Chapter Two: You are barren

 Lenora

 I was still lost in my thoughts when a knock came. My heart sank thinking that it might be Axel, returning to demand my presence at the ceremony. I opened the door and I was shocked to see my step mother and Melissa. 

 Anger washed over me as I glared at their faces. Matilda knew that her daughter was having an affair with my mate and she didn't scold her. Why was I even surprised? That was what she did to my mother. She was once my mother's best friend.

 My late mother was my father's mate, but he cheated on her with Matilda. My mother who couldn't bear the news about her mate's betrayal, committed suicide. 

 My father blamed himself for his beloved mate's death. He couldn't live with the fact that he made my mother lose her life. Thus he killed himself too. I was only eight years old at the time and I was made to live with Matilda. 

 Those times of my life were the worst. At some point, I wanted to leave, but I couldn't. I had nowhere to stay. Thus I just stayed in the house, counting the days until my eighteenth birthday. 

 Matilda's smile was thin and tight. “We just came to check on you,”

 “I know how you are feeling. The news of my daughter's pregnancy must be hard for you to handle….”

  “This is betrayal,” I spat out. How could my step sister have slept with my husband? How could she do this to me?

 “You should even be happy that I volunteered to save your sorry ass. You can never give your husband an heir. You are barren and you will always be,” Melissa said, a smirk playing on her lips. Not just her. Her mother too.

  The words stung as it hit me like a ton of bricks. My hands flew to my chest, as if I could physically push the pain away, but who was I fooling?

 “How dare you rub it on my face?” I whispered, my breath shaking.

 Matilda shrugged, a satisfied smirk on her face. “It's nothing but the truth. Your mate deserves someone who can give him a heir and too bad it's not your barren ass,”

 I stood there, feeling the weight of her words crushing down on me. How could she say those words to me? 

 “It's not my fault that I am barren.” I said through gritted teeth.

 “Cut the crap sister,” Melissa hissed, her voice laced with mockery.

 “The least you could do now is to come celebrate with your sister. She is not the one behind your barrenness,” Matilda spoke up again. It was obvious that they were trying to get on my nerves and boy, it was working.

 “Step sister. She is not my sister. If you want to say it, say it right “ I said through gritted teeth and the two of them burst into laughter.

 “It doesn't change anything, does it?”

 “Of course not, mother. She will forever remain barren,”

 “I can't celebrate such betrayal. I cannot pretend to be happy when I am not,”

 Melissa rolled her eyes. “Well, that's too bad, because you are meant to be happy that I am helping you out by giving your husband what he wants. Who knows by the time I deliver, I'll be made Luna,”

 I felt a surge of anger and I took a step forward. Before I could stop myself, I raised my hands, ready to hit her, but instead I felt a tingling sensation on my face.

 “Don't you dare try to raise those hands on my daughter ever again,” Matilda thundered angrily, while her daughter stood in front of me with a wicked smile on her face.

 I bared my teeth and growled, my eyes locked into hers. I could feel my wolf stirring within me, eager to lunge at them and put them in their place. No matter what, I am still their Luna and I deserve their respect.

 Melissa's smile only broadened as she continued to mock me.

 “We both know that you are the weakest in our pack, just like your wretched mother. Show us what you've got,” 

 “Keep my mother out of your filthy mouth,” I warned, but she rolled her eyes. 

 “Your mother is wretched and you are just like her,” Melissa added. I couldn't take it anymore. With a loud growl, I charged at her, my claws elongated and my teeth gritted, but Matilda was too fast for me. She dragged her daughter out of the way, laughing wickedly as I stumbled and fell on the floor. I hissed and tried to stand up, but I felt a foot on my back, preventing me from getting up.

 “We will always be ahead of you, just like my mother was ahead of your mother,” Melissa chuckled, her face inches away from mine, her hot breath against my face.

 The two of them burst into laughter, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. It was a malicious laugh, one that made me feel insignificant.

 The two of them turned to leave, but not before throwing one last hurtful word my way.

 “You are just jealous, Lenora, because you can never give your husband what he wants,” Matilda said, a smirk on her face.

 “You'll always be Luna without an heir while my daughter provides an heir for him. You are barren. Pathetic”

 As soon as they left, I burst into tears. I didn't even try to get up from the floor. I was too weak to do that. I can't believe this turn of events. My mate and my step sister have been having an affair behind my back. How long has this been going on?

 Goodness! This is too much for me to bear. I was still on the floor when a knock sounded on my door. When I didn't answer, the knock came again.

 Gathering enough strength, I rose up from the floor, wiped my tears and went to get the door. It was my personal maid - Laura. I walked away from the door and she got in, while closing the door behind her. 

 “Oh Luna” she whispered as she wrapped her arms around me. She was a woman in her early fifties and ever since I came to this pack, we have been best friends. Now in her arms, I cried like never before. She didn't say anything to me. All she did was to pat my back and comfort me while I cried in her arms.

  After a while, I pulled away from the hug and she helped me to wipe my tears. 

 “I overheard the young maids talking about Mistress Melissa's pregnancy and I came to confirm it,” she said. I didn't even need to say anything before she knew that the news was true. She needed no soothsayer to tell her. The way I was crying was proof enough.

 “I'm so sorry, Luna,” she whispered as she wrapped her arms around me again and I just nodded. I don't even have any strength to talk anymore. All I just wanted to do was to get over with the ceremony and return back to my room.