2

Selena

“Thank the goddess, finally an heir for my son.” Brinny cried out excitedly as she rushed over to the girl beside Lucian without even trying to confirm who she was and how she got pregnant.

“You’ve done well Son,” she carressed Lucian softly before she turned to the girl and held her stomach, “this child is the future of this pack so from now on, everyone must accord you and this child with the respect you deserve.”

“A true Luna indeed, unlike some barren ones that sit with their head so high up in the cloud that they can no longer get pregnant again,” she shot back at me.

I remained rooted to my spot, staring right at Lucian without moving. Every single, hurtful word the Luna said didn’t get past me, and when I tried to move, I staggered and almost fell flat on my face if Logan had not helped me up.

“Lucian…” I whispered his name softly as Logan helped me back down on the throne. Every single eye was now on me, I could tell they were all expecting a reaction from me while Brinny fawned over the new girl and her baby.

“Selena, I think it’s time you stepped down.” Lucian said, and a gasp slid from me.

All these years and the first thing he would say to me after returning home was something like that. Year after year of dedicating myself to his pack and I didn’t even get a warm regard. I was still his wife so…

“Yes,”Brinny’s sharp voice cut into my thoughts, “as you can see, a more suitable Luna has arrived, someone that really deserves to sit on the throne because she just successfully accomplished what you could never do in your entire life.

“Mom!” Katherine exclaimed, “this is not the time to do this.”

Ignoring everyone else that was in the hall, my eyes remained on Lucian but what hurt me the most was that, he wasn’t even staring at me, his eyes was on the woman beside him and her belly.

“Lucian…I…we….” I stammered heavily, so I had to pause, take a deep breath before I continued, “what is going on, Lucian? You’ve been gone for a while, and you just show up with her without an explanation or a …”

“And who are you to request for an explanation.” Brinny shot back, “last I checked, my son is the Alpha, you see, that’s the reason why you’ve never been able to get pregnant, you don’t think about the things that matter, it’s always about the ones that don’t.”

Lucian remained silent, so when Brinny suggested he assisted his pregnant Luna to a room since she was still on her feet, he left with her without even sparing me a glance.

It felt like a knife was being twisted deep into my heart, my throat ached like someone had reached into it and ripped out my lungs, tears pricked at the corners of my eyes but I fought so hard and blinked several times to keep them back.

At least, I would ensure I didn’t cry in front of Brinny. That was what she had always wanted to see, and I wasn’t going to give her that privilege.

Logan wanted to help me back to my room, but I told him I needed some time alone to think, so I headed to the balcony, where I would be alone and be able to get some air.

“I think it’s time for a divorce, Selena.” I heard a voice say behind me, and I turned around sharply only to find Lucian standing there. His expression was cold, and his eyes held no warmth at all.

I wasn’t sure I had heard what he said until he took a step closer and repeated the same words again.

“What?!” I stared at him wide-eyed and unable to believe what I had just heard.

“Lucian what are you…”

“We were never mates, Selena. we never had that kind of connection. What use is a marriage that can not bear anything out of it?”

“Anything? Really Lucian? You’ve been gone for years, and even when you do show up, you avoid me like a plague, so how on earth was I supposed to bear your child when you’re always avoiding touching me?” I asked, struggling to keep myself from breaking down even though my voice was already forsaking me.

“Like I said, Selena, there was no connection between us. How was I supposed to touch a woman that I wasn’t attracted to. You always paid too much attention to the pack rather than…”

“And that’s my fault?” I yelled, tears now sliding down my cheek as my heart began to beat wildly against my chest, “have you thought about the fact that maybe if you had stayed at home and carried out your duties as an Alpha rather than leaving everything to me, just maybe I could have been able to carry out mine as a Luna.”

“You never would have been able to carry out your duties regardless of my presence, you know why? Because you are barren Selena, and I am certain it is the curse of the moon goddess on me because you and I are not mates.” He spat with such venom in his voice and a glare in his eyes that I had never seen before.

I knew Lucian and I were never close from the start, but he was never this cold to me. He never looked at me with such hatred in his eyes before.

“Lucian, we can work things out. Divorce is not a solution right now and…” I reached out to touch him, but he stepped away from me and stared me down.

“The papers will be sent to you tonight. Sign them without a fuss. Please do it while I am still asking nicely, Selena.” He added before he turned around and walked away.

I crumbled to the floor like a heap of dirt, sobbing heavily as the tears that had threatened to flow earlier rushed down my face without control.

My chest felt heavy, like something had been placed on it, and it made it so difficult for me to breathe. How could Lucian do that to me? Years and years of hope and dedication, I dreamt of the day he would return home and show his affection, and this was what I got in return.

I gripped my chest tightly as I struggled to breathe, my vision was now blurred by my tears and just when I thought nothing else could rival the pain and humiliation I felt at that moment, someone stepped onto the balcony.

“Please just go away, I am not in the mood to talk to anyone.” I said, thinking it was Katherine or Logan that had come to check up on me, but the person didn’t leave.

I refused to look up at whoever it was because I didn’t want to be seen like this but since the person refused to leave, neither did I hear a single sound, I assumed it was Brinny.

“If you’re here to gloat, then you might need to be quick with it because…” I looked up and the rest of the words got stuck in my throat when I realized it was the woman that had arrived with Lucian and not who I thought it was.

“Selena right?” She asked with a wide smile as she caressed her belly, “listen, I know this is a bad time and all, but I just wanted to personally apologize for my husband’s behavior. After all these years, he shouldn’t have broken the news to you like that. Please forgive us. We didn’t mean to hurt you. It was just that we couldn’t hold back our desire for each other.”

She paused and smiled at me again.

“I doubt if you would ever understand what it feels like, but one can not fight a mate bond, you know. I am so sorry for ruining your marriage, and maybe you and I can still be friends.”

She stepped forward and stretched out her arms, and I stared at her, wide-eyed in shock.

Did she just call Lucian her husband in front of me? Friends?! She wanted us to be friends?

I scoffed out loud.

I let out a painful laughter that sounded chilling even to me. She was clearly mocking me with the whole mate thing and I refused to be the bitter wife that would take things too far so I just ignored her and was about to walk away when she suddenly screamed and collapsed to the ground.

Her piercing scream rang out across the mansion, and I turned around and rushed over to her side.

“Are you alr-“ the question had barely left my lips when Lucian rushed in and almost knocked me down when he knelt by her and cradled her in his arms like a baby.

He had never done that for me before.

Suddenly, tears streamed down her face as she groaned in pain, “My baby…is my baby alright?” She asked him as she clung onto his chest.

I was confused. Why was she asking about her baby? What could be wrong with the child?

“What happened?” Lucian turned to me with a frown on his face, and I just stared back at him dumbfounded because I also had no idea what was going on.

“Don’t be mad at her, babe,” she sobbed, “I was just trying to apologize for hurting her feelings, but she…she snapped at me and tried to hurt my baby. Her anger must have blinded her.”

I stared at her in disbelief. What kind of a human being would tell such a lie in the presence of who she was lying against with real tears rolling down her cheeks.

Before I knew what was going on, Lucian rose to his feet, and his face twisted in anger as he raised his hand high up in the air and brought it down heavily.

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly as I waited for the blow, but it never came. By the time I opened my eyes, Logan was standing in front of me, and both men were glaring at each other with such intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.