Chapter four

“Hey!” Aspen said. Taking both the ladies attending to her and Megan’s entourage by surprise. Gasps were heard.

“How dare you refer to the queen so informally!” Rosetta barked at Aspen.

“I’m sorry, I’m so used to calling you informally.” Aspen said. “I haven’t seen you on castle grounds ever. It’s like you’re invisible Luna.” Aspen said with a small smile.

Megan was still frozen, unsure of what to do or how to respond.

“I just want to talk, Meg. Please.” Aspen pleaded.

“Oh look! A little cub!” One of the women pointed. The cub ran to Megan’s feet.

“Why is there a stray on castle grounds!” Brianna asked, turning around to find one of the guards.

Megan was thankful for the distraction. She bent down and picked up the cub, “he’s not a stray.” She said and smiled.

“You came to rescue me, didn’t you?” She whispered in the cub’s ear and it licked her hand.

“Your highness! It could have some sort of disease!” Rosetta gasped.

“Going to make me sick, baby?” She cooed at the cub, Aspen took the hint and walked away.

“Thank goodness.” Brianna said.

“Your highness?” Rosetta asked. “Yes?” Megan turned to her.

“Is she the Alpha’s new mistress?” She asked. Megan gave a small smile.

“Let’s discuss this when I’m inside. In the meantime, could you help me sneak in this cute thing? I’d hate our visitors thinking we let strays roam our castle.” Megan said, handing over the cub to Brianna.

“So you admit it is a stray.” Rosetta said in a flat tone. Megan laughed.

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say it’s timing was a little too perfect. Please bring it to my quarters.” She said.

“It is a boy, your highness.” Brianna said.

“How do you know?” Megan asked.

“I took anthropology classes as a little girl, Luna. Your little friend here is a male wolf, a tiny one. Probably congenitally malformed with how tiny he is. Poor little guy.” Brianna said.

“I’ll take him to your room now.” She said and departed. Leaving Megan and Rosetta along with the rest of the entourage who always stood three feet behind them.

Richardson confirmed the pregnancy of Aspen later that week and had her signed as his official concubine. He however gave reassurance to the press that he was not going to marry her as that will greatly affect the relationship between the Brighton family and the Jared family.

As soon as the news broke, Megan’s parents reached out to her and invited her home. It was going to be her first visit home in over six months and she hated that the reason was because of the status of her marriage.

“How could he do that to you!” Megan’s elder brother Ryan said. Ryan had always been the easily agitated type and was known particularly for his temper. He was especially upset that day.

“Honey, you look pale.” Her mom said, touching her cheek.

“I’m fine, mom.” Megan said, forcing a smile.

“You don’t have to act all tough around us. I know how you must be feeling. Any wife would feel that way.” Her mom said.

“I understand his reasoning for it but did it have to be Aspen?” Her dad finally spoke.

“I never liked the Bridgets.” Ryan said, referring to Aspen’s family.

“I’m still the queen.” Megan said, “she’s only a concubine. Only ever will be a concubine. That won’t change.” She added.

“Right.” Her parents chorused. Richardson would not break the ties the Jared’s and the Brighton’s have had all these years. 

————

Aspen had been living in the castle for three months, much to Megan’s discomfort. She did her best to avoid Richardson and Aspen  all together, focusing on her official duties as Luna. Although her personal life was a mess and she was losing face among members of the pack, it was the one thing that kept her sane.

She was having dinner alone as usual, forking her steak, her routine before taking a bite.

Richardson walked into the dining hall, taking Megan and the servants present by surprise but Megan didn’t show any emotion. He had been spending all his time with Aspen since she arrived at the castle so she had not seen much of him, not that it bothered her anymore. There was nothing Richardson could do that could break her heart past the point it already was at.

“Aspen isn’t getting much respect around here.” He started. Megan continued eating her dinner, not looking up from her plate.

“Since she’s pregnant with my baby, I will not like my child, the future ruler of our pack, to share that same fate; not being held in high regard.” Megan said nothing.

“So, you should relinquish your position as my wife and Luna.” Megan stopped chewing.

“Only until Aspen gives birth. That way, my child will not be seen as illegitimate.” Richardson stopped talking.

“Megan?” He asked. She had been silent since he joined her at the table.

“How nice of you to run your decision by me first.” She started. “Although, knowing you, you’re not asking. You’re telling me what you want me to do.” She said, trying her best to mask the hurt.

“You have to understand, Megan. This child is the future ruler of our pack! Our kingdom! You know how important this is.” Richardson said.

“So important you had to sleep with my best friend. Tell me, Richardson, I’ve been dying to know.” She started. “How long were you fucking her?” 

He didn’t respond and Megan smiled.

“It’s a temporary divorce, Megan. I’ll remarry you and you will adopt the cub.” Richardson said and Megan laughed heartily.

“I’m sick of this.” She said.

“What?” Richardson asked.

“Nothing. Goodnight.” She said and got up, adjusting her gown.

“We will see the priest tomorrow concerning our divorce. It should take about another month to get the preparations completed.” He said. “It’s for our pack.” He added before she shut the door.

Megan walked back to her quarters with her head held high. She knew it was only a matter of time before the servants in the dining hall spread the news. 

She got to her quarters and requested a bath. 

“Okay, Luna.” Rosetta answered and rushed to the bathroom. She wondered how long it would take until Rosetta and Brianna no longer showed her any respect as they were one of the few people in the castle who didn’t gossip whenever she walked by them.

Megan soaked in her bath for up to an hour, resting her head at the edge of the tub. Surprisingly, she did not feel like crying. She didn’t actually think that Richardson would ever ask for a divorce. Well, she didn’t think he’d get Aspen pregnant also.

Her life was about to change, more than it already had. The life she was trained to live ever since she could talk and walk. Richardson was going to have to pay for treating her this way.

In the Western Empire

“Your majesty! That was reckless.” Brian reprimanded Rhode the instant he walked into his office.

“I know. I know.” Rhode said, rustling his hair. “She just looked like she needed someone to rescue her.” He added.

“The queen of the Eastern kingdom and might I add, Luna does not need rescuing. You have been straying away from course, your majesty. We will not get any intel if you spend time in Richardson’s wife’s arms.” Brian said.

“But I did get valuable information today. Richardson plans to divorce his Luna.” Rhode said curtly. 

“How is his marital drama valuable information?” Brian asked.

“I could remarry her.” Brian bursts out laughing.

“Your majesty, I must apologize but in the event of Richardson divorcing his wife, which I must say will have to be the dumbest decision he has ever made. Why will she choose to remarry?” Brian asked.

“The queen was basically groomed to be Luna. Her entire world revolves around her clan and her alpha. I find it hard to believe she would ever leave the castle. Plus, she knows too much for Richardson to let her leave the kingdom.”

What Brian didn’t know was that Megan had been confiding in Rhode, thinking he was just a mere cub. Rhode believed he had enough leverage to seek the queen’s hand in the event of a divorce.

“Divorces usually take at least a month to process and that’s if it’s amicable. I can try.” Rhode said.

“I ask again, what makes you think she would say yes.” Brian asked Rhode. “I meant even if she were to remarry, do you think she would want another political marriage?”

“She would if she wanted to take revenge on her pack.” Rhode said

“So that’s your angle.” Brian said, “Perhaps all your time spent in that ridiculously cute form was not wasted afterall.” 

“The queen is noted to be a tough nut to crack, your majesty. People say she has a permanent poker face.” Brian said which made Rhode laugh. He had seen a side of her he was sure not even Richardson knew and he knew she wasn’t such a tough nut as she portrayed herself to be in the general public. He could try to appeal to that side of her.

He was going to use her hurt to get her to be his bride and together they would take down the Jared clan once and for all.

“Prepare an official request to visit the Eastern kingdom again. We have a queen to woo.” Rhode said and left his office.

Rhode spent the night thinking about Megan Brighton. The queen and Luna of the Jared pack who had served her people diligently for five years. Who was about to be cast aside by a man who did not see her worth.

Something about that made Rhode red with anger and he wasn’t sure why he was that affected by Megan’s situation. He just knew he had to convince her to be his bride, she was the key to the downfall of her pack.