Knotting His Rejected Breeder

FIVE MONTHS LATER

SONIA’S POV

I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my bedroom, the late afternoon light filtering through the sheer curtains and casting a warm glow across my skin.

My clothes lay discarded on the chair beside me, and for a long moment, I simply stared at my naked body. A slow smile tugged at the corners of my lips, then spread until my cheeks ached with it.

A soft giggle escaped me before I could stop it. The movement was equal parts ticklish and uncomfortable, a deep ache radiating through my lower back and hips that made me shift my weight from one foot to the other.

But the discomfort never lasted long enough to dim the joy bubbling up inside me. Ivy had warned me weeks ago that this baby felt unusually big, and judging by how heavy and full I carried, she was probably right.

Still, none of that mattered. I was healthy. The baby was active and strong. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I was genuinely happy.

Then the knock came, sharp and unexpected against the quiet of the room.

I paused mid-motion, the fabric halfway down, and frowned at my reflection. Who could that be? I wasn’t expecting any visitors, and the servants had mentioned they’d be off handling errands in the outer buildings until evening. The main house was supposed to be peaceful and empty.

"It’s me. It’s Ivy!" came the familiar voice from the other side of the door.

Relief washed over me. I quickly yanked the gown the rest of the way down, smoothing it over my hips and belly, then padded barefoot across the cool wooden floor. I turned the lock and opened the door with a genuine smile.

Ivy stepped inside, her brow already furrowed with concern as she glanced past me into the room. "Are you okay? Why did you lock your door?"

"I just wanted a little time to myself," I said, closing the door behind her. "Besides, the servants said they wouldn’t be back until evening. I figured it was safe to have a quiet moment."

"Oh," she replied, her expression softening into a warm smile. She carried a small bag that she set down on the edge of the bed before hurrying over to sit on the mattress, patting the space beside her. "Look what I got you."

With a flourish, she pulled out a beautifully knitted shawl. My breath caught as I took it from her hands. It was white with delicate lilac and pink floral patterns woven through it, impossibly soft against my fingertips. I ran my thumb over the intricate stitching, feeling the careful craftsmanship in every loop.

"Oh my, Ivy! It’s beautiful!" I breathed, holding it up to the light to see the subtle way the colors shifted.

"Jenner made it," Ivy said proudly. "I told her it was for a very special friend, and she lit up. She couldn’t wait to finish it."

"It really is perfect." I brought the shawl closer, pressing the soft wool to my lips in a gentle kiss before hugging it against my chest. The faint scent of lavender lingered on the fabric. "See that, baby?" I murmured, glancing down at my belly. "Your Aunt Ivy brought this just for you."

Ivy laughed softly and rose to her feet. She crossed the short distance between us, bending low so her cheek brushed near my stomach. "And how’s my favorite baby doing today?" she cooed.

Almost on cue, another firm kick answered her. We both burst into giggles at the same time, the sound filling the room and easing some of the lingering tension in my shoulders.

"So, what’s been going on with you?" she asked as we settled together on the bed, the mattress dipping under our combined weight.

"I’m okay," I said, carefully folding the shawl and tucking it back into the bag. "It’s been a peaceful week. Jed stopped by a few days ago. We had a nice, quiet visit."

Ivy nodded, but then her expression grew more serious. "Still no sign of hesitation from your father?"

"No." I shook my head, a small sigh escaping. "He’s still not in any hurry to find me. It’s strange, isn’t it? He was so insistent that I marry Liam, pushing it no matter what I wanted. And now I’ve been gone five whole months, and... nothing. Don’t you think that’s weird?"

For the briefest moment, something flickered across Ivy’s eyes, hesitation, maybe guilt. I blinked, and it was gone, but the image stuck with me.

"Ivy, is there something you need to tell me?"

She hesitated, then shook her head. "No. Nothing about your father, at least. But it looks like Lorena will be having an early birth."

I frowned, rolling my eyes before I could catch myself. "Good for her, I guess."

"What’s that look for?" Ivy lifted an eyebrow.

"Nothing," I muttered, though the words tasted bitter. "I just know your brother is probably ecstatic about it."

"I thought you told me not to mention him around you?"

"Yeah, I did." I managed a small, tired smile. "And I know it’s been killing you to hold back for the last five months. I’m glad you respected that."

"But now you’re the one bringing him up," she pointed out gently. "Why?"

"Well, he’s going to be a father soon, isn’t he?"

"Lorena’s child isn’t his," Ivy countered firmly.

"So you believe. He neither knows nor believes that."

"I never said he didn’t know. You just assumed, because you forbade me from talking about him."

Her words sank in slowly. I was in the middle of shrugging them off when they hit me fully. "Wait, what? He knows?!"

"Yeah, he does." Ivy’s voice was steady. "He found out five months ago. He’s been quiet about it, just watching her make a fool of herself thinking she’s fooling him. He says he’s going to take her to the real father of the child himself when she’s due."

"Wow." I sat back, processing. "Does he know who the father is too?"

"Yep."

"How did he find out? And who is it?"

Ivy gave me a long look. "You’re asking an awful lot of questions for someone who swore off Bloodmoon. Are you sure you don’t want to come back now that you know there’s nothing tying Ramon and Lorena together?"

I scoffed and pushed myself up from the bed, the movement a little awkward with the weight of my belly. Grabbing the bag with the shawl, I walked over to the closet and placed it carefully inside. "Nice try, Ivy. I already told you I’m never going back to him. He was going to kill me after he got his revenge on my father."

"Wait, is that the reason for your anger toward him?" she asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

I turned to face her, disappointment settling heavy in my chest at how easily she seemed to brush it aside. "Isn’t that enough? If what Moon said was true, then Lorena tried to kill me too. And he took her side, like he always did. If he hadn’t found out about the baby, he probably would have made her his Luna by now."

"Sonia, I think you’ve been hoodwinked," Ivy said softly. "I wish I’d known this was why you were so angry with him all this time. It’s all a mistake."

"You see? This is exactly why I didn’t want to discuss your brother with you. You’ll naturally defend him." I felt my frustration rising. "Let’s just change the topic, please. I don’t want us to argue."

Ivy stood and walked over to me, her movements careful. "Hey, I really need you to tell me what you saw that made you think Ramon chose Lorena over you. Because from what I remember, he nearly lost his mind when he found out you were no longer in the pack. He went looking for you himself because he missed seeing your face. My brother has his faults—his ego is a big one—but when it comes to you, he’s weak. You’re his weakness."

"Oh please!" The words burst out sharper than I intended. "I saw the letter. The one where he basically said I was nothing to him."

"What letter?"

"Stop defending him!" My voice rose in anger, echoing off the walls. The moment it left my mouth, regret flooded in.

Ivy stepped back, and I immediately felt awful. "I’m sorry, Ivy. I didn’t mean to scream. I just... I don’t want to talk about your brother anymore. I’m really sorry."

"It’s alright," she said quietly, though the hurt lingered in her eyes as she returned to the bed.

I knew it wasn’t really alright. An awkward silence stretched between us, thick and uncomfortable. I turned away, needing air, needing space to think through everything she’d just dropped on me.