Epilogue

One year earlier…

The woman ran into the woods, clasping her pregnant belly with one hand while the other caught trees in her way. She cried as pain erupted in her lower region, feeling like she would be ripped apart.

She had to deliver away from her sanctuary, had to be sure her savior would be convinced of the tragedy of a miscarriage…not what she was planning.

Just passed the pack border, the woman fell, unable to get back up as she felt the child forcing its way out, defiant in the orders she gave it to stay where it was until she was safe. But of course, the child didn't understand, wanting to enter the world now. She screamed, throwing her head back on the ground as she spread her legs and pushed. Tears ran down her face as she felt something push passed the barriers of her body.

Half an hour later, baby born, cord cut, and woman heaving, she listened for any of the patrol that could be running the perimeter. Beside her, the baby was bloodied and gasping for air. Around them, the forest was silent as hidden creatures stared at the new life with curious eyes.

Finally having the strength to roll over, She gazed at the child with a mix of adoration and disgust. Her baby. Her descendant. Her line. But a bastard. The father unknown. The woman's mate having rejected her years ago.

Heart overriding her head, the woman helped the child to breathe, then wiped the blood away and wrapped the child in a cloth. She held it with care, stroking it with tender hands, fingers used to caress instead of harm. The face was deformed, but beautiful in the woman's eyes. The hair a shade of blonde she couldn't identify in the moonlight. The fingers and toes small. Arms and legs were chubby as the face was. Skin as soft as satin, if not softer.

She held back a sob as she debated on the decision ahead of her. In the end, as she ran back to her sanctuary, the child was found in the bushes, picked up and taken away.

When the woman finally relaxed on her cot, exhausted and hardly able to breathe, She felt another pain in her lower region. At first, she thought it was the aftermath of giving birth, not that she'd experienced it before, but then she felt it again and again and was horrified to realize she has another child in her womb. She began to get up when her savior arrived silently through the barred doors. When the savior saw the woman, they ran over and helped the woman lay down, preparing the woman for another birth. The woman couldn't believe her horrible luck. She couldn't have a child! The savior couldn't be aware of one of hers being alive. Maybe the woman could…but how would she explain the death when she was the only one there? The savior was the only one to see her. None of her family. None of her pack. No one else.

Fifteen minutes later, another child was born that night. Identical to the other, but everything perfect. The face want deformed, but perfectly symmetrical. As her savior cleaned up, the woman cradled the child, thinking of the other with regret. She wondered if the child would live or die, grow up to be good or evil, learn it was abandoned and hate the woman, or learn and love her.

What would she do with this child? She did not know how to raise a child. Did not know the first thing about caring for someone besides herself. The woman sighed in resignation as she fell asleep, holding the child close, unable to fully hate it when it was a part of her.