Chapter 4: The Truth That Came Too Late

Justin's POV

A silver stake. That's what it felt like. Right through the heart.

I staggered back a step, but pride—the ancient pride of a Vampire Lord—forced me to remain standing.

"Impossible!" I roared. "She was fine when I left. She can't be dead!"

"This has to be another one of her tricks. She's only trying to get my attention. I told all of you not to fall for her lies!"

My second-in-command lowered his head, his hands trembling.

"My Lord... we checked the mating mark."

"The bond has completely disappeared."

"There is no life left."

For a moment, the world around me went silent.

Then I sprinted toward the healing chamber.

Every vampire I passed immediately stepped aside.

When I arrived, I froze.

Gracie lay quietly beneath a white sheet.

There was no shouting.

No accusations.

No tears.

Only silence.

I slowly pulled back the cloth.

Her beautiful silver hair was stained crimson.

Her face was pale, almost transparent.

My trembling hand reached for hers.

Cold.

Completely cold.

"No..."

"This isn't real."

I pressed my forehead against hers, desperately pouring my blood magic into her body.

Nothing happened.

Not a single response.

Her heart refused to beat.

The mate mark on my wrist cracked before my eyes.

A sharp pain exploded through my soul.

I collapsed onto my knees.

Only then did I notice the tiny bundle wrapped beside her.

Our baby.

So small.

So lifeless.

The hybrid child I had convinced myself would simply be born later...

Had never even taken its first breath.

The healer quietly approached me.

"My Lord..."

"I am sorry."

"The child died first."

"Lady Gracie continued fighting for several more hours."

"She kept begging us to save the baby."

"She never once asked us to save herself."

His words struck harder than any weapon.

"No..."

I shook my head violently.

"She was pretending."

"She always exaggerated."

The old healer's expression darkened.

"My Lord."

He looked directly into my eyes.

"We have witnesses."

"She was trapped inside the suppression coffin for nearly an entire day."

"The birth runes prevented labor while freezing both mother and child."

"Lady Morwen's psychic assault accelerated the damage."

"There was no chance of survival."

My breathing stopped.

"Mother..."

The healer continued.

"We begged for permission to use the Bloodspring."

"You refused."

Every sentence became another knife twisting deeper into my chest.

"No..."

"I didn't know..."

"I thought..."

Before I could finish speaking, another voice interrupted from behind.

"You thought she was lying."

I turned around.

The blood thrall who had rescued Gracie stood in the doorway.

His eyes burned with anger.

"I found Lady Gracie drowning in her own blood."

"I begged you through the blood bond."

"You called it an illusion."

"I begged you again."

"You ordered me to leave her."

"You killed your own mate."

His accusation echoed through the chamber.

No one dared speak.

Even the guards lowered their heads.

I looked back at Gracie.

Memories flooded into my mind.

The day she smiled while cooking for me.

The nights she waited awake until I returned from council meetings.

The way she secretly knitted tiny clothes for our unborn child.

She had loved me.

Every single day.

While I...

I had chosen someone else.

A weak laugh escaped my lips before turning into broken sobs.

I clutched Gracie's lifeless hand against my forehead.

"I'm sorry..."

"I'm so sorry..."

But no matter how many times I apologized...

Neither she...

Nor our child...

Would ever hear me again.