Chapter 5

Torin's knock came again. "Alpha, the Beta is waiting." I glanced toward Aurelia's room. She was still locked inside. I hated leaving her like that, but the Beta's arrival could not be ignored.

"I'll be there." I turned to leave. Before I could take another step, Torin spoke again.

"The Beta said it concerns Lyra."

My jaw tightened. Of course it did.

I followed him to the council room. The Beta was already waiting. He stood as I entered and bowed.

"Alpha."

I nodded. "You wanted to speak with me."

"Yes." He gestured toward the chair opposite him. I sat. He remained standing.

"My daughter is carrying your child."

"I know."

"She is also from the Beta bloodline."

I said nothing. The Beta smiled.

"That makes her a suitable match for you."

My eyes hardened. "I did not ask for a match."

"I know. But the pack needs to think about its future." He began pacing. "A strong Alpha needs a strong heir. Lyra is a warrior. She has fought beside you for years. Her bloodline is respected, and her family has served the Blood Moon Pack for generations." He paused. "Aurelia is an Omega."

My expression darkened. "Choose your next words carefully."

The Beta bowed his head slightly. "I mean no disrespect, Alpha. I am simply speaking about the pack's stability."

"You have made your point."

"I don't think I have." He continued. "If Lyra becomes your Luna, the Beta family will stand firmly behind the throne. The elders will be satisfied. The warriors will respect the union. There would be no question about the strength of the future heir."

"She is not becoming my Luna."

The Beta sighed. "You are thinking with your heart."

"I am thinking clearly."

"Aurelia has been Luna for five years and has given you no heir."

"She is my Luna."

"She has failed in the most important duty of a Luna."

My fingers tightened around the armrest. The Beta quickly continued. "Think about what Lyra will require once the pregnancy advances. More servants. A personal healer. Special meals. More rest. The kitchen will need to prepare enough meat and broth for her. She will require—"

"I said enough."

He stopped. For a moment, silence filled the room. Then he lowered his voice. "I am only trying to make sure my daughter and your child are properly cared for."

"I will take responsibility for my child."

"Then you must also consider its mother."

"I will."

His brows lifted. "You will?"

"Yes." I leaned back. "Lyra is my friend. My comrade. I fought beside her for years. I care about her safety because she carries my child."

The Beta's expression brightened. "But—"

"There is no but." My voice hardened. "I do not love Lyra."

His smile disappeared. "I have never loved her." I looked directly at him. "My feelings for Aurelia have not changed."

The Beta was silent.

"Aurelia is my wife," I continued. "She is my Luna. That will not change because Lyra is pregnant."

"But Alpha—"

"The discussion is over."

The Beta opened his mouth again. Then my wolf growled. I froze. Something was wrong. The restless sensation had been building beneath my skin for several minutes, but now it became unbearable. My wolf paced inside me. Agitated. Searching.

Aurelia.

My chest tightened. I stood abruptly. The Beta stared at me. "Alpha?"

"I have to go."

"But we haven't discussed—"

"We're finished."

I walked out before he could say another word. I moved through the corridors quickly. Then faster. By the time I reached the Alpha House, I was almost running.

"Aurelia?"

No answer. I pushed open the bedroom door. Empty. My heart stopped. The bed was untouched. The room was silent.

"Aurelia?"

I searched the bathroom. Nothing. The dressing room. Nothing. The balcony. Nothing. I tore open the wardrobe. Her clothes were gone. My breathing became uneven.

"No."

I rushed back into the bedroom. She couldn't have left. Not after everything that happened. She was angry. Hurt. She wanted me to choose. Maybe this was her way of forcing my hand. She had run away.

I turned toward the door. "Find her."

My Gamma immediately entered. "Alpha?"

"Search the entire estate."

He bowed. "Yes, Alpha."

"And bring her back."

He hesitated.

"Alive and unharmed," I added coldly.

"Yes, Alpha."

He left. I stood in the middle of the room. Aurelia's scent still lingered everywhere. On the sheets. On her clothes. In the air. I closed my eyes. Why would she leave? She knew I would come for her. She knew I would never let her go. I had told her she was my Luna. Why hadn't she understood?

Minutes passed. Then the door opened. My Gamma stepped inside. His expression was strange.

"What did you find?"

He hesitated. "Speak."

"Alpha..."

My patience snapped. "What happened?"

He swallowed. "The Luna asked the guards for water."

I stared at him. "And?"

"They refused."

My blood went cold. "Why?"

"They said you had ordered that she remain inside."

"I ordered them to keep her inside. I did not order them to deny her water."

The Gamma lowered his eyes. "She remained silent afterward."

My stomach twisted. "For how long?"

"Long enough that the guards became concerned." He hesitated again. "One of them said she appeared to have fainted."

I felt something inside me break. "Bring him to me."

The guard was dragged into the room. He fell to his knees. "Alpha, please—"

"Why did you refuse the Luna water?"

The guard trembled. "She had angered you, Alpha. I assumed—"

"You assumed?" My voice shook with fury. "You assumed you could deny my Luna water because she had angered me?"

"Alpha, I—"

"She is the Luna of this pack." I stepped toward him. "No matter what she has done, no matter how angry I am with her, you do not disrespect her."

The guard lowered his head. "Take him to the dungeon."

"Alpha, please!"

"Now."

The guards dragged him away. I turned back to my Gamma. "Lyra."

He looked at me. "Why was she in Aurelia's room?"

"I don't know, Alpha."

"Find out."

A few moments later, Lyra was brought before me. She looked worried. "What happened?"

"Where were you?"

"With Aurelia."

My jaw tightened. "What happened in that room?"

Lyra lowered her gaze. "I found her unconscious."

"Why didn't you call for me?"

"She woke up."

"And?"

Lyra's fingers tightened around her dress. "She was... very upset."

"About what?"

"Everything." She looked at me. "She said she hated you."

My chest tightened. "She said she hated me?"

Lyra nodded. "She said she hated both of us."

I said nothing.

"She was crying. She said she would never forgive you. Then she started saying things about my baby."

"What things?"

Lyra hesitated. "She cursed the child."

My eyes narrowed. "Aurelia?"

"She was emotional." Lyra lowered her head. "I didn't think she meant it."

I stared at her. "And then?"

"I left."

"You left her alone?"

"I thought she needed space."

"And you didn't see her leave?"

"No." Lyra's eyes filled with tears. "I never thought she would actually run away." She touched her stomach. "I never thought she would abandon the pack."

I looked away. Aurelia would never curse an unborn child. Not like that. She had always been gentle. Even when the entire pack mocked her. Even when the elders blamed her for not having an heir. She never fought back. She would cry alone. And somehow, whenever I found her, I could always make her smile again.

I sat on the edge of the bed. My room suddenly felt too large. I remembered every time she had swallowed her pain. Every time I had told myself she was fine because she stopped crying when I entered the room. Every time I had left her alone because there was always something more important. The elders. The pack. The border. The war. Lyra.

And now Aurelia was gone. I looked around the room. Five years. Five years she had stayed beside me. She had given everything to this pack. And what had I given her? A title. A promise. And, today, a locked door.

My gaze drifted toward the bedside table. Something caught my eye. A small box. It was tucked behind the lamp. I froze. I remembered it. When I had returned from battle, Aurelia had been holding that box. She had looked so nervous. So happy. She had tried to give it to me. Then everything happened. Lyra. The elders. The argument. Her tears. I had never asked what was inside.

I reached for the box. My hands trembled as I pulled it out. The emerald ribbon was still tied around it. I slowly unwrapped it. The lid opened. Inside was a pregnancy test. Two lines. I stared at it. I couldn't breathe.

No.

My eyes moved over the test again. Two lines. Two. Aurelia was pregnant.

My wolf howled inside me. Aurelia. My Aurelia. She had been carrying my child. And I had left her alone.

I looked toward the empty doorway. Suddenly, every moment from the past two days replayed in my mind. Her excitement. The way she had been waiting for me. The box in her hands. Her tears. Her trembling voice. Her asking me for a divorce. And me refusing to listen.

My heart began pounding. She was pregnant. She was somewhere outside. Alone. Carrying my child.

"Aurelia..."

I stood so quickly the chair beside me fell over. "Find her."

My Gamma looked at me. "Alpha—"

"Search everywhere." My voice broke. "Every road. Every village. Every settlement near the pack."

I gripped the pregnancy test tightly. "Find my Luna." I looked at the door. "And bring her back to me."

My wolf growled. Not with anger this time. With fear. Because for the first time, I understood what I had done. I had not merely driven my wife away. I had driven away the woman carrying my child.