Chapter 3

A FEW DAYS LATER.

[Aria Pushing Sheila – Experts Agree, Not Proper Decorum For A Luna!!!]

The ironic headline stung my eyes. Tossing the newspaper aside, I left the living room and walked into the kitchen to make myself more coffee. It was definitely a two-cup kind of day.

All of the newspapers were abuzz with news of Lucan’s search for the mysterious Dr. A. Lucian, supposedly in his efforts to find the doctor, announced his intent to the public.

...And, under the headline regarding Lucian’s search were a few smaller articles pertaining to me and the embarrassing incident at the charity event.

The article under the headline mostly recounted all of that events from the evening with the supposed ‘expert’s’ unwelcomed comments thrown in.

[“She’s always been a disappointment as a Luna!” the article read.

“Now that Sheila is divorced once more, the choice for Lucian is clear. Leave Aria and reconnect with Sheila!”]

Just as I was pouring, the phone on the wall started to ring. Setting down the coffee pot, I walked across the kitchen to lift the phone off its cradle and bring it to my ear. The long winding cord circled down between the handset and the phone base.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Aria? You sound so down. Are you looking at those damn newspapers again?!”

The voice on the other end of the phone belonged to my friend best friend Cathy. A true friend, she had known me since before my wedding to the pack’s Alpha King.

She’d been encouraging my divorced since the second week.

“Remind me again, why you aren’t divorcing Lucian?” Cathy angrily said,“You gave up everything to be the Alpha King’s homemaker, and look how he’s disrespecting you!”

“Defending Sheila over you. Even trying to track down Dr. A for her. Meanwhile your good name is being dragged through the mud in the press, and he’s not saying one word in your defense!”

“Lucian doesn’t like to talk to the press,” I said weakly, already knowing it was a shoddy defense at best.

Especially since he’d gone to the press already in his search for Dr. A. He could have easily mentioned something nice about me while he was speaking with them, but he didn’t.

“I don’t care what he doesn’t like. Who I care about is you, Aria. And ever since you came into this marriage, you’ve changed. You’ve totally lost the person you used to be.”

I couldn’t deny that. I’d given up my career and most of my sense of self. Being the perfect submissive wife was a difficult act to put on, when the real me was much more bold.

“I love him, Cathy. I can’t just turn those feelings off. You know he saved me…”

Cathy sighed, long-suffering. “Well, well...”

“Think about it. Aria, the hospital will always welcome your return.”

After hanging up with Cathy, I resolved to talk to Lucian once more. We had much to discuss about our marriage, about Sheila, about the baby growing inside of me…

Luna especially encouraged a discussion. “He will listen. He is your mate…”

I wasn’t so sure.

Our marriage had never really been perfect, and it was in the worst shape now that it had ever been in. But it still deserved a fighting chance.

Checking the calendar hanging beside the phone, I realize today was Thursday. Lucian only worked the mornings on Thursday, usually arriving home just after lunch.

I shouldn’t have to wait long to talk to him.

At least, that was what I thought. But Lucian didn’t unlock the front door and walk through it until 9 o’clock at night.

It's evening now.

And he wasn’t alone.

Sheila clung to him. Her arm was around Lucian’s shoulder and his around her waist, his hand firmly placed on her hip.

Sheila stumbled, as if she couldn’t walk. When she saw me standing in the foyer, she pressed even closer to Lucian.

Lucian’s attention seemed entirely fixed on Sheila, as if he didn’t notice me at all.

“Most of the bedrooms are upstairs,” he said gently. “Do you think you will be able to manage?”

“Only if you help me…” she replied in a weak voice.

“Lucian?” I asked, making my presence known.

This wasn’t the first time Lucian had brought Sheila home with him into our house. She knew very well where the bedrooms were and how to find them on her own. She shouldn’t need his assistance with that.

He should have a minute to talk to me about our marriage and our future.

Gathering my courage, I pressed forward, determined to save my marriage, “I want to talk to you –”

“Don’t just stand there, Aria,” Lucian said, glancing at me. “Arrange a room for Sheila. She’ll need toiletries and a set of towels. Her things should be arriving shortly.”

“Her… things?”

“Yes,” Lucian said. “Starting today, Sheila will live in our house.”

“I’m so sorry, Aria,” Sheila said, turning her face into Lucian as if she were trying to hide her embarrassment. “I’m always disturbing you and Lucian. But I swear, there’s really nothing happening between us. Our relationship is innocent and pure.”

I frowned at that wording and at the obvious fakeness of the apology.

Lucian seemed to fall for it, however. “When you pushed Sheila at the charity event, you hurt her ankle. As her family is now refusing to help give her the care she needs, it falls onto you, Aria. This is your fault, and your responsibility.”

He scolded me with an angry tone, making me feel like a useless, petulant child.

Was he still angry with me for not apologizing to Sheila last time?

Lucian helped Sheila shed her coat and then held it out for me.

Around us, some of the maids had fluttered into the foyer to assist where they could. Lucian did not command them. He held that coat out for me to take, for me to hang up in the hall closet out of respect for Sheila.

“I hope you can forgive me, Aria,” Sheila said weakly. “I don’t mean to intrude into your home…”

Around me the maids whisper.

“Sheila is so gratuitous and kind…”

“Aria won’t even hang up her coat…”

“Aria still hasn’t apologized for pushing Sheila...”

Not wanting the situation to escalate, I accepted the coat and hung it up. Then I ducked past Lucian and Sheila up the stairs to prepare a room for Sheila. I’d just finished placing the towels and toiletries when Lucian and Sheila finally entered the room, after Lucian tirelessly helped Sheila up the stairwell one step at a time.

After helping Sheila sit down on the edge of the mattress, Lucian looked around, relief softening his eyes.

“You should be comfortable here, Sheila.” To me, he said, “Aria, meet me in my study.”

Nodding, I walked out. He stayed behind a moment then followed me.

In his study, we both stood in front of his large mahogany desk. His paperwork was all tucked away. All of the pens were in the pen holder. There wasn’t a single thing out of place.

“Now,” he said. “What did you want to talk about?”

I avoided his gaze for a moment, trying to rebuild the courage that had floundered with Sheila’s presence. I struggled to reclaim it now, even though we were alone. Thinking of the baby helped. At the very least, I needed to tell Lucian about the pregnancy.

Resolved, I looked up, meeting Lucian’s gaze.

I stilled.

Before, even during the hardest parts of our marriage, Lucian would look at me with a type of patience and warmth. It was dimmer at some points than others, but I could always see it lingering there, somewhere, in the depths of his gaze.

Right now, that warmth was entirely vanished from his eyes.

“I want to say…—” I started.

“Whatever it is you want to say, say it,” Lucian said.

He looked at me with the same kind of casual indifference he might give to a stranger or acquaintance, not his wife.

Opening my mouth once more, words came flooding out.

“—I want a divorce.”

I firmly said.

“...What?!”

Lucian widened his eyes, fell in big shock.