The sterile scent of antiseptic burned my nostrils as I lay on the examination table, my hands instinctively shielding my still-flat stomach. Dr. Elena Hartwell's face hovered above me, her expression grim as she reviewed the test results in her hands.
"I'm sorry, Luna Sarah," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "Your pregnancy is high-risk. The stress levels in your body are dangerously elevated, and you're showing signs of malnutrition."
I swallowed hard, trying to process her words. A high-risk pregnancy? But I'd barely shown any symptoms beyond occasional morning sickness.
"What does that mean?" I whispered, my voice catching.
"It means you need immediate bed rest," Dr. Hartwell said, placing a comforting hand on mine. "Your wolf is struggling to maintain the pregnancy. Any additional stress could result in miscarriage."
My wolf whimpered inside me, a sound so faint I almost missed it. She'd been unusually quiet since I'd discovered the pregnancy, as if conserving her strength for our unborn pup.
"But the Northern Border treaty negotiation is in three days," I protested weakly. "Alistair expects me to—"
"Luna Sarah," Dr. Hartwell interrupted, her eyes flashing with rare defiance, "I don't care what Alpha Alistair expects. If you want this baby to survive, you need to rest. Now."
Before I could respond, the infirmary door burst open with such force that it slammed against the wall. Alistair strode in, his imposing figure filling the doorway, his Alpha aura radiating cold authority.
"What's this about bed rest?" he demanded, not bothering to look at me.
Dr. Hartwell straightened her spine. "Alpha, Luna Sarah's pregnancy is high-risk. She needs to remain sedentary for at least two weeks to ensure—"
"Ridiculous," Alistair cut her off with a dismissive wave. "She's a Luna, not some fragile human. The Northern Pack is threatening to withdraw from the treaty negotiations, and they specifically requested Sarah's presence."
"But Alpha," Dr. Hartwell persisted, "the stress of travel alone could trigger—"
"Enough!" Alistair's Alpha tone reverberated through the room, making both Dr. Hartwell and me flinch. "I've made my decision. Sarah will leave tomorrow morning."
I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen at his words, a warning from my wolf. "Alistair, please," I whispered. "Our baby..."
His eyes finally met mine, cold and distant. "The pack's security comes first. Always."
---
The Northern Border greeted me with a howling blizzard that cut through my thick coat like it was made of paper. I shivered uncontrollably as I made my way to the meeting lodge, each step sending jolts of pain through my body.
Alpha Donovan of the Northern Pack waited inside, his massive frame blocking the fireplace that held the only source of warmth. His eyes narrowed as I entered alone.
"Where is Alpha Alistair?" he demanded, his deep voice echoing in the sparsely furnished room.
I forced myself to stand tall despite the exhaustion weighing down my limbs. "Alpha Alistair sends his regrets. He trusts me to negotiate on behalf of the Silver Claw Pack."
A cruel smile spread across Donovan's face. "So he sends his little Luna to do his dirty work. How... cowardly."
I felt his Alpha aura press against me like a physical weight, testing my defenses. Without Alistair's presence to buffer his dominance, I struggled to maintain my composure.
"The terms are simple," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady as I laid out the documents on the table. "Silver Claw will maintain hunting rights to the eastern forest in exchange for—"
"In exchange for what?" Donovan interrupted, stepping closer. His aura intensified, crushing against my chest until I could barely breathe.
I gripped the edge of the table to stay upright. "In exchange for shared access to the river during winter months."
Donovan circled me slowly, his predatory gaze assessing my weakness. "And what guarantees do I have that your... absent Alpha... will honor this agreement?"
The pressure of his aura was becoming unbearable. My vision blurred at the edges as I fought to focus on the documents before me.
"My word," I managed to say. "As Luna of Silver Claw."
---
The pain struck without warning as I signed the final treaty document. A searing agony tore through my abdomen, doubling me over onto the frozen ground outside the lodge.
"No," I gasped, clutching my stomach. "Please, no."
I dragged myself to the guest quarters, each movement sending fresh waves of pain through my body. Alone in the icy room, I curled into myself as wetness spread between my thighs.
"It's okay," I whispered to my wolf, to our pup. "It's going to be okay."
But the metallic scent of blood filled the air, and my wolf's mournful howl echoed in my mind as I felt the life within me slip away.
With trembling hands, I reached for my phone and mind-linked Alistair.
*The treaty is signed,* I told him, my mental voice breaking. *But I... I'm losing our baby.*
The silence stretched for agonizing seconds before his response came, cold and detached.
*Was the treaty signed before you collapsed?*
I stared at the blood staining my clothes, at the life I'd failed to protect.
*Yes,* I replied.
*Good. That's all that matters.*
The link severed abruptly, leaving me alone in the snow-covered room with nothing but my grief and the fading heartbeat of our unborn child.
