Chapter 001

Chapter 01 

Nia POV

"Congratulations, Mrs. Creed. You are three months pregnant." The doctor's words kept ringing in my head. I stared at the ultrasound in my hand, a tiny pulsing dot-a sign of new life in my stomach. After three years of waiting, and finally, this beautiful gift arrived. I couldn't wait to get home and tell my husband the news. I drove home, leaving the crowded human hospital for werewolf territory, passing through pine forests that lined the road. The Northwind pack looked at me with disdain as my car passed them on its way to the Packhouse.

After storing the car in the garage, my footsteps were very light entering the house and echoed down the hallway towards Lyord's study. In impatience and happiness, I opened the door without knocking.

"Lyord, I have good news ...." I suddenly froze, my eyes widening at the scene I caught before my eyes.  

Lyord Creed, my Alpha and husband, had his back to the door, holding another woman in his arms in a very intimate position and kissing.

 "Ah, I'm sorry, Nia...." Rachel hurriedly pushed Lyord away and fixed her messy hair. Her face was flushed with shame, and she looked at me with a look of feigned guilt for having an affair with my husband.

 My hands clenched into tight fists, the happiness of my pregnancy crumbling. I tried to look calm even though my heart was burning.

 There was no longer any happiness or enthusiasm as I felt a moment ago, but I stayed where I was and entered Lyord's study. 

"Lyord, I have something to tell you ...."

 Lyord's voice, sharp and cold as ice, interrupted. "Do you know how to knock on the door, Nia?"

 A shadow fell as Lyord spun around, his height and bulk blocking the light in the window. His hair was black as night, contrasting with his ice-blue eyes, staring at me with piercing intensity.

 "I've told you repeatedly, don't come into my study." He chided me in front of Rachel. 

The grin on that woman's face was annoying.

  "I'm sorry, Lyord. It's because I have news to tell you," I whispered weakly.

 Without looking at me, Lyord lowered his head to check the files on his desk and said indifferently, "I don't have time to listen to you. I'm busy right now. We can talk later."

 "But this is important, Lyord. I went to Reed Town for a checkup and the doctor told me ...." I walked in and was about to explain to Lyord when Rachel's voice interrupted.

 "Nia, you went to Reed Town? Weren't you told that you shouldn't go out of the Northwind Pack? Why didn't you listen? Do you know how dangerous it is if you go outside the Packhouse and people find out that you're Luna of the Northwind Pack?"

 Lyord looked up at me sharply.

 I knew it wasn't out of fear that others would harm me for being Luna of the Northwind Pack but because they were embarrassed by me being a Lycan and witch hybrid but lacking wolf abilities. They don't want a hybrid who doesn't even have a wolf and is almost human to be a Luna Pack.

 If I weren't the only daughter of Lycan King Cassius of the Eastwood kingdom and deeply loved by my father, they wouldn't be willing to take me as a Luna for the marriage alliance. 

 "I have something to do in town," I replied flatly.

 "What are you doing in town? Shopping? Or sightseeing? You have to tell me so I can send Seth to protect you. It's dangerous if you go alone." Rachel said with a soft voice and fake anxiety on her face.

I was sick of it. She was always being so controlling and taking away my job as Luna.

 "Why are you always telling me what to do and what not to do. I'm the Luna here, not you. Whatever I want to do, I don't need your permission, Ms. Calvert."

I knew Rachel had always been important in the eyes of Lyord and the Pack, even more important than Luna Pack and his wife. 

She was Lyord's true mate before being forced to marry me for the sake of an alliance with the Lycan Eastwood kingdom. 

I married Lyord when I was eight years old, and Lyord was still an Alpha candidate. His father, Alpha Lucas, forced him to marry me. He hated me for forcing him to part from his true mate, Rachel.

 During the three years of marriage, I was never considered Luna and was always treated sarcastically by the Pack. They thought of Rachel as Luna because she did all of Luna's work. 

I wasn't allowed to touch the pack business because, to them, I was still an outsider and the daughter of the enemy pack. If it weren't for Alpha Lucas forcing the Pack to respect me, I would have no place in this Pack. Ever since Alpha Lucas died a month ago, Lyord had been more open about his relationship with Rachel.

 "I...." Rachel looked stunned at my rebuke for the first time.

  "I'm sorry, Nia. I'm doing this for your own good. I didn't know you would hate it. I... I'm not doing it again. I'm sorry, Nia," she said in a soft voice.

"You don't need to apologize," Lyord said softly, then looked at me coldly and annoyed. "Can't you just stay in the Packhouse and enjoy your status as Luna without having to do anything? Rachel's words are very true. You're a Luna of Pack Northwind, be careful with your actions. I don't want to have to explain to your father if something happens to you when you leave the Packhouse. Don't make trouble for the Pack."

I bit my lower lip, trying to keep my voice from trembling. "Do you remember that I'm this Pack's Luna? All this time, the people in the Pack have always scorned me and never thought of me as Luna. They respected Rachel more than me-!"

"Why are you being so noisy today?" Lyord interjected irritably. "Since you left the Packhouse without permission, stay in your room and don't go anywhere without my permission."

I laughed angrily. I was confused as to where this emotion came from, as I had always obeyed and never argued with Lyord. This was the first time I raised my voice to him. "Well, wasn't I always confined to the house and forbidden to roam the Packhouse? Why, are you afraid I'll spy on you guys and tell my father about the Pack's weaknesses? I know you've always been afraid of my father!"

"Nia Schafer! You'd better shut your mouth!" Lyord's voice turned extremely cold, his expression seemingly dark as he stood up, raising his hand to slap me. 

"You... you slapped me?" I was stunned, tears streaming down my face.

Although we had been married for three years without love and only for the sake of an alliance between two packs, Lyord had never been rude or violent to me. I tolerated his secret relationship with Rachel because I loved her and was afraid of losing her.

I've loved him since I was ten years old when he saved me from another pack's werewolf. I was the one who asked my father to accept an alliance with the Northwind Pack, the sworn enemy of the Eastwood kingdom so that I could marry him. I got Lyord's hatred and cold treatment in return. He never even recognized me from the start of our marriage and slept in Rachel's room on our first night.

But I persevered and tried many times to win his heart, hoping that if we met often, he would love me over time.

Lyord sat back in his chair with an indifferent attitude. "Nia, you'd better behave yourself while I'm still being nice to you. Get out of my office now."