Sold to the Cruel Alpha

His mark on me. 

It started with nausea, then headaches and constant hunger. At first, I thought it was just the stress. It had been months since Micky banished me, tossed me out of his life and into this damned forest, but my body was taking longer to adjust to the new reality. But then, the signs became impossible to ignore.

I was pregnant.

Oh, heavens.

I don't know why I didn't figure it out sooner. The signs were all there, glaring at me. Maybe it was because the idea seemed so... absurd. Or maybe I was just too focused on surviving, on keeping myself alive in this place, that the thought of a child growing inside me felt like something from a different world. A world I was no longer part of.

But there was no denying it anymore. The proof was in my swollen belly, the kicks that jolted me awake at night, and the way my body had changed—transforming in ways I never anticipated.

Micky. That monster. He managed to leave me with something before he threw me away. The last thing I ever wanted from him, and yet here I was, carrying his child. It was like he had found a way to control me even from a distance. I didn't know how to feel about it, really. One part of me wanted to cry, to scream at the unfairness of it all. Another part of me just felt... numb.

Did I want this baby? Could I even think of it as a child and not some cruel reminder of everything I'd lost? I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure of anything anymore.

But there was nothing I could do about it now. I had no choice but to take care of myself, and that meant taking care of the baby too. It was survival—just another part of it. I had already learned to hunt rabbits, to find the herbs I needed to survive out here. It wasn't much, but it kept me alive. I'd gotten better at it over the months, no longer trembling with fear every time I held a knife or had to forage for food.

And maybe I was lucky, in a way. The sickness—the one that plagued me back when I was still with Micky, the one that had me coughing up blood and writhing in fevers for days—seemed to have subsided since the pregnancy started. I didn't know why, but I wasn't about to question it. I took it as a sign that, somehow, my body was figuring things out.

So, I stayed in my little hut. I survived. Day after day, I hunted, I ate what I could, I slept when the cold allowed it. It was a simple existence, but it was still better than a lifetime of being trapped in that palace with Micky. At least out here, I could breathe, even if the air was thick with the smell of dirt and the dampness of the trees.

But time was running out. I could feel it. The baby wasn't going to stay inside me much longer. My belly had grown so large I could hardly move without wincing in pain. And the cramps—they were starting to come more frequently now. Sharp, insistent. The kind of pain that warned me something big was about to happen.

I couldn't do this alone. I wasn't foolish enough to think I could give birth in this forest, not without help. If something went wrong... no, I couldn't risk it. I wouldn't die here, not like this. I wasn't going to let this baby die with me, either.

There was only one option. Just beyond the forest, past the trees I had come to know so well, there was a city. I had discovered it during one of my rare ventures beyond the safety of my little hut. It was a huge city, bigger than any I'd ever seen. And it was packed full of Lycans.

Not werewolves. Not my kind. Lycans. Stronger, fiercer, and not exactly known for their kindness towards outsiders. Especially not werewolves. 

There's always a rule for no werewolves in a lycan pack but I had no other choice. The pain in my belly was growing, the contractions were becoming impossible to ignore. I couldn't stay here. If I stayed, I would die.

So, I made the decision. I packed what little I had—some herbs, a few scraps of food, a small knife—and shoved it into a bag. My hands shook as I did it, the reality of what I was about to do sinking in. I couldn't afford to hesitate. There was no time for second-guessing.

I washed myself as best I could in the stream behind the hut, the cold water biting into my skin, but it didn't matter. I needed to be clean, or at least cleaner than I'd been in weeks. Once that was done, I sat on the edge of my small bed and took deep breaths, trying to calm myself. My heart pounded in my chest, anxiety clawing at me, but I knew there was no turning back now.

I touched my belly, feeling the hard surface beneath my hand. The baby kicked in response, a strong, defiant little movement. I swallowed hard, ignoring the tears that threatened to spill over.

I wasn't going to die with this baby. Not here. Not like this.

I stood up, grabbed my bag, and headed for the edge of the forest. Each step was agony, every movement sending waves of pain through me, but I kept going. I had no idea what would happen when I reached that city. I didn't know if they would help me or turn me away, but I had to try. Whatever happens, happens.

But I wasn't going to let this be the end. I wasn't going to die. Not today.

The air seemed to get thinner as I neared the edge of the forest, my breath coming in shallow bursts. I was drenched in sweat, the pain in my belly surging with every step, but I kept my eyes forward. I couldn't afford to stop now. I had made it this far—there was no turning back.

When I finally stepped out from under the canopy of trees and into the open, the sight of the city took my breath away. It was massive, towering above the landscape like a fortress. Even from a distance, I could see the heavy stone walls, the high gates, and the shadows of Lycan guards patrolling the perimeter. It was intimidating, to say the least.

But it was my only hope.

With my bag slung over my shoulder and one hand on my belly, I pushed forward. The city gates loomed closer, and with every step, my heart beat faster. Would they help me? Would they turn me away? I had no idea, and fear crept up my spine, but I forced myself to keep moving.

As I approached the gates, the pain in my belly reached a fever pitch. I doubled over, gasping for air, one hand gripping the stone wall for support. It felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside, and I knew I didn't have much time left. The baby was coming, whether I was ready or not.

A Lycan guard noticed me, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of a pregnant stranger staggering into the city. I could see the suspicion in his eyes, the way he tensed as if preparing for trouble. But I didn't have the strength to explain, to beg. All I could do was stand there, my vision blurring as the pain threatened to consume me.

I needed help. I couldn't do this alone.

"Please…" I managed to gasp, my voice barely a whisper. The guard's gaze softened, just a little, and he ran towards me.

Like I said, I wasn't going to die. Not now, not here and not like this.