Chapter 3: OTHER WOMAN

Caius’ lips brushed against mine, and an acute feeling of longing shot through my spine. I could feel my lips levitating towards his, eager to press my lips against his, but the thought of Alaric broke me away from my trance. I gasped, pushing Caius away. “How dare you call me your mate?! Alaric is my mate!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. Caius’ features became draped with pain and sadness. He scoffed, his eyes trailing to the floor. “You felt it just now didn’t you? The mate pull. You can’t deny it, deep down you know that we are mat-“ “Shut up!” I bellowed, using my hands to shield my ears. Without giving him as much as I glaned, I dashed away, hurriedly making my way through the thick trees. My mind was clouded with too many thoughts, I found it hard to focus. My worn out legs carried me all the way to my chambers and the moment I slipped into the room, I collapsed on the bed. I clasped my chest tightly, as pain ran through my enter being. All the thoughts, the words I had heard, the things I had discovered, they were all coming back to me. I curled up into a ball and fished out my phone. My eyes trailed through all the information I had collected from the secret room. Other than the fact that I was a hybrid, Alaric’s motives for experimenting on my children we’re vague. It was clear he was trying to harness my power, but I needed more information on it. I swiped through the photos and my eyes fell on the wedding invitation. The pain in my chest grew and a new wave of hot tears grazed my cheek. “Why, just why? Did I mean nothing to you, Alaric?” I muttered under my shaky breath. The door to the room creaked open, making me jolt up into a sitting position. I wiped my cheeks clean, before turning around. My eyes fell on Alaric and all the blood drained from my entire being. “My love,” He smiled, taking a seat beside me on the bed. “How are you feeling? I heard you didn’t touch your breakfast at all. Shall I tell the cooks to make a different diet for you?” I pursed my lips together, swallowing the tears that burned my throat. I forced a smile. “No, actually I have some news... I’m pregnant again.” Alaric’s eyes lit up as he jumped up from the bed. He grabbed my shoulders, his wide eyes staring directly at me. I flinched, a knot forming in my stomach. His eyes had an eerie glint to them and I knew why. “This...this is perfect! This could be the one!” He laughed. Alaric placed a soft kiss on my forehead. In the past, this gesture would have made butterflies roam around my belly, but now, I could only feel disgust. “I will make sure you are fed healthy meals and I will offer you as much comfort as you want. Feel free to tell me if you need anything.” I forced a smile. “Thank you.” He rose up from the bed and walked over to the door, when he stopped and turned to me again. “I hope you’re aware that the moon festival is tomorrow?” I blinked rapidly. “The moon festival?” “Yes, and we both need to attend. I’ll head out first tomorrow and then you can come later, but you must attend. Is that clear?” I nodded, feeling grim. The door closed sharply behind him and I sunk into the soft sheets. I knew the reason behind his early departure, we could not be seen together. Now I could see things clearly. I was such a fool to think that I was the Luna of this pack. I hugged myself tightly as my sobs echoed through the room. How long would this torment last? ** I stepped into the wide field, filled with people from across different packs. Everyone was dressed so lavishly, talking and drinking with one another. My eyes scanned the place, eager to catch a glimpse of Alaric. I had a slimmer of hope that he would come look for me. I made my way through the crowd until my eyes finally found Alaric. I beamed with joy, until my eyes shifted to the woman beside him. Link arm in arm with Alaric was a breath-taking, familiar face. Blonde, slinky hair that cascaded down her pale porcelain skin. Her green eyes like emeralds seemed to draw everyone around her. She was draped in luxury and I couldn’t help but feel envious. That woman, was Freya. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. They were surrounded by other alphas from different packs and they looked like they were made for each other. Our eyes met for a moment and I felt a wave of nausea hit me. With frantic movements I bolted away from the crowd until I was in a clear spot. I doubled over, my body a sea of spasms as I hurled out all the food I had managed to eat that morning. “I knew you were pathetic, but this is a rather amusing sight.” The smooth, rich voice sent a shiver up my spine. I turned back slowly and my eyes fell on Freya.