Hidden Secrets

(Freya’s POV)

I woke up groggy, heavy-headed, and bone-tired. The aftereffects of last night’s rain were kicking in, and I’d caught what was likely the worst cold I’d had in years.

I dragged myself out of bed and shuffled over to the bathroom, barely able to hold my head up.

The bathroom light gleamed on the cold tiles, making my headache worse. I opened the medicine cabinet, pulling out a bottle of cold medicine. My fingers worked robotically, unscrewing the cap.

But then it hit me. The cub.

My joints locked in place, the bottle frozen halfway to my lips. I stared down at the pills in my palm, a wave of panic washing over me. I was pregnant—six weeks along. I couldn’t take these. They could harm the baby.

Horrified, I rushed to the sink and spat out the small amount of water and pills that had touched my tongue. My hands shook as I rinsed my mouth out, gripping the basin for balance.

“What are you doing?” Aaron’s low, firm voice startled me.

I spun around, nearly losing my footing. He stood in the doorway, broad-shouldered and imposing, the usual frown etched across his face. Even freshly out of bed, his golden eyes were sharp, his Alpha presence suffocating the room with authority.

“I—I thought I grabbed the wrong medicine,” I stammered, gripping the edge of the sink harder to steady myself.

His eyes narrowed slightly, the suspicion clear in his gaze. He stepped closer, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his sweatpants. “You look awful.”

“I’m fine,” I lied. My voice cracked, betraying just how bad I actually felt.

Aaron tilted his head slightly, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. For a moment, his wolf flickered behind his gaze, the faintest glint of concern crossing his features. I didn’t trust it to last.

"You’re burning up," he said flatly. He was close enough now that I could feel the faint warmth radiating from him. Though Aaron’s tone remained detached, his wolf, Logan, was restless. I could sense it. His wolf always responded when I was unwell or in danger, even when his human side ignored me.

I tried to brush past him, needing to put space between us. “I’ll be fine. It’s just a cold.”

Aaron’s arm shot out like lightning, blocking the doorway. His posture was tense, his eyes scrutinizing me further. “Freya. You don’t look fine. You—”

“I said I’m fine, Aaron,” I cut him off, harsher than I intended. My voice wavered under his piercing gaze.

The bond hummed faintly between us, reminding me of the shred of connection we shared—a connection his wolf clung to, even if he didn’t. But I couldn’t afford this tension, not when the secret of my pregnancy was still hanging precariously over my head.

Aaron studied my face again, silent for a long beat. I thought he’d press the issue, but instead, he stepped to the side, his jaw tightening as he dropped his arm.

“If you say so,” he muttered coldly as I slipped past him. The relief that washed over me was short-lived. I could feel his gaze boring into my back.

---

(Third Person’s POV)

The dining room was warm and bright, the morning sun spilling golden light across the table. Martha Wilson had outdone herself again, covering the table with freshly baked pastries, steaming coffee, and brightly colored fruit platters. The air smelled of roasted coffee beans and spiced cinnamon—a stark contrast to the icy tension now settling between the Luna and Alpha.

Aaron took his seat at the head of the table without his usual greeting. His eyes were on his phone, thumb scrolling quickly across the screen. Freya quietly slid into the chair opposite him, her pale complexion and dark bags under her eyes not going unnoticed by him.

“I’ll drive you to the office today,” Aaron said abruptly, breaking the silence. He barely glanced up from his phone, his tone leaving little room for debate.

Freya froze mid-bite, the piece of toast on her plate suddenly tasting like ash in her mouth. “That’s not necessary,” she protested quickly, setting her silverware down. “I can get there on my own. It’s just a short drive.”

Aaron finally looked up, arching a sharp brow at her unusual insistence. “I wasn’t asking.”

Her heart started racing, and her palms grew damp. The last thing she needed was Aaron finding out about her pregnancy—or, worse, putting the pieces together. The thought of being stuck in the car with him, with his Alpha instincts and Logan’s sharp senses heightened, sent a chill of dread running down her spine.

“I just remembered,” she blurted out, forcing herself to sound casual, “I forgot to finish a report last night. I need to leave early to fix it.”

He straightened in his chair, now leveling her with a penetrating stare. She felt small under it, like a cornered rabbit facing a predator. “Freya—”

His phone buzzed before he could finish. Caroline’s name lit up the screen. Freya knew that name anywhere. That familiar mix of anger and despair bubbled beneath her chest, but she buried it deep.

Aaron’s gaze lingered on Freya for a moment longer before he picked up the phone. “Yes?” he answered, his tone softening by several notches.

Freya didn’t have to hear Caroline’s voice on the other end to know who it was. The sudden, uncharacteristic warmth in Aaron’s posture was enough of a tell. She took the opportunity to stand.

“I’ll be heading out now,” she said quietly, already making her way toward the stairs.

She grabbed her bag from the bedroom, her hands moving quickly as she sent him a quick text: *Heading to the office. Have a good day.*

By the time Aaron ended the call, she was gone.

Aaron stared down at his phone, frowning at her abrupt departure. It wasn’t like her to avoid him, no matter how tense things were between them. The unease Logan felt earlier hadn’t entirely dissipated, and it rubbed against him, making him restless.

---

(Freya’s POV)

My head throbbed the entire drive to the pack office. Every breath felt like gravel scraping in my chest, and my body ached with exhaustion. The herbal tea I’d forced down earlier didn’t seem to help. My fingers brushed over my stomach absently, a lump forming in my throat.

How could something so small already feel like the entire world? I hadn’t even met my cub, and already, I was ready to give up everything to protect them. But that fear of Aaron’s rejection lingered, sharp and jagged in my chest. If he found out… If he demanded I terminate the pregnancy…

I shook the thought away, bile rising in the back of my throat. No. No force on this planet—Alpha King or not—would make me give up this life growing inside me.

Keeping my delicate secret and fulfilling my duties as Luna would be no easy task. My cold didn’t help my situation today. Every time I coughed, a wave of nausea and dizziness followed.

“Luna Snow.” Sarah Cooper’s soft yet direct voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. I looked up to see her slender frame and worried eyes hovering by my desk. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve been hit by a truck.”

It would’ve been funny if I wasn’t actually feeling half-dead. I forced a small smile, waving her off. “I’m fine, Sarah. Just a cold.”

“Are you sure? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

I almost laughed at her bluntness, but coughed instead, clutching the edge of my desk. She made her way closer, her hand reaching out, pausing awkwardly mid-air. “Let me handle these reports for today.”

I glanced at the neat stack of papers waiting for review. The thought was tempting, but I couldn’t risk faltering in my duties. I needed to push through this.

“That’s sweet of you, but I’ll be okay,” I insisted. Still, I accepted the second cup of herbal tea she had in hand, grateful for the warmth.

By mid-morning, I gathered myself and made my way to Aaron’s office. I knew he hated unannounced visits, but avoiding him wasn’t an option when Caroline would likely be hovering around.

Sure enough, Caroline was already there.

---

The sight of her standing beside his desk—even in something as ordinary as a blazer—made my stomach twist. She was everything I wasn’t: confident, graceful, composed. Her green eyes lit up when she saw me, her warm smile disarming and unassuming.

“Freya!” she greeted, quickly closing the gap between us. She rested a perfectly manicured hand on my arm. “I’ve been meaning to find you. I’ve just heard what happened to your pack. I’m so sorry.”

Her outpouring of sympathy felt genuine, which made it all the harder to resist despising her. She hadn’t been here during the fallout of my family’s pack collapse, having been abroad controlling her own pack’s alliances.

“I had no idea until Aaron told me,” Caroline explained, her concerned gaze not wavering. “It must have been a lot to handle.”

I forced a tight smile, shrugging lightly. “It’s in the past now.”

Was I imagining it, or did her hand linger longer than necessary on my arm? Whatever sincerity she held couldn’t quite douse the bitterness curling in the pit of my stomach.

Aaron, who had been standing by his desk watching the exchange, finally let his eyes fall on me when Caroline stepped away. As his gaze lingered, the annoyance carved into his features became clear.

“You look pale,” Caroline commented, tilting her head slightly. “Are you ill?”

Aaron immediately straightened, his piercing golden eyes flicking back to me. “Why did you come to work if you’re sick?”

His tone wasn’t gentle, wasn’t full of concern. It was cutting, authoritative, and laced with irritation. Even in moments like this, he cared more for appearances and rules than me.