Chapter 3 - The Secret

Asher's POV

I leaned back in my chair and stared at the documents spread across my desk. The partnership agreement between Blackwood Corporation and Stone Group was sitting at the top of the pile.

I had read the same paragraph three times but I couldn't absorb a single word because my mind was on a certain person.

Veronica.

I never expected to see her again, at least not this soon.

When she walked through my door earlier with a folder containing the final documents for the partnership, I was caught completely off guard.

She looked exactly as I remembered; beautiful, confident and perfectly composed. This is the woman I had once believed I would spend the rest of my life with.

Veronica and I were together for years. Her father is the Beta of this pack, he was my father's best friend. We grew up around each other and somewhere along the line, friendship turned into love, real love.

I was so certain she would become my Luna, I couldn't imagine a future without her but then, the Moon Goddess revealed my true mate and everything changed after that.

Veronica left the pack not long afterward, leaving me broken and devastated. I was angry with her for a long time for leaving without even a fight. So when she walked into my office today, I was expecting to feel the anger, resentment or even the old bitterness I had carried for months after she left but I felt none of it. Instead, talking to her felt easy and familiar. Almost like the three years between us never happened.

And the attraction...

I clenched my jaw at the thought.

It was still there. I tried to suppress it the moment I noticed it. The mate bond pulsed beneath my skin, reminding me of Melody but still, I couldl remember exactly how being with her felt.

I rubbed a hand over my face and looked back at the partnership documents, trying to focus. The Blackwood Corporation and Stone Group partnership was important. The Stone family has built one of the most powerful business empires in the city, and combining our resources would benefit both companies. But then my mind returned to something else again; the question Veronica asked about me and Melody trying to have a baby.

There was nothing unusual about the question itself. Everyone knows Melody and I have been mated for three years without a child but what Melody doesn't know is that I can't father one yet.

Thinking about the reason now brings a heaviness to my chest.

Five years ago, my father died. It had started with something so ordinary that none of us were alarmed at first until his condition started to deteriorate. His wolf stopped healing the way it should until he could barely move without assistance, he was almost completely paralyzed. The man who was one of the strongest Alphas in the region gradually became a shadow of himself.

No one knew what was happening to him. Not even the best doctors or healers. Then, after months of suffering, my father died. The entire pack was devastated but beneath the grief was fear because no one could explain what had killed him. Some believed it was a strange illness, others believed it might have been something supernatural.

One night, Veronica came into my room and told me she was scared that whatever killed my father could be hereditary. She asked me what if we have a child in the future and that child goes through the same pain my father went through. I had no answer for that because beneath all my confidence, I was afraid too but I didn't want to admit it.

Then Veronica suggested something, a fertility-binding procedure. She said it's just temporary and when we discover that whatever killed my father couldn't be passed down, we can undo it.

I had rejected it immediately, reminding her that I am an Alpha and need an heir but Veronica pleaded with me. I still clearly remember her words: “I can live without children if it means keeping them safe.”

Those words broke through every argument I had. Eventually, I agreed, not just because I loved her but because I also wanted to know what killed my father. Only two people know about this; Veronica and Dr. Ashton (the pack doctor).

I didn't tell Melody about the procedure because I couldn't bear to see hope disappear from her eyes. She has always dreamed of having a child. So whenever another month passed without a pregnancy, I held her. I told her not to lose hope and reminded her that we still had time.

I believe one day, I would find out what killed my father and finally undo the procedure. She would never have to know about this.

My office phone suddenly rang, the sharp sound pulled me from my thoughts.

I reached for the receiver.

"Asher Blackwood," I said.

"Alpha," the person on the other end greeted.

I recognized the voice. It's Dr. Ashton.

"What is it?"

"Alpha, it's about the Luna."

I sat up straighter, my wolf immediately became alert at the mention of our mate.

"What happened to her?"

"She dropped by the hospital not too long ago and requested a pregnancy test," he said.

My fingers tightened around the receiver.

"She carries out a pregnancy test every month so how's this news?" I asked, slowly losing my patience.

He hesitated for a second before he spoke again.

"The result was positive. Luna Melody is pregnant."

"What?" The word left my mouth before I could process what I just heard.

"Are you certain?" I asked.

"Yes, Alpha. I personally conducted the test."

Before I could say another word, my office door opened. I looked up to see Melody. My eyes moved to the folded paper she was holding.

“Doctor, I'll call you back,” I ended the call before he could respond.

I placed the phone on my desk and immediately walked towards her.

“Is it true?”

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“What are you talking about?”

I moved closer, stopping directly in front of her.

“Are you pregnant?”

She stared at me. Her eyes widened a little and her lips parted but no words came out.

My heart felt like it stopped.

She didn't need to say anything, I already had my answer.

She's pregnant. My mate is pregnant.

I took a step back in disbelief.

This is Impossible.