Chapter 3
I began to scream like a lunatic, grabbing at random people on the streets.
“Where's my baby? What the hell happened here?”
But instead of answering, they turned up their noses in disgust and pushed back at me.
“Isn't she the Luna who was sent from her Mate's penthouse to the slaves’ crib?”
I swirled around, in search of who said that, but I was soon drowned by similar voices which fired at me. I covered my ears and eyes as these words lashed at me.
Before I knew what was happening, I was slapped across the face. “How dare you speak to us like that? You who are lower than a slave?”
The warm trickle of blood down my nose did little to curb the pain that breathed down my neck. I was gasping for breath just as their cameras flashed in my face.
I didn't know what to focus on: this unexpected attack, or my baby's whereabouts. My heart suffered terribly as I tried to process what I should do.
I raised my eyes, staring into the mean faces of the people I was supposed to lord over.
“I just want to know what happened here,” I whimpered, pointing at the dilapidated ruins. “My child was here. I…”
“The same child the Alpha rejected?” someone countered, breaking into laughter.
Another said, “I think he made an Instagram video that you're a whore, he doesn't know how you got pregnant.”
My lips hung apart as these searing words were layered on me. Then there was a sudden hush.
The crowd moved apart in an instant, forming an aisle in the center. Then I caught his unmistakable scent, even before I saw him.
Alpha Dimitri.
I was attacked by mixed feelings. I didn't know what to feel — anger, relief, fear. What did you do to my child? I wanted to ask him.
I read his face and to my surprise, he had a comely smile. And when he seemed to “notice” the crowd, his face turned sore.
“Did they hurt you?” he asked even after seeing the blood and bruises on my face. The subtle mockery in his voice was barely hidden.
He didn't stretch his hand to me, only stood at a convenient distance, as though he couldn't risk being seen close to me.
“Did they hurt me?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes.
The tiny smirk on his face disappeared for a moment as he saw the deep pain stemming from my soul.
“Come, let me get you out of here,” he mumbled.
“Dimitri, I am looking for my child!” I finally exploded, tears rolling down my eyes. “I… I left him here and…”
The words choked me as I stared into Dimitri's expressionless face. He was fighting not to laugh.
He took one glance at the ruined building, squinted his eyes a bit and sighed. “He was in there? Oh. Come let's get you home, my dear. There are better things to talk about.”
My emotions exploded. I jumped to my feet, my wolf uncorking. My talons shot out, but he sidestepped and caught me. Several guards came from nowhere and held me against his car.
“What did you do to my child?” I wailed. “You monster! You devil, where's my baby?”
“I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. You must be going crazy, my love. But I still love you,” Dimitri said.
He had a sweet smile on his face, meant to paint him as the indulgent lover, but only me knew his true evil color.
I was bound with fetters behind my back and bundled into the car like I was a criminal. I kept shouting to Dimitri about my lost child while he
amused himself by taking a picture with the excited pack passers-by, assuring them he'd keep leading them right, “and eliminating the bad eggs amongst us.”
I shut my eyes as everything came pressing down on me. My position was so uncomfortable I had multiple muscle cramps, but the guards pressed hard on me.
Dimitri entered the driver's seat, turned and said, “You lost a child, not a life. I'd appreciate it if you stopped making a big deal out of it.”
“A big deal about my baby, Dimitri?” I yelled, my heart tearing apart. “Are you that heartless? Your own child and—”
Duct tape was slapped to my mouth and the car drove off. I'd never imagined that my mate would be heartless enough to treat me like a criminal. Being partly an introvert, the embarrassment burnt me more than I imagined.
A weak flicker of hope flashed through my mind when we arrived at the pack house. Maybe my baby was still alive. Perhaps…
“Get the fuck down,” Dimitri said through his teeth as he tore off the tape and fetters. Away from the public cameras, Dimitri was once more a monster.
By himself he dragged me by the hair into the large hall where the board of directors sat, their faces tense.
Dimitri threw me at their feet and said: “Last night, a huge amount of money was stolen from the stocks of my companies. It was traced to you. Where did you keep the money, you thief?”
I sneered. “I sold my shares in your damn companies!”
The directors broke into laughter. Sniding comments flickered about.
Dimitri glared at me. “Over a hundred million dollars? From you alone? Are you stupid? Or you think we are? How the hell did you steal such an amount of money?”
I lowered my head, clenching my fists as rage tore through me. After doing away with my child, this monster had the guts to ask me about his shares? This was why he came to fetch me by himself.
Slowly I stood. But Dimitri had another brutal surprise for me.
Vera walked in with my baby in her arms, a bitter smile on her face.
Dimitri touched my shoulder. “Return the money you stole or…” — a nod towards my child — “you know what I mean.”
