Let her leave with us

(ARIELLE'S POV)

I shot Nicholas, a confused look, expecting some sort of explanation, but he just brushed me off, his focus shifting to Sofia instead.

What in the Moon Goddess' name?

Don't tell me Nicholas agreed to accommodate Sofia in our home without informing and discussing it with me?

"Agreement?" I repeated, my voice firmer and demanding, holding the authority of a Luna. "Tell me, what agreement, Nicholas?"

"Watch your tone, Renna," Nicholas growled low, his eyes flashing with dominance then he glanced over at Sofia. "We talked about this earlier."

"Talked about what?" I demanded, the irritation building like a storm. "You can’t just invite someone into our packhouse without discussing it with me first. I’m your mate!"

Sofia stepped forward, her hand resting protectively on her stomach. A subtle ploy for sympathy, no doubt. "Nicholas, tell her," she said softly, slipping her fingers into his. "We agreed that I could stay here until I get back on my feet and find a place of my own."

"Back on your feet?" I repeated, incredulous. "Sofia, you’re pregnant and not incapacitated! You should be focusing on the pup, not freeloading off us!", I snapped at her.

Her face flushed with anger, but before she could spesk Nicholas cut her off with a sharp growl. "Renna, just  listen for a second. Sofia isn’t some random rogue—"

"Well, she is to me!" I snapped, my wolf stirring with frustration.

"Renna, stop acting like a pup and hear me out," Nicholas said, his tone firm, his Alpha authority pressing down on me like a weight.

Oh, wow! So, voicing my displeasure now makes me childish?

"Sofia is going through a tough time," He continued. "She needs support.... our support."

"Our support?" I scoffed. "How about you rephrase that to your support? Because, right now, it feels like you’ve completely forgotten that I exist! How can you prioritize her over me, your mate?. How can you just bring someone else into our home without considering my feelings?"

Nicholas sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "We will talk about this later. It’s been a long day."

"Talk about it later?" I repeated, my voice rising together with my wolf surfacing. " You'd better be ready to talk about it now because I'm not letting this slide!", I hissed and with that, I stormed out of the room, ignoring his calls as I ascended the stairs to our shared quarters.

"Renna? Wait!" He called after me, but I ignored him and kept climbing the stairs, his footsteps pounding behind me.

I slammed the door to our bedroom and leaned against it, my chest heaving with frustration. Nicholas followed right in, wearing that placating expression that made me want to scream.

"Renna", He began.

"Just take a breath," he said softly.

I swirled to face him, unable to rein my anger in, my wolf was growling in my chest. "Who are you?".

"Who the hell are you?", I growled again.

He frowned again at my question. "What do you mean? I'm your mate."

"Exactly! A mate I no longer recognize. You used to prioritize me and our bond above all else. But since Sofia arrived, you’ve been distant, secretive, and dismissive. So I’ll ask again, who are you?"

His jaw tightened. "Renna , you have changed too. The calm and collected Luna I fell for has been replaced with someone who constantly complains. Ever since Sofia came here", His voice rose slightly. 

"That’s because my role as your Luna, our bond is under threat! Sofia is a danger, who needs to go Nicholas. She pushed me down the stairs, do you think that’s something I just imagined? That’s why I ended up in the infirmary! And now you want her living with us?"

My tears threatened to spill over.

His face softened as he stepped closer, pulling me into his arms despite my resistance. "It’s okay, love," he murmured. "I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how much pressure this was putting on you." He continued. 

"You still don’t believe me," I whispered, my voice breaking.

"She wanted to hurt me!" I cried out. 

"I believe you love," he held me closer. "Listen, let's figure this out together. Starting tomorrow, I'll install cameras around the house and hire more help to keep you safe. How does that sound?"

"You're unbelievable Nicholas... Why go through all that trouble when the solution is simple?", I asked bitterly. 

"Just tell her to leave! Finding an apartment doesn't take forever right? How long does she plan on crashing here?", I asked him.

"Sofia is staying until she delivers her pup," he said, his tone final.

I gasped in shock, questioning myself if I heard right. 

"Are you kidding me? From my deduction, Sofia is somewhere between five and six months pregnant. Are you insinuating she's going to live with us for approximately seven months?" My voice came out shrill and louder than I expected.

I guess shock has a way of triggering one.

"It's not that bad, Renna. Trust me this time as your mate, Sofia is annoying. I know that, but she's not evil, she has a pure soul, you just have to get to know her."

"Allow me to understand all of this clearly. The plan was that she stayed at the penthouse until she got a place of her own, an idea I wasn't comfortable with. But since your mother suggested it, I had to give in. What changed? Why does she want to live with a married couple now?"

"She's pregnant!" Nicholas insisted. "She can't be alone right now. What if something happens in the middle of the night? She needs people around her."

"Doesn't she have a family? I understand she's rejected  her mate but what about her family? They are people she should be with and not you, not us."

Nicholas paused, as if contemplating his next choice of words. "She does," he finally said.

"Then why is she not with them?"

"Her family is halfway across the world, and she’s already dealing with too much. She’s not a threat, she’s just lost."

My eyes dropped at Nicholas's words, and for the first time since I had known Sofia, I felt another emotion that was not anger towards her-sympathy.

The anger in me dissipated, as I wondered what she might be going through. The rejection of her mate... her pregnancy.  It was kinda much.

But then, was that enough to make her act in the unbearable manner she does? People go through a lot. and still turn out well, behavior wise. I, for example, didn't have it rosy growing up, having been born into a not well-to-do family and having to struggle to the point I had gotten to.

I shook my head, I shouldn't be comparing. People react to circumstances differently, and that's what makes us peculiar as individuals.

"Renna?" Nicholas's voice pulled me back from my thoughts.

"Yeah...what were you saying?"

"I asked if you'd consider letting Sofia stay. "She’s not evil, Renna. She’s just... broken. She needs time to heal,." His gaze was earnest.

I sighed in resignation. "Do I have a choice? You two already decided, so I guess I will have to let her stay."

"You will? Thank you!" He swept me into his arms before I could protest.

"Nicholas! Let go-I can't breathe!"

I stiffened in his arms, feeling the rift between us deepen despite his words.

He pulled back slightly so our eyes met; there was something soft in his expression that made my heart race despite everything else swirling in my mind.

"How lucky am I to have a mate like you?" He buried his face in my neck, inhaling deeply as if savoring my scent. Then he started leaving soft kisses on my skin.

"Stop it..."

I pushed him away gently, his cologne was overwhelming-I used to love it but now it felt suffocating.

"You won't forget your promises about the cameras and extra help...right?"

"Of course not," he assured me quickly. "You always have my words. Just get some rest okay?"

I nodded and watched him hurry out the door. Afterward, I collapsed on the bed, my body feeling like a heavy sack of flour.

Minutes later, my eyelids dropped in an exhausted sleep.