Chapter 1

 [Elara POV]

I stared at the clock on the wall as each second ticked by while I sat in the waiting area of the pack hospital. My palms rubbed against each other nervously.

Please let it be true.

If what I was hoping for turned out to be real, then this would be the happiest day of my life. It would be the greatest anniversary gift I could ever give my mate.

The sound of the door opening pulled me from my thoughts. I looked up as the pack doctor walked toward me with a file in his hand.

"Luna Elara," he called with a warm smile. "Your prediction was right. You're two weeks pregnant."

My breath hitched. "Two weeks?"

He nodded. "Congratulations. I'll give you some vitamins for early pregnancy. Just make sure you get plenty of rest."

"Thank you, Dr. Colton," I said, holding the paper tight.

My heart felt full. After three years of praying to the Moon Goddess, my wish had finally come true. I placed my hand over my stomach. A tiny pup was growing inside me.

I pulled out my phone and called the pack house. The housekeeper answered on the second ring.

"Luna," she said respectfully.

"Please set up the flowers in the dining room and put the anniversary gifts on the table," I said with a smile. "I want everything ready before the Alpha gets home."

"Of course, Luna. I will make sure it is perfect."

I put the phone away, carefully tucked the pregnancy report into my bag, after getting the vitamins from the doctor, I headed out to my car.  

When I pulled up to the pack house, I rushed up the front steps, eager to check on the setup. But as soon as I opened the front door, my eyes landed on a pair of pink female slippers sitting in the foyer.

I frowned. I didn't own slippers like that.

Before I could call out to the housekeepers, the sound of soft footsteps echoed from the hall. A woman stepped into the living room, and my chest tightened.

When I saw It was Lina. And she was wearing my silk pajamas.

A moment later, Lucian walked out from his office down the corridor, pulling his sleeves up to his elbows. His eyes met mine, completely calm.

"Elara, you're back," he said, walking over. "Lina got caught in the rain near the pack borders. She was completely soaked, so I brought her here to dry off and lend her something warm."

I stared at Lina. The soft fabric hung loosely on her frame. The color was one Lucian had picked out for me himself.

Ever since Lina husband, our former Gamma, died taking a blow meant for Lucian, my husband took full responsibility for her. At first, I felt deep sympathy for her. I knew how hard life could be for a widowed she wolf in a strong pack. But over the past few months, Lina had started taking small steps into our lives, pushing boundaries further every week.

Lina looked up at Lucian, her lower lip trembling. "I'm so sorry, Luna  Elara. I never meant to cause any misunderstanding. I'll change back into my clothes right now and leave."

She hurried back toward the guest room with her head held low.

Once she disappeared around the corner, I turned to Lucian. "Do you have anything to explain to me?"

Lucian let out a short sigh and crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you really going to make a scene over a piece of clothing?"

"It isn't just about the clothes, Lucian," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "And do you even remember what today—"

"Lina was drenched to the bone,  Elara," he cut me off, his voice sharp. "Why do you always have to target her? She is all alone now. As Alpha, it is my duty to look after the widow of the warrior who gave his life for mine."

My words caught in my throat.

Footsteps sounded behind us as Lina stepped back into the room. She was wearing her own thin shirt and jeans now, her arms wrapped around herself.

She sneezed softly.

Lucian moved instantly. In one quick motion, he unzipped his leather jacket, stepped over, and draped it gently over her shoulders.

"You just finished your heat cycle three days ago, Lina," he warned her, his voice soft with concern. "Your body is still weak. You can't catch a cold."

Lina pulled the jacket tight around her chest and looked up at him with watery eyes. "Thank you, Alpha. I don't know how I would survive without your kindness." She glanced at me and gave a quiet smile. "Luna Elara is so lucky to have you as a mate. As a wolfless she wolf, she must feel so safe having such a strong Alpha by her side."

My eyes stayed glued to the jacket wrapped around Lina's shoulders.

It was the custom leather coat I had spent months searching for to give Lucian on our second wedding anniversary.

And her heat?

My husband knew the exact dates of another she wolf's heat cycle better than my own.

The heavy scent of Lucian's pine wood aura hit my nose, mixed tightly with Lina's sweet, lingering scent attached to the jacket. A sharp wave of nausea hit my stomach, making my knees feel weak. I pressed my hand flat against my bag, right over the pregnancy report hidden inside.

Lina lowered her head, staring at the floor. "It's just so hard living in that big house alone," she murmured. "I have no one to talk to. The path to my house is so dark, and I'm always afraid someone is following me."

Lucian patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. I will take you home myself."

As he turned to walk her toward the front entrance, I stepped into his path, blocking the doorway. "Lucian, wait. I have something really important to tell you tonight."

Lucian reached out, taking my wrist in his hand. He didn't acted like I had said something. He simply pulled me gently to the side and kept walking toward the door with Lina.

"I'll be back soon," he said over his shoulder as the front door closed behind them.

Silence settled in as I stared at the door, my heart thumping in my chest as I tried to process what had just happened.

I sank into the couch, letting out a soft breath to calm myself. Once I show him this text result everything would be better.

Hours passed.

The housekeepers finished placing the red roses in the dining area and setting the table with high end dishes and the anniversary gifts I had bought. Once everything was set, they bowed and left for the night, leaving the pack house completely silent.

The food grew cold on the table. The tall candles burned halfway down, dropping hot wax onto the tablecloth.

Lucian still hadn't returned. I sat at the head of the dining table, staring at the empty seat opposite me. I pulled out my phone and dialed his number.

It rang for a long time before the line finally picked up. "Hello? Luna  Elara?" Lina's soft voice came through the speaker.

I gripped the phone tighter. "Where is Lucian?"

"Oh, please don't be mad at him," Lina said quickly. "I was so scared to stay alone tonight, so I begged him to stay with me for a little while. He's just so kind hearted. He didn't want me to sit here overthinking things."

In the background, I heard the faint sound of Lucian's deep voice saying, "I should head back now."

Before I could say anything, Lina spoke up through the phone. "Alpha, are you going to the annual gathering at the border tonight? The border warriors are hosting it to build unity, but the bar is close to the dangerous zone. I want to go, but I'm too scared to walk there by myself."

A brief pause followed on the line.

"Alright," Lucian's voice came through clearly. "I'll go with you."

The call went dead. I slowly lowered the phone from my ear. A few seconds later, the screen lit up with a text message from Lucian.

{Something urgent came up at the border. I won't be coming home tonight. Have dinner by yourself and don't wait up for me}

I stared at the message until the screen went dark. For a long moment, I couldn't move.

A dull ache spread through my chest, making it hard to breathe. It felt as though someone had reached inside me and slowly squeezed my heart until it hurt.