IN BETWEEN TWO RIVAL ALPHA’S

~Lexa’s POV~

My body hurts.

Normally I should have healed faster since I wasn’t just any wolf but the Luna of silver moon pack but this hurt real bad.

I opened my eyes slowly, greeted by the ceiling of my bedroom. A smile curled on my lips as I pushed myself into a sitting position and looked to the side of the bed for my baby's cradle but it wasn’t there.

What’s going on?

Raemon and I had gotten all our baby things seven months ago, and they were always in our room. So why was the room completely empty of them now?

Where was my baby? Where was Raemon?

My baby and my husband were supposed to be by my side.

I pushed myself off the bed hurriedly, but my whole body hurt so much that I had to sit back down.

The only possibility I could think of was that Raemon had moved everything to the nursery and taken the baby there so I wouldn’t be disturbed.

I rubbed my forehead and took a deep breath. I wished he were here, though. I needed a hug. Giving birth had been a lot harder than I imagined.

The door suddenly opened, and my heart skipped a beat. I expected Raemon to walk in with our baby in his arms, but instead, a wave of disappointment washed over me as Annika stepped in with a bright smile on her face.

“Oh, thank the Goddess! Luna You’re awake!” she hurried toward me. She sat beside me and hugged me, careful not to squeeze too hard.

Goddess, I was still in so much pain.

I smiled back at her as she pulled away with a big grin on her face.

“I am.”

“Yeah...” She pouted, but her expression shifted. Her eyes suddenly looked gloomy.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Annika had always been close to Raemon. They grew up together since their families were close. Her father had been the former Beta to the previous Alpha, Raemon’s dad.

So, she was like a sister to Raemon. Very protective of him. And we were almost like sisters too. We did almost everything together.

“You were in a really terrible state, Luna. I thought you were going to die. I was really worried.”

I forced a smile, not knowing how to tell her how much pain I was still in or how desperately I wanted to see my child.

“Yeah... I had to have a C-section. That’s mainly why I really need to see my baby right now.”

I stood up and took a step forward, hating the anxiety building in my chest. I needed to see and hold my baby.

“Luna, you…” Annika called softly, reaching out and grabbing my hand.

She was stopping me.

I couldn’t help it. I glared at her, a low growl slipping out. “What?!”

She let go of my hand and blinked in shock.

I instantly felt bad. I never shouted, never acted violent. I was the calm Luna their Alpha got married to.

“I’m sorry. I’m just…” I ran my fingers through my hair and moved quickly to the door. “I just gave birth, Annika. And my baby isn’t with me. It’s frustrating. It’s painful. I just want to—”

“Raemon is furious, Lexa,” Annika said, breaking character as she only ever addressed me as Luna before.

I turned to her, raising a brow.

“What? Why?”

She rose from the bed tensely and walked toward me. “He thinks you and Marcus are having an affair. He found out during your delivery and lost it.”

My whole body went cold. “What?”

Tears filled Annika’s eyes. She stepped closer and rested her hands on my shoulders.

“He … he killed your baby, Lexa. He said that since you destroyed his trust, this was the only logical thing he—”

“No!” I screamed, shoving her away. My hands shook, my heart was pounding.

“You… you’re lying!” I shouted. “You have to be lying!”

Heat burned behind my eyes, and tears streamed down my cheeks. I clutched my tightening chest. My wolf felt as though she were dying.

There was no way.

There was no way Raemon would do that.

There was no way he would kill our child because he thought I was cheating.

It was impossible.

Right ?

Yet I felt it. The hollow ache of not having my baby.

“He would never—” My knees buckled, and I collapsed onto the cold, hard floor. Annika knelt beside me, crying with me.

“He’s gone crazy, Lexa,” she whispered. “He found Marcus and…he announced Marcus’s death. He said you’re next in line to face his wrath.”

“No.” I shook my head. My voice cracked as my whole body trembled. “He.. can’t.”

“You have to get out of here before he kills you,” Annika whispered, hauling me to my feet. Her eyes held fear and seriousness in them.

She was damn serious and Raemon can sometimes be a monster. I know all about his past and promised never to put me in a situation where I’ll question my safety with him ever.

But clearly he lied

I couldn’t feel my legs. All I could feel was the pain in my chest and the hammering in my head.

I didn’t want to believe it, but Annika would never lie to me.

She was crying nonstop, looking as broken as I felt.

“Please,” I begged, clutching her arm. “Help me. I swear I’ll never come back. Just help me, Annika.”

She pulled a key from her pocket and pressed it into my palm.

“Take this. It unlocks the back door that opens onto the forest. Run, Lexa. Don’t look back. He’ll kill you the way he killed your child.”

I clenched the key. Suddenly fists pounded on the door. Three sharp blows that rattled the frame.

“Luna, the Alpha summons you!” a guard barked, and my heart slammed against my ribs.

Annika and I shared a panicked look. She dragged me to the window, shoved it up, and helped me climb through.

I let my wolf take control. I landed on all fours, agony rippling through me, but I stayed upright.

When I glanced back, the window was already shut.

“Hey! Who’s there?” a voice suddenly called out, and when I turned, I was met by two approaching guards.

I didn’t think. I tore into the forest, ignoring the fire of pain in every muscle and bone of my body.