Chapter 189
Asher’s POV
“There has to be another way,” I growled. I pressed the vampire
against the stone wall, my hand wrapped tightly around his
throat. He struggled, his sharp claws scraping against my wrist,
my grip tightened. “Tell me.”
“There isn’t.” The vampire gasped. His lips curled into a weak
smirk.
“Stop lying!” I bared my teeth.
He let out a strangled chuckle. “You wolves–so desperate to
rewrite fate.” He tried to smirk, but his face contorted in pain.
“You can’t fight this, Alpha. Either the mother or the child.
That’s the curse.”
My chest heaved with rage.
The vampire’s smirk widened. “You think you’re in control, but
you’re just as helpless as she is.”
With a guttural snarl, I twisted my grip and snapped his neck.
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The sickening crack echoed through the dungeon. His body went limp, falling at my feet.
Philip remained silent, but I felt his eyes on me. My breathing
was ragged, my fists clenched. This couldn’t be the only solution.
Just then, footsteps approached.
Charlotte and the Prophet entered the dungeon, their faces grim as they took in the scene. Charlotte barely spared the dead vampire a glance before stepping forward.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” she said quietly.
“He gave me no other choice,” I replied, wiping my bloodstained hands on my pants.
She let out a slow breath and knelt beside the body. Placing a small dagger against her palm, she sliced her skin, letting a few drops of her blood mix with a faint golden glow.
“The bond between vampires is strong,” she explained as she worked on the magic. “They can locate each other, even in death. The scent lingers for hours–if his kind finds out he died
here, they’ll have reason to retaliate.”
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“Let them.” I barely cared.
“That’s not a war you want, Alpha.” The Prophet spoke finally.
I clenched my jaw but said nothing.
Charlotte’s magic consumed the vampire’s remains, turning
them into nothing but dust. The scent of blood faded with it.
I turned to them, my voice sharp. “Did you find another way?”
Charlotte’s lips pressed into a thin line. The Prophet’s gaze
dropped slightly.
The answer was clear.
I exhaled, my patience wearing thin. “There’s no other way?”
“You already know about the only way there is.” Charlotte
hesitated.
I looked away frustratedly as I already knew what she was
talking about.
Charlotte spoke without looking at me. “Violet has to give up
the child.”
“That’s not happening.” I swallowed the lump in my throat.
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Charlotte’s expression darkened. “Asher-”
“No,” I snapped. “Find something else.“”
“There’s nothing else,” the Prophet interjected. “If the curse
remains, Violet won’t survive long enough to give birth. The
child will drain her until there’s nothing left.”
I felt like the air had been knocked from my lungs.
Charlotte’s face softened. “Asher, I know what this means for
you. But if you lose Violet-”
I knew what it meant.
And for the first time, I fully understood my aunt’s words
before she died. One of you shall live, one of you shall die.
It had never been about me and Violet. It had always been
about her and the child.
“Besides that, there’s something else you need to know.” The
Prophet spoke again.
I forced myself to look at him. “What?”
“Violet and you will only ever have one child.” The prophet
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spoke with difficulty.
The world seemed to tilt.
“What?” My voice came out hoarse.
Charlotte’s face paled. “This child. is your only heir. If you lose
them, you won’t have another.”
I staggered back a step. My breathing turned shallow. I felt
trapped–like the walls were closing in. If I saved Violet, we lost
our only child. If I saved the child, I lost her.
My fists clenched. No. I refused to choose.
Violet would never let the child go. She would fight for them.
And she would die.
I wouldn’t let that happen.
I shut my eyes for a long moment before exhaling sharply.
When I opened them, my voice was steel.
“No one tells Violet.”
Charlotte’s brows furrowed. “Asher-”
“I mean it,” I cut in. “Not a word.”
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Philip’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue.
I turned to Charlotte. “Give me something.”
“What?” She frowned.
“A way to.” I swallowed hard. The words burned my throat. “A
way to make it seem like a natural miscarriage.”
Charlotte didn’t say anything. She knew what I was planning.
“Do it,” I said firmly. “She can’t know!‘
She nodded, glancing at the Prophet, then back at me. “But you
must know this that if she finds out-”
“She’ll hate me,” I finished. My voice was hollow. “I know!”
“Are you sure about this?” Charlotte’s expression softened.
“Yes. Just tell me what to do.” I had made my decision, even if it
means I bear this pain of realization, alone.
That evening, I walked into our chambers, a small vial tucked
inside my pocket. Charlotte had given me something mild-
something that would slowly weaken the child’s heartbeat over
the next week.
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By the time the miscarriage happened, it would look like a
natural consequence of the curse. Violet wouldn’t know. She
wouldn’t blame herself.
I stepped inside, expecting her to already be resting.
Instead, she sat on the couch, flipping through a fairy tale book,
her fingers tracing the delicate illustrations.
She looked up with a soft smile. “Look at this one,” she said,
turning the book toward me. “It’s a collection of bedtime stories.
I thought we could take turns reading them to the baby.” My
heart cracked.
“That’s. a good idea.” I said barely holding my tears, tightening
my jaw.
She nodded, flipping another page. “I want them to hear stories
about strong warriors, brave queens.” She chuckled softly,
rubbing her belly. “They should know where they come from.”
My hands curled into fists.
She was already planning for the future. A future where she
held our child, told them stories, watched them grow.
A future that wouldn’t exist and it made my heart ache. But I
Chapter 189
had to do what favored Violet’s life.
I took a slow breath and reached for the vial in my pocket.
“Violet,” I murmured.
She glanced up. “Hm?”
I held out the small vial, my grip firm to keep my hand from
shaking. “Take this. It’s for the baby.“”
“What is it?” Her eyes softened as she reached for it.
“Charlotte made it. It’ll help strengthen the pregnancy, keep
both you and the baby safe.” I said with a forced smile.
Chapter 190
