22
Remi’s POV
The competition was just days away, and the tension in the air was palpable. I had thrown myself into my training, feeling stronger with every passing hour, but it wasn’t just my body that was changing. It was like something had awakened within me, a power that had nothing to do with the Moonstone but everything to do with my wolf. I was ready to prove myself. But as I walked through the halls of the palace, my thoughts kept drifting to
Bianca.
She wasn’t acting like a princess about to compete in an annual event meant to show off the strength of the royals. Her movements were too stiff, her eyes too wary, like she was avoiding something.
I had noticed it for the past few days. Every time the competition was mentioned, she would stiffen, glance away. or change the subject. It wasn’t just nerves; it was something deeper.
The whispers from Daisy’s usual camp of followers didn’t help either. It seemed like ever since Daisy followed
around, the two women became closer. Their goal? To torment me.
Today, as I passed by one of the chambers, I caught snippets of a conversation. I should’ve kept walking. I knew that But something compelled me to stop, to listen.
“I can’t believe I have to compete,” Bianca’s voice was strained, almost frantic. “You know I’m not strong enough.
What if I fail?”
I leaned against the doorframe, careful not to be heard Daisy’s laughter followed her words
“Oh please, Bianca, you’re the princess You’re supposed to be perfect Everyone expects you to win.” Daisy’s voice was coated in that familiar sweetness. “But I guess if you don’t, it won’t be such a disaster, right?”
The edge in her voice was clear. She was enjoying Bianca’s anxiety. I guess, they were fake to each other as well.
000
350 PM &
“I just. I don’t know if I can do this, everyone’s expecting the princess to win,” Bianca said quietly, almost to
herself
Something in me twisted at the sound of her words. Bianca was the princess. She was supposed to be powerful, invincible even. And yet, here she was, falling apart. It didn’t make sense.
I turned and walked away, unsure of what to make of it. Was she hiding weakness? But every women in royal history were as strong as most alphas. How come?
The day before the competition, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. I’d trained harder than ever, but the knot in my stomach tightened every time I thought about the battle ahead. It wasn’t fear–I knew strength now, and I wasn’t about to let it slip through my fingers. But still, there was a restlessness I couldn’t quite understand
I was on my way to the courtyard when I saw Eros leaning against the stone wall, his eyes locked on me the moment I stepped into view.
“Remi,” he called, his voice low, but the authority in it made me pause. “We need to talk.”
I rolled my eyes but walked toward him anyway, my expression guarded. “What now?”
His gaze flickered briefly to my stomach, then back to my face. “I don’t want you to compete.”
I stopped in my tracks, hands fisting at my sides. “What did you just say?”
“You’re carrying my child, Remi,” he said, his words slow, deliberate. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
I laughed bitterly, stepping closer to him. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Alpha.”
His jaw clenched, and he took a step toward me, his presence suffocating. “I’m serious. You’re not just any she–wolf now. You’re carrying my heir, and I won’t allow you to put that in danger.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, meeting his gaze with defiance. “This is my life, Alpha. If you think you can
control me with a pregnancy you’re gravely mistaken I’m not your possession.”
For a moment, his eyes darkened, his wolf scratching at the surface. But instead of arguing further, he exhaled sharply and backed away.
