Chapter 3

NYX'S Pov

I had nowhere to go.

The thought sat in my chest as I stood on the porch, my hands cradling my belly.

I had lived my life since I turned 16 in the Alpha's house and now, I didn't even know what life outside these walls was going to be like.

It was not until I heard the wolves howl that I realized that I had been standing in one place for a little longer than I should have and my feet were getting sore.

My mind ran amok as I thought hard on what the next step might be. I had not planned this part of my life.

Hell, I didn't ever think Adrien would be this cruel and he knew I was stranded. But he still didn't care. 

I tightened my hands, swallowing hard. I knew I could not stay here any longer. I turned and faced the door when suddenly Sera opened the door.

You can place 

Sera stepped out slowly, closing the door behind her. She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest, a small smile playing on her lips as she looked down at me.

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to come out steady. “Sera… I just need to get my things,” I said quietly. “My clothes. I’ll leave after that.”

I hated how small I sounded, even hated that I had to ask her. She didn’t move nor did she even blink.

Instead, her smile stretched wider.

“My things?” she repeated slowly, like the words were funny to her. “You still think you have anything here?”

“I’m not asking for much,” I said, my voice was softer now. “Just let me take my things and I’ll go.”

She pushed herself off the door and started walking toward me slowly, like she had all the time in the world. “You’re still acting like the Luna,” she said, her voice dropping. “Like you have any authority left.”

My jaw tightened. “Sera, don’t do this,” I said. I didn’t even know what I meant by that.

Don't humiliate me any further?

Don't make this worse?

I scoffed softly as all of these looked funny. The girl standing before me was someone who could not look me in the face, let alone talk back. But now I was pleading with her to let me enter my house.

My house? I almost felt the sting from the words. My husband... No, Adrien had made me a ridicule.

“Oh, I will,” she said, and something in her tone made my stomach twist. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for this?”

My brows pulled together, and my head felt light. “What are you talking about?”

Her eyes locked on mine. “You.” The words sounded way too heavy.  “I’ve always hated you.”

Hated? The word didn't make sense as she had always said I treated her better than anyone in the pack. I blinked faster, my thoughts scattered. 

My eyes met hers, the little girl I had raised like my daughter was lost as the one in front of me was someone without emotions. Her eyes had lost the glow they once had.

"I had always wondered why and how you became Luna," she mentioned. "You are wolf-less. A disgrace borne to your family, yet you snuck up to the alpha and became the Luna." She sniffed, weaving her hand over her hair. "You had everything easy, Nyx."

Her lips curled in disgust. "Look at you now..." She let out a giggle. "You're just a washed-up old hag," she said, her eyes washing over me slowly.

I could feel my eyes starting to burn, but I refused to let the tears fall. Not in front of her as each word felt like something tearing into my skin. My heart pounded harder, my hands trembled, but I held them still.

“You think Adrien stayed with you out of love?” she continued. “Please, he pitied you... Everyone did,” she smirked. "Adrien saw you as weak and easy to use."

My head shook slightly. “No… that’s not true.”

It could not be true, Adrien had loved me. He was by my side when I had lost my parents and I felt seen by just him. I didn't care about anything else, having him was enough. That was why I had been the breadwinner and paid him a salary from my business, just to keep him and the pack afloat.

I thought I did all of these to make him feel secure as opposed to other Alphas but I was wrong.

"You are still gullible as always," she said as she stepped closer. "For years, I have been jealous of what you had."

My breath caught.

“I watched you sit there as you deserved it. Like you earned it.” Her eyes darkened. “But I knew one day… I would take it.” she laughed. "I wanted to have a taste of what Luna Nyx has and when I did, Adrien couldn't even let me go."

Something inside me twisted painfully. “You were jealous,” I said, my voice shaking but clearer now. “Of me.”

She stepped way closer than before and was only inches away as I could feel her breath on my face. "What are you going to do about it?" She smiled. "You are not anything more than a stray."

For a moment, I just stood there, staring at her. My fingers pressed tighter against my stomach. My blood was boiling and I wanted to scream and tear out her face... But I couldn't. 

I had promised to keep my pup safe and I wasn't going to let anyone provoke me into snapping.

I let out a slow breath and looked away from her. “I’m done,” I said quietly.

Her brows pulled together slightly, like she hadn’t expected that. I shrugged my shoulders as I took a step past her.

I had only made three steps when I felt a sharp pain in my head.

"You bitch!" Sera screamed, her hand still gripping my hair so hard that the root stung so bad.

“Sera—!”

My hands flew up, trying to pull her off, but her grip tightened instead.

“You think you can just walk away?” she hissed, her voice close to my ear. “You don't get to walk out on me anymore!"

Something finally snapped inside of me as the pain and humiliation washed over me. Then my body moved before I could control it.

My hand had landed on her face with a loud smack causing her head to snap the other way as her grip loosened instantly.

Everything went still as what remained was the echo from the slap. Then the door opened.

"What's going on?" Adrien questioned.

As if rehearsed, Sera clutched her stomach and fell to the ground. Her tears began like a stream recently unblocked.

"Alpha..."

Adrien's face went red hot as his eyes turned to me. I could feel the anger emanating from him. 

"Adri---"

My hands flew immediately as I felt his slap on my face looking at the man in front of me.

For all twenty years of being with him, he had never raised his hand. Yet, he hit me because of this... girl?

Tears clouded in my eyes even as hard as I tried to hold them back.

"Why are you still here?" He growled.

"I want to get my things---"

"If I wanted to have you get your things, I would have told you to do so," he scoffed. "You came into this house with nothing and you have to leave the same way you came."

"Adri---"

"Don't make me call the guards on you again," he warned.

I slowly turned to the gate of the pack house and began walking. 

I didn’t look back. I had nowhere to go, but I would survive.