LOVE AND REVENGE WITH MY ALPHA

~ELENA~ "I can't believe it!" Elena exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement as she stared at her phone screen. The text she had just read confirmed her deepest hope: the hospital's analysis showed that her pregnancy test was positive. She was to go in for an ultrasound scan. The message was from her sister, Lara Greenwood, who was an obstetrician. A wave of pure joy washed over Elena, lighting up her face as she clutched her phone to her chest and leaped off the bed. With a wide smile, she placed a hand gently on her belly, already feeling a connection with the life growing inside her. "I hope it's a boy," she said aloud, her voice filled with happiness. She had just stepped out of the bathroom when Lara's text came through, and now her priority was to get to the hospital as quickly as possible for the scan. This was the best news Elena had received in a long time—certainly the best in the past three years. Those years had been particularly hard on her marriage with Lucius. They had been married for over three years, and she had yet to bear him a child or heir. Once, she had been pregnant, but tragically, she miscarried. That night, she had nearly cursed the moon goddess in her anguish, feeling as though she were doomed to be barren. Elena reread the text to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The test was positive, and she was filled with an overwhelming sense of joy. For months and years, she had endured subtle insults from the pack, the whispered gossip, the mocking words. She had felt humiliated and worthless to her alpha, her barren state rendering her incapable of giving him a child. Morgase, Lucius' mother, had often reminded Elena how unfit she was to be Luna, claiming she lacked the essential quality of fertility. This result would surely silence Morgase. There had been a time when Elena was nearly demoted to an omega. The elders had advised Lucius to take another mate and reject Elena, freeing himself from her perceived misfortune. Elena had cried every night, praying to the moon goddess for this misfortune to pass. Today, her prayers were answered. She wasn't barren or a bad omen; she was carrying a child, an heir for her alpha and the pack. Quickly, she called her personal assistant to prepare the car. She dressed swiftly and headed outside the luxurious mansion. There, she spotted Alpha Lucius and Chloe, her best friend and Lucius' secretary. Elena had secured Chloe the position, loving her like a sister since kindergarten. Elena approached them, embracing Chloe briefly before turning to her husband, hugging him tightly and planting a soft kiss on his lips. "I have a surprise for you," Elena said, beaming with joy, eager to share her news. "Now is not the time, Elena. I have an important meeting coming up soon," Lucius replied, his tone brusque. "But it's a really nice surpri—" Elena began, but Lucius cut her off sharply. "I. DON'T. HAVE. THE. TIME." He excused himself without a second glance, his indifference to her affection and news apparent. "Elena, don't listen to him. He's probably just stressed about the meeting," Chloe said with a giggle that sent a shiver down Elena's spine. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of him." Elena felt a pang of disappointment. Lucius could have at least shown some interest in her surprise. She didn't know the baby's gender yet, but just telling Lucius she was pregnant should have made him happy. "Chloe, let's get going. We have a meeting to attend," Lucius called, his tone noticeably softer than when he had spoken to Elena. Chloe giggled at something Lucius said, and they walked away together. Elena should have realized that something was wrong. Their relationship seemed more than professional. But her thoughts drifted to the baby she was carrying. This baby was her redemption. She assumed Lucius' attitude stemmed from her previous inability to bear him a child. "Ma'am, the car is ready," a soft voice said behind her, startling Elena slightly. It was Anna, her personal assistant. Elena had built a successful clothing brand before marrying Lucius, and her influence had only grown since their marriage. "Alright, let's go to Ashford Hospital," Elena said absently as she got into the car. The journey took 25 minutes, giving Elena ample time to reflect. She knew Lucius wasn't happy with her, but it wasn't her fault she hadn't been able to conceive. She had sacrificed a lot to be with him. "Ma'am, we're here," Anna said, bringing Elena back to the present. She stepped out of the car, telling Anna to wait inside, and entered the hospital. Heading straight for Lara's office, she heard her sister's voice raised in anger on a phone call, presumably with her boyfriend. Elena waited patiently for Lara to finish, thankful that the call didn’t take too long. "Elena, oh, I didn't expect you so early," Lara said, a troubled look crossing her face as she sighed, dropping her phone onto her paper-piled desk. She walked tiredly to Elena and hugged her. "Tough call, huh?" Elena asked, sensing her sister's distress. "It was my ex-partner, Scott. You remember him," Lara replied with a scoff. "That liar! I remember that scumbag. He repeatedly tried to hit on me and begged me to sleep with him while dating you. I thought you dumped that cheater?" Elena's eyes widened with indignation as she recalled the unpleasant memories. "I didn't dump him officially. I caught him cheating with another woman, so I wanted payback. I started dating another man, and Scott caught me with him and started accusing me of cheating. He's such a f*****g manipulator," Lara said, rolling her eyes in annoyance as she walked over to sit in her chair. Elena remained silent, Lara's relationship issues reminding her of what happened that morning with Lucius. The way he dismissed and ignored her made her have second thoughts about their relationship. "What's wrong, Elena? Are you okay?" Lara asked, concern evident in her voice. "I'm fine," Elena replied, but Lara wasn't convinced. "You don't look fine, Elena," Lara sighed. "Did something happen between you and Lucius?" Elena hesitated, then admitted, "I tried to tell him about the baby this morning, but he didn't seem to listen to me. I don't even know if he loves me anymore..." "There is no need to be in such a moody state, Elena. Lucius is going to be in shock when he discovers that you are pregnant. You know what, let's go for the ultrasound scan. The results should cheer you up," Lara said with a smile, trying to lift her sister's spirits. Elena managed a weak smile, grateful for Lara's support. After the ultrasound scan, it was still too early to determine the baby's gender, but Lara was thrilled to inform Elena that the baby was in perfect condition. "The baby is healthy and everything looks good," Lara said, beaming. "Thank you, Lara," Elena said, feeling a renewed sense of hope. "You'll still tell Lucius about the baby. He's bound to be happy," Lara encouraged her. Elena nodded, saying her goodbyes to her sister. As she descended the stairs to leave the hospital, she made a miscalculation and took a misstep, slipping. She was about to slam her head on the ground when a strong arm caught her. A tall figure with dark hair swept to the side and cold emerald eyes stared down at her. Time seemed to pause as his eyes drew Elena in. "Um... Thanks for saving me," she stammered, trying to remove his hands from her waist, but they stayed there. His dangerously sexy eyes held her captive. "You're welcome, beautiful," he said softly, gently caressing her face, sending goosebumps all over her body. "What's your name?" he asked, his face close to hers, his lips almost touching hers. "El-Elena Greenwood," she managed to say, lightly clearing her throat, flustered by his proximity. "I'm Sebastian Ashford," he said softly, about to press his lips against hers when a familiar voice interrupted them. "Babe, what's going on?" Lara's voice cut through the moment. Recognizing her sister's voice, Elena gasped and turned her head. 'Babe? Don't tell me this guy is Lara's new partner,' Elena thought inwardly, trying to explain but Sebastian intervened. "It's nothing, Lara. Your sister bumped into me while she was about to fall, but I saved her," Sebastian said with a confident smile. "Ye-yeah," Elena managed to say awkwardly, shifting away uncomfortably. Lara eyed them both suspiciously. Elena could hear her heart pounding before Lara's suspicious face turned into a smile. "Thank you for saving my careless sister, Sebastian. Elena, you should be more careful next time," Lara said, coming closer to them. "Yeah, I will," Elena said, giving a sigh of relief. Her eyes briefly met Sebastian's, who remained calm and composed. Elena was sure she wasn't imagining it. Didn't he just try to kiss her? And how could he lie with such composure? "Um... I will be leaving now. I have to spread the good news," she said, flashing the pregnancy report papers and her ring finger at him before turning to leave.