Reclaiming The Luna's Affection

Chapter 16: Loveless Affection

Aurora’s POV

I could hear the gate opening wide and the rust filling up my nostrils.

I didn’t wait for anyone to open the door—I shoved it with my own hands, letting it swing back with a bang that startled the guards flanking the entryway.

Behind me, I could hear him.

“Aurora! Don’t you dare walk away from me!”

His voice was sharp, echoing behind me like a curse I could never escape. But I didn’t turn. I didn’t flinch. My fingers were trembling, but I didn’t let them see.

“What the hell were you doing in Cayden’s infirmary?!” he shouted again, storming in after me like a tempest.

I still didn’t speak.

I didn’t owe him an answer.

He’s the man who left me to grieve alone. The man who paraded a woman through my home, let her sit on my throne, sleep in my sheets, and now dared to act like I had done something wrong?

I walked faster, heading toward the grand hallway, where the chandeliers sparkled above and the staff lined the walls like statues—watching.

All of them were watching.

Alexander’s footsteps were louder now, catching up.

“Answer me, damn it!”

And still—I didn’t speak.

I didn’t even blink in his direction. The only sound that filled the room was my breathing, and his ragged rage chasing behind.

That was until I reached the foot of the stairs.

“Do you know how humiliating it is,” he growled, “to see my own wife walking around with another man?!”

That was it.

I turned.

My voice was fierce, cold, trembling with the restraint I no longer had the strength to keep.

“Do you know how humiliating it is,” I began, each word like ice, “to be replaced by a woman you barely knew and worse, to be denied in front of your own family?”

His jaw clenched. His eyes flared.

“You were never replaced…”

I stepped closer.

“Then what do you call the empty space in our bed? The stolen chair in the dining hall? The silence between us?”

He stared at me, speechless for once.

And then—

“I was protecting her!” he shouted, grasping for a reason that wouldn’t sound like betrayal. “Nova is an omega—fragile. She needed help!”

“And I needed a husband!” I snapped, my voice finally breaking through the house. “Not a coward who hides behind pity while letting another woman take what’s mine!”

The staff turned their gazes. Maids. Guards. Advisors. All of them. Frozen in place.

And as if fate herself wanted to play one last joke on me—

“Enough! Please!”

Nova’s voice.

She came running down the stairs in her usual pale-blue gown, tears already forming in her wide, innocent eyes. Her golden curls bounced as she rushed between us like the scene was hers to steal.

“Please stop fighting…” she whispered, looking directly at Alexander, as if I were merely air beside her. “I can’t stand seeing you so stressed…”

Then—she turned to me.

“I didn’t mean to take anything from you,” she said, her voice trembling like leaves in a storm. “But what would you call a woman sneaking off into another man’s home while her own husband was working?”

The world paused.

The air froze.

And then—I laughed. A sharp, humorless sound that cut through the stillness like glass shattering.

“Oh, I see,” I said, stepping forward, looking her in the eyes. “So now I’m the scandal?”

Nova flinched but stood her ground.

“Just because you play the fragile card, Nova, doesn’t mean I’ll let you rewrite the truth.”

Alexander grabbed my arm. “Stop this—”

“No!” I pulled free. “She wants a show? Then let’s give her one.”

I looked around, raising my voice so that every soul in the mansion could hear.

“I may have gone to Cayden’s infirmary. But not because I needed comfort or affection,” I said, loud and clear. “I went there because for once—just once—I wanted to feel like someone cared if I lived or died.”

Alexander’s face paled. His lips parted.

And Nova?

Nova clung to him, crying.

But I was done crying.

I looked at the both of them—him clinging to guilt, her clinging to a role.

And then I said it.

“You were the one committing treason and yet, for the one second I wanted to feel like I am seen, you are acting like it was a sin.” I could not control my voice from shaking and breaking from the pain and the hatred that was growing in my chest.

“When I married you, I thought my whole life would finally be fine. I am where I should be… the same thing for you.”

I could no longer help the thoughts from escaping my mind. Even though people were looking at me, I cannot ignore the fact that all my buttons have been pressed and there is no way I can hide all the feelings I have inside my chest.

I feel like I was exploding. I feel like my whole chest was about to create a huge mess.

My thoughts… it was scattered everywhere. It was as if there were two worlds colliding inside my head and my ears are hearing voices I am not supposed to hear.

“Alexander, you hurt me.” The silky sheets of my dress have been crumpled in a way that it spoke everything about how I felt.

“From the moment we spent our first night together, you made me feel like a pig that should carry your child in my womb. You made this marriage feel like a prison that I cannot escape from, but have you heard anything from me?”

His eyes remained darted in front of me. I know he doesn’t mind cutting off, but he listened anyway. Saved for the stares of the people who were deeply invested.

“I was raised to be your wife, I’ve known it from the moment I was able to require a sense of understanding to what is happening around me.”

I could see Nova still crying, clinging to him. As if those tears would create a perfectly fine well for me where I could drown myself and no one will hear me beg for the help I desperately need.

My eyes stared straight into his eyes as the words escaped my mouth, “I know I was born to love you… I was even created so the alpha will have the perfect Luna and his standing will not be moved.”

“I built the pillars of this home brick by brick, have you ever heard me complaining? I made sure I will never embarrass you in the crowd, I showed up when you needed something to boast about! That’s all I ever was to you, wasn’t I?” There was a lump in my throat and my eyes were burning.

“And yet, despite constantly reminding myself to be perfect so you will not leave me, what did you do?”

I waited for him to respond but all I saw was how he tightened his grip on Nova’s hands. As if he was waiting for my words while comforting her.

“You brought this woman in my home… the place I have carefully built with my blood, sweat, and tears… and try to redeem yourself by acting like a savior. Can you even hear yourself?”

I know I am not in the right mind. I know I shouldn’t even say anything right now to avoid further scandal but I know… I am where I should be.

“Aurora…” He tried to speak it off, but I will not be soft anymore.

“Don’t even think of explaining everything only to manipulate me into thinking you were doing this for me.”

I looked around me and realized they were already whispering. My subjects… had that chokehold on me.

“Because if you really love me… you wouldn’t have made it hard for me to look at you until now.”

“I kept holding on, thinking you'd turn around. But all you ever did was walk away slower.” I paused and swallowed, the taste turning bitter as emotions rose up in my throat, begging to be acknowledged. “Is that what you called love?”