The Luna You Betrayed Is No Longer Yours

_Alaric’s POV_

When I brought Rowena back to the Ebonmoon pack, I invited the pack’s doctor. Of course after a series of checks to make sure it was safe because I wasn’t going to risk my woman and baby’s life again.

The doctor said the poison was almost gone, said the baby was strong, said Rowena needed rest and nothing else.

I heard every word, but none of it felt real. I kept standing in the corner of the room watching her sleep, and my mind kept saying the same thing over and over.

She’s pregnant, she’s carrying my child.

I should have been happy, part of me was. But another part of me was angry, and scared, and I didn’t know what to do with any of it. I almost lost her tonight, I had almost lost both of them, and I hadn’t even known there were two.

She woke up an hour later, I was in the chair beside her bed, and she turned her head and looked at me for a long moment.

"You didn’t leave," she said, her face calm.

"I told you I wouldn’t."

She tried to sit up, I helped her slowly, and put a pillow behind her back. My hands weren’t as steady as I wanted them to be.

"Rowena," I called out. "I need to ask you something. And I need you to know I’m not angry."

"You sound angry." She said with an amused expression.

"I’m not angry at you." I took a breath. "Why didn’t you tell me?"

She looked down at her hands, for a second I thought she wouldn’t answer. Then she started talking quietly at first.

"I found out a few days ago. I was so happy, Alaric. I wanted to run to you right away. But because of Brielle’s fake pregnancy, I paused.”

My jaw tightened but I didn’t say anything.

"The elders were already pushing the marriage, they wanted an heir from her. They kept saying the pack needed a strong bloodline and that Brielle was carrying it. Every day they got louder." She sighed. "What would they have done if they found out I was pregnant too? They would have said I was lying, or trying to steal her place. Or worse, they would have wanted to control my baby."

"They wouldn’t have touched you." I frowned.

"You weren’t in every room, Alaric. You couldn’t stop everything." She wasn’t accusing me but just telling me the truth. "And if Brielle knew, I didn’t know what she would do. I didn’t know who I could trust. So I decided to hide it until I was sure it was safe."

"You carried this whole thing alone." I felt horrible.

"I thought it was the only way to protect him." She stopped, then gave a small, tired laugh. "Her. Him. I don’t even know why I keep saying him. I just feel it."

I looked at her, at the woman who had walked through a forest bleeding and poisoned while hiding the biggest secret of her life, and something inside me started to move.

"I should have seen it," I said. "I should have known something was wrong with you. You were tired, and sick, and I didn’t ask enough questions."

"You had so much on you."

"That’s not an excuse." I ran a hand through my hair.

She reached out and took my hand, it was warm. "I hid it, that was my choice. Please don’t blame yourself for something I decided."

I couldn’t answer, my throat was too tight. I looked down at her hand in mine, and then slowly but carefully, I lifted my other hand and asked with my eyes if I could.

She nodded.

I placed my palm over her flat stomach.

For a second, there was nothing. Just the blanket and her. Then I felt it, it wasn’t a kick because it was too early for that. It was something else, a small pull that reached straight into my chest, like a thread tied between us that I hadn’t known was there.

Then I understood, this entire thing was real. There was a life under my hand, my child. Someone who would call me Dad. Someone who would look at me the way I used to look at my own father, and I would have to be worth it.

My eyes burned, I tried to keep it in, the way I always did, but I couldn’t. A tear slipped down my face and I didn’t bother to wipe it away.

"Alaric," Rowena called out.

"I’m okay." My voice cracked and I looked away. "I’m just... I didn’t know I could feel like this."

She put her hand over mine, neither of us said anything for a long time.

When I finally stood up, my chest felt free and happiness blossomed.

"Rest," I told her. "I have somewhere to be."

"Where are you going?"

"To finish something."

The elders were already waiting in the meeting hall when I walked in. Six of them, sitting in their usual places, looking at me like nothing had happened.

"Alpha King," the eldest called out and bowed. "We heard about the incident, we are relieved Marchioness Asthorne is alive. But we must discuss the ceremony. The date is only two weeks away and—"

"There will be no ceremony," I groaned.

The room went silent.

"Alpha?"

"I’m not marrying Brielle. The wedding is cancelled." I looked at each of them. "She was never pregnant. It was a lie, and I believe every one of you knew there was a chance it was."

"That’s a serious accusation," the eldest said immediately.

"It’s not an accusation. It’s a decision." I put my hands on the table and leaned forward. "I want Brielle found and brought to court. If she runs, bring her by force. She will answer every question about that lie, who helped her, and who profited from it."

No one spoke and they all nodded.

"And when the questions are done," I said, "we will talk about which of you pushed this marriage so hard, and why."

I turned and walked out before any of them could answer. The only person on my mind was the mother of my unborn child, I wanted to remain by Rowena’s side forever.