Balance of Light and Shadow (By Chandrea) novel Chapter 249

**TITLE: Gloom 249**

**Chapter 249**

*Trigger warning: pregnancy complications*

**Lewana POV**

The forest looms around me, dark and treacherous, as I sprint with all the strength I can muster. The wind howls like a pack of wolves, its icy breath biting into my skin, reminding me of the urgency of my flight. My hands instinctively cradle my belly, a protective gesture, as I leap over gnarled tree roots, ignoring the sharp thorns that claw at my skin as I rush past them.

Panic surges within me as I try to shift, to call upon Serena, my other half. But she is absent, a ghost in the shadows of my mind. “Conrad!” I scream into the suffocating darkness, my voice a desperate plea for help. I need him to save our pups, to pull us back from the brink of this nightmare. Yet, my words are swallowed by the night, reduced to nothing more than a whisper.

Suddenly, I stumble over something—a root? No, it’s not a root at all. I spin around, bracing for impact, but instead of solid ground, I find myself ensnared by shadows that emerge from the very earth. They slither around me, grasping at my limbs with a force that feels like iron chains. I thrash against them, but it’s futile; their grip tightens, and I can feel the sharp pangs of pain as my bones protest under the pressure.

One shadow, larger than the rest, floats above me, a dark specter of dread. It lifts my shirt, exposing my precious bump, and I recoil in horror as it caresses my skin with an icy touch. “Leave me alone!” I scream, but my cries are met with a chilling, mocking laughter that echoes in the void.

“Ours,” it taunts, the word dripping with malice.

A shadowy hand covers my mouth, stifling my screams as the larger one finds my belly button. I feel a sickening sensation as it invades my body, tearing me apart from the inside, seeking to extract my pups. I fight with every ounce of strength, but I am too weak, too overwhelmed. They hold my pups aloft, their tiny forms perfect and innocent, but then darkness engulfs them, and they are consumed, swallowed by the shadows.

Despair floods me as I am released, collapsing to the ground. Frantically, I begin to dig with my hands, clawing at the earth, desperate to follow them, to bring them back. “No! Please!” I scream into the night, my voice a raw, anguished cry.

“Lewana. Wake up. I’m here, baby. You’re having a nightmare,” a familiar voice breaks through the haze of terror.

Conrad. My heart aches with recognition, but he doesn’t understand. The shadows have taken our pups—or perhaps this is just a warning, a sinister premonition of what’s to come. I struggle against him, feeling Serena stir within me, a flicker of strength igniting. We leap from the bed, adrenaline surging as we see two figures enter through the door.

“THESE PUPS ARE MINE!” I roar, my instincts kicking in as my claws extend, teeth bared in a primal display of protectiveness.

“Lewana, stop!” Conrad’s voice cuts through the chaos, firm yet soothing. “They’re our guards. They came because you were screaming. No one is taking our pups.”

He tries to send calming auras through me, but I resist, feeling the need to be alert, to fight. I push against him, but his grip is unyielding, pinning my arms to my sides.

The lights flicker on, illuminating the room, and I scan every corner, searching for the lurking shadows that threaten us.

“Jellybean. Focus on the situation. If you want me to help you fight, you need to focus on me,” Arthur’s calm voice breaks through the turmoil.

He’s right. I need to ground myself, to find clarity amidst the chaos. I watch Arthur as he takes deep, steady breaths, and I try to mirror him, letting his calmness seep into me.

Conrad loosens his grip slightly, sensing my shift, but he doesn’t let go completely. I can feel him still attempting to send that calming aura through me, but I fight against it, unwilling to succumb to the fear.

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