Desired By Three Alphas; Fated To One novel Chapter 280

Hailee's POV

"Callum… what are you saying?"

My voice came out thin, broken, strangled with disbelief.

But Callum stood there… tall… unmoving… like a mountain made of anger and stubbornness.

"It is what it is," he said sharply. "Those are my conditions."

"No," Peter snapped instantly. "Back off, Callum."

Callum lifted his eyes toward him slowly, dangerously. "I wasn't speaking to you."

Peter stepped forward, his shoulders tense, fists clenched. "Then let me make it clear—I WON'T allow you to manipulate my sister at a time like this."

"I'm not manipulating her," Callum replied coldly. "I'm giving her a choice."

"A choice?" I whispered, tears burning at the corners of my eyes. "How is this a choice?"

Callum finally turned his eyes toward me. And the look he gave me…

It wasn't hateful.

It wasn't cruel.

It wasn't evil.

It was broken.

A shattered man begging fate not to take the last thing he loved.

"It IS a choice, Hailee," he whispered. "Nathan… or our child."

My breath caught painfully.

"No…" I choked. "No, Callum. Don't do this to me. Please."

He didn't blink.

"If you want the antidote," he repeated slowly, "you marry me. And you take my mark. That's the price."

My knees nearly buckled.

Behind me, the healers were shouting orders as they fought to keep Nathan alive. His chest barely moved. His skin was turning pale. Sweat beaded on his forehead. The poison was spreading.

"Lady Hailee," the healer said urgently, stepping closer, "we cannot hold him for long. We can only sustain him for the next twenty-four hours. After that…"

She hesitated.

Her voice broke.

"…we lose him."

"No…" I whispered, clutching Nathan's hand. "No, please… please…"

She looked at me with sad, helpless eyes.

"We need the antidote. Immediately."

Tears spilled down my cheeks.

Nathan was dying.

My mate.

My soulmate.

The man fate gave me.

The man who saved my brother.

The man who held me through the worst pain of my life.

And Callum—father of my unborn child—was standing there demanding a price I never imagined.

"Callum, leave," Peter growled. "We will find the antidote ourselves."

Callum scoffed. "You won't. No one will. That medicine is only found in ONE place. And I am the heir of that vault. No one can access it but me."

"You can't bully her into this," Peter snarled.

Callum turned to him. "I'm not bullying her. I'm giving her a deal."

"A deal that costs her happiness?" Peter shouted.

"A deal that SECURES her child!" Callum shouted back.

Silence.

The air cracked between them.

My heart was breaking.

Nathan lay beside me, unconscious, his life slipping through my fingers.

Callum stood in front of me, desperate, furious, terrified of losing me and his child.

Peter stood beside me, angry, protective, helpless.

My world was falling apart in all directions.

"Callum…" I whispered again, wiping my tears. "Please don't do this. Please. He saved my brother. He protected me. He—"

"And what about me?" Callum shot back, his voice cracking. "What about my child? What about what I feel?"

"I care about you!" I cried. "I care about what we shared—"

"But not enough to choose me!"

His voice broke.

Pain slammed into his eyes.

"You chose him. You chose your mate. Even when you promised—"

He swallowed hard.

His voice fell to a whisper.

"You promised you would give me a chance."

My heart twisted.

"I did," I said softly. "And I'm grateful for everything you've done. Truly. You were good to me. You protected me. You made me feel safe."

His jaw tightened.

"But my wolf…" I whispered. "My wolf chose Nathan."

"Wolves don't raise children," Callum said in a low voice. "People do."

I flinched.

"That baby inside you," he continued bitterly, "is MINE. And I will NOT let him grow under the influence of another Alpha's bond."

His voice trembled at the end.

"This is my last offer, Hailee," he whispered. "Marry me… let me mark you… and I will bring the antidote."

Before I could reply, Peter stepped in front of me.

"You're done here," he said coldly. "Leave."

For a moment, Callum stared at him… then at me.

Pain filled his eyes.

And then—

He turned around and walked out.

My chest cracked open as he left.

The moment the doors shut behind him—

My legs gave out.

I fell to my knees beside Nathan.

"Hailee!" Peter rushed to hold me. "It's okay, I've got you."

"No…" I sobbed, shaking violently. "None of this is okay… Nathan… Callum… the baby… Father…"

I couldn't breathe.

It felt like the world was caving in.

Nathan lay motionless.

Only the faint rise and fall of his chest told me he was still alive.

Peter squeezed my shoulders. "Listen to me—we will find a way. I promise."

But there was fear in his eyes too.

Fear he was trying to hide for my sake.

Hours passed.

Healers worked tirelessly, placing herbs on Nathan's chest, purifying his blood, chanting healing spells, injecting antidotes that slowed poison but didn't stop it.

None of it was enough.

His pulse weakened.

His breathing slowed.

His skin grew colder.

His lips turned pale.

Every second was torture.

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