THE LUNA QUEEN IS ME

7: Meeting Him

CHAPTER SEVEN - NYX

“The baby is alright.”

The doctor finally announced, after what seemed like hours of examining me, with a reassuring smile.

The air rushed out of my lungs, and a relieved tear rolled down my cheek.

“The bleeding was most likely caused by stress and physical strain,” she continued gently. “But your pregnancy is still delicate, so you need to be careful. No unnecessary stress if possible.”

I nodded quickly, even though my chest still trembled from relief.

“Thank you.”

“You’re nearing the stage where you should begin regular antenatal appointments as well.” She typed something into her computer before glancing up again. “Will the father be attending with you?”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out immediately. I remembered why I was here in the first place, and all I could see was myself hitting the floor as Kael brushed past me to catch Zora. It wasn’t even deliberate, and I think that was the part that hurt most.

Protecting her came naturally to him. Instinctively.

And somewhere deep down, I think I had always known that if he ever had to choose between us, even unconsciously, it would never be me.

That was why I avoided the pack hospital and also drove myself to the small hospital despite the pain I was in. The last thing I wanted was whispers spreading through the pack before I was even ready to say the word pregnancy out loud, choosing a small private hospital across town instead.

The doctor’s expression softened almost instantly.

“Oh,” she said carefully. “Well… pregnancies can be difficult alone. Lean on the women around you when you need help.”

Women around you?

I thought about my mother choosing Zora over me again and again, about Zora herself, in fact, about how I didn’t even have a single friend close enough to call tonight.

And suddenly, sitting under the bright hospital lights, I realized how I’ve spent so much of my life begging people to love me that I had never built anything outside of that desperation.

There were no friendships, no safe place—just years of trying to become lovable enough for someone to choose me finally.

After leaving the hospital, I couldn’t bring myself to go home yet. The thought of the castle made me feel very uncomfortable, as if I went back there, something would happen to my baby.

So I drove aimlessly until I found myself near a quiet park tucked between sleeping buildings and empty roads.

The night air felt cool against my skin as I walked slowly down the pathway. Leaves rustled softly overhead while distant city sounds hummed far away. Everything felt strangely calm here. Peaceful in a way home never was.

I rested my hand lightly over my stomach as I walked.

Who was I outside of rejection?

The question followed me quietly.

Every version of my life had been shaped around earning scraps of affection. And somehow, I still ended up alone.

I lowered my eyes, distracted by the ache building in my chest… and that was why I didn’t notice the cyclist turning sharply around the path until it was too late.

“Watch out!”

The cyclist yelled as the bike swerved abruptly beside me.

“Oh!”

I lost balance slightly from surprise, but a hand caught my arm immediately before I could stumble.

“Careful.”

The voice was deep and steady.

“I’m sorry,” I blurted out automatically, still startled. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Are you alright?”

“Yes.”

I finally looked up.

The man towered slightly over me, dressed simply despite the unmistakable authority in the way he carried himself. In the darkness, his face felt strangely familiar, though I couldn’t immediately place why.

Then his gaze sharpened slightly.

“You are Kael Blackwood’s Luna.”

My breath caught.

“You know me?”

There was a slight, faint pause before the man stepped back slightly, causing the streetlight to hit his face directly.

Zeus Hawthorne.

My eyes widened slightly as recognition finally settled properly into place. The Alpha Kael could never speak without bitterness creeping into his voice.

Now that I was truly looking at him, I understood why people spoke about him the way they did.

There was something commanding about him that had nothing to do with appearance alone. He carried power quietly, effortlessly, like breathing. The kind of strength that didn’t need to prove itself constantly because everyone around him already knew it existed.

He looked away from me, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked around the nearly empty park.

“Why are you alone?”

The question felt simple, but the concern in his voice caught me off guard.

“I just needed some air.”

“At this hour?” His tone sharpened slightly. “Kael allowed his pregnant wife to walk alone at night?”

The words startled me so badly I instinctively took half a step back.

How the hell did he know?

“How did you—”

His brows tugged in confusion, and realization hit almost immediately.

Of course, he knew.

Alphas could sense life growing inside a woman long before anyone else could physically notice. It was one of the oldest instincts tied to their wolf nature.

The thought made something ache painfully inside me.

Because Kael was an Alpha too, and yet he hasn’t noticed anything at all.

I looked away quickly, suddenly unable to meet Zeus’s eyes. I didn’t even know how to answer him because the truth sounded pathetic even inside my own head. Kael didn’t know where I was.

Heck, he probably hasn’t even noticed I left.

“I’m fine,” I said quietly.

“You shouldn’t be alone right now,” he said more seriously. “Kael has enemies. Powerful ones. If anyone learns about the child before proper security is arranged, his unborn heir could become a target.”

Fear curled instantly through my chest.

I have been so overwhelmed emotionally that I didn’t even think that far ahead. Not to mention, one of the so-called enemies was standing right in front of me.

My hand tightened protectively over my stomach.

Zeus noticed immediately, and unexpectedly, he laughed softly. A laugh warm enough to cut through some of the tension tightening around me.

“You think I’m included in that warning.”

Heat rushed into my face because apparently my expression had betrayed me completely.

“Kael hates you,” I admitted quietly.

“That’s between him and me.” Amusement flickered briefly across his features, his gaze dropping briefly to my stomach before returning to my face. “I would never harm you or your child, Nyx.”

Something about the way he said it made me believe him immediately. Not because his words were soft, but because they felt absolute.

Zeus straightened slightly and glanced toward the park entrance.

“I’m walking you to your car.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“It is.”

The answer came calmly, leaving very little room to argue. I hesitated only a second before falling into step beside him.

True to his word, Zeus slowed his pace slightly almost immediately, just enough that I didn’t have to struggle to keep up beside him.

The quiet surprised me most.

When I stumbled slightly over a crack in the pavement, his hand moved instinctively toward my elbow before pulling back once he realized I’d steadied myself.

“You should rest more,” he said after a moment, glancing briefly at my face. “You look exhausted.”

A strange ache formed in my chest. Such a small observation, yet nobody had noticed I looked tired for weeks.

“I’ve had a long day,” I admitted softly.

“I can tell.”

My chest softened.