chapter 7

Aria's Pov

"You bitch How could you be so fucking reckless?" Kian snapped as he reflected on his anger. "How the hell could you allow this to happen in the first place?"

"What are you talking about? What the hell did I do?" I asked, frowning in confusion at his question. He couldn't be seriously asking me something like this not after everything he had done. Not after he tried to use me the way he did.

"How did you allow yourself to get pregnant? How could you let something so stupid so reckless happen?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Who do you think you are, carrying the Alpha's baby?"

"I'm sorry, but are you being serious right now, Kian?" I asked, stunned by the audacity of his words.

"Of course I'm serious. You would've been dead if I hadn't found you. How would you have taken care of the child? Have you looked at yourself? You couldn't even take care of yourself. Have you seen how weak you've become?" he said.

My heart dropped. He was blaming me. After everything he did he was speaking like I was the problem. How could someone be so cruel?

"Because of you, my life is now ruined. I'm stuck with someone like you, and I lost Vivan," he added. A bitter laugh escaped me.

"I ruined your life? You were the one who cheated on her. You were the one who kept coming back to me until I gave you a chance. And now I'm the one who ruined your life?"

My eyes hardened as I looked at the man standing in front of me. His arrogance was unbelievable.

"Didn't you spread your legs for me?"

"Get out." I yelled

"I beg your pardon?"

"Get the fuck out of my sight, Kian," I snapped. He opened his mouth to speak, but I wasn't finished. He had crossed a line. I didn't want him here. Not now. Not ever. No matter how much I had once loved him, no matter how much I respected him in the past I wouldn't have let him touch me if he hadn't chased me the way he did... if he hadn't given me hope.

"GET OUT!" I went to speak again, but before I could, a team of nurses and a doctor rushed into the room. I couldn't blame them. I had just yelled at the Alpha. Not the best idea, especially after what I had gone through giving birth. I didn't even remember the birth clearly. I assumed it was a C-section, judging by the pain.

"Alpha, she needs to rest," the doctor said as she stepped forward with a syringe. She injected something into my IV, and my vision began to blur.

"For now, she needs to avoid stress. Her body is extremely weak. I'm honestly surprised she survived childbirth. As for the baby she will need constant supervision. We've assigned nurses to monitor her until she gains strength."

"And the mother?" Kian asked coldly, like I was just an afterthought.

He didn't care. Of course he didn't. Even if I wanted to respond, my body was too heavy, my thoughts too cloudy.

"She may not be able to produce enough milk to feed the child," the doctor added, glancing at me. "The baby will need formula supplementation."

"Make sure the nurses stay with her at all times. The child's well-being comes first," he said, rolling his eyes at me. My stomach churned at his words, but I kept quiet. Even if I had something to say, I couldn't have spoken it.

"Yes, Alpha."

It wasn't until Kian's eyes locked on mine again cold and unreadable that I felt a familiar sense of dread.

"You'll regret having this child, Aria. Do you understand me?" He said with so much hatred in his eyes. Little did he know I already did. I regretted everything. There was a knock at the door. I was surprised. No one had come to visit me. Not really.

Alpha Gideon and Luna Selene walked in. Luna Selene was cradling my baby.

The sight of my daughter brought tears to my eyes, but I blinked them away quickly.

I couldn't let them see me cry. I had to be strong. My body needed me to be strong.

"We thought you'd want to see her," Luna Selene said softly.

Kian stood and moved toward his mother. His steps were slow and calculated. He took the baby from her arms and looked down at her. His expression was unreadable. For a moment, I thought I saw his eyes soften. But then the coldness returned. He turned to me, jaw tight. "Here."

I stared at her. My heart twisted painfully.

My hands trembled as I reached out... then pulled back.

"Take her back to the incubator," I said quietly, barely above a whisper. If I held her I wouldn't let go. And they will take her away from me anyway. I couldn't protect her. He was right. A part of me believed it.

"Aria," Kian said, frowning.

"I know you want to hold her—"

"I said take her away," I snapped, cutting him off. Luna Selene and Alpha Gideon exchanged a look. Kian's frown deepened, but he didn't argue. He handed the baby back to his mother and turned to face me again.

"What are you doing, Aria?" he asked, his voice low and sharp.

"I'm doing exactly what you wanted," I said bitterly. "You said I wasn't qualified to be her mother. So I'm stepping aside. Now if you don't have anything else to say, I will like to rest." I turned my head away.

"Please take the child... and get out of my sight." I don't want to see her.