Chapter 3: Something I owe...

Tori’s POV

It was as though they were making no effort to hide their actions, openly flaunting their connection in front of everyone, intentionally deepening my 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 him, 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 me, 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 her belly was the future heir of our Red Moon Pack. Everyone's mood turned joyous as they continued to toast to Carlisle and Raquel.

As a werewolf, like everyone else in the hall, I have sharp hearing. I could hear every word she spoke.

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

I couldn't even pretend to be stupid now and not understand what was being said at the table.

I also couldn't turn a blind eye; my whole body trembled as I struggled to breathe while trying to process all these bombshell revelations thrown my way.

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

His 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, she was glowing like the sun because of her love for the pup in her belly and for Carlisle. She wasn't even trying to hide it; she enjoyed his care for her, and her intention to be with him was clear.

She even openly declared her sovereignty over him to me.

Although no one mentioned me to her, she could tell that I was Carlisle's chosen mate. After all, she could see his mark on my neck, which almost covered my entire neck.

Even though the pack held great respect for the mate bond and 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 Red Moon 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 we had never mated after our marking ceremony. He had left for the battlefield almost immediately after, not even staying for my Luna inauguration.

His haste to leave had been a clear signal of his intentions.

Now, hearing that he would be a father brought a sense of relief and even happiness to the pack, but it also overshadowed my feelings and the mate bond that still lingered between us.

From their perspective, my sacrifices were just a natural part of my role within the pack, yet the pack's future remained their top priority.

They started to consider the possibility that he could dissolve the mate bond and officially reject me.

And they believed that this would only benefit the pack, as they viewed me as too weak to be their Luna.

Moreover, it had become painfully obvious that he had no intention of mating with me. He refused to touch me, and the distance between us 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 he made no response. He remained slouched in his chair, his posture lazy as Raquel continued eating without interruption.

Carlisle’s POV

I closed my eyes, the exhaustion evident even to myself. I wasn't fully tuned into her words; I caught only fragments of what she said.

My responses were based on the pieces I'd heard, but my mind was elsewhere. The weariness of battle weighed heavily on me.

"Alpha, you okay?" Marcus mind-linked me as he noticed my eyes were a bit unfocused.

"Yeah, just the old issue," I replied through the link, my voice sounding weary.

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

Some of them even toyed with us, playing cruel games before launching their deadly strikes.

Just recalling those moments caused my mood to drop instantly.

A persistent ringing echoed in my ears, drowning out much of the world around me. That was why I hadn't truly absorbed everything she said I merely pretended to listen, offering the same responses as always.

Yet, despite everything, there was a strange sense of calm whenever I looked at her.

Perhaps it was the life growing inside her that brought me peace a symbol of hope for the future, for both me and the pack.

Tori’s POV

While the other side of the table was filled with laughter and light-hearted teasing, my side remained heavy with gloom and isolation.

No one dared to sit with me, except for Gamma Sylas, and that's when the painful truth settled in. People's hearts were fickle.

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

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

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

This is something I owe their pack, I repeated to myself, trying to hold onto the last shred of resolve I had left.

The pain in my chest was unbearable, but I couldn't just walk away. Not now, not when I owed so much to Carlisle and the pack.

At that moment, I felt more alone than ever.

Even the connection to my wolf was gone.

I couldn't shift, and worst of all, I couldn't speak to my wolf.

I had no one to turn to, no one who could understand the agonizing ache that was slowly pulling me into a suffocating darkness. Every breath felt heavier, each heartbeat a reminder of the isolation I 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 my back.

But as he spoke, a sudden, menacing presence pressed down on 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 me, even if it meant standing in the middle of the widening rift between his Alpha and Luna.

My heart could no longer endure the pain of seeing my mate so close to someone else while ignoring me, pretending I did not exist.

I bit my lips and excused myself. "Please excuse me, I have work to do."

Yet even then, no one responded, as if no one had heard me.

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