Page 87 of Princess Redeemed

Alara walks to the foot of the bed, her robe flowing around her like an ethereal cloud.“You see”—she turns towards us, her violet eyes intense—“destiny is not always about being controlled by an unseen power.It’s about aligning yourself with the flow of life, the universal energy that guides us all.”

“I see.”Rogan strokes my hair as he watches Alara, but I get the impression that he doesn’t “see” at all.

He’s tense, and I understand.I was tense around Alara at first too.But I’ve grown to trust her.

“Where does that leave us?”I ask.

Alara folds her hands, her gaze full of patient wisdom.“It leaves you exactly where you need to be.It leaves you with purpose, with direction.It leaves you with a choice.”

“A choice?”Rogan murmurs.He presses his lips against my hair.

I understand at once.He made his choice.He chose me.He chose our child.

“Yes.”Alara shifts her gaze to me, her eyes probing into my soul, “A choice to embrace or reject your destiny.”

Rogan.I hear his heartbeat accelerate.I feel it as if it’s my own.I know what he’s thinking.He already rejected his fate—his mating with Eris.

“And what if we choose to reject it?”he asks.

Alara sighs deeply, and her eyes flicker with an emotion I can’t decipher.“Then the path becomes more complicated and fraught with peril.But each path is yours to walk, each choice is yours to make.It might not be an easier path, but it could be a more fulfilling one.”

Rogan’s grip on me tightens.His blood whooshes more quickly through his veins, hurling toward his heart.

“What about our child?”Rogan finally asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

Alara’s smile softens.“Your child, too, has a destiny.I’ve explained this to Hannah.His destiny is entwined with both of yours.”

Rogan’s grip on me slackens slightly, and he rests his other hand over my belly.His eyes are a sea of emotions—love, fear, determination.I place my own hand over his, intertwining our fingers.

“But,” Alara adds, “the future is not set in stone.It is malleable, shaped by decisions and actions.By love.”

She shifts her gaze from me back to Rogan, her eyes unblinking.“Your child will be powerful—a force to be reckoned with regardless of the path you two choose.”

The air thins as we absorb Alara’s words.A heavy weight settles in my chest as I contemplate the immensity of the future that lies before us.It’s overwhelming, daunting.Yet inside me, determination spreads like wildfire.

“We will face this together,” he whispers, his lips brushing against my ear.

Alara’s expression goes hard.“Some things you must face separately, as you will see.Eris is near.She’s ready to fight for her mate, Hannah.Are you ready to fight for yours?”

55

My heart throbsagainst my ribcage, and I swallow hard.The mere mention of Eris sends a chill down my spine—not from fear, but because of her connection to the man I love.

She’s no longer abstract, either.Not when she threatens what I hold most dear.

I look into Alara’s piercing eyes, so full of trust and faith in me.“I will fight.Not just for Rogan, but also for our child.”

Rogan strokes my cheek tenderly.“And I’ll fight for you both,” he says, his tone fierce with determination.

Alara shakes her head.“This is Princess Hannah’s fight.And Hannah, you are fighting for more than your child and your lover.You’re fighting for your way of life.For your people.For your child’s people.”

“For humanity?Vampires.Lycans?”I say.

“Yes.We’ve talked about this.Your child must be born, and if Eris has her way, he won’t be.This is your battle, Hannah.A prophecy made this clear.”

“Prophecy?”Rogan’s face tightens, his scowl returning.

“Indeed.”Alara nods.“An ancient prophecy speaks of a fierce battle that will determine the course of the future.Hannah, you—and your child—are at the center of it.”