Emily POV.

I had been systematically taking large sums of money from Nathan, along with anything else of value I could get my hands on - jewelry, diamonds, watches - anything that looked expensive and could be easily carried. Yes, I was preparing for my grand escape plan. I needed resources for my new life, and I didn't feel the slightest bit bad about taking what I needed from him. After all, I had no idea where I would end up or how I would support myself and my baby.

"This should be enough for at least a year," I whispered to myself as I counted the cash one afternoon when Nathan was out. "Maybe longer if I'm careful with it."

That castle where I was living was literally in the middle of nowhere as far as I could tell. I had no bearings whatsoever on our location or how to reach civilization.

"Where exactly are we?" I had asked several times during my early days there.

"That doesn't concern you," was always Nathan's dismissive reply.

Since I had been delivered to that castle sealed in what was essentially a gift box, like some kind of package, and no one had ever bothered to tell me our actual location, I was completely disoriented. Every time I asked anyone where we were situated, I was met with cold indifference from Nathan and nervous silence from the staff.

"Is there a town nearby?" I asked one of the friendlier maids.

"I'm not permitted to discuss that with you, ma'am," she replied apologetically before hurrying away.

So naturally, I needed substantial financial resources. Who knew what challenges I might face or how much money I would need later to successfully raise my baby in an unfamiliar world? I had to be prepared for anything.

"I'll need money for a place to live, food, clothes for the baby, maybe a doctor who won't ask too many questions," I reminded myself as I stashed away more cash.

And honestly, I didn't feel even a hint of guilt about taking Nathan's money. Not after what I had witnessed.

"He deserves this and more," I muttered bitterly to myself whenever doubts crept in.

Why should I feel bad? Two months earlier, I had accidentally caught Nathan having sex with one of the maids in a small bathroom used by the servants. It wasn't something I went looking for - I had been starving that afternoon and decided to make my way to the kitchen for some food. That's when I stumbled upon them engaged in their passionate encounter. The sounds coming from behind that partially open door were unmistakable.

"Oh Alpha, please," the maid had moaned, while Nathan grunted his pleasure.

I simply walked past quietly, pretending I hadn't seen or heard anything, and continued on my way to the kitchen as if nothing had happened. But that image was burned into my mind forever.

"He expects me to be faithful while he does whatever he wants," I said to myself later that night as I lay beside him, pretending to be asleep. "What a hypocrite."

That incident happened about two months ago, and since then, I stopped caring about Nathan's feelings or our so-called marriage completely. I didn't give a damn about him or his rules anymore. He was just my ticket to a new life through this baby and whatever resources I could gather before leaving.

"Just a few more weeks," I would remind myself whenever life in the castle became unbearable. "Then you'll be free."

At least that was my plan until he suddenly gifted me all that money! It was an astronomical amount - millions of dollars just sitting there in our room! I nearly drooled at the sight of so much cash right there for the taking. It seemed as if he had literally handed me exactly what I had been secretly gathering, but now in quantities I couldn't have imagined! It was too perfect, too convenient.

"Why would he do this?" I wondered, immediately suspicious. "Something isn't right about this."

Well, I guess I wasn't as clever as I thought. He had only been tricking me all along, pretending not to notice my theft while setting up his own counter-plan.

I realized the truth later that night when I began experiencing intense pain. Sharp, burning sensations shot through my lower abdomen as my muscles began to clench and spasm uncontrollably.

"Nathan!" I cried out in panic, shaking him awake. "Please wake up! I need help right now!"

The birth was surprisingly quick and uncomplicated! Much easier than I had feared during those months of pregnancy.

Nathan stood supportively by my side throughout the entire process in that pristine white room that had been fully equipped with medical equipment and supplies. It was as if they had transported an entire hospital operating room directly into the castle just for this moment.

"You're doing great, Emily," the doctor encouraged as I pushed. "The baby is coming quickly."

The medical team injected me with something that significantly reduced my stress and pain levels. Within minutes, the beautiful sound of my baby crying filled the room. Feeling surprisingly strong and clear-headed after the delivery, I didn't fully trust anyone in that room with my newborn. I immediately extended my arms toward the doctor.

"Give me my baby, please. Right now," I demanded firmly, not even knowing yet if I had delivered a son or daughter.

The doctors respected my wishes and placed the tiny, wriggling bundle in my arms. Nathan leaned down to kiss our baby's forehead before suggesting, "The medical team needs to properly clean both you and the baby. Standard procedure."

I felt tears streaming down my face as I gazed at the perfect little miracle in my arms, and I shook my head emphatically. "No, please, just leave me alone with my baby for a minute. I need this moment."

"Of course," Nathan conceded, motioning for the medical staff to step out. "We'll be right outside when you're ready."

I knew this was my one chance. I had been preparing for this moment for weeks. As soon as everyone left the room, I painfully dragged myself to stand, despite having just given birth. I carefully wrapped my precious baby in a clean towel and spotted the small window I had previously identified as my escape route. Thankfully, I was petite enough that squeezing through the opening wasn't impossible, though it was certainly challenging in my condition.

"We're going to be okay," I whispered to my baby. "I promise."

All that remained was retrieving the money and jewelry I had hidden in the bathroom adjacent to our bedroom. But I couldn't do this alone in my current state.

According to my carefully constructed plan, I had previously approached a newer maid who seemed unhappy with her position. I had offered her half of everything I had gathered if she would help me escape safely with my baby and my accumulated wealth. I also invited her to come with me permanently, explaining that if the Alpha discovered her involvement in my escape, she would certainly face severe punishment, possibly even death.

"They'll hunt you down if you stay," I had warned her. "Your only chance is to disappear completely with me."

The new maid had readily accepted my proposition. I suspect she felt she had very little to lose in that restrictive environment. As I had hoped, she proved quite resourceful and was waiting for me outside the window, signaling silently for me to follow her quickly.

We moved as quietly as possible, me cradling my newborn baby carefully in my arms while she carried the heavy bags containing all the money and valuables I had accumulated over the months.

"We need to move faster," she whispered urgently. "They'll notice you're gone soon."

Finally, we made it past the castle grounds and found ourselves somewhere deep in a forest. I stood there shivering in the cold night air, feeling the pain of childbirth catching up with me. My legs trembled and I wasn't sure I could continue much longer.

"We need to rest for a while," I pleaded, my voice weak. "I can't keep going like this."

She shook her head emphatically, looking genuinely frightened. "We absolutely cannot stop here. There's a heavy rainstorm coming, and it's already dark. Any of the wolves might find us if we don't keep moving."

"Wolves?" I questioned, thinking she meant wild animals. "Are there many wolves in these woods?"

"More than you know," she muttered cryptically, tugging at my arm.

So I forced myself to continue walking, though every step sent waves of pain through my body. After another half mile, I felt incredibly dizzy and weak. "I really need to stop walking right now," I insisted. "I'm not superhuman. I just had a baby, for goodness sake!"

But she grabbed my arm firmly and pulled me forward. "Please, you must stand up and keep going. We cannot stay in this area. It's not safe."

I had imagined this would be a straightforward escape! In my mind, everything had gone perfectly - I had my baby safely in my arms and enough money to start a new life. But the harsh reality was that I had no idea where we were going or how to navigate these unfamiliar woods. I was completely lost and increasingly desperate.

Looking around frantically, I noticed a dark opening in the rocks nearby. "Look," I said, pointing toward what appeared to be a cave. "Let's go there and rest for just a little while."

She became almost frantic at this suggestion, practically begging me this time. "Please, Emily, we absolutely cannot stay here! We need to travel at least five more miles before we reach safer territory."

Her insistence was making me both angry and increasingly suspicious. I was exhausted, in pain, and now quite concerned about her strange behavior.

"Why are you so afraid?" I demanded, my patience wearing thin. "I've told you repeatedly that I physically cannot move another inch right now. I literally just gave birth in case that detail somehow escaped your notice!"

Her behavior was becoming more irritating by the second. Who was she to issue commands to me like this? Regardless of our arrangement, she was still just a maid, and I wasn't accustomed to being ordered around by household staff.

"You work for me now," I reminded her sharply. "Not the other way around."

Before she could provide any explanation for her urgency, a deep, terrifying voice spoke from directly behind me, sending chills down my spine.

"Why is she so afraid?" the mysterious voice answered my question. "Because this entire area is vampire territory, and you have just wandered right into our hunting grounds."

I slowly turned my head to see a pair of glowing red eyes piercing through the darkness and the unmistakable gleam of sharp, elongated canines in the moonlight.

"Vampires?" I whispered in disbelief, clutching my baby tighter. "That's impossible."

All I could think to do in that terrifying moment was to hold my newborn tightly against my chest and plead desperately, "Please don't hurt my innocent baby! I'll give you anything else you want. Take all my money, take everything I have, just spare my child!"

My offering seemed unnecessary, as the creature lunged forward with lightning speed, sinking his fangs deep into the poor maid's neck before I could even blink. I watched in horror as her life drained away, creating a growing pool of blood beneath her body. She hadn't even had time to scream.

The vampire turned his attention to me, blood still dripping from his mouth as he spoke. "Don't worry, I have no intention of harming you. In fact, I need your assistance with a certain matter."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me, though I remained deeply suspicious of this creature. "If you don't want to hurt us, then why did you kill her?" I demanded, nodding toward the maid's lifeless body.

He smirked and stepped closer, casually placing his cold hand on my baby's head. "Oh, this must be Nathan's offspring! How interesting."

I immediately tensed, gritting my teeth and shouting, "Don't touch my baby! Stay away from us!"