Chapter 5

Ayla Korr

I didn’t apologize.

It was the first time in two years that I looked at Darian and simply refused to do what he told me.

Obviously, he didn’t like it, and in the end, Vesper still got to keep my dress.

And me? I got my bedroom door locked from the outside.

No dinner.

No permission to leave until the next morning.

According to Darian, a few hours alone would be enough for me to remember how a Luna was supposed to behave.

I spent the entire night awake.

Not because I was hungry.

But because every time I closed my eyes, I heard his voice again.

You were given to me.

You should be grateful.

She is carrying the heir you should have given me.

When morning finally came, I no longer knew whether I wanted to cry or break something.

Maybe both.

The doorknob turned when I tried it.

Unlocked.

How generous.

I left the room and found the hallway empty.

For a few seconds, I enjoyed the silence.

Then I heard voices coming from the staircase.

“...they said she made Miss Hale cry.”

“Pregnant like that.”

“Over a dress.”

I stopped.

Two maids were downstairs.

They couldn’t see me from where they were.

“I always thought it was strange,” one of them continued. “Married to the Alpha for two years and nothing.”

“Maybe she’s jealous.”

“I’d be ashamed.”

I took a few steps, my hand tightening around the banister.

The other one let out a little laugh.

“Miss Hale, at least, is giving this house a future.”

I went down one step.

One of them finally saw me.

The conversation died.

Both of them went pale.

I stopped in front of them.

“Good morning.”

“Luna.”

Neither of them held my gaze.

They simply walked past me.

Behind me, the silence lasted until they turned the corner.

Then I heard the first whisper.

I only sighed tiredly and kept going.

In the dining room, the table was empty.

No tray or coffee.

No maid waiting.

I stood there for a few seconds.

Normally, even when Darian didn’t have breakfast with me, someone left everything prepared.

I rang the bell on the table.

Waited.

Nothing.

I rang it again.

A maid appeared almost two minutes later.

“Luna?”

“My breakfast.”

She looked at the table as if she had only just realized it was empty.

“I thought you weren’t going to eat.”

“Why?”

A brief silence.

“Since you didn’t have dinner yesterday...”

I stared at her.

“So you decided I didn’t need to eat today either?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Bring me something.”

She nodded.

“Yes, Luna.”

There was no apology, much less any hurry on her part.

I sat down.

Ten minutes later, I was given cold bread, cheese, and lukewarm tea.

I looked at the plate.

Yesterday, that would have made me feel small.

That morning, it only made me even more tired.

I took two bites and gave up.

Maybe it would pass.

That was what I told myself.

Vesper had only been pregnant for a few weeks. The novelty would wear off. The servants would find something else to talk about. Darian would return to his own obligations.

Maybe.

I just needed to survive the next few days.

I left the room and thought about getting a sweater so I could go to the gardens.

It was the only place on that estate where I had never felt the need to ask permission to breathe.

No one went there.

My family wasn’t there.

Darian rarely went there.

The flowers didn’t know my wolf was weak.

That was enough.

I went to my room, and when I came out, I headed toward the stairs. I could already see the glass doors leading to the garden downstairs when I heard:

“Ayla.”

I closed my eyes.

Please.

Not today.

Vesper was near the grand central staircase.

She was wearing white.

At least it wasn’t my dress.

I walked past her.

“Ayla, wait.”

I kept walking.

She grabbed my arm tightly.

I stopped immediately.

I looked first at her hand.

Then at her face.

“Let go of me.”

Vesper removed her hand.

“I just wanted to talk.”

“But I don’t.”

“About yesterday.”

“Especially about yesterday.”

I tried to walk past her.

She stepped in front of me.

I took a deep breath.

“Vesper.”

“I’ve been feeling really bad.”

I almost rolled my eyes.

“I’m sure.”

“It didn’t have to end that way.”

I looked around.

I noticed something strange.

The hallway was empty.

No servants.

No voices.

Nothing.

That house was rarely completely empty at that hour.

My gaze returned to her.

Vesper smiled, and I understood.

“Where is everyone?”

“Everyone who?”

“The servants.”

“Working, I imagine.”

Of course.

I looked at the staircase beside her.

Then back at the hallway.

A bad feeling crawled over the back of my neck.

“I really need to go.”

I took a step.

She followed.

“You should listen to me.”

“I don’t owe you anything.”

Her smile widened.

“Technically, you do.”

I went still and turned around.

“What?”

“According to your own husband, you should be grateful.”

I didn’t answer.

She moved a little closer.

“It must have been difficult hearing all of that in front of the servants.”

My jaw tightened.

I stared at her face.

So this was it, this was her true face.

No tears.

No trembling voice or pitiful expression.

The real Vesper.