Blood Claims and Broken Vows

I got pregnant at the same time as Sabine, my blood-mate Draven’s first love.

But her child wasn't his. It was a werewolf mongrel—the spawn of our clan's sworn enemy.

To protect her, Draven claimed the mongrel as his own. He named it the heir to our clan.

And my child, a true pureblood, was branded a bastard. By his own father.

"Isolde," he gripped my hand, his golden eyes pleading. "Sabine is alone. The Elders will execute her. This is temporary. Trust me!"

I was a fool. I believed him.

While he was gone, escorting her to safety, his parents dragged me to the ritual chamber. They forced the cruel "Blood Purification" on me.

By the time he returned, I was gone. And our child was dead.

第一章

I was deep in meditation, focusing on my unborn child, when I felt a ripple of my blood-mate's power. I smiled. He was blessing our baby.

I walked to the study, a happy smile on my face, only to find him—my blood-mate, Draven. I found him in the study. His hand was pressed against another woman's belly—his first love, Sabine. A golden glow flowed from his palm into her.

"Draven, do you feel that?" Sabine's voice was a breathless whisper. "Your power... it's soothing our child."

Draven pressed his hand firmer against her belly, a gentle smile on his lips.

Then he looked up. His golden eyes met mine.

"Isolde?!" His voice was a strangled whisper. He was in front of me in a flash, his icy hand gripping my arm.

"Draven, let me go." My voice cracked, threatening to shatter.

"Isolde, listen to me! It's not what you think."

I threw his hand off, cold tears finally breaking free. "Not what I think? I heard her, Draven. She said your child. I saw your power flowing into her!"

He was about to pull me into his arms, but Sabine glided to his side. She pressed herself against him, her face a mask of feigned innocence. "Draven, you promised to keep our secret... You promised to protect our child."

Her words pierced through my last shred of hope.

Draven saw the broken look on my face, and a flash of panic crossed his.

He turned to Sabine, his voice stern for the first time. "Isolde is my blood-mate. She has a right to know the truth!"

"The truth?" Sabine laughed. "Then let's tell her everything. Let her know that to keep the three of us safe—mostly you and me—the baby in your belly is, from now on, nothing but a nameless bastard."

"What?!" Confusion and rage replaced my sorrow.

"What does she mean by that?" I demanded of Draven.

"I'm sorry, Isolde..." Draven stammered. "Sabine is all alone. If the Elders find out she's carrying a werewolf's child, they'll execute her! I have to protect her! She was attacked, Isolde. A rogue werewolf forced himself on her!"

"Then what about our child!" I screamed. "So you'll abandon our child to play