Chapter 7

Isabella's POV

"Are you threatening me?" Gabriel's voice dropped to a dangerous growl. "Werewolves never abandon their children. That's why you stole my sample, isn't it? You knew this would force me to accept you."

His accusation hit me like a slap across the face. The dizziness hadn't completely subsided, but I could no longer tolerate such insults. I shot to my feet, my nails digging deep into my palms.

"I'll say it again, I didn't steal anything! I thought I was getting a surgeon's sperm sample!" My voice rose with each word. "You think I planned all this? You think I wanted my life turned upside down? Finding out werewolves exist? That my baby isn't human? That the father is an arrogant, controlling Alpha who thinks I'm some kind of gold-digger?"

Silence congealed in the air. I could hear my own rapid breathing, see the rise and fall of his chest gradually steadying.

"I'm not saying I believe you," he said after a pause, his voice low but no longer filled with hostility. "But regardless of how this happened, we need an agreement."

I took a wary step back. "What kind of agreement? Are you trying to take my baby away?"

"The child would get no proper upbringing with you," Gabriel stated matter-of-factly. "You should consider your demands while I still have patience. I can provide everything for the child—the best schools, private doctors, security protection..."

My hand instinctively covered my abdomen, though there was no visible change there yet. "Money can't buy love," my voice trembled but remained firm, "This is my child. I will never give him up."

"Love?" Gabriel gave a cold laugh, suddenly moving closer, his presence enveloping me. "You can't even feel him, can you?" His palm hovered above my abdomen, not touching but making my skin burn, "I can hear his heartbeat, Isabella. Faint but clear, like a tiny drum. Can you?"

I bit my lower lip, unable to answer that cruel question.

"You have only one choice," he continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Carry the child to term, then hand him over to me."

"I can't accept that," I said, my voice breaking. "This is my child."

Gabriel studied me for a long moment. "If you cooperate with this arrangement, I'll solve all your debt problems." His offer hung in the air between us. "I'll provide you with employment, and ensure Sarah can keep her position at the Supernatural Reproductive Center."

The proposal sank like a lead weight into my stomach. He was using the two things I cared about most as leverage—financial security and Sarah's future. All I had to do was give up my child. The very thought made me physically ill.

"I... I need time to think," I finally managed to say.

Gabriel examined me, suddenly reaching out to lift my chin, forcing me to look directly into his eyes. "Give me your answer by sunset," he said softly, his thumb unconsciously brushing across my cheekbone before yanking his hand back as if burned.

After he left, I collapsed onto the couch, my mind spinning with impossible choices. How could I choose between providing my child with financial security and keeping him with me? Was there really no other way?

There had to be something I was missing.

Gabriel was powerful and wealthy, but he couldn't be invincible. Everyone had weaknesses, leverage points. I needed to quickly understand Gabriel's vulnerabilities.

I grabbed my laptop and began searching for anything related to Gabriel. The initial results were frustratingly perfect: successful businessman, philanthropist, raised in a single-parent household, self-made billionaire by thirty. Nothing suspicious, nothing I could use.

When I tried searching for information about werewolves, I found only fiction and folklore. Of course—if they'd successfully hidden among humans for centuries, they wouldn't leave any traces.

I tried different search combinations, diving deeper into forums and obscure websites. After hours of searching, my eyes burning from staring at the screen, I finally discovered something useful—a seemingly innocuous pet forum with oddly specific language patterns. The discussions about "pack dynamics" and "alpha leadership" seemed to use terminology that matched what Gabriel had mentioned.

Following a thread about "full moon gatherings," I discovered a hidden link that prompted for a password. After several attempts using terms I'd learned, I finally gained access to what appeared to be a separate network—a werewolf internet, hidden in plain sight.

The information was overwhelming. Entire communities, histories, politics I never knew existed. And there, prominently featured in a news section, was Gabriel's face.

My heart raced as I read the article. Gabriel wasn't just an Alpha to his local Pack—he was campaigning to become what they called the "Alpha King" of all national werewolves. I finally understood his vague response and shadowy glance when I'd mentioned kings and queens.

The election seemed to be a major event in werewolf society. The previous Alpha King had died without an heir, creating a crisis in werewolf society. The article emphasized that candidates' family stability would be a crucial factor in the election.

Another article specifically mentioned Gabriel: "Vasquez's campaign faces scrutiny after his mate's departure. Sources close to the campaign express concern that his inability to produce offspring significantly weakens his position."

Everything fell into place. Gabriel was divorced. His mate had left him because he couldn't give her children. No wonder he was so shocked to learn I was carrying his child.

Gabriel needed this baby—not just as a father, but as a political candidate. He needed an heir and a mate to present the image of a stable family. And having grown up in a single-parent home himself, he personally understood the challenges that came with it.

Despite his ruthlessness, I now understood his weaknesses. These vulnerabilities gave me leverage for negotiation. If I handled this properly, I might convince him to let me remain in my child's life after birth. Given time, I could prove that a child needs their mother.

But would he agree to such an arrangement? Would he believe my intentions were genuine? Or would he see this as just another scheme of mine?