Chapter One

Thessara's pov

"You're with child, Luna." The pack healer announced.

Both my handmaids behind me gasped from surprise excitedly.

"Oh, Luna!" Akira cried, her hands clasped together. "This is wonderful news."

"Congratulations Luna!" The other cried, her voice filled with so much excitement.

My best friend, who had been holding my hand tightly through the pack healer’s examination, squeezed them tenderly, turning to me.

"This is indeed wonderful news Thessa, this will bring joy to the entire pack, even to the council members. I know how hard you've tried to win their hearts..”

I brought both my hands down to my stomach gently and placed them quietly on the area where my baby now grows in, and with tears rushing to the margin of my eyes, I let out a shaking laugh.

"Indeed ... .Eira” My heart moulded against my breast with excitement, as I lifted my head into a grin.

"I can hardly wait to tell the Alpha. He'll be so happy. He's always wanted a cub of our own." I pressed my hands deeper into my belly. "It kills me every time I see him with the pack cubs, knowing how many times we've tried and failed." I drew a shuddering breath, then brought my face into a more broader grin, "But now, now I can finally give him the happiness he's waited so long for.” I said gently rubbing my stomach continuously.

Long ago I met Alpha Asher, my mate and the father of my unborn child on the night of my father’s sentencing. My father had broken the oldest law of our land, crossing into the human world. And as far as the council members were concerned, it was treason.

They believed that he'd endangered us all, and for that offense, his rank as one of the council members was taken away from him and he was sentenced to be executed. And as his only descendants, I was to follow.

But then Asher, our Alpha of the great bloodclaws, met my eyes in the hall, and our wolves recognized each other. He immediately declared me his mate, defying the council and breaking the norms that had been in place for centuries.

From then on I became their Luna, but it did not sit well with the council members, and no matter how hard I tried to faithfully serve as Luna, they hated me nonetheless waiting for my downfall. And when the pack's healer told me that I was not capable of giving birth, their remarks became crueller. They called me cursed, and unworthy to be Luna. But yet through it all Asher never left my side. His love remained my sole shield.

I turned back to the pack’s healer, still breathless from the joy rushing through me. “Do not say a word of this to anyone,” I told him firmly, trying to hide my smile. “The Alpha deserves to hear it first. The pack will, later, but the news must come from me to them.”

The pack healer bowed quickly, murmuring his congratulations once more before slipping out, leaving me with my maids and Eira.

I pressed both hands to my belly again, the thought of my husband’s face when I told him made my heart swell so full. “Prepare my bath,” I said, straightening. “I want to go to him as soon as I can. Tonight, he must hear this from my own lips.”

“Yes, my lady,” the handmaids said eagerly, bustling toward the bathing room.

“I’ll help with your bath,” Eira said, facing me. “You must look radiant when you stand before him.” She said, placing both her hands on my shoulder and sweeping away ideal dust from them. “I can't wait for the whole pack to find out and finally accept you as the true Luna I've always known you as.”

"Oh, Eira." I murmured, taking her hands in my own. "I don't know if I would even have made it this far without you."

She smiled softly, pressing her hold on my hand tenderly. “What are best friends for, Thessa? We’re supposed to stand by each other, always. Through everything.”

A lump caught in my throat. “I don’t deserve you, Eira.” I gave a weak laugh. “Sometimes I wonder what I did to have you. You’re the only one who truly sees me for me, and not just the traitor’s daughter they all whisper about.”

Eira bobbed her head, her black eyes locking onto mine. "Let them gossip, Thessa. You're Luna. And you belong here."

I brought my arms around her, hugging her close. "Thank you, Eira. You have my loyalty forever."

She pulled back cupping my chin with a grin. “Anytime, packmate. Now, enough of this talk, let’s get you looking like the most radiant Luna ever.”

“Eira…” I rolled my eyes, though the heat creeping up my neck gave me away.

Hours later, I stepped into my husband's study wearing the red dress Eira had selected for me, which hugged all of my curves. It felt almost too daring, and too revealing, especially with his knights always stationed at the door.

And Just as I feared, the one guarding outside bowed quickly, “My Luna," he said. His eyes fixed to the floor, avoiding mine.

I nodded at him and stepped inside, closing the door behind me.

Asher was sitting over the great Alpha's wooden chair, his attention on some notes of paper scrolls and charts thrown everywhere on the table. He was appealing, as always, with his dark hair tousled back. He was so focused on his work he didn't even notice me entering.

"Demetrius said I would find you here," I said moving closer.

“Demetrius.” He grunted, scribbling on a piece of paper. "There's so much work to be done I requested not to be disturbed." He said but his face betrayed his lack of sleep.

I walked slowly towards him, tracing my fingers along the margin of the table before I slid onto his lap without invitation. His chair creaked with the sudden protest, and only then did his gaze finally meet mine. I pressed a soft kiss to his temple, then another to his jawline, my fingers piling to the buttons of his shirt.  

"Not even a break, huh?" I joked, wrapping my arms around his neck, tucking my lips against his ear.

"There is always some other task waiting, some new things the council demands. The border patrols, the pack.."

I pouted slightly, tracing my thumb along his jaw. "And what about you? Who takes care of my Alpha?” I traced his curved jaw, my fingertips moving against his stubbly skin. "Come-on now." I purred, “Surely your work can wait a little while longer.

I said trailing my fingertips down the sturdy column of his neck, merrymaking in the way his muscles tensed beneath my touch.

"Don't you think you deserve to rest too?" I said following my words by rolling my hips unto his lap and kissing his necklines.

His eyes closed immediately and deep in his chest, a growl rumbled from pleasure. His hands gripped my waist tightly, drawing me in, and assisting me in moving against him.

"I think so too," he managed to grunt, and with a single movement, he rose to his feet, lifting me up in his arms. I wrapped my hands around the back of his neck as he walked across the office, his mouth unto my temple.

"You'll be my death someday, Thessara," he said against my skin. "Walking in here looking the way you do. How could I possibly say no?"

I laughed softly, holding him closer as he pushed open another room door inside his study. He placed me on the wide bed, then leaned to kiss me, deeply and hungryly.

And as his lips descended to my neck, I gasped, tugging at his hair.

"Wait… wait," I panted, though I lacked the power to stop him. His head snapped back up.

“Did I hurt you Thessa?” He asked, concerned and breathlessly.

"No..no.” I said, nodding my head. “It's just that there's something I must tell you." I answered the words making my lips quiver. "Asher..I..we're expecting." I said immediately.

Time seemed to stop as his breath caught in his throat while his entire body hung over me.

“Moon above… a cub?” He said his voice rough with shock, as his hand rose to rest lightly on my stomach. “You mean… our child is growing here?”

He asked his eyes wide, and trembling, as they searched mine for an answer. Tears streamed down my eyes as I nodded in approval.

A sound like both a laugh and a sob came from him at once before he bent down, crashing his mouth onto mine, kissing me with so much hunger I’d never felt before.

"Thank you, Thessa," he said above my lips after pulling away. “You've given me your devoted love, and now this. I'll spend every day of my life demonstrating my worth to you and protecting you both." He said while I drew him near to me bringing his mouth to mine again for another hungry kiss. He moans over my mouth, the noise humming through me as he kisses down my jaw, my throat, his teeth going into an erogenous zone where my pulse pounded. I moaned, my fingers roaming in his hair, while pulling him closer, but not long as he brought his mouth to my breast I felt my wolf instincts stirring as if warning me. I immediately froze the hair at the back of my neck going up. My head snapped up only to be met with the sound of a male wolf’s claws dragging across the silence.