Chapter 2

I picked the pieces left of my clothes, and fled to my room. I locked myself up in bathroom, scrubbing and washing myself up as I cried until sunrise.

The next day, just like I expected, Jackson didn't remember. He walked past me in the hallway without a second glance, discussing pack business with his father. I was relieved and devastated at the same time.

Nine weeks later, I realized I had missed my cycle. Two times in a row. I immediately feared the worst.

“No. No, no, no.” I muttered as I rushed to buy a pregnancy test kit from the pack doctor, paying with money I had saved for my family. 

My hands shook as I watched the positive result appear.

"What am I going to do?" I whispered to my reflection.

I tried to hide it. I wore looser clothes, and avoided the other servants. But the Alpha had eyes everywhere, and I was sure that some of the servants who hated the fact that I was assigned to tend to Jackson had let the cat out of the bag. 

Three months into my pregnancy, he summoned me to his office.

My father was already there, his face pale, and quite disappointed.

“What could be happening?” I thought to myself. “This isn't good.”

The expression on my father's face said a million and one things without him saying anything yet. I knew he must have heard something he never expected.

"You're pregnant," the Alpha said as soon as I walked in, and it wasn't a question.

I was taken aback. I couldn't speak, neither could I breathe.

"Who's the father?" my father demanded. "Elena, please tell me—"

"It's Jackson's, isn't it?" the Alpha interrupted calmly. 

He didn't even allow me to respond before he continued, "Don't even bother denying it. The doctor confirmed the timeline. He also informed me that you bought a pregnancy test strip weeks ago.”

He continued, “You probably don't know that I've been getting updates about you since you arrived here at the palace mansion, and I've been told that you've been more sluggish lately, and different than when you just arrived here. Everything I have just mentioned only solidifies the fact that you're pregnant for Jackson since you've only been working in his chambers since you got to the palace."

I immediately fell to my face. “I'm sorry, Alpha. Please forgive me. He came back drunk that night. I tried to fight back, but he was too strong for me.” I wept bitterly.

My father couldn't believe his ears. He couldn't believe that his dearest daughter was taken advantage of while working to pay up a debt.

"Wait, he forced her?" He angrily lunged forward, but the palace guards held him back. "Your son raped my daughter!"

"Be careful with your accusations," the Alpha warned, sternly. "You heard her. Jackson was drunk. He doesn't remember the incident. But the child is his, and that creates... complications."

"Complications?" I lifted my head, finally finding my voice amidst sobs. "Alpha, I'm pregnant for Jackson and you call it complications?"

"My son cannot have a bastard child!" the Alpha roared coldly. "It would damage his reputation, and weaken his claim to the Alpha position. There's only one solution."

My father's eyes widened with horror. "No. You can't mean—"

"He'll marry her." The Alpha announced sharply, and the room immediately went silent.

"What?!" I gasped, breaking the lingering silence.

"A marriage will legitimize the child. It's not ideal, but it's better than the alternative." He said casually, like someone who was reading from a news.

He then turned to me, his expression hard, "You'll become Jackson's wife. You'll bear his child. And you'll never speak of how this pregnancy came to be. As far as anyone knows, you and Jackson have been secretly courting."

"He won't agree to this," I said. "He loves Sophia."

He raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair, "Sophia will be taken care of. Jackson will do as he is told. It's his mess, he MUST clean it up." 

He then suddenly leaned forward, "Unless you'd prefer I demand your family's debt to be paid immediately? I'm sure they'd be homeless before nightfall."

He had me trapped, and he knew it.

"I'll do it," I whispered, my heart breaking as I spoke. "I'll marry him."

“Good. The wedding will hold by the end of the week.” The Alpha announced again, throwing us into shock.

“That soon?” My father was taken by surprise.

His expression turned cold. “Yes. You're lucky I'm not asking them to get married tonight.” 

Father shook his head slowly and I knew what it meant. He was regretting everything he'd had to put me through for his lack.

The wedding was small, and obviously rushed. Jackson stood beside me in the pack’s court, his jaw clenched, and his eyes cold. He didn't look at me once during the ceremony. When the pack elder pronounced us husband and wife, Jackson's kiss was brief and completely emotionless.

What was I even expecting?

Then to make matters worse than it already was, something unexpected happened. That night, Sophia packed up and left the pack. She couldn't stand to see the love of her life married to someone else. 

At midnight, Jackson arrived back in our quarters after he had chased Sophia down that night, hoping to convince her not to leave him, but his efforts were futile. She was already gone. Her mind was made up.

And trust Jackson to make sure I knew it was all my fault.

"Are you happy now?" he hissed as I stood in our new shared quarters. "You've ruined everything. My life, my future, and my chance at happiness."

"I didn't want this either," I tried to explain.

"Didn't you?" His eyes burned with hatred. "A poor little maid who suddenly becomes Luna? Sounds like a fairy tale to me."

"Your father forced this—"

"You trapped me with this pregnancy!" He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. "Was that your plan all along? Get pregnant and force me to marry you?"

"You don't remember that night, do you?" Tears streamed down my face. "I said no. I begged you to stop. But you were too drunk to care."

For a moment, I thought I saw what looked like guilt in his eyes, but it vanished quickly.

"Get out of my sight," he said coldly. "Sleep in the other bedroom. I don't want to look at you."

That was FIVE YEARS AGO.

Now I stood in our home, watching our son sleep, wondering how everything had gone so wrong.

My phone buzzed. A text from Jackson: "I'm taking Sophia and Lily to dinner. Make sure Jake doesn't wait up."