Christina’s POV
Hudson’s normally perfect hair was ssy, his clothes wrinkled like he’d worn them for days.
When he saw I was awake, he jumped up. He spoke in a raw, emotional voice, "I’m so sorry, Christina. I shouldn’t have let this happen to you."
I could hear the guilt in his voice. I hugged him tight and wouldn’t let go, half thinking this was a dream. The beeping monitors, antiseptic sll, and his warm body told this was real.
I pulled back and looked around the strange room. "Are we in a hospital?"
Hudson nodded. "You’re back in Highrise City."
"I don’t rember anything after we talked," I said, frowning.
"You were sleeping when I found you."
Looking at him properly, his bloodshot eyes, the hollows in his cheeks, the dark stubble shadowing his jaw, my heart squeezed painfully. He looked terrible.
I leaned against him and breathed deeply. That’s when I noticed his scent. Fresh mint, sandalwood, and sothing that was purely him. It slled amazing, comforting, and perfect.
I can sll him. I really can sll him.
"Finally!" Akira howled with joy in my mind. "Our mate!"
My eyes went wide as I looked at Hudson. "I can sll you," I whispered softly.
Hudson’s face lit up with hope. "You can? What does it sll like?"
"Mint, sandalwood, and you." I smiled with tears in my eyes. "It’s the best thing I’ve ever slled."
"Tell him!" Akira urged. "Tell him we know!"
"You were right the whole ti," I said softly. "I know you’re my fated mate now. I can sll again."
Hudson smiled brightly. "You recognize ?" His voice was emotional.
I nodded, too emotional to speak.
Hudson hugged tight but gently. I felt him shake as he buried his face in my hair. "I’ve waited so long for this," he whispered in my ear.
"Now we know," Akira purred. "We found our mate."
Hudson pulled back, holding my face. "There’s sothing else," he said, looking into my eyes.
"What is it?"
His smile got softer. "You’re pregnant, Christina."
I froze, my hand going to my stomach. "Pregnant?"
"A pup!" Akira was so excited. "Our family is growing!"
Hudson nodded, watching carefully. "The doctors confird it with tests."
I looked down at my flat stomach in amazent.
"Is this why I can sll again?" I asked quietly. "Did pregnancy fix the damage?"
Hudson took my hand. "Maybe. The doctors don’t know yet, but pregnancy changes a lot in wolves. Especially when both parents are..." He paused.
"Fated mates," I said for him.
He nodded, his eyes bright with joy and maybe tears.
I felt sick again, but this ti I was happy about it, knowing it ant I was pregnant. Hudson saw right away and pressed the call button.
As I lay back, waiting to feel better, Hudson’s face changed.
"Christina, we need to talk about the kidnapping," he said, his voice getting serious.
I tensed. "What is it?"
Hudson looked at the door as Geoffrey ca in with a laptop. "You need to see this."
Geoffrey opened the laptop and played a video. Niall appeared on screen.
But this wasn’t the Niall who saved . This man was beaten and bloody, one eye almost swollen shut. He looked terrible, dried blood on his temple. He was tied to a chair, his suit ripped and dirty.
"What is this?" I asked, my stomach tight.
"Just watch," Hudson said seriously.
A man spoke from behind the cara. "Start over. Tell it again. Don’t lie."
Niall raised his head weakly and looked at the cara and smiled into it. A chilling, unsettling smile that made my skin crawl.
For a mont, I felt like he was staring right at . He licked his dry lips and started talking.
Then I heard the awful truth.
Niall and my father were working together. They planned my kidnapping. Dad wanted money; Niall wanted .
Their sick plan: kidnap , hurt just enough, then let Niall play hero. Dad’s n would stage a chase, forcing us into hiding. They thought if I spent enough ti alone with him, scared and vulnerable, I’d eventually buy his act.
Once that happened, Niall would get pregnant. Then I’d have to marry him, giving him legal rights to my inheritance. After that, they’d arrange an ’unfortunate accident.’ After my death, Niall would conveniently et my father. Feeling guilty about his dead wife’s father, he’d generously give Dad part of my fortune.
The whole sche would take years, starting with kidnapping, ending with my death after childbirth.
They almost pulled it off.
The woman at the bed and breakfast was on their payroll. The phone call to Hudson was part of their plan to give hope and make the kidnapping seem real.
After I made the call, Niall gave drugged water. Like every glass since our ’escape.’
The drugs kept weak and confused, unable to fight back or ask questions. All that fatigue, nausea, dizziness. Not just pregnancy symptoms.
I thought bitterly about how stupid I’d been.
Next, they’d move to another city, put on a plane after I lost consciousness.
When I woke, they’d tell so story about being found by kidnappers and having to flee.
Niall would plant evidence framing Genevieve. With ti and drugs, he thought he could convince Hudson hadn’t looked for because he knew Genevieve was involved and wanted to protect her, even at my expense.
But Hudson got there faster than expected. Before they could move , his team stord in. Hudson got out while his team took Niall.
When the video ended, Hudson said, "Franklin Vance fled the country."
"My people are looking for him."
I barely heard him, just kept replaying the video.
The truth hit like a punch to the gut until it finally registered. I had to believe it.
I didn’t know how Hudson’s people made Niall talk or where he was now. But I didn’t care.
I didn’t care if he lived or died.
Everything had been a lie. The caring Niall who supposedly risked his life for , who kept showing up asking for second chances, who ’warned’ about my father.
How long had he been plotting this?
Nausea hit again. I ran to the bathroom and vomited. This ti it wasn’t the pregnancy.
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