Chapter 3 Solene's Pov

Days passed in a blur. I barely left my room, the weight of my actions pressing down on me like an iron cage. The rejection had sent shockwaves through the pack, but I couldn’t care less.

Let them talk. Let them sneer behind my back. I was done playing the obedient little pawn.

My stepfather was livid. I could hear his growls through the walls, his booming voice rattling the house every time he shouted about how I had humiliated our family in front of the entire pack.

I knew he wanted to storm into my room, drag me out by my hair, and force me to apologize to Wesley. But even My stepfather wasn’t stupid enough to lay a hand on me. Not when Wesley still wanted me.

Wesley. The thought of him made my stomach churn.

For days, he had bombarded me with messages, calls, and even handwritten notes slipped under my door.

“Please, Solene. Let me explain.”

“I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

“We can fix this. I still love you.”

Love? What a joke.

The worst part? A small, broken part of me still ached for him. Despite everything, despite the betrayal, there had been a time when Wesley Styles was my whole world. But now… now all I felt was anger and the unbearable weight of regret.

A soft knock on my door jolted me from my thoughts.

“Solene?” It was my mother, her voice hesitant.

“I’m not hungry,” I snapped, knowing that was probably why she was here. She’d been leaving food outside my door every day, trying to coax me out.

“I’m not here about food,” she replied gently. “I… your father called a doctor.”

I froze. “What? Why?”

“You’ve been sick,” she said softly. “We’ve all heard you. He thinks… he thinks something might be wrong.”

I cursed under my breath. I had been feeling awful lately, nauseous every morning, dizzy at times, and constantly exhausted. But I thought it was just stress… or heartbreak.

“I don’t need a doctor,” I said firmly.

“It’s not up for debate. He’ll be here in an hour.”

Her footsteps faded down the hall, leaving me with my racing thoughts. An hour. I had an hour to figure out how to deal with this.

Panic settled in my chest. What if something really was wrong? Or worse… what if…

No. I couldn’t even let myself finish that thought.

I curled up on my bed, pressing a pillow to my face to muffle my scream of frustration. My body felt foreign to me, betraying me when I needed it most. I needed to be strong, to stay in control. But I felt like I was unraveling.

The hour passed too quickly. Before I knew it, there was another knock, louder this time.

“Solene, open up,” my stepfather barked. “The doctor’s here.”

I forced myself up, dragging my feet to the door. When I opened it, my stepfather glare could have melted steel. My mother stood behind him, her expression pinched with worry, and the doctor, an older man with kind eyes, gave me a polite nod.

The check-up was quick but thorough. The doctor asked me the usual questions, took my blood pressure, and listened to my heartbeat. But when he asked me to describe my symptoms, my stomach twisted into knots.

“Nausea, dizziness, fatigue,” I listed, avoiding eye contact.

He hummed thoughtfully, scribbling notes on a pad.

“I’d like to do a blood test,” he said, and my heart sank.

“Is that really necessary?” I asked, forcing a tight smile.

“Yes, just to rule out a few things.”

I nodded stiffly, watching as he drew blood and packed his equipment.

“I’ll have the results in a few hours,” he said, bowing slightly. “I’ll send them over as soon as possible.”

As soon as he left, my stepfather loomed over me, his sharp eyes narrowing.

“You better pray nothing is seriously wrong,” he sneered. “You’ve caused enough damage already.”

I clenched my fists, swallowing the retort on the tip of my tongue. Arguing with my stepfather was pointless. He’d never see me as anything more than a burden, a pawn to marry off to strengthen his own position.

Hours dragged by, each minute stretching endlessly. I paced my room, chewing on my bottom lip until it felt raw. What if… what if the test confirmed my worst fear?

When the call finally came, my stepmother answered it. I didn’t need to hear the words to know. Her gasp, the way her hand flew to her mouth, and the wide-eyed shock on her face told me everything.

My stepfather snatched the phone from her. “What do you mean she’s pregnant?” he roared, his voice echoing through the house.

My blood ran cold.

Pregnant.

No. This couldn’t be happening.

My stepmother’s eyes flicked to me, anger evident in her face. My stepfather turned slowly, his face contorted with rage.

“Who?” he demanded, storming toward me. “Who is responsible for this pregnancy?”

My heart pounded so loudly I was sure they could hear it. My mind raced through the memories of that night, the stranger with piercing golden eyes, the rough heat of our shared moment.

 But I couldn’t tell them the truth. If they knew I had slept with a stranger at a bar, they’d never let me live it down. They’d tear me apart.

My stepfather grabbed my arm, shaking me. “Who, Solene?”

“Wesley,” I blurted out, the lie slipping out before I could stop it. “It’s Wesley’s.”

“What?” Mina, who had been standing there watching all the drama unfold so that she could mock me for opening my legs for another man, was shocked. 

“Don’t lie to me,” my stepfather snapped. “I can smell the change in your scent.”

My hands trembled. She had to think fast. If they find out it’s not Wesley’s…

“I speak the truth,” she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

My stepfather gasped dramatically, clutching Mina’s arm. “Wesley’s baby?” she asked, a little too eagerly.

My breath hitched. If I say no… She glanced at Kayden, her stepfather, already calculating.

“Yes,” Solene whispered, forcing the lie out once again.

My stepfather's stern face broke into a greedy smile. “This is… unexpected. But… useful.”

“Useful?” I repeated, confused.

“You will have no choice but to be Alpha Wesley's Luna now ,” he said. “And when you do, I’ll make sure our pack benefits. The Alpha of the Red Moon Pack as my son-in-law? That’s power.”

I felt sick. He doesn’t care about me. Only what he can gain from this.

Mina’s eyes flashed with jealousy. “You don’t deserve him,” she whispered under her breath, she probably had an idea about the last time Wesley and I had sex.

And only if she knew that I didn't want him, I thought bitterly.

“You will pack up your things, Solene. You shall leave for the Hilltop pack mansion tomorrow.”

“But, there was no mating ceremony, father. And I solely disagree with marrying Wesley.” I spat out, but before I could say anymore, my stepfather slapped me hard across the face.

“You shall be his Luna, or else you find your way out of this pack forever.”