Four

IRA’S POV

The celebration party wouldn’t have felt like a noose around my throat, suffocating me if I didn’t know about Ares’ affair or have to watch them dance on the dance floor like they are seconds from tearing each other’s clothes off. My heart squeezes in pain as I look away, wiping the tear which slid down my cheek. 

If I could, I would bury myself six feet under the ground to hide from the questioning and humiliating gaze of the members of the pack. It’s like they blame me for Ares’ affair. Like I am the one to be blamed for not satisfying him. The humiliation flows through my body and my cheeks flushes but there is nothing I can do, except sitting here like a dutiful Luna and watching my husband dancing with my twin sister. My gaze darted towards the entrance, waiting for Nathan and the reports. With each passing second, my rational brain only believed it more and more that I am pregnant because my senses have heightened, a weird protective instinct in me is always itching to caress my belly and things like that. But there is a part of me, a selfish, insensitive part which hopes that I am not pregnant. 

Because if my pregnancy got disclosed, it would be my cage. Alpha Ares would never let me go. Not like he is ready to sign the divorce papers now. “Luna Ira,” Ceryn, my beta, takes the chair next to me. “What the hell is happening? Why is Alpha Ares kissing Myra?” Ceryn asked, a hint of rage evident in her voice. 

My head snapped to the floor and sure enough, Alpha Ares had his one arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her flushed against his chest. My stomach twisted in knots at the sight, though the sight last night was horrible, this still makes my eyes sting with tears. 

“Say something, Luna Ira.” Ceryn insisted, “You can not let that bitch steal your husband!” 

“Steal?” I scoffed. “Look at them, Ceryn.” I said, my eyes moved to them like they were punishing me, “My said husband is kissing her in front of everyone, on our wedding anniversary, willingly. I don’t think there is any stealing involved.” 

A few beats of silence passed between us before she spoke in a low voice, “You knew?”

I looked away from her. Because am I even deserving of being their Luna when I can’t even stand for myself. So, I say nothing and let her question hang in the air. 

A few minutes later, I saw Nathan entering the party with his wife, Nina, right beside him. She is one of the most beautiful humans I have ever come across with her shiny gray eyes and dark hair. I don’t know what it says about me if I feel a pang of jealousy in my chest after seeing them together and happy. Have I really turned so petty?

“Luna Ira,” Nathan came straight to me, ignoring Alpha Ares who was busy eating Myra’s mouth. He looks at me with sympathy and I hate it. Why am I at the receiving end of everything, whether it's disdain or pity? When he is the one who was at the fault?

“Are you okay?” He asked, softly. 

Not trusting myself with words right now, I gave him a small nod. 

Nodding back, not knowing what to say further, he came straight to the point, “Can we talk in private somewhere?”

Nodding, I gestured towards the guest room near the hall. Once inside, I closed the door from inside before facing him with a look of desperation on my face as my heart raced against my chest, “What is it? I am not pregnant, right?” I asked, hopefully.

His gaze softened, pressing his lips in a thin line, he handed me the test reports. I quickly succumbed through the pages and my heart came to my throat when I read the final results in the bottom corner. 

“I know you didn’t want this. I am sorry, but you are pregnant.” He offers his apologies. 

He thinks I didn’t want this. Only if he knew how desperately I wanted to be a mother and have a little family of my own. But that was all before I found out how my husband was replacing me with my own flesh and blood. 

My breathing quickened but I took a deep breath to calm myself down and think rationally. I am pregnant. There is not anything I can do anymore about it. Except making sure that this news doesn’t make it out of this room. 

Clutching the test results in my palm, I requested Nathan, “Don’t tell anyone about it, please, I am requesting you.” I pleaded, my voice cracking, “Alpha Ares would never let me go if he found out.” 

From his expressions, Nathan looks torn between his rightful duty and helping me. But finally, he released a long sigh and promised me, “I promise, I won’t tell anyone about it.” 

I almost collapsed with relief but composed myself, I thanked him. A few minutes later, we returned to the party. He searched for his wife amidst the crowd before going to stand beside her. Smiling, he placed a kiss at her crown. They are so in love, so happy that it hurts to not have something like this. Looking away, I watched Alpha Ares climbing the stage with Myra, circling an arm around her waist and using another to hold the mic and start.

“I have an announcement on this auspicious day for everyone,” The crowd cheers like they are blind to his deception. Smirking at Myra, he announced, pulling the ground from under my feet, “Myra is pregnant with my pup.”