CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2.

My tummy was still rather flat, so I reached for my hands to rub. Whispering, I massaged my stomach, "My baby, my precious baby."

It seemed as if I had nothing at all.

The child's gender escaped my knowledge. A lady like me would be abhorred by everyone, never mind-mated. What actions may I take?

Saving myself simply required one action.

There on the floor lie the test reports I had saved to surprise Alexander. He just needed to receive it from me. There was a chance he might return the affection. His love for me will always endure, he had often stated. That he would abruptly lose interest in me was unimaginable.

I crept to where the results were and scooped them up with a newfound sense of optimism. I ran my fingers over the "pregnant" section. I was indeed expecting it. All right, I had a shot.

Thinking that since everyone had seen me already, I would just leave the mask and the shawl on the floor and crawl to the door. All I could do was crawl since my wheelchair had been taken away from me and I was unable to walk.

Trying not to know if the door was locked, I gently pulled it open. Without much noise, the door swung open. The door was open!

I felt a wave of relief go over me. That indicated Alexander did not despise me! If he had let them leave the door open, he could not have allowed it to stay open.

I slithered outside the door, looking down and swallowing the vast path that lay in front of me with my newfound optimism. Though difficult, I had no choice but to do it. Crawling over the floor, I used one hand to protect my tummy from the surface.

The closer I got to the hallway, the faster my heartbeat became and the more my head spun. That was my only opportunity. My fetus and I have only one chance together.

Looking up, I saw that the hall door was slightly still ajar as I approached it. My heart was racing, so I decided to take a quick look inside.

My dearest friend Vivian was on the raised platform as I peered inside. Her presence in the hallway had escaped my attention due to my intense agony. Suddenly, she was standing there, her body covered in silk, her brown hair pulled up in a majestic braid, her stunning face glistening in the lights. It was a hairdo that only Luna from Wildfire Pack could pull off, and I knew it would be considered treason for any other individual to wear. As half of my hair to my head was also scorched and it looked absurd on me, I had ceased wearing it since the fire incident.

Before, while I was in the hallway, I hadn't even realized she was wearing it. It may be that my euphoria had distracted me from seeing anything.

Hands trembling, my heartbeat quickened. What was the reason for her wearing it? She knew it was treason, didn't she? Not wanting anything bad to happen to her, I was anxious for her. I prayed silently while clenching my hands, and suddenly I saw Alexander, the guy I had been hoping to see in the big hall.

He remained where he had been moments before, standing next to her. And there he stood! What prevented him from telling her to take off the braid? Was her murder his intention?

Recalling the disdain I had been met with when my face was exposed, I hesitated before pushing the door wide while holding the pregnancy results in my hand. It made me shudder.

Before it was too late, though, I had to show him the results. As the priest was now in the hall, it would be more convenient for him to just join us once more. Alexander had said he loved me, so even though I was unattractive, I knew this was the one opportunity that I would be accepted.

I inhaled deeply, held my head high, and used all the grace I could summon to get myself up off the ground and open the door.

I held my breath, waiting for the door to explode open and expecting everyone's gaze to shift on me, but nothing happened.

Like me, their attention was fixed on Alpha Alexander and Vivian, who were positioned in the "aisle".

I pressed myself closer, curious as to what had drawn them so much attention, and I heard the priest talking.

"You're free to descend, my love. Permit all of the kids to kiss your hands." My heart trembled at what the priest stated. Those precise words, that is. The way they were uttered, I knew exactly who they were. After Grandpa passed away, the priest crowned me as Luna using those same words.

When he kissed her hands, what did it mean? Was what I heard incorrect? I misheard since Vivian answered at that point.

"Thank you, priest." After saying that, she turned to face the other free-pack members. "You may kiss my hands." She finished, extending her graceful, long fingers.

I watched all the pack members who approached her and kissed her fingers one by one, my one eye-widening in shock. I recalled as I observed the spectacle. I thought back to how the pack had all given me this kind of kiss on my hands when I was made Luna. As they were doing so, I recalled how significant and happy I felt.

I couldn't even get myself to imagine that Vivian was going to be proclaimed Luna while I gazed.

The entire hall chuckled alongside her.

I continued shaking as I left in the middle of the laughs. I vowed not to cry in front of them.

No, it was not achievable. No way could my one and only buddy betray me. Alexander had given up on me as Luna, but there was no way he was going to acquire a new Luna this quickly. not to mention Vivian. She would not approve, for sure.

Nevertheless, it was getting harder for me to ignore what I was seeing as I saw the entire event play out in front of me. Alexander was staring at her with a smile that made my stomach turn. I had been the only one to get that smile.

I shook my head softly.

The priest approached her and placed his hand on her forehead. And then, grinning, spoke the exact words that, in a way I never imagined, shattered me;

"Vivian Quinn, you are now Alpha Alexander's new wife and Luna of the wildfire Pack." May the moon goddess protect you.

As everyone in the pack bowed their heads before Vivian, the new Luna of the pack, my wolf let out a painful scream.

I shuddered. For me, it was all over. Alexander Took a fresh Luna. He had deceived me! How could my child, my lovely baby, fare?

Glancing down, I grabbed the pregnancy test findings firmly in my hands and hurried out the door before anybody could witness me. The fact that Luna's job was taken over by someone else while I was still alive was the worst embarrassment to me. Not to mention that I witnessed it. I cried as quickly as I could and ran out. Oh, my grandfather had forewarned me. With my fingertips grasping the ground to ensure I didn't fall, I crawled as quickly as I could.

"Stop right there." I stopped as a voice called out. It was Vivian.

I had to give up. She was Luna now, and her voice had power, so there was nothing else I could have done.

I obeyed with a searing sense of guilt, my body stopping naturally.

She commanded simply, "Turn," and I did.

Now, I had the whole enormous hall gazing at me. I was met with familiar looks of great disdain. For the first time, Vivian was grinning at me, and her smile didn't make me feel better. It was cunning, very different from the Vivian I knew.

"Since the previous Luna is here, perhaps she should also kiss my hands. to honor her and bestow blessings upon her. Alexander, don't you think it's an excellent idea?" With her eyes fixed on me, she spoke.

"Love, that was such a beautiful idea. Have you forgotten, though, that she has no lips? Sadly, all that such a person can do is discolor your hands." To my dismay, Alexander responded, and everyone hummed in accord. It seemed unbelievable to me. Was this the Alexander I had managed to save? The one who, if it weren't for me, may have been in my shoes?

"Sorry! Her lips are missing! I nearly forgot. I'm sure you've already bestowed your blessings upon me, Lyra, so feel free to depart." Vivian chuckled and said. I vowed not to let them witness my tears. How could they turn against me?

Had they been hating me the entire time? How did this come about? Did they always have this planned? Were they together all day or had they been for a while? My mind was filled with questions that I wasn't sure I would ever find the answers to.

As the door shut behind me, I heard Alexander Shoving everyone out. The ceremony appeared to be over. I had to get out of the hall before anyone noticed.

I tried to get to my room before my tears started, but my hands grabbed the floor.

My hands failed and I dropped to the floor, trembling as I approached the room. For me, it's over now. My life was destroyed, yet I was still unable to stand out for myself.

I raised my hands, looked down at my wounded, damaged fingers from crawling, and started crying uncontrollably.

I couldn't express the quiet sobs that went through me. It dawned on me as I glanced at the rumpled pregnancy test results that I was holding that Alexander was still unaware of the pregnancy.

It was possible that I still had hope. I had to present the result to him. Tell him about the pregnancy, if for no other reason. I have nowhere else to go right now but here. I had nothing, no assets, and no money in my name. Everything I possessed was registered in Alexander's Name.

How stupid had I been?

If only I had paid attention to Grandpa's advice not to place all of my possessions under Alexander's Name. If only I weren't acting so naive.

I looked up as the door pushed open. To find the new Luna, Vivian Quinn, and the new Alpha Alexander Of Wildfire Pack standing outside the door, kissing furiously, caressing each other, and feeling Alpha Alexander's hand on her behind.