Chapter 3: Something I owe...

It was as though they were making no effort to hide their actions, openly flaunting their connection in front of everyone, intentionally deepening Tori's hurt.

The mockery in their voices was unmistakable, and it stung sharply in the silence that followed.

Carlisle's subordinates seemed to take pleasure in the way he doted on the woman, and the woman herself eagerly fed Carlisle, her gestures almost too eager, as if they were both trying to show off for everyone to see.

Every word and action felt like a deliberate jab at Tori, making the truth painfully clear.

The woman's voice, soft yet filled with playful reproach, rang out, "Carlisle, you should eat. You've been carrying me all the way from the frontlines to your pack, and I know you're exhausted."

"You even gave up more than half of your rations to make sure I and the pup were well-fed." Her words, laced with a subtle yet unmistakable meaning, hung in the air. Every syllable seemed to speak volumes, unsaid thoughts making it clear to everyone present.

"Regarding resting in the alpha suite, I should avoid that. It's situated on the top floor of your packhouse, and being there would be inconvenient since I am heavily pregnant."

The woman then paused as if she was thinking hard about something before she continued. "But I would love it if you could put me on a floor that was not too high or too low for me to be able to see the land where you grew up."

All the pack members looked at each other with knowing glances before smiles spread across their faces.

If they were just speculating earlier, now that the words came from Raquel's lips and with Carlisle never disagreeing, it truly meant that the pup inside Raquel's belly was the future heir of their Moon River Pack. Everyone's mood turned joyous as they continued to toast to Carlisle and Raquel.

As a werewolf, Tori, like everyone else in the hall has a sharp hearing, she could hear every word the woman spoke.

Each sentence felt like a blade to her chest, and the tightness in her throat grew unbearable. Her heart twisted in agony, a heavy weight settling in her chest as the truth hit her with painful clarity.

She can't even pretend to be stupid now and not understand what was being said at the table. She also couldn't turn a blind eye; her whole body trembled as she struggled to breathe while trying to process all this bombshell revelation thrown her way.

She gripped the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning white, but the pain in her palm was nothing compared to the decaying pain coming from her mate bond that was attacking her whole being.

"Raquel, don't worry about me," Carlisle said, his voice soft but firm. He speared another piece of roasted chicken, slicing it with precision before placing it gently on Raquel's plate. "Just eat and take care of the pup."

He continued to lean on his chair as he added, "I'll have your room prepared. Later, someone will take you there to relax, and tomorrow, I'll take you out to play." Carlisle's eyes sparkled with warmth.

"Alright, I'll listen to you then," Raquel replied, her voice light with affection. "I'll eat more too, so the pup will be born healthy and strong." She giggled softly, the sound melodious and warm.

To everyone watching, Raquel was glowing like the sun due to her love for the pup in her belly and for Carlisle. She wasn't even trying to hide it; she enjoyed Carlisle's care for her, and her intention to be with him was clear.

She even openly declared her sovereignty over Carlisle to Tori. Although no one mentioned Tori to her, she could tell that Tori was Carlisle's chosen mate. After all, she could see Carlisle's mark on Tori's neck, which almost covered her entire neck.

Even though the pack held great respect for the mate bond and the werewolf rules, the knowledge that an heir would be born soon overtook any lingering thoughts they had about these rules and the mate bond.

After all, Carlisle was the last heir to the Moon River Pack after his father's death, and his absence for three years made everyone on edge, knowing that his life would always be in danger while he was fighting on the front lines.

Everyone in the pack knew that Tori and Carlisle had never mated after their marking ceremony. Carlisle had left for the battlefield almost immediately after, not even staying for Tori's Luna inauguration.

His haste to leave had been a clear signal of his intentions. Now, hearing that Carlisle would be a father brought a sense of relief and even happiness to the pack, but it also overshadowed Tori's feelings and the mate bond that still lingered between them.

From their perspective, Tori's sacrifices were just a natural part of her role within the pack, yet the pack's future remained their top priority. They started to consider the possibility that Carlisle could dissolve the mate bond and officially reject Tori.

And they believe that this would only benefit their pack, as they viewed Tori as too weak to be their Luna.

Moreover, it had become painfully obvious that Carlisle had no intention of mating with Tori. He refused to touch Tori, and the distance between them had only grown over time.

Carlisle's mother, the former Luna, cast a brief glance at her son after hearing Raquel's words. She observed him silently, but Carlisle made no response. He remained slouched in his chair, his posture lazy as Raquel continued eating without interruption.

Carlisle closed his eyes, the exhaustion evident on his face. He wasn't fully tuned into Raquel's words; he caught only fragments of what she said.

His responses were based on the pieces he'd heard, but his mind was elsewhere. The weariness of battle weighed heavily on him.

"Alpha, you okay?" Beta Greg mind-linked with Carlisle as he noticed his eyes were a bit unfocused.

"Yeah, just the old issue," Carlisle replied through the link, his voice sounding weary.

After months of nonstop fighting, he had little time to rest. The nights were particularly challenging, with ambushes from the vampires; their attacks were brutal and often occurred just as he was beginning to catch a few moments of sleep.

Some vampires even toyed with the warriors, playing cruel games before launching their deadly strikes.

Just recalling those traumatic events caused Carlisle's mood to drop instantly.

A persistent ringing echoed in his ears, drowning out much of the world around him. It was why he hadn't truly absorbed everything Raquel had said; instead, he merely pretended to listen, offering the same responses as always.

Yet, despite the turmoil within him, there was a strange sense of calm whenever he looked at Raquel. Perhaps it was the life growing inside her that brought him peace, a symbol of hope for the future, for both him and the pack.

While the other side of the table was filled with laughter and light-hearted teasing, Tori's side remained heavy with gloom and isolation. No one dared to sit with her, except for Gamma Sylas, and that's when the painful truth settled in: people's hearts were fickle.

Yet maybe she was wrong; she hadn't been accepted by this pack from the very beginning, and they all believed she was undeserving of this position.

To say that Tori wasn't hurt by this would be a lie. She did everything she could to help this pack through the hard times.

She didn't expect them to revere her, but the little respect was all she wanted, yet even that wasn't given to her. Everything happening at the table now was filled with disrespect.

"This is something I owe their pack," Tori repeated to herself, trying to hold onto the last shred of resolve she had left. The pain in her chest was unbearable, but she couldn't just walk away, not now, not when she owed so much to Carlisle and the pack.

At that moment, Tori felt more alone than ever.

Even the connection to her wolf was gone.

She couldn't shift, and worst of all, she couldn't speak to her wolf.

She had no one to turn to, no one who could understand the agonizing ache that was slowly pulling her into a suffocating darkness. Every breath felt heavier, each heartbeat a reminder of the isolation she was trapped in.

"Luna Tori, please don't overthink it. There must be more to this than we know. Let me find out what's really going on..." Gamma Sylas said softly, offering a reassuring pat on Tori's back.

But as he spoke, a sudden, menacing presence pointed at him, and he stiffened. He instinctively looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Yet, the unease gnawing at him didn't go away. Cold sweat began to form along his spine, a deep, invisible threat pressing down on him.

He shook it off, determined to do what he could to help Tori, even if it meant standing in the middle of the widening rift between his Alpha and Luna.

Tori's heart could no longer endure the pain of seeing her mate so close to someone else while ignoring her, pretending she did not exist. She bit her lips and excused herself. "Please excuse me, I have work to do." Yet even then, no one responded, as if no one had heard her.

Carlisle continued to care for the woman he brought over, gently caressing her head while throwing a smug glance at Tori.