The Villainous & the Valiant

1| Awake & Alive

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ THIS CHAPTER DEPICTS/HEAVILY INSINUATES MISCARRIAGE BIRTH!

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

"Stop asking me the same thing over and over, I've already told you everything I know."

Selene

"I've told you. I don't know where he is." Selene spat to the man in front of her. Her heart was pounding and she hadn't had a good amount of sleep in days, not to mention...

Her hand ran across her stomach and she winced.

"Why am I still here? I have—an appointment today. I just want to go." She breathed closing her eyes briefly and doing her best to hold back the shakiness in her voice.

The man stared blankly at her for a bit longer before sighing.

"I'm truly sorry. I'm just doing my job. I don't think we should be interrogating the Archangel—whether it be about Lupus or not. I'll see if I can get you out early today." He said standing and clasping her hand momentarily offering the woman a sad smile. He left with a soft close of the door and Selene buried her face in her hands as soon as she was alone.

She gulped and tugged at the turtleneck hugging her skin.

It had been six days since the anniversary ball and Lupus's disappearance and Selene had faced the full blow of the media and government in such a short period of time. She was constantly answering questions about where her husband may have gone and accused daily of conspiring with him. She'd stayed away from the papers since the last one she read had called her "the wife of a demon" and libeled her.

A demon... absurd; he'd only killed one person that night...

Society had stirred into an uproar; people had seemed to lose their minds over her dragon... Not to mention random dragon-worshipers had begun to pop up in cities.

The world was in a state of chaos.

But one good thing to happen was that the Reapers were no longer a problem.

"You're free to go Ms. Atkins... we're done with the questions for a while." The man said coming back to open the door wide and Selene sat up quickly before standing with the gracefulness of a swan.

"Thank you, but I'm Mrs. Valori."

"Yes. Mrs. Valori... right this way." The young woman at the front desk said standing hurriedly and escorting her to a room. All the while the air was thick with a unnerving tension.

"Get undressed and put on your hospital gown, the doctor will be in shortly."

She was left alone in the small hospital room with only her thoughts.

She numbly did as told and was soon in the flowing gown. Her eyes roamed over the medical instruments and her throat suddenly felt as if someone was crushing her windpipe.

Her arms wrapped around herself and she tried to catch her breath.

"Lupus... you should be here with me. I'm alive, so where are you? Why am I alone?" She breathed feeling tears well up in her eyes.

"I don't want to be alone right now." She sniffled.

"I swear, when I see you again, I'm going to punch you in the face." She muttered.

The twisting of the door handle had her sitting upright immediately and she tensed as a doctor walked in.

"Hello. How are you feeling today?" Doctor Nill asked and Selene scowled.

"Terrible. Now can we hurry up?" She huffed.

Doctor Nill just bit the inside of her cheek and tied back her black hair before saying, "I'm sorry for your—"

"Don't. Don't tell me that." Selene snapped. The woman nodded and put on her gloves.

"Alright Mrs. Valori, it turns out you were further along than thought, we're going to give you an IV with Oxytocin to start contractions. Let me know at any time if you experience an access amount of pain." She said as she wheeled over the IV and inserted a needle into it. Selene nodded silently as her arm was gripped and grimaced as the IV needle was placed in her arm.

Further along?

It wasn't too long before the first contraction hit her.

Tears clouded Selene's eyes as the doctor asked if she wanted to see, which she couldn't tell was appropriate or not. Did she want to see? Could she handle it? Her heart ached and she nodded.

"Yes." She croaked and clenched her jaw shut as she caught sight of her baby.

"Thank you... but please... I can't—" She gasped and shut her eyes.

"I'm sorry... We have the option for cremation or burial or donation to science. I'll give you time to think it over."

"Cremation. Will I get to keep the ashes?" Selene asked immediately and the doctor looked taken aback but nodded.

"Yes. I'll go and get everything settled. You rest here. You'll either be discharged tomorrow or the next day, depending on how you feel. We have programs you can go to for—" Doctor Nill said and Selene shook her head and the woman just gave a short nod and disappeared along with the stillborn.

Selene exited the building days later her hand clasped around the pendant and necklace she'd been given, containing the ashes of her baby.

Her heart hung heavy and she wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed and sleep.

Unfortunately life wasn't so kind to her.

"Selene Atkins." A deep voice said to her right and she glanced over, fully ready for some damned reporter to start showering her with baited questions. But instead she was met with two men. One was dressed in an authoritative formal wear and she frowned at his nameplate, Charles, but beside it was a embroidered symbol of the government. This man was someone higher up than the lackeys that had been harassing her as of late. She grimaced and looked to the other man and was shocked to see a somewhat familiar face.

"You're the special case... the one who wasn't paired?" She said frowning when she realized his name would simply not come to her. She knew his name.

His dark brown eyes twinkled and he gave a short chuckle. His hand outstretched to hers awaiting a shake that she did not intend to give. He dropped his hand to his side after a brief hesitation. His brown hair was neatly combed back and his attire slightly drawing to the eye, though it was only dark jeans and a half-buttoned white button down. His smile was oddly refreshing, but Selene still did not offer a smile in return.

"Ah yes, this is B—"

"I can speak for myself, ya know? I'm Briar Nox, and well—given the circumstances of our fine nation, and since you are currently unpaired..." Briar said and trailed off looking sheepish and Selene felt her heart stutter.

No. She thought. Don't say it.

"He's your new partner." Higher-up Charles said matter-of-factly and Selene saw red.

Updating soon!

Short first chapter!