False Betrayal

Duskveil estate was enormous and Selene took in the details as the carriage rattled along the winding road that approached the grand expanse of buildings and gardens. Four towering spires jutted up into the early evening sky, black and ominous. The entire estate was some shade of black, from the bushes in the courtyard, to the balconies, to the stone surface of the buildings themselves. The only things that weren't black, were the roses that lined various parts of the estate. They were a blood red color, but even the edges of the petals were black.

Mist clung to the ancient forest surrounding the manor and heavy iron gates creaked as they opened to admit the carriage into the courtyard. The entire estate loomed like a shadowy monolith, its stone walls weathered and cold, reflecting the light of the waning sun, shrouding everything in a eerie haze.

The carriage stopped in front of the front entrance and line of what looked like maids and butlers streamed out of the door to line the walkway up to the double doors leading into the great hall.

Selene stared in wonder out of the carriage window before the coachman opened the door and held up his hand, waiting to assist her as she stepped out. She took it and stepped out onto the cobbled surface of the courtyard, glancing around in awe at everything. How could he afford all this? It might have been beautiful, had it not given off such an air of violence and oppression.

One of the maids stepped out from the lineup and turned to Selene.

"Greetings Mistress Selene. I hope that your journey was not overly difficult," said the maid with a bow, and Selene shook her head. 

"It was long, but thankfully uneventful."

The maid smiled and gestured for Selene to follow her. 

She guided Selene through the grand, dimly lit halls. Shadows danced all along the walls and beautifully intricate tapestries depicted scenes from long forgotten battles and paintings captured the visages of leaders whose names had been lost too time. The air was thick with the scent of musk, medicinal herbs and aged wood, and the echoes of her footsteps seemed dull, the sound swallowed in the vastness of the mansion. Despite its size, Selene felt as if the walls closed in around her. 

The maid guided her up a curved staircase to another floor. They stopped in front of the room at the far end of the hall and when the maid opened the door, Selene could see that it was the same decor as the rest of the mansion, though different colors, and she could feel the spaciousness of the room, with its high ceilings and arched windows that allowed the last glow of sunset to spill across the dark wooden floors. The walls were dark blue with silver trim and heavy velvet blue drapes framed the windows. An intricately carved four-poster bed dominated most of the space with black sheets of black silk, smooth against her fingers as she walked over and touched their surface. A massive stone hearth crackled with weak flames, offering little warmth against the mansions somber atmosphere.

"I'll leave you for now to get settled in," said the maid with a bow. "Someone will arrive shortly to help you with ceremony preparations."

Selene merely nodded and sank down to sit on the edge of the bed once the maid had left. 

Her mind was storm of confusion, fear, anxiety.

Her hand instinctively rested on her abdomen, where life stirred—a life she could not explain—and her mother's words echoed in her mind: "Always trust your instincts." Her innocence remained intact, and yet, the truth of her condition was undeniable to her senses. She knew the truth to her very core. She was with child, and she did not know how.

How would Lucian react? Would he know? Would he believe her if she said she had not been with anyone? 

A cold sweat poured down her back and her stomach hurt with the uncertainty of her predicament, an ominous weight pressing down on her, a warning her that something was about to go terribly wrong.

But she took a deep breath. She sat up straight, set her shoulders back and held her chin up.

They would have a ceremony that night, when the moon had reached its highest point. She would be bound to Lucian Duskveil, an Alpha whose power and influence stretched across the land. She would be his mate, and she would protect her family. 

She rose and moved to the dressing table where a gown had been laid out for her. It was crafted from silver silk that cascaded like water to the floor, shimmering faintly in the dim light. The bodice was adorned with delicate, dark blue embroidery that mirrored the constellations in the sky, and the chiffon sleeves billowed out like shadows. A myriad of shadowy gemstones glittered and sparkled all around the dress, almost in direct opposition to the dress she had worn the previous night. She slipped into the dress, the fabric embracing every curve. 

She reached to the necklace at her throat, the moonstone she had received from her mother, grateful for its presence. As she adjusted the silver clasp at the back of her neck, a knock echoed through the chamber, but before she could respond, the door opened and Lucian stepped inside. A jolt of panic started to rise in her, but she took a deep breath and swallowed her fear.

Certainly he would be reasonable if she told him everything. 

His tall, athletic frame was draped in dark ceremonial robes, and his presence exuded cold authority. His expression was smug, as if he had won some great game that no one else was privy to. 

"My dear Selene—" He abruptly stopped halfway across the room and scowled, his silvery green eyes, usually composed, calculating, darkened with something far more volatile as they swept over her.

"You look… fitting," he said, inhaling, as his eyes swept over her, assessing her.

Selene's pulse quickened and she lowered her eyes, unsure of what to say, all the things she thought she might have gone from her mind. The air thickened with tension, and she felt the first tendrils of fear creeping up her spine.

Lucian stepped closer, his hand brushing against her arm. His eyes narrowed and his jaw tensed for a moment. "Tonight, you become mine," he murmured, though the words felt more like a threat than a promise.

He grabbed her arm suddenly and she let out a yelp.

"Or you would have, if you weren't a whore," he hissed through gritted teeth. 

"Let me go, I can explain," Selene said as she put her hands on his, trying to pry his fingers loose and break free.

"Explain how you've been with another man right under my nose?" he sneered. "Why has your scent changed? Who have you been with?"

"No one," Selene cried, "I had a dream last night that I was pregnant. It's a gift from the goddess Nyara."

He paused for a moment and Selene looked up at his face. It was eerily calm.

"I will get rid of it," he said softly. "I will get rid of your both."

His fingers dug into the flesh of her arm as he began to drag her out the door.