Tangled Hearts - The Alpha's Baby Mama-Chapter 295: Belinda is back...

Selene POV

Kragen was going to sacrifice himself and I couldn’t stand it.

The thought of him giving him life for something that was not worth it.

I had always known he was strong, but the look in his eyes tonight—the resignation, the darkness—sent a chill to my bones. The safe house around me felt more like a prison than a refuge.

I went to the front gate and wrapped my fingers around the heavy iron bars, shaking them as hard as I could. The gate held firm, sturdy as stone. I let out a frustrated breath, casting a worried glance back at my children, who were clustered together, their eyes wide and frightened.

"We’re getting out of here," I muttered, more to myself than to them. "We need to help Uncle Kragen."

Desperation surged through me as I glanced around, spotting a toolbox near the wall. I grabbed a saw, the rough handle biting into my palm, and went to work, pressing the blade against the metal and dragging it back and forth with all the strength I could muster. Every stroke was filled with my fear for Kragen, my hatred for this cage he’d locked us in, and the ache in my heart that knew he might never come back.

Maeve clung to my leg, her little face tear-streaked. "Mama, when is Uncle Kragen coming back?"

I forced a smile, reaching down to stroke her hair. "Yes, baby," I lied. "He’ll be back."

The saw slid over the iron with a grating noise, but it barely made a scratch. My arms burned with the effort, but I refused to give up. The thought of Kragen, walking alone into the unknown, made my heart pound harder, urging me to try again. I leaned my weight into each stroke, ignoring the blisters forming on my hands, and the ache in my muscles.

But the gate wouldn’t budge.

I threw the saw down, frustration boiling over. "Damn it!" I yelled, startling Maeve, who stepped back, her eyes round with confusion.

"Mama?" Vina whimpered, reaching up to grab my hand.

"It’s okay," I murmured, trying to sound calm as I gathered her and Maeve into my arms. My newborn son wailed from where he lay in his bassinet, his cries adding to the chaos in my mind.

I looked around, desperate for another way out. My eyes fell on a small knife, its edge sharp and gleaming. It wasn’t made for this kind of work, but it was all I had. I gripped it, slashing at the iron, hoping to pry open the gate or somehow weaken it. But the knife’s blade snapped against the unforgiving metal, leaving me panting, hopeless.

The children began crying in earnest now, their tiny voices piercing my heart. I tried to comfort them, wiping away their tears as I whispered words I didn’t believe.

"It’s alright, babies. Mama will find a way to get us out of here."

Maeve sniffled, clutching my hand tightly. "I’m scared, Mama."

"I know, sweetheart." I kissed her forehead, wishing I could take her fear away. But the truth was, I was just as scared. For them. For Kragen. For whatever lay outside this cursed gate.

I looked around the room, meeting the eyes of the servants and warriors Noah had insisted I go with. They looked as lost and uncertain as I felt.

"Try to open it," I said, my voice coming out rough and broken. "Please, we have to get out."

One of the warriors stepped forward, a massive man with broad shoulders and a stoic expression. He moved to the gate, bracing his hands against it and pushing with all his strength. But the gate held firm. Another warrior joined him, then another, each one trying to force it open, their muscles straining, their grunts filling the silence.

But the gate didn’t so much as creak.

Exhausted and defeated, I slumped to the floor, holding my crying children close. The frustration, the helplessness, it all washed over me in a suffocating wave. I couldn’t even bring myself to reach out with a mindlink—I was too drained, too overwhelmed.

We spent the rest of the day like that, huddled together, waiting, hoping for something—anything—to happen. The night crept in, and I was too tired to move, my mind replaying every moment with Kragen. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something, that there was a reason he’d left us here, but my heart ached too much to think it through.

The evening had just begun to settle into stillness when, suddenly, the door creaked open.

My heart leapt into my throat. I scrambled to my feet, hope surging in my chest. Kragen?

I rushed forward, barely daring to breathe, my heart hammering as I reached the entrance. But the figure standing there was not Kragen.

The moment I recognized her, my blood turned to ice.

It was Belinda.

My former rival, the woman who had destroyed everything I’d once held dear, stood there in the doorway, a smug smile twisting her lips. Her eyes, cold and calculating, swept over me and my children, the glint in them making my stomach churn.

"Selene," she purred, stepping inside with a languid grace that only added to the sick feeling in my gut. "Imagine my surprise, finding you here. Alone. Vulnerable."

I fought to keep my expression calm, but I could feel the panic clawing its way up my throat. "What do you want, Belinda?"

"Oh, just thought I’d check on my favourite former Luna," she said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. She cast a glance at my children, her smile widening. "And her precious little family."

"Stay away from them," I said, my voice hardening. I took a step forward, positioning myself between her and my children, who were watching her with wide, frightened eyes.

Belinda’s smile only grew, her gaze flickering over me with a mixture of amusement and disdain. "Still so protective, aren’t you? But you should know by now, Selene, that I always get what I want."

I clenched my fists, every muscle in my body tensing. I couldn’t let her see how much her words rattled me. "If you lay a finger on them, Belinda, I swear—"

"Swear what?" she interrupted, arching an eyebrow. "That you’ll stop me? Here? In this prison, Kragen locked you in?"

My heart sank at her words. She was right. I was trapped. I had no power, no weapons, no way to protect my children if she decided to make a move.

"Why are you here?" I demanded, forcing myself to meet her gaze. "How did you know this place? How were you able to open the door?"

She shrugged as if the answer was of little importance. "I heard Kragen left you here. Couldn’t resist checking on you." Her smile turned into a sneer. "He must truly care for you, locking you away like a misbehaving pet."

My heart twisted painfully at the reminder that Kragen had left me here, alone and defenceless. But I refused to let her see my fear. I straightened, meeting her gaze with as much strength as I could muster.