Celeste's POV

I feel like I have been in this cell for months, but I know it's just been a few weeks. Sighing in defeat, I tuck my knees underneath my chin while my hands circle around my legs. My stomach growls from hunger and I pray that they at least bring us something to eat. The last time we were fed was four days ago... I think?

As I sit silently here, I can't help but think, does anyone know I'm missing? I mean, surely someone has to have noticed. I thought about my family and how worried they'd be if they found out that I've been kidnapped. I thought about my best friend Anna; she probably thinks I'm dead, and I chuckled at that. I could feel the others' glances on my cell, wondering why I was laughing to myself, but I paid no attention to them.

And lastly, I thought about him. Elijah's betrayal stung deeply, leaving a very large hole in my heart that would take years to heal. I was such a fool for believing that love would come to me so easily; I mean, even my mate couldn't love me.

Cedric's words came ringing in my ears from our first encounter, 'Run while you still can,' but I was a fool to have stayed.

The blaring alarm snapped me out of my thoughts, and I looked around, agitated by the red lights and non-stop noise. Shakily, I got up, the chain behind me rattling on the ground as I took a few steps forward. Even though my hands couldn't reach the bars, I tried stretching my head forward to see what was happening.

Everyone kept murmuring and hiding in the shadows, while I tried to find out what the heck was happening.

The body of one of my captors was pressed against the bars of my cell, and I jumped back in fright from the noise and for my safety. Before I knew it, his neck was snapped, and with a crack, he slumped down to the ground.

I recognized that the man who had killed one of my kidnappers was from the palace, for he was wearing the royal guard uniform. He bent down and searched the pockets of the dead man on the ground. My heart kept beating hard in my chest—from being happy that we'd been saved and also from fear of something terrible happening.

When I saw that he found the keys to open the cell—every cell—I jumped up in happiness. But my joyful moment was short-lived because after he had opened the door, someone grabbed him by the neck and literally tore his neck out.

I gasped in horror, stumbling backward as the man's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his body was thrown against the wall, blood coming out of his mouth and neck.

When I looked up to see who had killed him, the devil himself—Derrick—stood at the door, his huge figure blocking my escape. His eyes held so much anger, and I gulped, backing away from the terrifying man.

He walked towards me within five steps and grabbed me by my arm. I winced from his tight hold, but he paid no attention to that—not that I was expecting him to.

With both hands, he took the chain on my right wrist and snapped it in half, then did the same to the others. I couldn't believe he broke the chains; I thought they were enchanted.

I watched as the remaining half-chain that was still on my wrist and feet literally opened up and turned to dust.

"Move," Derrick growled as he forcefully held me by my shoulder and pushed me forward. I complied, in fear of him doing something worse.

I could feel his breath on me the entire time he led me through the underground tunnel. My body shook in fright, but my legs kept moving.

I could see light at the end of the tunnel. I am afraid of what he's going to do with me. Is this how it would end for me? For my child? Will I ever get to see Eli—?

I was cut off from my thoughts when a very loud growl echoed from the tunnel—behind us. My body tensed up, while the grip the rogue king had on me tightened.

Derrick's large hand moved from my shoulders to my neck, cutting off air, while I struggled to free myself. He turned us around to face whoever it was. Right in front of us was a huge brown wolf with gray and golden eyes. Even though I was struggling for air, I was still able to gasp at the sight.

Elijah's left eye was a glowing golden color, while his right was just gray—the gray eyes that captivated my heart the first time I gazed into them.

He had a golden armor wrapped around his abdomen, back, and neck for protection, and blood dripping down his chin.

He growled again, and Derrick pushed my back to his chest, taking a few steps back.

"Come any closer, and I'll rip her throat out," he murmured when he noticed Elijah moving towards us.

I could feel my face turning purple from the lack of air, but the evil man behind me seemed to not care.

"Pathetic," Derrick mumbled, eyeing Elijah's form. "A king doesn't need all that to fight. You are weak, not fit for a king."

Those were the same words my dead mate told me, 'Weak, not fit to be a Luna.'

I've had enough. While Derrick was distracted, I extended my claws and clawed at the hand he had around my neck. He hissed out in pain and threw me against the wall on the left. My body fell with a thud, bricks from the wall falling on my weak body.

Blood kept rolling down from my head and into my eyes, but that was the least of my concerns. I could feel it—the hot liquid rolling down my thighs and mixing with the dirty water on the ground.

Slowly, I placed my hand on the inner part of my thighs and brought it up to my face. Tears gathered in my eyes, and I let them fall freely.

I looked up to see Derrick and Elijah engaged in a bloody fight.

Brown vs. Black.

Golden vs. Blue.

Their movements became blurry, the growls, grunts, and whimpers becoming distant to my ears.

I could hear growls, but not just from two Lycans. People were calling my name... Or was it just a person? I am not sure.

I felt weightless. Am I being carried, or am I falling through an endless hole?

"Celeste."

Elijah's blurry face came into view. I could feel his hands on my cheek, but they felt cold.

"Stay with me, please," he mumbled shakily, but that was all I heard before everything went black.

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I feel like I have been in this position before. Was it once? Twice? I'm not so sure anymore. I could feel someone's hand holding mine gently. With a groan, I open my eyes but whimper at the pain that shoots through my head.

"Shh," someone breathes beside me, and I turn my head to the left to meet a very familiar face.

"Mom?" I rasp out, confused as to how she got here.

"Oh my poor baby," she choked out, her eyes filling up with tears, and her hand came to touch my cheek gently. I looked around and saw that I was in my room, in the palace.

"How did I get here... Why are you crying?" I asked, still confused about what was happening.

"Don't you remember, honey?" She asked, her warm hand leaving my cheek to wipe her tears away.

I closed my eyes, trying to remember what happened, but I just can't—everything is foggy, and my head really hurts.

I shook my head, signaling that I do not remember, and mom looked worried. She turned her head to the back, and that's when I saw who was behind her.

"Elijah?" I called, and he looked hesitant to come near me, as if he was expecting me to lash out or something. After a few seconds of contemplating, he moved closer to me and sat at the edge of the bed, his hands coming to cup my cheeks.

"What happened?" I asked with my eyes closed as I leaned into his hands.

"Don't worry about it," he murmured, shifting closer to me on the bed. I felt weak, and all I wanted to do was close my eyes and go back to sleep.

"Hmm," I mumbled distractedly as sleep kept calling me.

I opened my eyes when Elijah got up from the bed, and I shot my hand to grab his, which was still on the bed.

"Stay," I pleaded. He looked around, and that was when I noticed that mom was still in the room.

"I'll leave," she whispered and came to place a kiss on my temple. I watched her walk out of the room, and when the door closed, I looked up at Elijah, who was still standing at the edge of the bed.

"Are you sure?" He asked, and I frowned. I felt like he was expecting me to blow up and start screaming at his face. I'm not sure why, but I feel like he is hiding something.

"Yes," I mumbled with a pout, and reluctantly, he took off his shirt and slacks, then got in with me. I shifted closer to him, and he tensed up, but I said nothing.

"Celeste?" He whispered softly, probably thinking that I was asleep—which I was until I heard his voice.

"Hmm," I said, already drifting back to sleep.

"We're having a child."

That was the last thing I heard before everything went black.