Chapter 3

ALESSIA

“What do you mean?” Max stepped closer, invading my space. 

For a split second, something cold flickered in his eyes before his face smoothed into practiced indifference.

Of course, he would pretend. Of course, he would turn it back on me — make me look like the jealous, heartless Luna, the cruel woman who couldn’t even show mercy to a grieving widow. Of course, he wouldn’t tell me the truth. Not about Clementine, not about the pup she was carrying. But none of that mattered, I’d be leaving in nine days anyway. Nine days until I could finally reclaim myself, until I could step away from the packhouse, from him, from everything that had tied me here.

“Nothing,” I said quietly. Then I forced a smile that hurt my cheeks. “You’re right, Max. She needs your protection, so of course she can stay here in our home.”

“I don’t want to fight right now.” Max rubbed a hand over his nose, irritation seeping through his voice. “This is settled.” His tone hardened. “Clementine will stay here for as long as I decide, and you will accept it. I don’t need your approval anyway.”

“Max, please stop,” Clementine murmured as she glided to his side. Her hand slid around his arm, one hand pressing gently to her chest.

“Please, I don’t want you two to fight because of me.” Then she turned to me, eyes shimmering with carefully crafted sadness. “Alessia, I truly apologize if my presence here bothers you so much. I’ll leave — I swear. I’ll find a small apartment near the packhouse.”

“No, Clementine.” Max’s response was immediate. Yet his gaze never left mine.

“If I say you stay here, then you stay here. Other opinions don’t matter.”

The word lodged in my throat like a stone.

Clementine’s voice drifted again, sweet and soft as poison.

“Then… could you show me around?” Clementine batted her lashes. “It’s been so long since I set foot here. Everything has changed — I might get lost in your packhouse.”

Max nodded. And just like that, he moved, guiding her away as if I didn’t exist. As if I weren’t standing right there. As if I weren’t his wife. His Luna.

I trailed behind them, heading toward my room, but couldn’t help noticing their movements.

Max’s gaze flicked around the living room before settling on me. “Alessia,” he said, his tone sharp. “Why are so many items missing?”

“I asked the maids to clean them,” I replied, keeping my voice steady.

When his eyes fell on the empty table, he frowned. “Where’s the vase I gave you?”

The vase had been a birthday gift. My first gift from him. Modest, yet somehow, because it was from him, it felt perfect. I had proudly displayed it on the table, the most visible spot in the room, filling it with fresh flowers every week.

I had already thrown it away. 

“I just moved it, so it wouldn’t get dirty,” I said calmly.

“Did you?” His eyes probed my face, piercing and unrelenting.

I nodded, unable to speak.

Before he could respond, Clementine’s soft, deliberate voice slipped between us.

“All this walking made my throat feel so dry, Max,” she said softly, stepping closer. She cleared her throat with a small, helpless sound. “Could you get me some water, please?”

Max blinked, already turning toward her. “Of course."

And then he was gone.

The moment Max was out of sight, Clementine’s fragile act slipped away as easily as a discarded mask. She pulled me out of the room.

“That day I saw you at the hospital.” Her lips curved in quiet, satisfied triumph. “You know, don’t you? I’m pregnant with Max’s baby. I’m carrying this pack’s heir.”

Her eyes gleamed.

“This pack’s heir, Alessia. Something a lowly human like you could never give him. If you had any dignity at all, you would have walked away a long, long time ago."

She stepped closer.

I didn’t move.

Her words tore at old wounds. It hurt, of course it did. But pain had become a familiar companion to me.

“Did you know that Max never loved you?” Clementine whispered, her voice shaking with cruel delight. “Because in his heart, there was only ever one woman. Me. When I married and left this pack, he broke. He begged me to stay, to be his Luna.”

Her eyes glittered.

“Then, a year later, he married you. And you called it love.” She laughed softly. “How foolish thinking you could ever replace me.” 

Silence stretched between us.

Then I lifted my chin. “Is that all? You can stop barking now.” I asked calmly.

Her eyes flared. “What did you say?”

“I said you can stop barking.” My voice didn’t shake. “You can have everything back, Clementine. Your place, Max, everything. I don’t want any of it anymore.”

I walked past her toward my bedroom, and I pushed open my bedroom door.

And froze.

Max already stood by my drawer. In his hands was a small, carved wooden box.

The box. The one containing Lunar Bloom Infusion. 

His face had gone pale.

“This is a pregnancy dose. Why do you have this?” He looked up at me slowly. His eyes were searching my face. “Alessia... are you pregnant?”