Pregnant And Rejected

Charta 19.3 -Lockdoen

Selene

I’m woken by the sounds of blaring alarms, the sound so shrill and horrible | slam a pillow over my face before I can stop to consider what the sound might mean. It’s not until my bedroom door swings open and a young servant girl pokes her head in, that I lower the plush implement. She pulls me out of bed and helps me into a robe while my head spins.

An alarm. I think hopefully, that’s bad for Blaise.

And what’s bad for Blaise can only be good for us. Luna answers slyly.

“What’s happened?” I ask the girl helping me.

“We‘re going into lockdown, miss.” the young servant an swers, breaking the silence her station usually demands.

“What do you mean, lockdown?” | question, “What’s hap pened?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never heard the alarms go off before, but the Alpha’s orders were unequivocal. The entire above ground is locking down, so it can’t be a fire or flood.” She rea sons, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

“Did you speak to him yourself?” | ask, trying to figure out exactly what’s going on. If it’s just a lockdown and he doesn’t know where I am, I might be able to get away. But if she was specifically sent to retrieve me, I probably can’t escape with out endangering her.

com “No.” She shakes her head, “This is just standard proce

dure. I’m taking you to one of the safe rooms.”

“Wait!” I cry, pulling her to a stop. “What’s your name?”

The girl

on lock down all the guards will be called away to help, and I’m always strongest first thing in the morning. This could be my chance to free myself, Bastien and my father at

I don’t understand.” Clara murmurs in

I declare, “I don’t want to get you in trouble and I don’t know what you might risk by running, but

going to escape?” She repeats,

guards are more distracted than they’ll ever be. So yes, I’m going to try.”

I can’t.” Clara whimpers, “I have a family

beg, tak ing her by the shoulders. “Do

East End, just past the park, but you can’t go out there!” She insists, “the city might

and pulling on a pair of maternity jeans, a black top and flats. “Please, promise me you won’t tell them where l’ ve gone. You

goes sort of limp, her jaw slackens, and she repeats, “I never saw

I praise, dashing

been able to use one of the many secret passageways lining the Pack House for emer gencies, but Blaise hasn’t trusted me

all gone to handle whatever disaster spurred the alarms. I’m trying to be as quiet as possible, but I’m also painfully aware that my scent is leaving

courtyard. I have to pause at every other corner I reach, waiting for neat rows of march ing sentries to pass by before I continue on. Something seri ous is definitely going down for Blaise’s security forces to be mobilizing this way,

the shadows as I run, concealing my presence in the dim light of early morning and blinding the few guards I do encounter. The rising sun blinds me when I fi nally break out into the fresh air, feeling a rush of exhilaration to think I’m finally out of the Alpha’s palace. It almost feels too easy, but I can’t

I worry I might be mistaken for one of Blaise’s devoted followers and

feet off the ground as I yelp in surprise. Struggling to escape the man holding me, I kick and claw and his beefy arms, so preoccupied with getting away that I’m

going wide as’l see a line of guards circling myself and my captor.

I’m going to be sick. No. I think desperately,

But clearly he can.