<h4>Chapter 488: A WINNER OR A LOSER</h4>


    The chamber was small, colder than it should have been, with bare stone walls and no windows.


    A single bed sat in the corner with an old wool nket folded on top. A chair and a narrow table were the only other pieces of furniture.


    All through the moment she was led to the room her mind was a blur.


    She could barely think.


    Nothing made any sense.


    She barely noticed the servants who looked at her.


    How they whispered or how they watched her with haughty res.


    The guards took her to her room and left her there without a word.


    The door clicked shut behind her, and she stood frozen in the middle of the room.


    Her knees gave out then.


    She copsed onto the floor, hands clutched around her belly, breath short and shaky.


    Her mind couldn’t process the rapid descent of the day, from hope to horror.


    He hates me.


    He thinks the baby is not his.


    He believes I chose Hunter.


    "No, no, no," she whispered, rocking slightly on the stone floor. "Please don’t let this be real..."


    Hours passed—or maybe minutes. She wasn’t sure. Time lost all meaning in that cold, suffocating silence.


    Jasminey curled up on the thin mattress, staring at the cracked ceiling above her.


    The flickering candlelight cast shadows on the walls like monsters. Her fingers absently rubbed her stomach.


    "You’re mine," she whispered to her unborn pup. "I don’t care what they say. I know whose you are."


    Her heart ached with the weight of everything. The way he looked at her. The way he ordered the search. The way he wouldn’t even listen.


    She knew for sure Anna nned this.


    She was certain.


    The very moment he had mentioned her usations.


    But the question now, was Hunter behind it?


    How did those letters get into her bag?


    And the ne she had never for once seen.


    So many questions, and no answers.


    And worse—no allies.


    Not even Erik had spoken up for her. Damian had treated her like a criminal as usual.


    The entire pack had stared at her like a ghost.


    Only Nanny Nia’s and Fiona’s eyes had held warmth.


    Maybe she would help.


    Maybe she would find a way to speak to Xaden.


    She had after all herself even abandoned Nanny Nia without a word.


    Maybe she hated her now too.


    Or maybe Erik would think back on the look in her eyes and realize she wasn’t lying.


    But even those hopes felt fragile. Like ss pressed too tight between fingers.


    Her thoughts turned dark as the candle flickered again.


    What if they never let her out? What if she gave birth in this room, like a prisoner? What if—


    No. No. She couldn’t let herself spiral.


    She got up from the bed and paced slowly around the small room. Her hands trembled, and her mouth was dry. She didn’t even have water. She went to the door and knocked once.


    Nothing.


    Twice.


    Still nothing.


    "Please," she said softly. "Can I just have water?"


    No response.


    She sat again. Minutes ticked by. Her chest tightened.


    Alone. She was alone again.


    Like she had been in Hunter’s keep.


    But this hurt more.


    Because this was supposed to be home.


    This was supposed to be love.


    She pulled the nket over her shoulders, curled up on the bed, and stared into the shadows until her eyes burned.


    She didn’t cry. She couldn’t.


    She just closed her eyes and whispered to her baby again.


    "Someone will help us," she promised. "Someone will see the truth."


    But even she wasn’t sure anymore.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~


    Jasmine had finally managed to fall asleep when she heard some hushed up voices outside her door.


    She became alert and soon she heard the door open.


    Nanny Nia had finallye to see her?


    Or Erik? Or perhaps Fiona.


    Or maybe Xaden himself.


    She sat up hopefully, but her face fell in disappointment when she saw her visitor.


    It was none other than Anna herself.


    There was that smug smile stuck on her face.


    The one she had seen earlier on when she arrived.


    The door was shut behind Anna and Anna’s smug crept up to a wider smile.


    "Hello Jasmine." Anna said nastily.


    Jasmine recoiled back against the wall and her hands instinctively went to her tummy.


    "What do you want?" Jasmine asked warily.


    "Oh don’t worry." Anna said once she noticed how Jamsine had tried to protect her baby. "I’m not here to harm your baby. How low must you think of me. We have issues not the innocent baby."


    "How could you?" Jasmine said after a while. "How could you do such a thing to me?"


    Anna smiled triumphantly as she approached her. "Oh Jasmine. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to see you this way? How long it was for me to finally see you where you belong? Do you? I had toe see you myself and gloat."


    Jasmine red, her eyes refusing to leave Anna.


    Anna reached out to touch Jasmine fire curls and Jamsine spank her hand away.


    "Feisty." Anna said with a mean smirk. "You’re now beginning to fight for yourself. But it’s a little toote."


    "You’re a monster. I don’t know how you did it. But Xaden is going to find out the truth and see you for who you really are." Jasmine said.


    "I’ve been called worse things." Anna said as she walked where the almost dead candle was, and reced with another. "But you can’t shame me for knowing who I am."


    "I understand you hating me." Jasmine stated, "but your own niece?"


    "So it’s a girl. Too bad. The child isn’t born. And like I said, it’s not in my ce to harm babies or my own blood but it’s coteral damage." Anna said callously. "Her mummy is the cause of her never existence. Live with that."


    Jasmine was now breathing heavily in anger. "After everything I did for you. After how much I suffered! I was sent to this pack in your stead. I suffered in your ce and still epted it. But today you choose to hate me?"


    Anna began to spit venom. "Yes! And the world is cruel to stupid women like you. You have to be smart! Being good brings nothing to the table! I’ve always hated you because despite everything all the men I have wanted looked at you. You had everything even though you had nothing. I on my own hand, had everything and yet had nothing. No one liked me. Even my own father balepared you to me! My own mate cares about you than he fates about me And now my blood brother, the one thing I can have, cares about you more than he does for me. I hate you because you stole everything for me."


    Jasmine was shocked at the amount of hatred and bitterness Anna harbored.


    "So yes I ruined everything. This is your end Jasmine. Youmitted treason and you will hang for it." Anna said. "Nothing you do can save you. And that’s my happiness. I win."


    And with that Anna stormed to the door and banged for it to be open.


    A guard did and Jasmine watched as Anna left.