Chapter 321: Their Words

Rebecca’s POV

It was as if the woman had screamed her question into a microphone. One second, everyone around us was laughing, talking, clinking glasses, and minding their own business. The next, the entire area seemed to go strangely quiet, and every pair of eyes in the hall dropped straight to my stomach.

My body stiffened. I resisted the sudden urge to place my clutch over my belly and hide the small curve beneath my dress. My stomach wasn’t even that obvious yet, or at least, I hadn’t thought it was. The gown fell softly around my body, and unless someone was really paying attention, the small bump could easily be missed. Unfortunately, the woman in front of us had just done everyone the favor of pointing it out. Now people were looking. Really looking. And once they did, they could definitely see it.

"No," Callum said.

His voice was calm, but there was something cold beneath it that made the woman’s smile disappear almost immediately.

She blinked. "No?"

"The child isn’t mine."

"Oh." Her cheeks flushed bright red. "I only assumed because the two of you arrived together and she..."

"You assumed wrong."

The woman immediately closed her mouth. Callum didn’t even give her another second of his attention. Instead, he turned toward me, and the coldness on his face softened almost instantly.

"Are you done here?"

"Yes," I answered quickly.

More than done. At that point, if someone had offered to throw me through one of Mother’s portals without warning, I probably would have thanked them on the other side.

"Then let’s go."

Callum reached for my arm and gently placed his hand over mine before guiding me toward the exit. He didn’t drag me or make a scene. He simply stayed beside me as we moved through the crowded hall, but that didn’t stop the whispers from starting almost immediately.

"Who is she?"

"Look at her face. She looks so much like Lord Drake."

"That’s Lady Maria’s daughter."

"Maria’s daughter? The one everyone thought was gone?"

My fingers tightened around my clutch, but I kept walking.

Then another voice came from somewhere behind us.

"She’s pregnant."

"Is she married?"

"I don’t think so."

"Where is her mate mark?"

"I don’t see one."

A quiet laugh followed.

"Then who is she pregnant for?"

My jaw tightened.

They spoke about me like I wasn’t standing only a few feet away. Like I wasn’t even a person. I was simply something interesting that had appeared at a party and given them something new to talk about.

"Imagine finding your long-lost daughter after all these years only for her to arrive pregnant without a husband."

"Poor Alpha Maria."

"That must be embarrassing."

That one hurt.

I hated that it did.

My steps faltered for barely a second, but Callum noticed. His hand tightened around mine, and I felt him begin to turn.

I grabbed his wrist immediately. "Don’t."

His eyes snapped toward me. "Rebecca."

"Please."

"They have no right to speak about you like that."

"I know."

"Then let me tell them that."

"And make everyone stare at me even more?" I whispered. "I just want to leave."

His jaw tightened. For a moment, I thought he might ignore me and turn around anyway, but eventually he released a frustrated breath.

"Fine."

Mother? I reached for her through the mind link.

Her response came almost immediately. Rebecca?

Please open the portal.

There was a short pause. Now?

Yes. Please.

Something in my voice must have told her not to ask questions because she simply answered, Okay, sweetheart. I’m opening it outside the main gate.

Thank you.

By the time Callum and I stepped out of the hall, I felt like I could finally breathe again. Cool air hit my face, and I inhaled deeply as we walked down the wide stone steps and crossed the courtyard. The music and laughter slowly faded behind us until only the quiet sounds of the night remained.

Neither of us spoke and I appreciated that.

Callum didn’t ask if I was okay because I wasn’t, and right then, I really didn’t feel like lying about it.

When we reached the front gates, Mother’s portal was already waiting for us several feet beyond the guards. The glowing circle rippled like water, and through it, I could see our living room on the other side. Mother stood there waiting.

The guards stared openly at the portal, but not one of them said a word.

Callum glanced at me. "Ready?"

"More than ready."

We stepped through together. A cold sensation passed over my skin for barely a second before my feet landed on the soft carpet of Mother’s living room. The portal disappeared behind us almost immediately.

Mother rose from the couch. "How was it?"

"It was good," I said, forcing a small smile.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

She knew me too well.

"It was?"

"Yes."

Her gaze moved over my face, then briefly toward Callum before returning to me. Thankfully, she chose not to push.

"You look tired."

"I am."

"Go and rest. We can talk properly tomorrow."

I nodded. "Okay."

Before leaving, I turned toward Callum. "Thank you."

A small smile touched his lips. " you’re welcome."

I gave him a tired smile before heading upstairs.

By the time I reached my room, I felt completely drained. I closed the door behind me, dropped my clutch onto the bedside table, and sat heavily on the edge of the mattress. My feet were aching, so I slipped off one heel and then the other before sitting there quietly.

Meeting Lord Drake had gone well. Better than well, actually. He hadn’t abandoned me. He hadn’t even known I was alive. For years, he had believed his child was dead. He wanted to know me, and he had even offered to help me understand the abilities I had inherited from him.

So why did I feel terrible?

Unmarried.

I closed my eyes.

No mate mark.

My fingers moved toward my neck without thinking.

Nothing.

Then who is she pregnant for?

I swallowed.

Poor alpha maria. That must be embarrassing.

"Why do I even care?" I whispered.

The ceiling offered no answer.

Very helpful.

I slowly lay back against the bed and stared upward. I didn’t know those people. I probably wouldn’t see most of them again. Their opinions should have meant absolutely nothing to me, yet their words had somehow followed me all the way home.

They had made me feel dirty. ℯℯ𝑙.

Like I had done something wrong.

Like my pregnancy was some shameful secret that needed to be explained.

My hand moved instinctively over my stomach.

My baby wasn’t a mistake.

Whatever had happened between Kaden and me, my child had nothing to do with it.

Still, the words hurt, especially because tonight was supposed to be about meeting my father for the first time. For a few hours, I had allowed myself to imagine what it might feel like to finally belong somewhere.

Instead, I had left feeling like I had become Lord Drake’s newest scandal.

Then, out of nowhere, a sudden warmth spread through the center of my chest, so familiar that I immediately went still.

Rebecca.

Kaden’s deep voice echoed through the mind link, and my heart gave a strange little jump. I hadn’t expected to hear from him tonight. In fact, after everything that had happened between us, I hadn’t expected him to reach out to me at all. For several seconds, I simply lay there staring at the ceiling, wondering whether I should answer him.

Rebecca?