Chapter 1
Prologue
The morning Sun had long been obscured by the thick blankets of a ashen cloud. It was the kind of cloudy day that seemed to stretch endlessly with the promise of heavy rain. Natalie stood by the window, her reflection distorted by the droplets clinging to the glass.
The world outside was muted, shrouded in a soft veil of grey. Natalie wrapped herself in his cozy sweater, she had stolen it when her heat struck for the first time. It might have been months since her heat but she could swear it still carried traces of his scent. Her fingertips slowly trail the soft wool of the sweater, her thoughts running back to what the pack doctor had told her the day before. She shivered internally and it was not from the cold breeze.
“You are expecting the future heir of the pack, Luna.” He had told her. Natalie had staggered back in shock, her pupils wild and dilated, his words repeating in her mind over and over again. Natalie had looked at him, hoping he would burst into laughter and say it is a prank. ‘Expecting’ he said again, allowing his words sink in her head.
One might wonder why she hasn’t told anyone of the news and instead of celebrating with the rest of the pack, she’s here, cooped up in her room. That is because it was never meant to be. She was never meant to be and yet, here she is.
How is she ever going to break this news to him? She has been mated for the past five years and yet not once has he looked at her with the gaze of a woman. She has always been the one who was forced on him. The one that reminds him of the huge misstep that happened in the past. The other woman.
How is she supposed to tell him she is pregnant when he doesn’t even remember sharing the night with her. Natalie sniffles quietly, fighting back tears, her lower l*p caught between her teeth as she runs through every possibility for this but they all end up the same way, futile.
She shudders, her mind heavy with the news she has in her mind. She swallows hard, wiping her cheeks dry, she turns and walks out of the room. The pack has been in Jubilation mood since yesterday and no, it isn’t because they magically found out about her pregnancy but rather because she’s back. The beta’s daughter who had been out of the pack for five years learning more about the humans and their world. The pack has been celebrating her safe return, after all it’s been said that humans despise werewolves for the powers they have.
Natalie looked out the window, it’s getting dark and the rain had now begun to drizzle. The air had gotten even colder if possible. Natalie heaved deeply as she stared into nothing. Her hands resting on her flat stomach, she had to do something and that too fast. She can’t keep this secret any longer, not if she is still the Luna of the pack, she had to say something.
Natalie stepped out of the room she had been cooped up in all day, not like anyone bothered to search for her. She had made up her mind, tonight she will tell him she’s pregnant. The weight of the news was heavy on her mind even as she walked towards his office.
Natalie approached his office, her heart beat tripling over a thousand times, her hands clammy with sweat. She stood outside the door, nurturing the boldness that has gotten her out of her room to the place she stood now. Natalie heaved deeply, taking a step closer to the door, her hand on door knob, her lower l*p caught between her teeth, she pushed the door open slightly, her heart beat rapidly increasing as she lifts her head. That’s when she saw it.
Right there, staring right at her was Luther and in his arms was the very bane of her existence. Eleanor.
Eleanor sat on the table, her skirt pulled up to her inner thighs, Luther’s large palms resting on her thighs, her arms wrapped around his n*eck, their l*ps locked in a deep k*ss, eyes closed, oblivious to the third eye looking at them. Natalie’s eye stung and soon filled with unshed tears, her throat heavy and tight, she found it hard to breathe for a second. A knot rises to her throat as she watched her mate tongue deep into another. They were in their own world and their world didn’t include Natalie.
She felt sick to her stomach, her eyes burned harshly yet she couldn’t look away. The both of them lost in each other, huddled in their bubble where she didn’t exist. Natalie clasps her hand over her mouth, taking a staggering step back, she struggled to control her breathing. She was on the verge of having a panic attack and she desperately didn’t want one. She can’t look more pathetic that she already is.
Natalie stood still, tears streaming down her face. Her heart was breaking with every second that passed. She slowly swallowed the lump in her throat, taking a step back to move. She doesn’t get far though as she stumbles slightly. She froze, knowing they’d heard the slight commotion. She’s right though. Natalie straightened properly, looking into the office now where the two of them stood. Luther’s eyes widen slightly on seeing her.
She watched as he leaned down to whisper in Eleanor’s ears, she watched Eleanor look at her afterwards and smile at her, nodding slightly. Natalie returns it, she smiles back but it soon fades once she realizes what was happening.
Luther walks towards her with Eleanor beside him. They looked like what she had always wanted. They stop right in front of her, pulling the door open wider. Luther clears his throat as Natalie tries to mask the fact that she saw them k*ssing. “Natalie, I’m sure you haven’t met. This is Eleanor, Beta Richard’s daughter and a very close friend.” He pauses, looking at Eleanor like she hung the stars. He seemed to recollect himself and cleared his throat.
“Eleanor, This is Natalie, The Luna.” Short and abrupt. The Luna. Not my mate, not a friend but the Luna. Natalie felt sick, it felt like a joke was being played, like she was the main character of a comedy show.
“Nice to meet you, Eleanor. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Natalie says with a smile on her face. Eleanor nods, looking around the hall.
“Oh really? That’s a pity. I haven’t heard anything about you though. I feel bad now.” Eleanor says, pouting but it irks Natalie. Luther chuckled, wrapping his arm around her waist.
“Don’t be. Natalie understands it’s because you haven’t been in the pack for years. Right, Natalie?” He asks but paused on seeing the forlorn look she wore. Natalie’s eyes flicker to the hand he had wrapped around her waist and a bile rise to her throat again but she forcefully swallows it.
“I understand.” She replied flatly.
Natalie clears her throat, feeling sick internally but she still had to do what she came here for initially. She has to tell him. “Can I speak to you?” She asks, not missing the way Luther’s first instinct was to look at Eleanor. She felt something break inside of her.
“I’m here and all ears.” He replied casually. Eleanor making no move to leave his side. Natalie shook her head. “Alone.” She pointed out.
Luther’s mouth hung open at her words, his hand falling from Eleanor’s waist. “I..um..of course.” Eleanor starred at Natalie for a second before leaving, her eyes sparkled with something Natalie couldn’t pinpoint. She finally stepped back into the office, leaving the door open still. Natalie would have to make do with that.
“You can speak.”
Natalie nods, her throat constricting of air, her insides was swooping with an uncomfortable feeling. She cleared her throat again. In all this, Luther stood there, watching her.
Natalie finally mustered up the courage to speak, she opened her mouth, about to allow the words out of her l*ps but is cut off by Eleanor once again.
The woman stood by the door, his phone in her hand. “You have a call.” She tells him straight, her eyes boring into Natalie’s.
Luther opened his mouth to speak but stops, He looks at the two ladies, his wolf telling him something was wrong or would go wrong but he doesn’t listen. He wouldn’t listen, not now, not now that Eleanor is here. He sighs internally and excuses himself from their midst.
Natalie stared at his retreating figure until she’s broken out of her reverie. Eleanor had gotten much closer than she was, her eyes on Natalie like a predator.
“Take a walk with me, will you?” She asks but it sounded like a challenge. Natalie nods.
~
She followed Eleanor out of the office the air thick with tension. They stepped outside into the cool night, the rain had subsided, leaving behind a damp earthy scent. Natalie shuddered internally, wondering what Eleanor could possibly want to talk about. She finds out soon.
Eleanor stops abruptly, the pack, some feet away from them. She turns to look at Natalie as she ran her hands through her auburn hair. “We can drop the pretense now. Luther isn’t here and we aren’t in there. You can say your mind to me as freely as you want.” She starts and Natalie raised her eyebrows.
“Say my mind?” She repeats.
“You don’t like me. I don’t like you. There is no need to put up such font anymore. I’ve heard you had a hard time being the Luna of the pack and I can see why.” Natalie reels back in shock.
“What?”
Eleanor wrapped her arm against her chest, sighing softly like she was about to deliver some painful news.”
“You’re weak. No one is going to respect a Luna that’s as weak as you but that’s fine.
You’ve played my role for the past five years and it’s time you gave it back to the true owner, don’t you think?” She says condescendingly. Natalie clenched her jaw, struggling to hold back the torrent of emotions within her.
“Don’t you think you’re going too far, Eleanor? I’ve been quiet but it doesn’t mean I’m stupid.” Natalie says quietly.
“Too far? I’m only putting a stamp on what’s mine, after all I’ve missed out on a whole five years! That’s a lot of time wasted. Before coming back here, I thought ‘what if Luther had fallen in love with the girl he was forcefully mated to? ‘What if’s’ paraded my mind endlessly but I got here. I got here and he held me like the most sacred thing, like I was fragile and he was scared I’ll be gone.” She paused but every word that left her l*ps felt like a stab to Natalie’s heart.
“For five years you’ve been his mate and he’s never looked at you with the gaze of a woman. He’s never wanted you, never thought of you. In five years you’ve been able to achieve nothing. You’re a Luna for the title but not in reality. No one respects you as the Luna. You have been given a little bit of respect for being Luther’s mate. Aren’t you tired of being given the end of the stick with nothing to show for it? You have no impact and will have none. You’ve been given my position for five years and you’ve managed to do nothing but be a burden he cannot get rid of. I’m back now and I refuse to allow this go on any further.” She stops again, taking a step closer to Natalie, her eyes chillingly cold and emotionless.
“Break your bond with him and let him be free.” She states coldly.
“What?” Natalie croaks out.
“How dare you? You have the audacity, I commend you. You’ve been gone from this pack, abandoning everyone that loved you for a nameless and futile dream. You’ve been given the chance to return and yet you brag and claim rights. I wasn’t given your position. You lost your position the day you left him. I’ve been the one here for the past five years, nursing to his every need directly or not. Yes! He hasn’t looked at me with the gaze of a woman but is that all there is to my relationship with him? I refuse to stand here and listen to your bullshits any longer. You’re welcome in the pack and that’s it. You have no right asking for anything.”
“You’re in love with him.” She stated like it was some high end secret.
“Yes and he is my mate! My husband. I’m allowed to be in love with my husband but you on the other hand. You’re nothing.” She spat out bitterly, the image of them k*ssing came flashing in her head once again.
Eleanor smirked, a glint of malice in her eyes. “Enjoy being Luna while you can. I promise you it won’t last.” She replied venomously. With that she sauntered away, leaving Natalie standing alone.