THE UNWANTED GUEST

I wake up to the sound of laughter.

​For a moment, I think I am dreaming. The penthouse is a mausoleum of marble and silence. Then, the nausea hits. I scramble out of bed, barely making it to the bathroom before emptying my stomach. Morning sickness. Right on cue.

​I splash cold water on my pale face. Dark circles bruise the skin under my eyes. Kael’s words from last night replay in my mind. You have the title. Is that not enough? No. It never was.

​I dress quickly in high waisted trousers and a loose cream blouse, careful to conceal the nonexistent bump. I need coffee to survive today.

​I follow the scent of brewing coffee downstairs and stop in the kitchen doorway.

​Elena leans against the granite island, holding my hand painted mug. Wearing an alarmingly short silk robe, she laughs at something Kael says. He sits at the breakfast bar, a plate of pancakes before him. He is smiling. The domesticity hits me like a physical blow. They look like the couple. I look like the intruder.

​Elena spots me first. Her eyes scan me with veiled amusement before softening into a mask of sweetness.

​"Good morning, Evelyn!" she chirps. "The chef was not here, so I whipped up breakfast. Kael used to love my blueberry pancakes."

​The subtext is loud and clear.

​Kael stops smiling. The light in his eyes dies, replaced by cold indifference. "You are up," he says.

​"It is my kitchen," I say stiffly, walking to the coffee pot. "I can manage breakfast in my own home."

​"I just wanted to be helpful," Elena pouts.

​Kael slams his fork down. "Do not start, Evelyn," he growls. "Elena is a guest. Do not be a brat."

​"I am not being a brat," I say, pouring coffee with a shaking hand. "We have staff for a reason."

​"I do not mind," Elena says, placing a manicured hand on Kael’s forearm. "I know how busy Evelyn is with whatever it is she does all day."

​"I run the pack finances," I snap. "I manage the estate and the charity foundations."

​Kael rolls his eyes. "It is busywork, Evelyn. Do not pretend you run the pack." He stands, kissing Elena on the cheek. My stomach churns. "Delicious. Thank you."

​He grabs his suit jacket. "I have a council meeting. Elena, take the day to settle in. Put whatever you need on the pack account."

​He walks past me without a word. The front door shuts.

​Elena’s smile drops instantly. She takes a sip from my mug. "You look tired, Evelyn," she says coldly. "I heard Kael shouting last night. He hates when you cling to him."

​I grip the counter. "What do you want?"

​"My place back," she sets the mug down. "We were supposed to be together. He only married you because of that contract your grandfather forced on him. He tolerates you."

​"He is my husband. We are married."

​Elena laughs cruelly. "Paper burns. Wolves mate for life. His wolf has never marked you."

​My hand flies to my bare neck instinctively. It is my deepest shame. "I have work to do," I say, turning away.

​"Run along," Elena calls out. "Oh, and I am moving into the Blue Suite. The light is better."

​The room right next to Kael.

​I tell my driver to take me to the Pack Hospital instead of the office. I wear a hooded coat and sunglasses to hide from pack rumors.

​Dr Thorne, an older beta, ushers me into a private room. "Luna Evelyn, you look pale."

​"I am pregnant," I blurt out.

​His eyes widen. "Does the Alpha know?"

​"No. And he cannot know. Not yet."

​He runs the ultrasound in silence. "There," he points to two flickering heartbeats on the monitor. "Twins. Strong heartbeats. About eight weeks along."

​His smile fades as he looks at my vitals. He sighs, taking off his glasses.

​"Evelyn, your stress levels are dangerously high. Your wolf is weak. Being rejected while carrying pups puts a massive strain on your system. They draw strength from you, but you get none from the Alpha." He looks me dead in the eye. "If you endure a major trauma, a physical attack, or a forceful rejection, you will lose them. You might not survive it yourself."

​The air leaves my lungs.

​"If Alpha Kael severs the tie formally," Dr Thorne says delicately, "the shock to your system would be catastrophic."

​Kael might hate me, but he would not risk killing the mother of his children. But he does not know they exist.

​"I will give you prenatal vitamins," Dr Thorne says. "You need peace. Can you get that at home?"

​I think of Kael’s cold eyes. "I will try," I lie.

​When I return to the packhouse, the atmosphere is hostile.

​I walk into the living room and stop dead. My framed wedding portrait above the fireplace is gone, replaced by a generic oil painting.

​"Where is it?" I ask a passing maid.

​"Miss Elena said the photo was tacky," the terrified omega whispers. "She ordered it taken down. She said the Alpha agreed the room needed freshening up."

​My hands curl into fists. That photo was the only proof I mattered in this house. "Where is she?"

​"In the garden. With the Alpha."

​I storm out to the back terrace. I find them by the rose bushes I planted. Elena is hacking away the white blooms with shears. Kael watches, a glass of scotch in his hand.

​"What are you doing?" I scream.

​Elena freezes. Kael looks annoyed.

​"I am pruning," Elena says innocently. "Making room for red roses. Kael prefers red."

​"You are destroying my garden," my voice shakes. "Just like my living room. Who gave you the right to touch my wedding photo?"

​Kael steps forward, placing himself between me and Elena. "It is just a picture, Evelyn. Stop acting like a hysteric. You are embarrassing yourself."

​"I am embarrassing myself?" I laugh, a broken sound. "You allow your mistress to take down your wife’s picture."

​"Mistress?" Elena gasps. She starts to cry. Fake tears.

​"See what you have done?" Kael snarls. He wraps an arm around Elena, pulling her into his chest. "Apologize."

​I stare at the man who is supposed to be my protector. "No."

​Kael’s eyes flash gold. His wolf rises to the surface. The Alpha Command slams into me, a physical weight forcing me to submit.

​My knees buckle. I fight it with everything I have, clutching my stomach to protect the twins.

​"I said," Kael’s voice is thunder. "Apologize to her."

​I gasp for air. "I am sorry," I choke out.

​The pressure lifts instantly. Kael looks at me with pure disgust.

​"Get out of my sight. You are unfit to be a Luna."

​I scramble to my feet and run back to the guest room. I lock the door and slide down to the floor, wrapping my arms around my knees.

​I cannot tell him. If I tell him I am pregnant now, he will think I am using the babies to get rid of Elena. He will take them from me and give them to her.

​Tears stream down my face. Dr Thorne said I need peace. I realize, with terrifying clarity, that I will not find peace here.

​I have to leave.