The palace court was unusually quiet, as though the very stones and trees carried the weight of what had been happening for days. The sky was dim, painted with streaks of dull gray clouds, and a faint chill ran through the air. For everyone in the kingdom, it was another ordinary day under the rule of Alpha Gonzalo and Luna Vanya. But for one soul tied to the old tree at the palace center, every second stretched into an eternity of pain.
Liora had been bound there for what felt like endless nights, her once proud self now hunched, weakened by hunger, thirst, and the excruciating torment inflicted daily. Her clothes clung to her damp skin, torn in places, caked with blood, dirt, and the sour smell of rotten eggs still stuck to her hair and belly. She was still bleeding.
Her body trembled uncontrollably, not just from the cold but from the waves of pain rippling through her womb. Each tightening, each sharp stab inside her, made her think of the life inside slipping away.
And still, no Alpha came to rescue her. No justice. No reprieve.
***
Inside the grand hall, Nyssa fell to her knees before Gonzalo and Vanya. Her heart raced, but her conscience wouldn't allow her silence anymore.
"Alpha… Luna…" her voice cracked as tears brimmed her eyes, "please. Let her go. You've punished her enough."
Gonzalo reclined in his chair, his expression unreadable, while Vanya stood beside him in a flowing gown of midnight blue, her lips curled into a cruel smirk.
"She's been on that tree for days," Nyssa continued desperately. "She's bleeding. She's losing the baby. If she must be punished, then exile her. Banish her from the pack. But don't let her die like this, not like an animal!"
Vanya's eyes gleamed cold. "Do you dare tell me how justice should be served in my pack?" Her voice rang sharp, echoing across the hall.
Nyssa swallowed hard but refused to lower her gaze. "It's not justice anymore, Luna. It's cruelty."
"Never," Vanya spat, her eyes narrowing with venom. "That woman will not leave that tree alive. She will die there, and so will the abomination she carries. That is justice."
Gonzalo said nothing, but his silence spoke louder than words.
"Go," Vanya commanded, flicking her hand dismissively. "Your pity disgusts me."
Nyssa's heart broke. She staggered backward, her throat tight with helpless rage. She bowed her head and left, her legs trembling.
***
From a distance, Nyssa watched her.
The woman who had once walked into their pack radiant, glowing with strength and courage, was now barely recognizable. Liora's hair clung in messy strands to her face, her lips cracked, her eyes dim but still defiant beneath layers of pain. Blood streaked down her thighs, her swollen belly contracting as she bit down weakly on her lip to keep from screaming too loudly.
Nyssa's chest clenched. She wanted to rush forward, to cut those ropes herself, but fear of Vanya's wrath held her back. She stood frozen, her heart warring between loyalty and humanity.
Liora's head lifted weakly, and for one brief moment, their eyes met.
Despite everything—despite betrayal, torment, humiliation—Liora managed a small, painful smile. It wasn't gratitude. It wasn't forgiveness. It was simply… acknowledgment.
Nyssa's eyes filled with tears, and she turned away, guilt clawing at her. She ran, the sound of her footsteps fading into the night, leaving Liora alone once again.
***
The moon had climbed higher by the time Elira crept out of the servant quarters. Her body was wrapped in a dark shawl, her eyes darting nervously around. She clutched a small clay cup of water and a piece of bread close to her chest as she approached the old tree.
"Liora…" she whispered urgently. "Please, take this."
Liora stirred, her head tilting weakly toward the sound. Her voice was barely a rasp, almost lost to the wind. "Elira…"
She parted her lips, but when Elira pressed the cup of water to her, Liora turned her head away.
"No."
Elira frowned, panic in her eyes. "You must drink. You'll die without water. Please, don't do this."
"I don't want it anymore," Liora whispered. Her throat burned, but her spirit resisted. "Why… why should I cling to life when my own Alpha has abandoned me?"
Elira's hands shook. "Because you must fight. You've always fought! Don't let them win, Liora. Please…"
Liora's eyes welled with tears. She wanted to believe. She wanted to cling to hope. But every stab of pain in her womb reminded her that even the baby she carried was slipping away.
"Elira…" she croaked, her lips trembling. "Where is Gonzalo? Why hasn't he come? Why hasn't he freed me? Punished them for this?"
Elira froze. Her eyes darted nervously. "The Alpha… he's away. He's still in battle with rogues."
Liora's eyes narrowed weakly. "Don't lie to me."
"I—I'm not—"
"My wolf…" Liora whispered faintly, her gaze piercing though her voice trembled. "She can sense him. She knows when he's near. Gonzalo isn't in battle, is he?"
Elira's lips quivered. Her eyes flooded with tears, her chest heaving as the truth pressed against her throat.
"Tell me," Liora urged, though her voice cracked. "Don't you dare lie to me again."
The silence stretched, broken only by the wind rustling the leaves. Finally, Elira dropped her head.
"He's here," she admitted in a whisper. "He never left. He… he's with Luna Vanya."
The words crashed over Liora like a tidal wave. Her heart clenched, her breath caught, and the strength she had been clinging to shattered.
Her body convulsed, pain rippling through her womb as if the baby itself recoiled from the betrayal. The ropes cut deeper into her skin as she arched, gasping in agony.
"Elira…" she managed weakly. Her lips trembled, her vision blurring. "He… planned this…"
Her body slackened suddenly. Her head fell forward, her breaths shallow.
"Liora!" Elira cried out, reaching for her but afraid to touch her bound body. "No, no, please—stay with me!"
But Liora had already gone limp, her consciousness slipping away like a candle's flame in the wind.
Elira's tears streamed down as she stumbled backward, fear tightening around her chest. She glanced around frantically, then fled into the darkness, leaving Liora tied to the tree, fainted, her swollen belly still trembling from the struggle inside.