Baby after One Night with the Prince

Caspian's POV.

Dylan and I move like shadows through the forestry in our wolf forms. Dylan's wolf is a mocha brown, whilst the fur on my paws showcases a lighter, ivory hue. We follow our normal routine route that has been allocated for centuries for patrol units. The path we take is a thin line that penetrates through the grass, weighed down into a muddy consistency by the numerous paw prints that litter it day in and day out.

Despite being Alpha, I'm not beyond the usual tasks that are given to my wolves. Moreover, I find a sense of ease whilst conducting patrols. We belong to the forest. We were born here, and we shall die here, and I find no greater comfort than being in my wolf form, surrounded by it all. My eyes are accustomed to the vibrancy of the greenery, nose inhaling soft scents of the florals, leading the way with ease.

That is until I hear a loud splash sounding from the west that halts my movements, ears swiveling to pinpoint the noise, trying to depict the cause. I sense Dylan's presence, his large head and snout pushing against my flank in confirmation of hearing it too.

'Sounded like a splash of sorts, from the lake,' my Beta says through our mind link.

I nod, now finding it necessary that we investigate, as I indicate with a canine gruff, before pulling off the beaten path and galloping towards the noise.

There hadn't been any further sounds emitted by the time we reach the lake. Both of us sauntering over to the water's edge, we spread out. Dylan trots upstream while I make my way downstream, leaping and cantering across rocks and debris, with eyes trained on the water for any signs of movement.

Five minutes pass before Dylan rejoins me at my position, shaking his head to indicate that nothing was found. I lift my muzzle to the sky, nostrils flaring as I breathe in the lake's fresh scents, but nothing seems amiss.

'Maybe we were mistaken. The sound could've come from further down the stream,' Dylan says, lowering his head to the ground, sniffing at the bank in further pursuit of the answer to our confusion.

'This doesn't make any sense, I'm sure the sound came from here,' I say in resolute judgment.

Either way, there is nothing here to prove my belief. I turn to head in the direction Dylan suggested, when my eyes suddenly catch a glimpse of light flickering in the corner of my vision. I snap to look, a rock maintaining coverage over what I wish to see, but a hand sticks out from behind it, a silver ring reflecting the morning sunlight.

Fiercely I sprint to that rock, Dylan following closely at my heels. As I near, I shift back into my human form, stepping round the large rock to find a female hidden within its shadow. My eyes settle on her, realizing it is the Lycan's wife, Tanya... Seeing she is unconscious, I waste little time, hauling up her limp, cold and wet body into my arms before Dylan and I make our way back home, to get her to safety.

***

Lily's POV.

I'm in my private quarters, away from all the palaces on goings. The closed door offers me a sense of focus that I need to curate the potion of my desires. I'm meticulous with each ingredient, careful and methodical with my approach. Three drops of one thing, a gentle knife scrape of another, a cautious turn of the knob of my filtering device that trickles tiny droplets into my brewing masterpiece.

My hair is pulled away into a neatly tight bun, my brows furrowing in concentration, whilst my surroundings are encompassed in a slight mist from the simmering potion. I sprinkle another component into the mix and watch the solution swirl into a dark rich shade of violet, manifesting into the cure that would purify Marco of his curse.

I would be the one to save him. I imagine the faces of all the nobles that would be in awe of my accomplishments, thanking me for saving their prince. I would finally be redeemed, put back on the pedestal that Tanya has destroyed. Whilst gently dabbing away the sweat at my neck with my embroidered cloth, I sense the presence of another being. Dorian appears before me, rocketing my internal anticipation.

"Is it done? Is Tanya dead?" the word 'dead' comes from my lips in a whispered hiss, slightly paranoid by any unwanted listeners.

But despite the urgency of my question, Dorian blatantly ignores me, avoiding my gaze and appearing to seem elsewhere with his thoughts whilst fiddling with his lighter. He twirls the fuel canister playfully between his fingers, lighting a small delicate flame with each twirl of his finger.

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But I grow aggravated by his silence. "Dorian," I can't yell, but I at least snap his attention with the firmness of my voice. "Don't tell me there was an accident... that you let Tanya get away?"

His gaze flickers for a moment, before his lips relax into a playful smile, that doesn't immediately ease my suspicion. "What's with the doubt Lily flower?" he purrs cockily. "Do you not trust in my ability to kill?"

I remain silent, my gaze hardened and not giving into his mind games. He sees that I'm not fussed to be toyed with, only rolling his eyes to add. "Course she's dead, I made sure she wasn't breathing."

My chest collapses with a heavy sigh upon hearing the confirmation. Although something about his playful expression unnerves me, my mind wants to believe that the deed is done. Using a ladle, I stir the final mixture of the potion, before pouring it into a glass flask that I hand to him.

"Now add your magic to this... and you're sure this will erase all of Marco's memories of Tanya?"

Dorian barely nods, instead his grin extends as he recklessly plays with the bottle. Swirling it and watching the liquid slide towards the ground as he tilts it back and forth. He obviously enjoys my reaction, as I edge closer to him in fear of anything happening to my precious cure.

"You've gotten so much better at lying, haven't you?" he teases. "Very smart to tell everyone you learnt about the cure from an ancient book, despite knowing the truth all along," his chuckles only intensify my agitation. "Just hurry up Dorian, stop wasting my time."

He cares little for my annoyance, only raising a brow to me, before his focus trains onto the potion. Holding the bottle with one hand, whilst the fingers on his other slowly curve, as if holding a ball. And from the palm of his hand, a sooty spiral of smoke slowly emerges. It dances gently in the air, before swaying down into the bottle, infiltrating the liquid and swirling with the solution. It makes my cure fizz for a couple of minutes, before the potion settles back into stillness, and Dorian's magic eventually disappears as if it was never there.

"So how come you want Marco to lose his memory, you never cared about it before?" Dorian asks, hinting at subtle curiosity.

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"Because before I didn't know Tanya was pregnant. If Marco thought Tanya had abandoned him for the money when he needed her most, he'd never forgive her. But now that I know she's pregnant, if she gives birth, there will always be a connection between them, which I can't allow. If Marco finds out she's missing, he will endlessly search for her. This is the best way to keep him from chasing after her, to have him forget all their memories together."

Dorian shrugs in boredom in response, before casually tossing back the flask. I anxiously capture the glass bottle, holding into protectively against my chest. He childishly jumps off the table he has been sitting on. "Don't ask for my help again Lily. I've repaid your mother for her kindness to me. But if you ever need me again, you'll have to make a deal with me."

Dorian saunters towards the door, turning around to snarkily tease me one final time. "Although, you've been terribly cruel to the child that switched places with you... first you steal her family and social status, and now you steal her fated mate. Tut tut... how despicable..."

My eyes widen as he mischievously smiles at me. "You didn't tell me that Tanya was the child that was switched with you that year."

I try to maintain my composure, but I'm inadvertently surprised and slightly nervous. "How did you know?"

He cocks his head. "I have my ways Lily flower," and with a mysterious smile, he gives me one final look, before turning around, leaving the room before I can ask him anymore questions.

***

Tanya's POV.

several months later I'm reorganizing one of the perfume shelves, quietly placing perfumes according to their scents as my mind wonders to how much my life has changed. Caspian saved my life and has let me live with the Blue Moon Pack. He even gave me the freedom to open a small perfume store to earn money. It's where I've remained, while my unborn baby has grown, expanding my stomach to a sizable bump.

The door to the perfume store chimes to alert the arrival of customers. I turn to face them, but the smile on my lips falters as a sharp pain bursts forth from my body. I stumble, eyes shooting down as warm liquid dribbles down my leg. I suddenly realize that my waters broken, I'm about to give birth!