I'm sorry Ghod

No... Meliana,

Acantha woke up with a jolt, her eyes feeling sore and heavy. The light streaming through her bedroom window struck her face, causing her to wince as she felt a numbing pain in her stomach and a surprising emptiness.

She quickly sat up and placed her palms on her belly, sighing in relief when she felt a barely noticeable fullness.

"Thank goodness," she muttered as she laid back down and closed her eyes. The sweet oblivion she sought remained elusive, and her mind wandered despite her desire for peace. Questions swirled in her thoughts, such as where her husband was and how she had returned home. The last thing she remembered was his anxious whispers, assuring her that the pain would soon pass as he held her.

A sudden knock startled her, followed by the sound of the door being pushed open. Kara walked in, hurling a bucket of water toward the bathroom.

"Milady?" Kara 's soft voice broke the silence as she looked up, dropping the bucket and rushing toward Acantha.

"Oh, this is most wonderful!" Kara cooed, carefully taking Acantha's hand. "The alpha said we mustn't worry about you because you'll be fine, but I was still scared."

"He was right,Kara. I feel really good," Acantha replied reassuringly, her hand returning to her stomach.

"I thought I'd lost the pea before it matured," Acantha said, glancing up. Her warm smile faltered when she saw Kara's sympathetic gaze.

"No," Acantha whispered, shaking her head as she cradled her stomach tighter.

"I'm sorry, milady, but the alpha told me the babe is gone," Kara muttered, her voice cracking as she struggled to hold back tears. "Milady…"

Acantha bolted up from the bed, only to realize the mistake as the room spun.

"You must rest!" Kara yelled, steadying her. "Please, lay down, and I'll fetch your chamomile tea," she added, but Acantha barely listened.

The emptiness Acantha had felt earlier suddenly made sense. "I think I'm about to die," she muttered dryly. Her maid's eyes widened in shock.

"Please don't say that, milady…"

"There's nothing more to live for," Acantha said again, her eyes overflowing with tears.

"This is all my fault. I was irresponsible, and now I've killed my child." Her sobs erupted into loud, convulsive gasps, her lips quivering and her shoulders shaking vigorously as she allowed herself to mourn.

Kara slid her arms around Acantha and patted her back steadily, whispering comforting words. The door was suddenly thrown open again, and this time, Ghod rushed in.

"Why did no one inform me she was awake!" he exclaimed, already making a beeline for Acantha.

"I just found out a few minutes ago when I brought in water to clean her bathroom," Kara replied as she stood, allowing Ghod to take her place beside Acantha.

Ghod gently pulled Acantha into his arms, holding her silently until her sobs turned into gulping hiccups and her hair clung to her wet face. "I'm sorry," she whispered brokenly. He gently brushed the hair from her face and kissed her eyes before standing.

"Get some rest, Acantha" he said softly. Despite his gentle tone, she could feel the distance in his words; that was the last thing she wanted.

"Ghod ," she started, but he had already turned to face Kara

"Get her the chamomile tea and make sure her bath is hot enough. Also, place a hot towel on her stomach while she drinks the tea."

"Ghod, please," Acantha tried again, but he might as well have been speaking to a stone wall as he headed straight for the door after giving his instructions.

"Milady, please don't move,"Kara said as Acantha attempted to stand.

"I just lost a baby; I'm not about to lose a husband, too," Acantha muttered firmly, trying to fight off Kara's hands.

"You aren't losing him, milady. He's still your husband."

"But he's leaving me, Kara!"

The anxious girl finally managed to hold S

Acantha down. "I believe he's in pain, too," she began gently. "But not just because of your shared loss, but also because you kept something so important from him."

"I didn't mean to!" Acantha cried out. "I... I was just so confused, and I wasn't sure if a baby would push him further away from me." She swiped at her tears and took a shuddering sigh.

"I thought perhaps he only treated me so sweetly because he wanted a child," Acantha continued, her voice barely audible.

Kara nodded in understanding and resumed rubbing her back. "I thought if he found out I was finally with child," Acantha said, "he'd focus more on his relationship with Meliana."

"It wasn't your fault, milady," Kara replied gently, her eyes filling with tears. "None of this was your fault, and I assure you that you will conceive again."

"How?" Acantha queried sharply, then shook her head sadly. "Certainly not now that my husband can't even look at me." She didn't want to believe her own words, but the reality was that God would most likely never forgive her, and that was something she could not live with.

"I believe his anger is only temporary, milady," Kara said reassuringly. "I know our alpha cares about you very much, and all this will pass."

Acantha turned and gave Kara a crooked smile. "Thank you, Kara," she sniffed. "I'm ready for a bath now, please."

"Very well, milady," Kara replied, rising to fetch what was needed.

****

Ghod walked into his bedroom and shut the door with a firm kick. His heart raced, not just from anger but from a tumult of conflicting emotions.

He wanted to hold and comfort Acantha, yet he couldn't move past the fact that she had intentionally kept him ignorant about something so joyous. Even when he had suspected her deception and confronted her, she had lied to his face, deepening his paranoia.