Chapter 3

Cara.

THE SECOND DAY.

The two lines of the pregnancy test stare up at me, confirming that I am, in fact, pregnant.

Well, this certainly complicates things.

……Shit.

If I wasn’t such an emotional nervous wreck right now, I’d almost want to laugh at the irony. The entirety of Pack DarkWood wants nothing more than for the infamously single Alpha King Alaric to produce an heir.

And now he has one.

But, this baby isn’t exactly an heir. I’m carrying the King’s bastard! Just like me when I was a pup, this baby is destined to be unwanted.

My hand absentmindedly catches my belly with a soft stroke as my eyes find the old photograph of my grandmother on the table.

My grandmother and me didn’t share any blood, but she was the closest thing to family I’ve ever known. She was the cook at the pack house where I lived as an orphan, and she cared for me as if I was her own.

I can hear her soft, raspy voice in my memory.

*

“Oh, Cara, borrowing money from the King again? I told you, I’m old. Don’t you spend your money on doctors trying to fix my condition. You worry about yourself now, you hear?”

I remember trying to hold back my tears as I looked upon her soft and wrinkly face, “Grandma, don’t say things like that. You’re my family. I’m going to pay him back, I just need to work extra hard and pick up extra shifts…”

Her warmth surrounded me as she pulled me into a big hug. This was my favorite spot in the world, being in her arms. She shushed me and patted my vibrant red hair.

“No more tears, child. One day you’ll have a much bigger family, and they’re gonna need you…”

*

I’d give anything to have Grandmother with me now. Nothing makes sense anymore.

But Grandmother was right about one thing. I do have a family now.

This little baby growing inside me needs me.

But I know firsthand what it’s like to grow up as an outsider. A part of the pack in some ways, but never really accepted. Always hearing whispers from elders and nobles who know you’re not really one of them, that you’ll never be one of them.

I can’t do that to my baby.

I have to leave Pack DarkWood.

That means leaving my job, leaving Alaric… forever.

“Maybe he’ll change his mind once he knows about the baby?” Lucy offers, quieter than normal. She must know I’m fragile right now.

“A bastard? I doubt it. He’s not really known for giving up on something once he’s started it…”

I trail off, feeling fresh hurt in my heart. Alaric’s fierce determination and decisiveness are two of the reasons I fell in love with him.

“But your Fate Mate hasn’t rejected you,” Lucy counters.

“He must formally reject the mate bond before he can marry another.”

Over the years, I’ve heard stories about the pain of a severed mate bond. A pain that cuts deep, emotionally, spiritually, even physically.

What if it hurts the baby?

...Only one person can discuss these with me. Even though he hurt me, there's no doubt he's a fair and just Alpha king.

I need to speak with Alaric.

***

On the outside, I’m the picture of a calm, cool, and professional Beta as I pull up to Alaric’s office. On the inside… well, I can’t think about that right now.

I walk into the Alpha King’s office to see Lilia sitting on the sofa at the side of the room.

Her fashionable outfit and sleek hairstyle are a symbol of her high-born status. If it was anyone else, I’d have to admit that the two of them make a very handsome couple.

But I have urgent business to discuss. I approach the Alpha King who sits behind his large wooden desk and open my mouth to speak.

“Cara, glad you’ve made it.” He interrupts me with his deep and gruff voice. “Lilia needs someone to show her around and help get acquainted. Take care of that then wait for my instructions.”

My mouth is still open, this time more in shock.

Lilia smiles at me triumphantly, a glint of something like mischief in her eye. By the time Alaric looks back to her it’s gone, and she looks perfectly friendly.

I almost want to refuse the order, but I know better than to push my luck after disobeying him after the proposal. I’ll just have to make time to speak with him privately later.

I can do this.

For my baby, I can do this.

I lead Lilia through the offices, trying not to look at her to keep myself calm. She yawns obnoxiously and seems thoroughly uninterested in most of the tour.

“And this is my office,” I gesture to the room where I’ve spent most of the last three years in my time as Agent Luna, conducting the business that would normally be assigned to the pack’s Luna.

“For now.”

She giggles, a light and airy sound that conflicts with the sourness of her words, “I’m sure we’ll find you a nice broom closet to use as an office once you’re back to being a regular Beta.”

Lucy growls, but I internally hush her because one of the office assistants is coming over to say hi.

The older she-wolf smiles politely at Lilia and shakes her hand before turning to me in a whisper, “We all thought it was going to be you, you know. He should’ve picked you. You past work as Luna was perfect!”

I blush and gently gesture for the older she-wolf not to say more as I catch Lilia’s eye. She’s pissed. She looks like she’s ready to unleash her claws.

Turns out whispers don’t work so well for werewolves, superhuman hearing and all.

Unfortunately, it’s more of the same as Lilia and I encounter more office staff. Almost everyone tries to offer me a kind word of consolation as we pass by. Lilia looks like she’s about to explode.

One of the secretaries finds us in a conference room and says under her breath to me, “You were such a good Luna candidate.”

That’s the last straw.

“She’s NOT a Luna! She has never been a Luna, AND she will NEVER be a Luna! So SHUT UP, YOU BITCH!”

Lilia’s gone mad with rage, her shrill voice bouncing off the walls in a most unsettling way.

Lucy snarls, gearing up for a fight. I’m willing my brain to come up with a way out of this that doesn’t include potential harm to my baby.

Suddenly, Alaric rushes through the door, demanding to know what all the noise was about.

In an instant, Lilia’s face transforms from terrible anger to a pathetic sob.

She points a long and pointed finger at me, “She… She yelled at me! She’s been telling all of the servants that SHE should be Luna! She called me a bitch and told me to shut up!”

Her eyes redden with tears.

Lilia runs into Alaric’s chest and he possessively embraces her. As if he’s protecting her. From me.

As if I, his Beta, his Agent Luna no less, would play childish games like that. As if I’d risk destabilizing the reputation of the Alpha family within the pack. As if I’d ever disrespect my Alpha King like that, no matter how much of a pigheaded ass he’s been these last few days.

I take a deep breath, trying to remain in control of my emotions. The Alpha King knows me better than that. He’ll see through her manipulations.

He trusts me.

He should trust me. There's no way I could have done such a thing like this…!

“Cara,”

Alaric’s voice is so forceful that I jump, the sound of my own name hitting me like an electric current.

He says coldful, “…What have you done to her?!”