CHAPTER 1

Sophia Washington

"I’m so sorry, Sophia," my physician said, nervously adjusting her glasses. Her hands trembled slightly as she clasped them in front of her. "There’s been...a mix-up."

My breath caught in my throat, and I stared at her, unblinking.

"What do you mean, a mix-up?"

She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "The sperm used in your IUI procedure wasn’t from an anonymous donor as intended. It—"

I gasped, the room spinning as dread settled in my chest.

"It belongs to Mr. Giovanni," she finished, her words like a thunderclap in the silence.

“Who the hell is Mr. Giovanni? What do you mean this is a mistake? Is this some kind of joke?” My voice grew louder, tension bleeding into every word.

“I deeply apologize, Sophia,” Mrs. Rosella said, her voice trembling. “It’s a terrible mistake, but...what’s done is done.”

Her calm tone only fueled the fire in me. I felt an almost primal urge to lash out, to do something to release the anger clawing at my chest.

“I don’t care!” I snapped. “How much? I’ll pay him. Whatever it takes. Just tell me how much I owe to settle this Giovanni.” My voice broke, desperation spilling over.

“Sophia, he’s not—”

“I don’t care!” I cut her off, my hands instinctively clutching my stomach. “You know how much this child means to me, Mrs. Rosella! I’ll pay whatever it takes. Just fix this!”

Her gaze dropped for a moment before she whispered, “He’s not interested in payment. Sophia, he’s an Alpha…a Lycan King.”

The words hit me like a thunderbolt. My head shook, rejecting them. No. Not them. Not those people.

“It’s fine,” I stammered, my voice weaker now. “We don’t have to tell him. Keep it a secret, right?”

Rosella’s face paled, and dread settled in my chest before she even spoke.

“That’s the problem. He already knows—and he’ll be here soon. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to come to terms with this.”

I froze, then exploded. “That’s it! You’re insane, this whole hospital is insane! I’m done!”

With shaky hands, I grabbed my bag, fumbling to gather everything. As I turned to storm out of her office, a deafening growl echoed through the air, freezing me in place.

My hands flew to my stomach instinctively, as though I could shield it from whatever danger approached. My knees buckled as chills raked down my spine.

He’s here.

At that moment, a towering figure entered the room, his presence suffocating. His sharp gaze pinned me in place, the golden hue of his eyes glowing faintly. The air around him felt heavy, charged with something primal and dangerous.

“Alpha Giovanni… You’re here. Oh my, please come in!” Mrs. Rosella rushed to him, flashing a smile that made my skin crawl.

I took a step back, ready to leave, but Mrs. Rosella’s grip on my arm stopped me cold. It was firm, unyielding.

Being human in a world full of werewolves and other mystical beings meant we were often powerless, easily pushed aside or overlooked by those stronger than us.

“This is Sophia Washington. She’s the one with the... missing sperm,” Mrs. Rosella said, her voice making it sound so clinical. I turned away, the sting of her words making my chest tighten.

They were going to take away my little blessing, leaving me with nothing after everything I’d fought for.

“Alpha Giovanni.” He stretched out his hand, but I slapped it away.

“I’m not letting you take my child. It’s mine!” I yelled, my voice cracking as tears threatened to fall.

“No one’s arguing that with you, Little mate,” he said, his calmness unsettling me. Did he just say mate?

“Mate?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Give us some room, Mrs. Rosella. I wish to speak to my mate,” Giovanni commanded. She nodded quickly, rushing out.

The door slammed shut, and the moment of isolation hit me like a wave. Giovanni took a step toward me, and I instinctively moved back.

“A human. Such a disgusting creature... but at least you're mine,” he sneered. “Now you carry my child, royal blood flowing inside you. That officially gives you a pass.”

“I’m not interested in this nonsense!” I shot back, shaking my head. “I don’t want you, and I don’t want any of this madness! I just want to be a normal mother. Stay away from me!”

I tried to leave, but before I could, his grip tightened around my wrist.

“Marry me!”

“What? Are you out of your damn wolf mind?” I pulled away, furious. “Get away from me, you pathetic thing!”

“Enough!” His growl rumbled through the room, his eyes blazing gold, glowing like the sun.

“I’m not going to let you walk out of here. It’s dangerous carrying my child. I have enemies, and that child stays under my protection!”

“Try and stop me!” I shot back, staring him down despite the fear clawing at my chest. My body shook, my heart pounding so fast it felt like it would explode. It was as though his alpha dominance had shrunk the room around me, and I felt powerless under the weight of it.

“Fine. Go. I will find you anyways!” he growled, letting go of my wrist. Without a second glance, I bolted out of the office.

I ran faster than I thought my legs could manage, my chest heaving as I finally flagged down a taxi. Breathless, I gave the driver my boyfriend’s address, the only place that felt like a refuge after everything.

For months, I had been living there since my stepmother threw me out. Life had been unbearably hard, and when Derick and I couldn’t conceive, we had agreed on the procedure. It was supposed to fix everything.

As the taxi pulled up, I paid the driver and stepped out, but an uneasy feeling crawled over me. A heavy knot twisted in my stomach, as if some unseen force was trying to warn me.

“I’m sure Derick wouldn’t believe what happened today,” I murmured under my breath, still dazed, as I opened the door to our bedroom.

“Yes! Harder, baby... Yes, Derick, go faster... Fuck!”

The words echoed in my ears, freezing me in place. On the bed, another woman was on all fours, moaning while Derick, my fiancé, thrust into her.

“Derick...” His name escaped my lips in a broken whisper as my bag slipped from my hand, hitting the floor with a thud.

They froze, turning to me like deer caught in headlights, their betrayal laid bare for all to see.