His Silent Luna’s Revenge

Chapter 2: A Celebration to Remember.

Daphne’s POV.

“She could have died, Karen!” Toby’s voice cut through the haze I was feeling in my mind. He sounded so furious.

There was a little pause before Karen’s voice finally followed, but hers was defensive. “I know, Toby! I f*****g know that! Do you think I wanted such to happen? There were so many people, she suddenly let go of my hands, and we lost each other!”

I stirred as my fingers twitched against the soft sheets. My head felt so heavy, and my body felt sluggish, but I recognized the scent in the air. Lavender and sandalwood. Home. My room.

There was a soft snuffle beside me, then Karen’s voice again, this time thick with emotion. It was like she was crying or had already cried so much. “Gosh, I was so scared. I thought…” She let out a very shaky breath.

Her hands wrapped around my hand as her fingers trembled. “Daph, can you hear me?” Her voice was fragile. “Please, just wake up. Please.”

I forced my fingers to curl a bit as I squeezed her hands, causing her to immediately gasp.

“Oh, thank Goddess!” The bed shifted as she leaned closer, tightening her grip on me. “I thought… I don’t know… I just… I’m so sorry, Daph. I should have held on tighter.”

I inhaled slowly as my body still felt like it was being weighed down by something heavy.

Then carefully, I lifted my hand and signed, “It’s okay.”

Karen let out a wet laugh immediately, even though she was still sniffling. “No, it’s not, Daph. I should have been more careful. I should have…”

There was a deep exhale in the room. Undoubtedly Toby’s.

He hadn’t said a word since I moved. I turned slightly as I expected his hand to find mine so I could feel his warmth and his comfort, but there was nothing from him.

Then Karen suddenly gasped again, causing the entire mood to shift in a second. “Oh! I almost forgot!”

I flinched slightly at the sudden change in her tone, excited and happy, so different from the sadness and sorrow she was exhibiting just a second ago.

Her hands clapped together. “Daph, there’s good news!”

I paused. Good news?

There was a little silence before…

“You’re pregnant!”

And then the world seemed to stop. Pregnant?

The word crashed over me as it drowned out everything else I had been feeling or thinking about.

I froze as my breath caught in my throat, with my hand flying instinctively to my stomach.

I’m pregnant?

Karen laughed so loud beside me, her energy buzzing like electricity. “We found out when you were unconscious! Can you even believe it? Toby called the pack doctor too, and he confirmed it! Daph, you’re going to be a mother!”

There was a bit of silence after that, giving me the opportunity to hear my own pulse in my ears as I still pressed my hand against my stomach, as if I could somehow feel the life inside me.

A baby. My baby.

The realization started to sink in bit by bit as warmth spread through my chest. It was so overwhelming, the mix of shock, disbelief, and something so close to joy.

Karen grabbed my hands again, her energy so infectious even when I could not see it. “This is so amazing! I can’t wait to be an aunt! Just imagine… maybe it’s even twins!” She let out a delighted squeal. “Oh, Daphne, this is the best news of my life! I can only imagine how you feel if I feel this way.”

I exhaled shakily as a small smile formed on my lips. I was happy. This was definitely good news.

My fingers tightened around Karen’s as I turned left first, then right, as if trying to figure out where my husband was—the man I loved and the father of my child. I needed to hear his voice. I needed to feel his happiness too.

“Toby.” I signed and then reached out to the air, trying to find him by touch. His warmth and his scent.

He finally seemed to come closer, and I immediately wrapped my hands around him, pressing my face into his chest.

For a second, he did not move, but soon enough, his arms slowly came around me. But I could still feel that his hold on me was loose. Too loose.

I could not feel his excitement. He was not saying anything.

Karen, on the other hand, was practically screaming my ears out. “We have to tell the pack!” she exclaimed. “We should announce it as soon as possible. Everyone would be so happy! Their Luna is having a baby.”

I nodded, trying to push the feeling of dread away.

This was good news. It should be. Maybe Toby was just tired.

______

A couple of hours later, the car ride was filled with Karen’s excited chatter. I sat in the back seat with her while Toby drove.

“…and imagine if it’s a girl! She’d be so pretty just like you. Or maybe twins! I’d love twins. Toby, don’t you think Daphne would birth the most amazing kids ever?”

Toby only responded with a soft hum.

Karen did not seem to notice his lack of enthusiasm, but I was able to pick up on it so easily.

I shifted slightly as my fingers found their way to my stomach yet again. Pregnant. Even the word still felt strange in my mind. So unreal.

Toby finally spoke, soft and familiar. “We’re almost there,” he murmured, while I simply nodded in response.

But then the car suddenly slowed down, and I could feel a breeze drifting through the now obviously open window, cool and salty.

The scent was familiar and very easy to pick up on.

The sea.

Karen hummed beside me. “We’re at your favorite place, Daph.”

I inhaled deeply as the familiar scent of the ocean filled my lungs.

The cliffs.

“Thought you might want to enjoy the breeze as usual just before we get to the pack mansion,” Karen said softly. “You always like stopping here for a while to take it all in.”

That was true. Every time we passed by, I always asked them to stop, just so I could listen to the waves, to feel the openness of the world before me.

Toby did not say a word, but I heard the soft click of the car, signifying that he was opening a door and getting out too.

Karen’s hands found mine. “Come on,” she coaxed me gently as she started to help me out too. “Just enjoy it for a minute, okay? It’s dark already, so we can’t spend so much time here.”

I hesitated but only for a minute as I ended up stepping out of the car too.

The wind felt stronger as it pulled at my clothes so hard. The air was cool and fresh, and I could feel the salt, water, and the endless skies.

Karen continued to lead me forward, one step after another. I wanted to stop because I had now counted more steps than I would usually take when I came here, but Karen kept leading me on.

Even when the waves were getting so loud and the wind was getting too sharp.

And then, all of a sudden, Karen’s grip on me disappeared. My foot stepped forward, expecting solid ground, but this time, there was none as I fell into the air.

Loud air rushed past my ears and my body. I did not need to be told before knowing that I was falling. I could not even scream. I just continued falling until I crashed.

And then ice-cold water swallowed me whole.