Chapter 3

ATHALIAH

“Let's get a divorce,” I declared.

Silence.

For over five seconds not a word was said. Then Damian's face went rigid the very next second.

“You…you don't mean that,” He stammered, shock written all over his features.

“Do I look like I'm joking?” I countered, my gaze on him, solemn.

“Athaliah,” he growled.

“How can you even make such an utterance? Our mate bond isn't just about you and me. It ties two packs together. You think you can just walk away simply because you're choosing to let your emotions control you over something so little.”

“Something so little?” I retorted.

“Yes!” He responded immediately.

“You'd tear apart everything I've built, everything my brother had suffered for before his death just because you're angry for something you absolutely shouldn't even be mad about.”

I shook my head softly. Turned away from the bed I was about to get onto and faced the door.

“You know what? I'll just leave now. We can finalise the divorce away from each other,” I mumbled.

I couldn't believe that the one man I was supposed to love, to trust for life had reduced my hurt, my pains, my anger to nothing.

I hadn't even taken two steps towards the door, when he did something I'd never expect him to do in my entire life.

“You are not leaving this pack,” he used his alpha command on me.

The command slammed into my chest, my knees buckled. My wolf howled in pain. Tears filled my eyes, slowly I looked up at him, gasping in pain.

“You used that on me? Your mate?” I gasped in absolute disbelief, pain cutting through me and causing me to clench my teeth.

Something flickered in his eyes, regret maybe or even surprised at what he just did. But it was gone before I could figure out which one it was. Even at that he didn't withdraw the command.

He stood waiting for me to understand that responsibility to his pack came before my emotions.

At that moment, it became clear as day that no matter what he felt for me. To him, he'd always be Alpha first.

I clenched my teeth, fighting the command with everything in me. The more the pain cut me, the more I fought it. Everything before me suddenly became blurry. The room tilted. I could hear Damian's voice calling out my name in fear but it was already too late. I hit the floor and blacked out.

When I opened my eyes again, the first thing my eyes caught sight of were the familiar white walls. I've been to the pack hospital way too much to not recognise the walls at a glance.

“You're awake,” a familiar voice sounded beside me.

I slowly turned, Wren was sitting beside my bed, her hand wrapped around mine.

“You scared me,” she said quietly.

I gave her a small smile. My eyes roaming around the room in search of Damian.

“If you're looking for the alpha, he already left,” Wren informed me before I could even ask about him.

“What?”

Her jaw tightened, then she spoke.

“He brought you in himself. He carried you to this bed and watched me check up on you. Everly suddenly had another episode of her soulmate deprivation syndrome,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“So he left before you could wake up.”

No words came from me, just an oh. I'd slowly accepted this new reality without even realising it. But still, a small part of me hurt, Damian was my mate afterall.

Wren stared at me, the heartbreak and pity in her eyes made me turn away.

But she gently made me face her.

“There's something else you need to know.”

That got my attention.

“What? I've already lost a pup, Wren. My mate left me in the hospital bed to be with another woman. What's next? Am I dying now?” I asked, barely able to contain my hurt.

She squeezed my hand.

“You lost one pup,” she whispered. “There were two.”

My lips parted.

“What?”

“You were carrying twins. I discovered a second heartbeat during your examination today. It was faint but steady.” She smiled down at me.

I stared at her, eyes wide, lips spread apart.

My hands reached for my stomach before I could even realize it. Both hands pressed onto my stomach like I could hold that fragile little life in there.

“It's alive,” I choked out, tears filling my eyes.

Wren nodded.

“It's alive,” she pulled me into her arms.

I let myself cry on her shoulders until exhaustion hit me. When I finally lifted my head. I only asked one question.

“Does Damian know about this?”

She shook her head.

“I need to leave this pack, Wren.”

She went still.

I began speaking, explaining everything that had happened to her. At the end of it, she sighed.

“As your best friend, I'd like for you to leave too. But it's not that easy.”

Of course I know it wouldn't be easy. Dissolving a mate bond is nothing like ending an ordinary marriage. The fact that I'm the Luna makes it even worse. Damian and I rule a pack. Our bond ties two packs together. And to separate, we have to get the council's approval.

Leaving on my own accord was simply impossible. I won't be free, I'll be labeled a traitor and lose everything. My title, my asset. Every pack in the empire, including my birth pack will hunt me down.

Being pregnant makes it all even harder because under the Royal Law once Damian learns about it, my child will be forced to remain in this pack and I'll never be able to take him away.

Wren looked me in the eye, pity written all over her face.

“If you decide to leave. You have a lot to lose.”

My entire body went rigid, I looked down at my still-flat stomach, determination taking root in my mind.

“Then no one should know about my pregnancy.”

Wren’s breath caught.

“You…”

“Please, Wren. No one can know.”

“And when you start showing?” She asked.

“By then, I'll already be gone.”