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7. Done Pretending
Last Updated:
2024-09-05 04:53:05
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Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 8. Away From His Shadow
Linc had given me a lifeline, and I knew I had to take it, but walking into yet another law firm felt like admitting how tangled my life had really become. I stood outside the building, staring up at its sleek glass façade, fighting the instinct to turn around and run. But I couldn't keep running from this. Castor had to be dealt with, and I couldn't do it alone. I took a deep breath and stepped inside. The receptionist didn't even glance at me twice this time as I told her I had an appointment. She buzzed me through, and before I knew it, I was sitting across from a lawyer who looked like he belonged in some glossy magazine. Everything about her was polished, from her pantsuit to how her hair was styled. She reviewed the paperwork I'd brought. "So, you're the one Lincoln recommended," she finally said, setting the papers down. I nodded. "Yes. I assume Mr. Lincoln already told you about my situation." The lawyer smiled. "I know enough to understand this will be a tough case. Ca
Last Updated : 2024-09-05Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 9. No Safety Net
I spent days searching for a job. Each morning, I woke with a knot of anxiety in my stomach, knowing that I would face another round of rejections. The world outside Castor’s grip was cruel, and I had never realized how dependent I had been on him. The rejection was hard to take. I didn’t have a degree, and my resume was little more than a blank page. Most companies barely let me finish speaking before they cut me off. Some knew who I was the second I introduced myself. “Lila Roman? Castor Roman’s wife?” The interviewers would stare. They didn’t say it outright, but I could tell they were afraid. Afraid of hiring someone tied to the most powerful Alpha in the city. I wasn’t a person to them. I was Castor’s property, even if I was trying to leave him. No one wanted to be caught in his orbit. No one wanted to take the risk. I tried to hold onto hope. I couldn’t go back to Castor, not after everything. But the weight of the rejections piled up, making me feel smaller each day. I w
Last Updated : 2024-09-05Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 10. Quite the Scene
It was my third week working at the diner, and I had settled into the job as much as possible. The early morning rush was relentless every single day, and the nausea hit harder some days than others.My breasts and back ached constantly, and my feet were sore from standing all day, but I forced myself to push through. I needed this job. The symptoms just reminded me of why I was pushing so hard.I wiped down the counter, my thoughts drifting to Cast. Even after everything, his influence refused to leave me alone. The whispers around town and the way people stared when they recognized me came back to him.The ex-Luna, now just a cook in some dingy diner.That's what they saw. What they whispered.As I scrubbed harder, trying to focus on anything else, the door slammed open against the wall as it was forcefully opened. The force of it startled me, and I didn't need to turn around to know who had just walked in. My parents had found me. I froze.“Delilah Montez Roman!” My mother's voice
Last Updated : 2024-09-05Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 11. Paying the Price
CAST - The memory of Lila's face that day haunted me. She looked at me, eyes steady, as she told me she was leaving. At first, I couldn't believe it. I thought it was just a phase, that she'd come back, see reason. But she hadn't. And the longer she stayed away, the more I panicked. "Mr. Roman, the Blakely contract needs your signature," Maya, my assistant, called from the doorway. I barely glanced up. "I'll get to it later." It came out harsher than I intended, but I didn't care. The frustration was too much. Maya knew better than to push when I was like this. I heard the door click shut behind her as she left me alone with my thoughts. I stood and started pacing the length of the office. I couldn't get Lila's face out of my mind. The cold, determined way she'd looked at me before walking out. At first, I thought she was bluffing, that she'd return. She had to, she was my fated mate. My Luna. The mother of my child. But she didn't, and that's when the panic set in. Slamming
Last Updated : 2024-09-06Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 12. Mine
Browsing through the maternity section made everything feel surreal. Tiny outfits hung on racks, each a reminder of the life growing inside me. I trailed my hand over a little onesie, imagining my baby wearing it. I hadn't planned on being here, in this aisle, pregnant and alone, but here I was. And somehow, despite everything, I was managing. "Look at this one," Indy said, holding up a pair of tiny overalls with a smile. She had been my rock through all of this. We were in Statesboro, far enough away from Augusta that I let myself relax a little. No one knew me here. No one would look at me and see Castor Roman's runaway Luna. I could just be Lila, a pregnant woman preparing for her baby. "Those are adorable," I said, reaching out to feel the fabric. It was soft, so perfect for a newborn. I imagined my baby in them, snuggled in my arms, safe and warm. For a moment, the reality of my situation faded, and I allowed myself to feel happy. Indy nudged me with her elbow. "You're go
Last Updated : 2024-09-06Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 13. Already Won
The phone vibrated on the kitchen counter, the lawyer's name flashing across the screen. "Hello?"There was a pause, longer than it should've been. I could feel it coming. Bad news."Mrs. Roman, I'm sorry. I can't continue with your case." "What? What do you mean you can't continue?""I'm dropping it. There's... too much at stake for me. For my firm. Castor Roman has too much influence. No one is willing to go up against him. No one. I'm even struggling to get basic things from the clerks."I leaned against the counter as the room started to spin. "So you're just giving up? After everything I've told you?""I'm not giving up, Lila. It's not about that. It's about survival. I can't risk this. And, if I'm honest with you, I don't think any lawyer in this city will take your case. He's just too powerful."Castor. Castor is always controlling something. "So that's it? He wins because you're scared? You're just letting him take everything from me?""You're smart, Lila. You knew this was
Last Updated : 2024-09-07Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 14. How Close
I was staring at the cold white ceiling. My hands rested protectively over my stomach, every breath slow and careful. The doctor had been in moments ago. I hadn't lost the baby. Not yet. But that didn't mean everything was okay."You're under too much stress," the doctor said. "If you don't take care of yourself, there's a risk to the pregnancy. Rest. No more strain."Yeah right.I exhaled, trying to focus on anything else. My chest felt tight, and I couldn't push away the image of what might have happened. Of what could still happen.Linc knocked on the door and stepped inside."How are you feeling?" he asked.I turned my head away, biting back everything I wanted to say. How was I feeling? Terrified. Exhausted. Like the world was slowly caving in. But none of that mattered. I just wanted my baby to be okay."The baby's fine," I whispered. "For now."He shifted awkwardly near the door, his usual confidence nowhere to be seen.I pulled myself up into a sitting position, wincing
Last Updated : 2024-09-07Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 15. A Fool
CastI sat at my desk, the papers in front of me a blur of numbers and meaningless deals. None of it mattered. Not Pinewood, not the real estate empire I'd built, not even the pack politics. Nothing mattered except Lila. The second she left me, something shifted. I couldn't shake it. Every day without her felt like a fresh wound in my heart. She was carrying my child, and that should've been my focus, but it wasn't just that. I loved her. It took me too long to realize it, but now that I had, the truth was suffocating. I'd been so damn stupid. Lila should've been the one I chose from the start. Not Selena. Not the wild thrill that came with someone who didn't care about the pack, about responsibility. Selena had been fun, an escape. But Lila was forever. She understood what it meant to be Luna. She was strong and resilient and was everything I needed by my side. And now, she was gone, fighting me at every turn. The door to my office clicked open, and Selena sauntered in, dr
Last Updated : 2024-09-07
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Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 2- 41. Hear Me
DECLAN -I made it back to the house just as Gaia came tearing out the front door, furious. She was barely holding herself together. The second she saw me, she yanked her shirt over her head. My brain barely caught up. I froze as every muscle in my body seemed to ripple at once. I was still reeling from being near Suki. From the way she looked at me. From the way my body reacted even when my mind told me I belonged to Gaia. The confusion pulled me in opposite directions, turning every second into a battle. And now Gaia was storming toward me, tearing off her clothes, taking up every bit of space in my mind. "Damn, Gaia." I snapped my head to the side, forcing myself to look anywhere but at her. She stalked closer, bare feet kicking up dust. I frowned. Why the hell were her shoes off? She had stormed out of the house so fast that she hadn't even thought to put them on. That wasn't like her. She grabbed my chin and jerked my head forward. "We... werr 'dults. We... need to stop act
Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 2- 40. Experienced
DECLAN - Suki stretched out on the rock beside me, legs extended, fingers tapping idly against the stone. She wasn't in a rush, and that only made everything worse for me."Why are you upset?"I stared at the dirt, exhaling hard. "You don't want to know.""Please. You rejected me. Nothing else you say can be worse than that."That shouldn't have hit as hard as it did. My hands tightened against my knees, but I kept my voice even. "Yeah... Sorry for that too."She shrugged like it didn't matter. "You did what you had to do. That doesn't mean I can't tease you about it."She smiled, not mean, not teasing, but something about it still made it impossible to ignore. I didn't push. Couldn't. Not right now.Some of the pressure in my shoulders eased. "You're handling it better than I thought.""What, did you expect me to run off crying?" She kicked a loose rock down the slope. "I don't do the whole helpless thing."I huffed. "I know. Takes a lot of strength to live out here on purpose all t
Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 2- 39. Secrets
DECLAN - Mom knocked once before stepping inside, moving like she expected this to be a fight. Maybe she did. Maybe it was."Your dads worked out a deal with Jaed."I stayed where I was, back against the headboard, arms locked around Gaia. Keeping her here. Keeping her mine. "Doesn't matter. Nothing is changing."She did her best to ignore my attitude. "Gaia can still stay until her birthday."I scoffed. "You heard what I said. She was staying regardless of all the bullshit."Gaia sat up fast, then shoved off the bed completely. "Don't talk to your mother like that."Heat crawled up my spine fast. A burn that made my stomach wrench. Being called out pissed me off. Being called out by someone below me? Made my teeth ache.And I hated that I felt like that.Mom just watched, waiting. No reaction, no expression, no wasted effort. My breath felt thicker, slower, body bracing for something I wasn't even sure of. I forced my attention back to her instead of the fire sparking hot under my s
Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 2- 38. Moan
DECLAN - Jaed turned on his heel and stormed out, steps heavy enough to shake the floor. The door slammed hard enough to rattle the frame. Gaia moved fast, pushing out of the room after him without looking back. My body still burned, everything wound so tight I thought I might snap in half. There was no way in hell I was walking out there right now, not like this. I sat on the edge of the bed, planted my feet, and dragged both hands through my hair before forcing them down. If I kept doing that, it would only make everything worse. I needed to get it together. I needed to think about something else. Anything else. My breathing was too hard, too uneven. My pulse pounded in my ears. My entire body ached, my skin too hot, my blood thick and heavy. Every inch of me still screamed for her, for more, for everything I had been seconds away from having. I stared at the ceiling and tried to focus. No good. Every thought ran straight back to her. To the way she had felt pressed against m
Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 2- 37. Do It Again
DECLAN - By the end of the lesson, most of them had the alphabet down. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start. More than that, it was proof that this was happening. That Gaia was becoming part of us, not just some outsider with no way to connect.As the room emptied out, I felt her before she even touched me. Gaia slid her arms around my waist from behind, pressing herself against my back."You're incredible," she signed against my chest, looking up at me.I swallowed. Hard. "Come on," I muttered, taking her hand and pulling her toward my room.The second the door shut behind us, she was on me. She dragged me down to meet her lips. I didn't hesitate. I kissed her hard, ignoring the dull ache still lingering in my ribs. My shoulder moved without protest, and most of the cuts had already faded into thin scars. I knew I should still be careful, but touching her made everything else disappear. The soreness, the exhaustion, the remnants of pain all vanished the second she was in my arms.S
Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 2- 36. Not Really
I found Cast and Linc in the office, going over some pack reports. Linc leaned back in his chair while Cast was half-standing, flipping through pages with a scowl. They barely looked up when I walked in, but I didn't care. I had something to say, and they were going to listen."We're starting ASL classes," I said, crossing my arms. "Everyone is required to attend. That includes both of you."Linc's brow lifted slightly, and Cast set the papers down with an exasperated sigh. "You're giving us orders now?" Cast asked, folding his arms over his chest."Yes."They exchanged a look. Linc sighed first. "Declan, you don't get to just..."I cut him off. "I do. And I am. This should've happened the second we knew Gaia was deaf. Jaed made sure every single person in his pack knew how to communicate with her before they moved there. But here? We're still scribbling on notepads like it's the Dark Ages."Linc's jaw tightened. Cast clenched his teeth, looking more annoyed than guilty. But I wasn't
Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 2- 35. Distracted
Life felt strange now. Not bad. Just different.The routine of school was gone, replaced by the quiet predictability of home. I woke up early, trained with Dad Cast and some of the others, then spent the rest of the day doing whatever needed to be done around the packhouse. The only difference now? I was healing far faster than I should have been.The gashes along my ribs had already started closing. My shoulder still ached, but nowhere near what it should have been given the damage Suki had done. Even the deep bruising felt more like old aches instead of fresh wounds. It was fast. Too fast.Gaia noticed it first. She was there when I peeled off my shirt after training, her eyes narrowing as she reached out, fingers barely brushing over the nearly-healed claw marks."That’s not normal," she signed, eyes flicking up to mine.I already knew that. "I heal fast now that I'm an adult alpha?""Not this fast," she countered . "Do you think,"I exhaled. "It’s you."She nodded slowly. "We heal
Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 2- 34. ASL
DECLAN - Gaia's arm was draped around my waist as we walked back to my room, her touch grounding in a way I wasn't ready to think too hard about. The house was quiet except for the distant hum of conversation downstairs. The scents of dinner still lingered in the air, but I wasn't hungry. Too much had happened today, too many things stirring under my skin that I couldn't sort through yet.We stopped in front of my door. Gaia shifted beside me like she wasn't sure if she wanted to let go just yet. I exhaled sharply, glancing down the hall. I could hear soft crying. Not just anyone's. Tory's. And Roxy was nowhere to be found. My stomach turned.Gaia followed my eyes. "Go," she murmured, already stepping back. "I'll find something to do."I hesitated. "Are you sure?"She rolled her eyes, a smirk tugging at her lips. "I can survive without you for an hour, Declan."I shook my head, but I appreciated how easy she made things. With one last glance, she walked off, leaving me standing outs
Pregnant Luna - Lawful Rebellion 2- 33. Anything But Good
DECLAN - I walked to Gaia, needing her like I needed air, and pulled her in. My arms locked around her, crushing, desperate, because she was the only thing keeping me from coming apart. I didn't care who saw. I didn't care about anything but her warmth, the only thing grounding me. My breath came too fast, too sharp, my grip locked in place like letting go would tear something vital away. She held on just as tightly, her grip a quiet promise, something solid in the chaos I couldn't control.I exhaled, but nothing settled. The house closed in, the energy shifting, thick and unbearable. I couldn't stop it. Couldn't outrun it. But I could hold on to her. And right now, I needed to.I pulled back just enough to sign, making sure she was watching. "Go to my room. Stay there. And this time, stay away from the door. I don't want to hurt you again."Her grip tightened before she pushed back completely, shaking her head. "No," she signed. "I'm your mate now. I need to be involved in anything
