Chapter One

Eggs, I needed more eggs. If I was going to make it just the way he loved it, I needed everything to be perfect. I received word from Torin yesterday. My husband was coming home. I had to ask Torin again if he was sure Kael would be back from the war. I had good news to share with him. I couldn't control my excitement.

I placed the fish-filled dough in my egg mixture, letting it dip so well into the yolk-rich solution. Afterwards, I'd fry them golden brown. Fish fingers, just the way he loved them. I had my green dress picked out already. Emerald, the same color as the trees. Kael had mentioned he loved it. They reminded him of home. I made sure to wear it on special occasions. Today was a special occasion.

I wasn't going to tell him yet. I wrapped the package neatly in the box and sealed it with the emerald green bow. I had imagined in my head so many ways to tell him. If I would give him the box and just hand it over sheepishly. Or if I would open it. Or if I could contain my excitement and just tell him and blurt it out. I made sure I asked Maeve, my healer, to check again to be certain. She had checked my pulse again and nodded in affirmation.

"Aurelia, you are pregnant."

"Are you... are you? How far along am I?"

"Yes, I am sure. I wouldn't dare lie to the alpha's wife. What good will that give me?" She nodded again and placed her hands over mine. "You are pregnant, four weeks pregnant. I'm very sure. I would love if you come here more often for tests and—"

I zoned out from what she was saying. I was stunned. All this while, I was... I thought I was... I had given up on my...

"Do you want me to send word to Kael?"

"No, no. I will tell him myself."

My fish fillets. The oil crackled softly beside me. I froze. Those horns. The sound. I would recognize them anywhere. Fwoooom! Kael is here. I had to be careful not to fall down or trip or do anything to hurt myself, in spite of my excitement. I was... I opened the door and—

"Kael?"

With his arms around another woman? What the— No! It wasn't unusual for Kael to return with members of his family. Perhaps she was a cousin. A sister, perhaps. I was going to welcome her with open hands. Why was she rubbing her stomach? What was happening?

"Kael Stormborn, Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack..." The courtier announced his presence first to me. "Lady Lyra from House Vaelithys."

House Vaelithys. The house that controls the pack's main treasury. That family... They were perhaps the most influential.

"Aurelia Stormborn, Luna of Blood Moon Pack."

That was my name. That was Lyra. That's her name. I hadn't expected Kael to come with this many people. I found it highly performative. The soldiers. The elders. The household.

Kael stepped forward to me. He reached for my hands, and it took everything in me not to step backwards away from him. He brought my fingers to his lips, not breaking eye contact like old days. "Aurelia." I smiled calmly before he embraced me, pulling me towards him enough to capture my scent. He smelled like pinewood. That earthy flavor. "I missed you. I see you brought family home." I smiled back at him. He looked shaken up. Was the war that... I had hoped he wouldn't be too gloomy. "I had your things arranged just the way you like it."

"Aurelia, I have to tell you something."

"I was..." Can't it wait? You just came back.

"You know I love you. You know that, don't you?"

"I know that too." I love Kael. Too very much. What's the main problem?

"I'm carrying his pup," Lyra said, rubbing her stomach lazily. The stomach that I had now noticed was swollen and curved at the bulge underneath it. She was having his...

"Lyra?" Kael said angrily. "Aurelia, I am sorry."

In front of the elders, the soldiers, the household, everyone was looking at me, expecting an answer. It wasn't the first time an alpha would take a mistress and the mistress would give him a child. Their faces searched mine, looking for a reaction. I could rip my fingers at the mistress and pull her hair and drag her and scream at the top of my lungs. Or if I would accept her as the mature thing to do. Accept her as family. They would expect me to be mature. A Luna should always be mature. Be the bigger person. Why? Why? Why did Kael choose to humiliate me today? It was supposed to be our day.

Lyra looked at me. Her eyes fixated on me. Aware of her place. As if she knew. They would want her to stay. The look of indifference in her eyes. Whatever conjured belief of me she had, my past she'd investigated me... She had no remorse. She wasn't sorry, for sure. They wanted a reaction, a response. I stormed out of the doorstep, nude to my chambers. I didn't care. These castle walls... I didn't want to give anyone the pleasure of seeing me cry.

"Aurelia, Aurelia, wait. Listen." I heard Kael scramble after me as I was walking up the stairs. "Listen to what? You humiliated me. I have nothing to say to you. How could you?" I turned around, suddenly conscious of myself. The elders had followed him. I could hear them murmuring among themselves. This was a scene to talk about.

"She's being irrational."

"She hasn't conceived a child for five years. What did she expect?"

"She's lucky to be Luna."

"Is Lyra going to be the new Luna?"

I stepped backwards. From the stairs, I realized none of these people loved me. I was surrounded by enemies. They will never...

"MY LADY!"

"Elder." He was the oldest in the pack.

"You're welcome," I said. My voice trembled.

"I must congratulate you for accepting the new heir of the Blood Moon Pack." I sensed it was laced with poison. He knew. A slap to my face. I couldn't bear a child for five years.

"Kael, congratulations. We should have a welcome party for the child. Tradition demands it. We've waited five years."

"You do realize I'm standing right in front of you, Grand Maester." I said to him. "Do I need to remind you to respect your Luna?"

"A Luna that can't—"

"Can't what? Say it."

"Enough. I will not have you humiliating Luna, Grand Maester, or any of you," Kael thundered. Oh, now he could talk about disrespect, as if he did not just bring his mistress to our home. The bastard. As if I was not just standing there.

I ran out and rushed to my room. Running past one of the maids with her food tray of fish fingers. I made that. I made everything here. And everyone betrays me. I stormed out of the room. Whatever celebration they will have, I want none of it.

"Aurelia." He stormed after me. I didn't turn back. I closed the door and sat on my mirror stool. Looking in the mirror. The tears I had not willed to come fell on my cheeks. I heard the door close behind me. I knew who it was.

"Kael, get out."

"Aurelia, I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you privately." How hypocritical. Didn't the entire pack just humiliate me? I blame you.

"I can explain everything."

"You want to explain how you got her pregnant?" I arched my brow. I refused to turn to him. I won't give him that satisfaction.

"Aurelia, listen to me. I was drunk. I don't even remember what happened to me. I woke up. I saw her in my bed. One month later, a maester confirms she's pregnant. Do I regret it? Yes. Aurelia, I can't deny my child." Did he think I would just accept him with open arms?

"I love you. I've always loved you. You're my Luna. I'll never stop loving you. It's you I want. I will have only one Luna. I swear by the Moon Goddess."

"You swore an oath to the Moon Goddess to be faithful to me, yet you broke that one."

"Aurelia... I love you."

"I don't want to hear it."

He placed his hands on top of mine, locking eyes with me in the mirror. "I don't even want Lyra. If Lyra has the child, we can adopt the child as our own. Our child. And raise it. This is a good sign. The pack elders have been concerned about the throne and heirs. We have an heir. I'm only doing this for the pack's stability." What nonsense was he spewing?

"Do you think Lyra will give up her child so easily? I want a child. Our child. By me. I want one. I don't need your bastard to raise as mine." Bastard. I called that poor innocent child a bastard. What was becoming of me?

"Aurelia, let's be rational." He always said rational. That was his way of telling me I was making a scene. And then he would compensate me with gifts. Lots of gifts. To buy my silence and seal my lips with a smile. It won't work this time.

"I'll give you anything you want."

"What?"

"I said I'll give—"

"No, I heard you, Kael. How could you reduce me to such... like a pros—" I stopped myself. "What do you take me for? You can't buy me or my—" I only thought about my child. I didn't want another woman's child. I wanted mine. Maybe if he knew I had a child, he would call off whatever nonsense and shame he wanted to bring upon me. I turned and held his arms.

"Kael, I—"

Someone shrieked loudly outside the door.

"Lyra," Kael said instinctively.

Torin barged into my room almost immediately. I had warned him several times. No matter how urgent it could be, he had no right to barge into my room where I made love with my—

"Torin, how many times have I told you to—"

"My Lady." He turned to me first, his frantic eyes—

"My Lord, it's Lyra."

"I have to go. Right now."

"Kael, I want to—"

"It can wait."

He didn't even hesitate. Not when I was trying to tell him something. Not when I was trying to tell him that I was— He was already gone.