CHAPTER THREE

ARIA’s POV….

If I had been holding on to little fragments of hope for our relationship that was already failing all this time, now, I was holding on to dust.

As Raymond stared at me, his expression went back to being unreadable as he let out a sigh. “No one important.” My heart clenched as my eyes became glassy. “She’s just a maid, there’s no need for an introduction. Your kind has nothing to do with hers.”

Ashley raised her brows as she took a step closer to me, wiping off an invisible dust on my shoulder as she let out a mocking scoff disguised as a pitiful one.

“You poor thing.” She kissed the back of her teeth. “It must suck trying to act all high and mighty when in reality, you’re nothing more than this, doesn’t it?”

I turned to Raymond who just stood there like I wasn’t being mocked and downgraded in his presence and it hurt to see that even though he could defend me and spare me all this pain, he didn’t.

“As a princess, I can understand the pain your kind goes through every single day wanting to be something—or someone— they’re not.” As she spoke, she rummaged through her purse as she took out some cash, taking my hand as she put it in.

“Take care of yourself, darling.” She winked at me before linking her hand in Raymond’s as they left me standing there, Alice’s mixed emotions of both pity and ‘you deserve it’ pouring down on me.

I put the money on the table as I rushed out, to the dining table where I’d set all the food for Raymond’s birthday and seeing all the food laid out and untouched, I recalled how Raymond had looked at her and how he hadn’t even bothered to stand up for me when she put me down.

I sat at the dining table as I grabbed a fork, digging into the food as I ate like a hungry lion, but I’d barely made it three digs in when my salty tears started to taste in my mouth as Raymond’s words replayed in my head.

No one important.

Your kind has nothing to do with hers.

This is just a transaction, Aria.

Do not try to change whatever this is.

I coughed, finally choking on the food as I hit my chest, more tears streaming down my cheeks as the vivid images of their hands locked in and wild imaginations of what they’d been doing in the room together for all that time came to mind.

I grabbed the alcohol that lay on the table as I gulped it in an entire go, ignoring the burn in my throat and chest. It didn’t even burn half as much as Raymond and Ashley getting back together did. I wanted to feel numb, numb to all the pain, but I failed. In the end, the alcohol just made the images more clear in my head.

“Argh!” I screamed as I pulled on my hair, turning away from the dining as I burst into more tears.

******

I held on to my stomach as I buried my face in my laps, the pain surging through me as I bit the inner flesh of my lips. I must go to the pack hospital. I deserved the pain. I’d gone and drunk even when I knew I was pregnant.

“Aria?” Eric, the pack’s doctor who happened to be my friend, called out, concerned, as he rushed to me, his hands coming comfortably around me as he helped me into the office’s bed as I laid on it, my breathing pace increasing. “it’s you. How come you’re registered as ‘Miss’ instead of ‘Luna’?” I could hear the concern in his voice. 

“Eric.” I muttered as my wolf kicked even harder within me. “I don’t— I don’t feel too well.” I changed the topic. I didn’t want Raymond knowing about the baby yet so I’d applied for a different package of hospital services. 

He nodded. “I can see that. What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“I'm pregnant but I drank alcohol. My wolf is restless. Please check on the baby. I don’t want to lose my child." I muttered the last part as a plea as again, I felt my eyes start to water. Damn these hormones.

He raised his brow as with permission, he raised my top till my stomach was in view. “How do you feel here?” I answered as he pressed the middle part of my stomach gently.

As professional as he was, he finished with his checkup, eyeing me in a scolding way before sighing as he wrote something down. I could tell he was upset with me for naming such a mistake, but he said nothing. He must’ve already known I was going through a lot and didn’t need more.

“The baby is fine.” He paused as I heaved a sigh of relief. His brows knitted, complicated emotions in his eyes. “Does Alpha Raymond know?”

I looked down, shaking my head slowly as my eyes continued to water.

He sighed. “I know he ordered for your identity to be kept a secret, Aria, but he deserves to know the truth. This is his child we’re talking about here. He—“ his words trailed off my mind as memories of Raymond and Ashley’s interactions flooded my mind, his words still sending arrows into my heart.

“No. I’m an omega. He would never allow my kind to birth his offspring.” I felt the bitter taste on my tongue after the words left my lips.

We spoke for a little longer and I was grateful that by the time I was leaving, with the drugs he’d prescribed, I was feeling better.

As I walked into the hallway, I spotted Raymond and Ashley. Immensely close as usual and I looked away. Shoving the medication into my bag, I did my best to avoid them, wanting to walk past them as casually as possible because the last time I let them get to me, well….. It got me here.

As I walked past them, I felt my heart ache, my wolf kicking, but I ignored it. My baby mattered more than whatever they were doing.

“Aria.” I froze at the mention of my name from that voice. “What the hell are you doing here!?”