ALWAYS THE LUNA

ADA “Congratulations, Luna. You’re pregnant,” Doctor Juliane announced, a radiant smile spreading across her face. I clasped my trembling hands together, trying desperately to steady them. My heart pounded wildly against my chest, and a ringing filled my ears. Did I hear her correctly? Was I really in the hospital, or was this another figment of my imagination, like so many times before? I could hear the frantic pounding of my heart and feel my entire body trembling. Amid the overwhelming chaos inside me, a distinct voice struggled to reach my consciousness. “Luna, Luna…” A finger snapped in front of my face. I blinked and focused on Juliane. Concern clouded her expression. “Are you alright, Luna?” “I…” My throat felt constricted. I cleared it, drew a deep breath, and turned my attention back to her. “I’m fine. You said I’m pregnant. Is that… are you sure…?” “Yes, Luna. You’re pregnant. Here’s your result,” she replied with a radiant smile, handing me the test report. I accepted it with a trembling hand, my heartbeat thundering in my ears as I examined the results. Tears trickled down my cheeks as I read the words before me. I was pregnant. I was really pregnant. “Thank you so much, Juliane. Thank you!” My voice quivered with overwhelming gratitude. Juliane had been an incredible source of support throughout my journey to conceive again after losing my first child. She was not only a wonderful doctor but also a dear friend, and seeing her share in my happiness made this moment even more special. Overwhelmed with excitement, I hurried down the hospital corridor towards my car outside. I nearly collided with someone along the way, muttered an apology, and continued on my way. Anyone who saw how thrilled I was about this pregnancy might have thought I was overreacting. But the truth was, I wasn’t. I had spent five years in this marriage without a child. Only a Luna in my position could truly understand the immense pressure that came with it. At some point, I had begun to fear that the miscarriage might have damaged my womb. However, after undergoing a series of tests, I discovered that everything was fine. I could still conceive, and that revelation gave me a renewed sense of hope. I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs and tell the entire world that I was finally carrying the heir to this pack, but I restrained myself. Adrian deserved to hear the news first. As far back as I could remember, Adrian had been the only man I’d ever loved. It had begun as a childhood crush when I was just thirteen, but as the years passed, those innocent feelings blossomed into something much deeper. Our marriage hadn’t been planned. It had happened by coincidence, but I had never regretted it. After all, I had married the man I loved, and that alone had made me happy. Adrian desperately wanted an heir. Which Alpha wouldn’t? He was already thirty, and other Alphas his age had children who were practically grown. This news was bound to excite him. Surely, it would breathe new life into our marriage, which had seemed to deteriorate over the past couple of weeks. “Can you drive faster, Owen?” I urged my driver. My heart raced uncontrollably, and I couldn’t stop tapping my fingers against my thighs or fidgeting with my hands. I was practically bursting with excitement. Soon, we arrived at the pack house, but Adrian wasn’t home yet. I decided to prepare his favourite dish while waiting for him to return. I instructed the maids to take the evening off, and they happily thanked me before leaving. Adrian loved pasta, especially the kind I prepared for him. He always claimed that my hands possessed some sort of magic because he had never tasted pasta as delicious as mine. His little compliments never failed to warm my heart, and I often found myself going out of my way to earn more of them. I remembered one particular occasion when he had come home complaining of hunger. I had immediately offered to prepare his favourite pasta, but he had stopped me, insisting that he wanted something else. And that something else was me. The memory brought a wide smile to my face. Despite the circumstances surrounding our marriage, Adrian had always treated me well. Although his behaviour had begun to change over the past two weeks, I convinced myself that his sudden coldness stemmed from my inability to conceive. Now that I was pregnant, everything would be alright again. After several hours, I finally finished cooking. I arranged the dining table with candles and flowers, ensuring that everything looked romantic. Then, I took a bath and slipped into something alluring. We hadn’t made love in over two weeks, and I didn’t mind changing that tonight. I glanced at the clock. It was three minutes past ten. Adrian usually arrived home before half past ten, so I settled into the dining room and waited patiently. Between managing a large business and serving as the Alpha of one of the biggest packs in our region, he barely had time to rest. Sometimes, I wished he would stop pushing himself so hard and allow himself a moment of peace, but he had responsibilities he couldn’t simply abandon. I lost track of how long I had been waiting. Hunger gnawed at my stomach, but I refused to eat without him. Instead, I kept glancing at the clock, watching the minutes crawl by. It was ten minutes past one. He had never stayed out this late before, and uneasiness began to settle in my chest. Should I call him? I knew he could take care of himself, but he was my husband, and it was far beyond his usual time to return home. Of course, I had every reason to worry. Just as I reached for my phone to call him, I heard the front door open. I hurried down the hallway, and there he was, loosening his tie. Relief washed over me as I drew a deep breath, my hand instinctively settling over my stomach. He looked as handsome as ever—the man I had been hopelessly in love with for as long as I could remember. After removing his shoes and slipping into his flip-flops, he raised his head, and our eyes met. I held my breath, heat creeping into my cheeks beneath his gaze. We had been married for five years, yet those captivating green eyes still sent butterflies fluttering through my stomach. Sometimes, I wondered if I was falling more deeply in love with him with each passing day. “Adrian!” I squealed excitedly, throwing myself into his arms and wrapping them tightly around him. He caught me around the waist and steadied us. The force of my sudden embrace could easily have sent us both tumbling to the floor, but I was far too elated by the wonderful news to care. “Why are you still awake?” he asked, carefully lowering me to my feet. There was a noticeable coldness in his voice, but I chose to ignore it. He was probably exhausted after a long, stressful day. “I prepared dinner for us. I wanted us to eat together.” “You could have eaten without me and gone to bed. Why did you wait until this late?” His tone was stern, and I bit my lower lip, fighting the sting of hurt. Maybe he was simply having a bad day. It was nothing more than that. “I’m sorry,” I murmured. “It’s just that there’s something important I want to tell you.” “I have something to tell you, too.” “You can go first.” He released a weary sigh and strode towards the living room. I followed him, trying to ignore the growing tension tightening my chest. Why did I suddenly feel as though something terrible was about to happen? I ran my palm over my stomach and took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain composed. He settled onto the sofa, a deep frown etched across his face. Now, I was genuinely worried. Had something happened? Was that why he had come home so late? We had always managed the pack together, and he valued my opinions whenever problems arose. Perhaps something had gone wrong, and he needed my help to resolve it. “Take this paper and sign it,” he said coldly, extending a white envelope towards me. I accepted it, a knot of apprehension forming in my stomach. As I opened the envelope, my eyes immediately landed on the bold red lettering at the top of the document. DIVORCE AGREEMENT!