Barren Luna's Revenge

chapter 3

Chapter Three

Ana

I sat on a hard wooden bench at the Rejection Law Border, the office where pack bonds were legally undone. Lily sat close to me, her shoulder pressed against mine for support. I could see the worry in her eyes every time she looked at me.

When I walked into this building, I felt like my heart was about to break into a thousand pieces. My chest felt tight, and every breath was a struggle. I knew what I had to do.

I needed to ask for a formal rejection from Desmond.

I had not told him about the child yet. I kept the ultrasound picture tucked deep in my bag, hidden away from the world. I thought it was better to keep the pregnancy a secret for now. What was the point of telling a man who did not see me?

Desmond walked right past me every time Ema called his name. He did not even care if I was hurt or if I was crying. To him, I had become invisible, a ghost haunting the halls of our home.

This morning had been the breaking point. I woke up with a sharp, stabbing pain in my stomach. It was a terrifying, cold sensation that made me gasp for air. I was scared for the baby, so I called Desmond. My hands were shaking as I held the phone to my ear, praying he would answer.

When he finally picked up, his voice was impatient. I didn't even get the chance to tell him I was in pain. Before I could speak, he told me that Ema had an injury in her finger. He said it looked serious and he was taking her to the hospital immediately.

Then, he hung up.

I sat on the edge of our bed, staring at the silent phone. I was carrying his child, experiencing real pain, and all he cared about was a small scratch on Ema’s finger. The unfairness of it felt like a weight on my lungs.

I had called Lily right away, and she had rushed over. She was the one who helped me into her car and took me back to the hospital to make sure the baby was safe. For a moment, it felt as if the hospital had become a popular place to visit, a second home because of all the stress.

"Are you sure about this, Ana?" Lily asked softly. She looked at the rejection file in my hands. "Are you really going to reject the Alpha?"

I looked down at the heavy paper. The words were cold and professional, but they represented the end of my life as I knew it.

His first love was back. Ema was everything the pack wanted—a strong wolf with a high status. I was just the human girl they tolerated.

"It is for the best," I told her, nodding slowly. "What is the point of clinging to a man who would no longer love me? He looks at her like she is the sun. He looks at me like I am a mistake. He is also going to be happy if he sees this. It gives him the freedom he clearly wants. There is nothing wrong with letting go."

Lily nodded and held my hands. Her grip was firm and warm. "Whatever decision you make, I am ready to stand by you always," she said. "You aren't alone in this."

I managed a small smile. For now, Lily was the only family I had left. She was the only one in this entire pack territory I could truly trust.

We walked up to the counter together. I handed over the forms and waited while the clerk processed them. I decided to get five copies of the rejection papers. I was terrified that I might misplace one or that Desmond might destroy them in a fit of rage. I needed to be prepared.

No matter what happened next, I had to make this rejection official.

Once the papers were tucked safely into my bag, Lily led me back to her car. "You look like a weakling who has not eaten for days," she said, trying to lighten the mood. "I’m taking you to that fancy new restaurant that just opened down the pack road. My treat. We’re going to celebrate your win for getting those papers."

The restaurant was beautiful, filled with soft music and the smell of fresh bread. We sat at a table by the window. Lily didn't let me look at the prices. She placed a large order and told me to eat to my fill and not hold back.

I watched her, feeling a lump form in my throat. She treated me with more kindness and care than Desmond ever did lately. I sat there wishing, just for a second, that my husband could be more like my best friend.

As I ate slowly, trying to force some protein down for the baby's sake, my eyes suddenly stopped.

A bright red Bentley was parked across the street, right in front of a luxury jewelry store. The car was polished so bright it hurt to look at. At first, I thought it was just some wealthy stranger. But when the doors opened and the people walked out of the store, I stopped eating.

My fork slipped from my hand and my food almost fell to the ground.

Desmond stepped out of the driver's side. He looked tall and commanding. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for Ema. He reached out his hand to help her out, his touch gentle and lingering.

I remembered the day he bought that car. He had called me outside, his eyes bright with excitement. He told me that I would be the first person to drive in it with him. He said it was a gift for our future.

But I had never even sat in the passenger seat. Now, his ex was riding in it as if she were the Luna herself.

Lily saw where I was looking. She hit the table hard with her fist, making the water glasses rattle. "How can an Alpha be so shameful and heartless?" she growled. Her voice was low and dangerous. "He told you he was busy with pack meetings. He doesn't even care if you are dying in a hospital bed. And here he is, buying expensive jewelry for that woman. I heard that store doesn't sell anything for less than a million dollars."

I didn't say anything. I couldn't.

I slowly looked down at the simple gold ring on my finger. Desmond had given it to me the day we married in a private ceremony. He told me then that it was just a placeholder. He promised that when the pack grew stronger and he became Alpha, he would get me a big, beautiful ring to show the world I was his.

But years had passed, and he had never mentioned it again. He hadn't bought me a single piece of jewelry since that day.

"I lost my appetite," I told Lily. I felt sick. The food in my stomach felt like lead. "I just want to go home. Please, just take me out of here."

Lily didn't argue. She paid the bill and drove me back to the pack house. My heart was pounding as I walked through the front door.

I expected the house to be empty, but Desmond was there. He was seated in the large armchair in the living room, looking at some papers. He looked up as I entered, his face darkening. It looked like he had been waiting for me for a long time.

"Where are you coming from?" he asked. His voice was stern, the way he talked to soldiers who were late for training.

I stood there and looked at him, my bag heavy with the rejection files. I tried to think of a lie. I had to look for something to tell him that wouldn't cause a fight. I could not let him know I had just seen him at the jewelry store with Ema. If I mentioned it, he would just tell me I was being difficult and jealous again.

"I went out with my friend," I said simply. I kept my voice low and steady.

Desmond stood up and walked toward me. He stopped just a few inches away, looming over me. "I am an Alpha, Ana. And you are a Luna," he said, his voice full of disappointment. "You should stop acting like a child. Stop walking around the package at all hours. What will the pack members say when they see their Luna acting this way? It looks bad for our reputation."

I looked up at him, and for a moment, I almost laughed. Did he even care what the pack said?

I knew exactly what they said. They called me the "barren Luna." They called me a "horny w***e" who had manipulated my way into the Alpha's bed because I had no wolf of my own. He had never defended me when those rumors started. He had never told them to stop.

And now he dared to act as if he cared about my reputation.

I did not say a word. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of an argument. But then, I saw a small, velvet box lying on the coffee table. I looked at it and then back at him.

"What is that?" I asked.

Desmond stepped closer. He picked up the box and handed it to me. His expression softened slightly, becoming almost kind. He told me that he had brought it specifically for me. He said he had met with the pack’s high priest this afternoon. The priest had given him a blessed charm.

Desmond told me that if I wore it, the Goddess might finally smile on me. He said it might help me get pregnant.

I opened the box. Inside was a jade pendant on a thin silver chain. It looked a bit old and worn-off, not at all like the sparkling gems I had seen in the Bentley across from the jewelry store.

I stared at it for a long second. My heart felt a tiny, foolish flutter of hope. Had he really gone to the priest for me? Did he still want a family with me? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he still loved me in his own way.

I looked into his eyes, searching for a sign of the man I used to know. I decided right then not to bring out the rejection files. Not yet. Maybe I could give him one last chance.

"Thank you, Desmond," I whispered.

He nodded, looking relieved. "I’m going to take a shower now," he said. "You should take a rest. You look tired."

I watched him walk away, heading up the stairs. I sat down on the sofa and pulled out my phone. I just wanted to check the news or distract myself. But as soon as I opened my social media app, I froze.

My breath caught in my throat.

Ema had just posted a new update. It was a gallery of pictures. The first few were of her surrounded by expensive shopping bags and jewelry boxes. The caption read: "Gifts from the Alpha #Desmond #Blessed."

I scrolled through the photos, my heart sinking further with each one. Then I reached the last picture.

It was a close-up of Ema's hand holding the exact same jade pendant Desmond had just given me. The caption under that specific photo read:

"He tried to give me this old thing. He said it was 'blessed,' but I'm already blessed with everything I need. I don't need it. It's ugly and cheap. Maybe I can give it to someone who needs it more."

I stared at the screen until the light blurred. My breath stopped. My heart felt like it had been physically crushed.

Desmond hadn't gone to the priest for me. He hadn't bought this for me at all. It was just a piece of trash that Ema didn't want.

He had given me her leftovers and lied to my face about it.