Revenge of the rejected luna

Elara’s POV "Congratulations, Luna. The signs are clear. You’re pregnant." For a moment, the world stopped breathing. The healer’s words hovered between us, fragile and unreal, as though they might shatter if I reacted too quickly. The room felt suddenly too small, the air too thin. I stared at her from across the wooden table, my fingers tightening around the edge of the desk until my knuckles blanched white. "You’re… sure?" My voice came out thinner than I intended, barely more than a whisper. She smiled gently, the kind of smile meant to soothe nerves and calm racing hearts. Sliding a parchment toward me, she nodded. "Three weeks. It’s early, but there’s no mistake. The Moon has already marked the bond." My hands trembled as I picked it up. The parchment felt heavier than it should have, as if it carried more than ink and symbols—more than proof. For a second, the words blurred as my eyes burned, moisture gathering despite my effort to stay composed. Then my vision steadied, and the truth settled into place. Pregnant. The word echoed in my mind, foreign and miraculous all at once. A soft laugh escaped my lips, sharp with disbelief. It didn’t sound like joy at first—more like shock, like my body didn’t yet know how to react. Three years. Three years of silence. Three years of cold nights spent lying beside a man who barely looked at me. Three years of whispers behind my back and pitying glances from pack members who thought the Ashenfall Luna barren. I pressed a hand to my stomach, my heart pounding wildly beneath my ribs. There was life inside me. This changes everything. Hope bloomed so suddenly it almost hurt. An heir. Proof. Security. Purpose. In Ashenfall, nothing mattered more than lineage. A child would silence the rumors. A child would force respect. A child would finally give me a place no one could strip away. Adrian would have to see me now. I didn’t wait. I rose so quickly the chair scraped loudly against the floor, but I barely noticed. Thanking the healer in a breathless murmur, I rushed out of her quarters, clutching the parchment as though it might disappear if I loosened my grip. The familiar halls of the healer’s wing blurred as I moved, my steps light despite the weight of the news pressing against my chest. The Ashenfall Pack grounds stretched before me, immaculate and imposing. Polished stone pathways gleamed beneath the afternoon sun. Marble pillars stood tall, banners fluttering proudly in the breeze. Everything here was curated for appearances—wealth, strength, prestige. Ashenfall prided itself on perfection, even when rot festered beneath the surface. An heir would give me all three: status, protection, power. I imagined Adrian’s face when I told him—the surprise, the satisfaction. Maybe even relief. Maybe, just maybe, warmth would return to his eyes when he looked at me. Maybe I would no longer feel like a placeholder in my own marriage. My pace quickened. I reached the Alpha’s keep and climbed the stairs two at a time, excitement buzzing through me like electricity. When I stopped in front of his study door, I smoothed my dress with trembling fingers and drew in a steadying breath. Once. Twice. No answer. I frowned. I was certain he was inside. His scent lingered thick in the air, unmistakable. And beneath it… something else. Another presence. I hesitated, my hand hovering over the handle. Muffled voices drifted through the heavy door—low, intimate. Unease crept up my spine. Still, assuming he was busy with pack matters, I turned the handle and pushed the door open. The parchment slipped from my fingers. Adrian stood near his desk, his shirt undone, dark hair disheveled. And pressed against him was Seraphina. My sister. The world cracked. They froze when the door closed behind me, the sound echoing like a final verdict. Time fractured into jagged pieces. I couldn’t hear anything except the pounding of my own heart, each beat thunderous and uneven as blood roared in my ears. Seraphina was the first to move. Her hand slid away from Adrian’s chest, slow and deliberate, as though she wanted me to see every inch of what I’d interrupted. Her lips curved—not in shame, not in guilt—but in satisfaction. Adrian turned next. His expression hardened instantly, the softness I’d never seen directed at me vanishing as though it had never existed. "Elara," he said, flat and clipped, as if I were nothing more than an inconvenience. My chest burned. The air felt razor-sharp as I struggled to breathe. "What… is this?" The words barely made it out, my throat closing around them. Seraphina stepped away from him, entirely unbothered. She adjusted her dress calmly, lifting her chin. "Don’t look so shocked," she said coolly. "You knew this marriage was a farce." My vision blurred. "You’re my sister." "And he’s my Alpha," she replied without hesitation. Something inside me cracked. The sound wasn’t audible, but I felt it—a clean break, deep and irreversible. "You’re both disgusting," I whispered, my voice shaking. Adrian’s jaw tightened. "Careful." "Careful?" My voice rose despite myself, disbelief giving way to raw hurt. "I walk in on this and I’m the one who needs to be careful?" His eyes darkened. "Don’t act innocent. You lost that right." Confusion slammed into me. My thoughts tangled, scrambling for sense. "What are you talking about?" He stepped toward me, his presence towering, oppressive. "Your affair," he said coldly. "With my Beta." The room tilted violently. "That’s a lie," I breathed. Seraphina bent down then, graceful as ever, and picked up the fallen parchment. She scanned it quickly, her eyes gleaming with something dangerous. "How convenient," she murmured. Then she handed it to Adrian. "She’s pregnant." Hope flared in my chest, fragile but desperate. "Yes," I said quickly, stepping forward. "I was coming to tell you. This child is yours." For the briefest second, I thought I saw something shift in his expression. Then it vanished. Adrian’s face twisted with disgust. "You expect me to believe that?" "It’s the truth," I pleaded, my voice cracking. "I swear it." Seraphina laughed softly, the sound delicate and cruel. "The timing is interesting, isn’t it? After all those secret meetings." My knees weakened. "I never touched him," I said desperately. "You know me." For a moment—just a moment—Adrian hesitated. Hope clung to that hesitation like a lifeline. Then his hand came down. The sound echoed through the room, sharp and brutal. I hit the floor hard, pain exploding across my cheek as stars burst behind my eyes. The taste of blood flooded my mouth. My body curled instinctively, my hands flying to my stomach as a sob tore from my chest. "Enough," Adrian said coldly. "We’ll settle this properly." I looked up at him through tears, my vision swimming. "Please." His gaze was merciless. "A blood test," he said. "If the child isn’t mine, you will answer for your betrayal." Seraphina smiled. As guards moved toward me, panic clawed at my throat. Strong hands seized my arms, dragging me upright. I pressed my palm to my stomach again, trembling violently. "Hold on," I begged silently. "Please." The door slammed shut behind them. And somewhere deep inside me, beneath the fear and the pain, a terrible certainty took root.