris is Rogan’s mate.
But don’t underestimate your own power. Eris may be his mate, but Rogan loves you.
He loves his unborn child. And Eris is not who she seems to be. ”
“What do you mean?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest. “Who is she really?”
“Appearances can be deceiving, Hannah,” Alara responds cryptically. “She is a wolf, yes, but she is also something more.”
I’m about to press Alara for more information when a sudden sharp pain shoots through my stomach. I gasp and clutch at my belly.
“Hannah!” Alara gasps. “Are you okay?”
“I… I don’t know.” Perspiration beads on my forehead.
The pain subsides as quickly as it came, leaving me panting and shaky.
“We should get you back to your place,” Alara says. “You need to rest.”
“But what about…”
“Later,” Alara insists. “Your health and the health of your child come first. Eris can wait.”
Images blur around me, and in a moment, I’m back at my apartment.
I can’t help but think about Alara’s foreboding words. That Eris is not only a wolf but also something more. Something potentially more dangerous. This is a woman who cut out the hearts of two dead vampires.
I touch my abdomen.
My God…
What if she…
The thought sends shivers down my spine, but I push the unease aside.
I will face whatever comes. For the child growing inside me and for Rogan.
Alara sits me down and wraps a warm blanket around my shoulders.
“I will stay with you tonight,” she says.
“That’s not necessary.”
“It’s what your father would want. Your feelings about him notwithstanding, he is still my king.”
I glance at Alara. Her loyalty toward my father is something I respect, even if I can’t fully understand it. Though I’d prefer to be alone, what I want more than anything is to protect my child. Having Alara here can’t hurt.
“Yes,” I say after a moment. “Please stay.”
Alara nods and ventures into my tiny kitchen. “I’ll make you some herbal tea.”
I hate herbal tea, but the soft clink of the teacups is comforting in its familiarity. My mother introduced me to tea—real tea—when I was just a child.
My mother…
Which makes me think of my father.
And his treachery—his manipulation to convince Rogan and me that we were mates.
I can still feel the pull, the attraction, the force that tethered us together. But it was all crafted, expertly weaved into our destinies by my father to serve his own ends. The idea sickens me.
Yet, despite the machinations, Rogan and I found love in each other. A love that was real, unlike the artificial bond my father created. It’s this love that gives me courage now—the strength to face Eris, to protect our child.
My thoughts drift toward Eris, toward the unknown threat she poses to my unborn baby. I can’t deny the fear that surges within me at the thought of her. Yet, fear won’t help me defeat her.
I turn to Alara. “Can I defeat Eris?” I ask.
“Whether you can or can’t is irrelevant,” she says. “The truth is that you must.”