Chapter 140
Chapter 140: A Bargain With Chaos
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Lottie POV
As Astaroth’s words hung in the air, a chill swept through me, freezing my thoughts in ce. ‘I want
your daughter.‘ The very idea seemed absurd, impossible even. Yet, there he sat atop the altar, the
picture of innocence, as if he hadn’t just demanded my firstborn. His crimson eyes burned with an
unsettling intensity, his offer dangling before us like a forbidden fruit.
I nced over at Knox and Kane, my mates, never needing the
reassurance of the mate bond more than I did at this moment.
Their faces mirrored my shock, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and rage- something I
understood.
How could we possibly trust a demon? Even if he imed to be
on our side!
But then, amidst the whirlwind of emotions, Astaroth’s next words sliced through my turmoil like a
knife.
“I will be her mate!” he murmured, his voice a sinister whisper in the depths of this hell–like world,
“So, you see… I ask that your promise her to me when the timees.”
“Not a chance!” Kane spat the words, bouncing around the
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room like an angry wasp.
“Daughter.” The word echoed in my mind, sending shivers down my spine. A day ago, I hadn’t even
known I was pregnant, let alone that it was a girl. And here was this demon, casually
informing me of the gender of my unborn child as if it were a trivial detail and requesting I hand her
over to him and his blood–stained
hands.
“Something else, ask for something else.” Knox demanded when I was unable to find my voice. I
stumbled backwards, my gaze darting between Knox and Kane. They were already on the verge of
exploding, their fists clenched, their jaws tight with fury. I knew I needed to say something to defuse
this situation. Or pray to the Moon Goddess who currently hated me, that he was joking!
“Maybe you would be better praying to god!” Astarothughed into my mind. “Because I am not
joking. I need this to happen!”
When I couldn’t find the words to answer or force my body to move and be afort to my mates. I
sucked down the remaining bit of air my lungs could handle, seeing Knox and Kane lung forward to
confront Astaroth. Tears filled my eyes as a wave of
dread washed over me because I had seen Astaroth throw Chase around like a ragdoll with a
simple flick of his wrist. I knew the damage he could cause.
“No! Not like this!” I gasped, finally finding my voice as my eyes found Chase lying motionless on the
ground, a silent reminder of
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Chapter 140: A Bargain With Chaos
the power Astaroth wielded. His strength was iprehensible, his influence undeniable. And in
the midst of the chaos, I found myself grappling with a single, haunting question.
Why my daughter? Why her when he clearly had so much power?
“Why?” I finally managed to choke out, my voice was barely above a whisper. But amid the chaos,
my question was lost, drowned out by the sh of flesh hitting flesh, bones breaking and the
almighty roar of anger.
Kane had lunged himself at Astaroth, pulling him from the altar while Knox pummelled him with
punch after punch of solid muscle. It was a brutal attack, and one I knew Astaroth was allowing to
happen–further proof of his sick and twisted ways.
“Stop! Please!” I screamed as the battle raged on. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was any truth
to Astaroth’s offer. Was he my daughter’s one–day mate? Because he sure as hell was going to a
lot of trouble to get us to agree, including taking one hell of a beating.
If so, maybe there was some hope of bargaining with the devil himself.
“If he really is our daughter’s mate, then there is every possibility we can get her to reject him,
refuse his advances!” I screamed through mindlink to my mates, hoping they could hear
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Chapter 140: A Bargain With Chaos
1. me. My eyes widened with the first trace of hope, seeing Kane freeze a little.
“If we school her on his true nature, the evil that resided in the very foundation of his bones, we can
guide her. Help her to make the right choice! IF he really is her mate!” I added, but, Kane had
already joined his brother, the pair taking it in turns to punch a bloodied and battered Astaroth to the
ground. Shattering any hope I had that I could reach them privately.
“She will be allowed to make her choice!” Astaroth protested into the buzzing space of my mind, as
if Knox and Kane were notunching a brutal attack on his body.
Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.
“That is all I ask, that when the timees you allow her to make her own mind up, you do not
stand in her way.” As Astaroth’s chilling words echoed in my head, I felt a shiver race down my
spine, sending icy tendrils of fear snaking through my veins. The notion that our daughter held the
key to his future happiness seemed unfathomable, yet there was an undeniable truth lingering in the
depths of my mind, a truth I couldn’t bring myself to ept.
I shook my head in denial, muttering a soft ‘no‘ under my breath while I instinctively ced a
protective hand over my stomach as if shielding our unborn child from his sinister intentions. Tears
welled up in my eyes as I nced desperately at Knox and Kane, silently pleading for support, for a
shred of hope in this dark and twisted situation.
Chapter 140: A Bargain With Chaos
But before I could find sce in their eyes, Astaroth moved with a flick of his wrists, pinning both
Kane and Knox against the wall with a force that left me breathless. Irritation crackled in the air
around him, his impatience palpable as he took slow, deliberate steps closer to me.
With a heavy sigh, he spoke again, his voice carrying the weight of his words like a leaden cloak.
How could I stand idly by and allow our child to be bound to such darkness?
“Lottie, honey. Have you considered that I too am drawn to darkness… that we will be a perfect
match.” But even as I grappled with the horror of his words, I couldn’t shake the inexplicable pull I
felt towards him, towards this realm of shadows and secrets. It was a sensation I couldn’t exin, a
longing that tugged at the edges of my consciousness, blurring the lines between reality and
illusion.
“You’re insane!” I screamed, spit flying from my mouth and sttering his perfect suit. My eyes
darted to Kane and Knox, their bodies pulled awkwardly against the walls of the cathedral,
reminding me of the way Jesus was nailed to a cross. Ironic and sick at the same time! More proof
he is not fit for any child of mine.
Ours!
“Yes, probably!” Astaroth grinned slowly from where he stood before me, his gaze piercing through
the depths of my soul. I knew that I was trapped in a web of my own making, entangled in a destiny I
couldn’t escape. All he asked for was my blessing, a
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simple concession that felt like a betrayal of everything I held dear.
But in the end, as I gazed into the eyes of my mates, their silent strength a beacon of hope in the
darkness, I knew that I couldn’t surrender to Astaroth’s demands, no matter the cost. For our
daughter’s future, for the light that still flickered within me, I would Fight until myst breath.
“No!”