Chapter 112

Kayla

I felt like I was going to be sick.

She was even more beautiful than ever. Perfect in every way—the pristine picture of a werewolf woman, a mother who looked as if she had been sent here by the Moon Goddess herself.

Anna was laying in the hospital bed, propped up by pillows, her dark hair cascading around her shoulders like a cloak. She looked radiant despite hours of childbirth, her cheeks flushed pink, her eyes sparkling with unbridled joy. Hell, even the room smelled like fucking flowers and scented candles, not sweat and afterbirth.

And in her arms was the baby.

Nicholas’s son.

He was tiny but not as tiny as I expected for a premature baby, his little face scrunched up as he slept, and his fingers curled into fists. He was beautiful, perfect in every way, and the sight of him sent a sharp, stabbing pain through my chest.

Nicholas stood beside the bed, his amber eyes fixed on the baby with an expression I had never seen before. I couldn’t even begin to describe other than… reverent.

“Would you like to hold him?” Anna asked, glancing up at Nicholas through long lashes.

He hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering to me as if seeking permission for some reason, as if he needed permission. Of course I wouldn’t stop him from holding his kid. Of course I wouldn’t be the brutish, angry woman people thought I was.

So I forced a smile, nodding even though the very motion itself felt muffled and far away like I was underwater.

Anna carefully handed the baby to Nicholas.

He cradled the baby in his arms, looking almost comically large with the little one bundled up against him. The baby stirred slightly at Nicholas’s touch, letting out a tiny yawn before settling back into sleep. Nicholas’s face split into a smile, and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

He looked… happy. Truly, genuinely happy.

And it hurt. It hurt a whole hell of a lot more than I ever thought it would—like knives plunging into me, their icy blades splintering inside of my body.

“I’ve decided on a name,” Anna suddenly said.

Nicholas glanced up at her, his brow furrowing slightly. “Oh?”

Anna nodded, her gaze softening as she looked at him. “I’m going to name him Nicholas. After his father.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt my knees turn to putty, my hands trembling at my sides. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but stand there and watch.

No. I couldn’t even do that much.

I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t stand here and watch this moment, this perfect little family moment that I wasn’t a part of.

“I’ll give you two some space,” I said, my voice sounding distant even to my own ears. I didn’t wait for a response, didn’t even look at Nicholas as I turned and hurried out of the room.

The hallway was quieter and cooler, but it did nothing to ease the ache in my chest. I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying to stifle the sob that threatened to escape, and hurried down the hall, searching for somewhere, anywhere, to be alone.

I found a small alcove near the stairwell, a little nook tucked away from prying eyes. I leaned against a vending machine, my chest heaving as I tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over.

But it was no use.

The first sob broke free, and then the rest followed, slipping out one after the other like a dam had broken. I slid down the wall, my knees buckling as I buried my face in my hands. Somehow, I managed to keep the sobs silent, but they came nonetheless like breathless hiccups.

I didn’t know how long I sat there, crying in that little alcove, but it felt like an eternity. My chest ached, my head throbbed, and my heart felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces.

“Kayla?”

The sound of Noah’s voice made me freeze. I looked up, my vision blurred by tears, to see him standing at the door.

“Noah,” I choked out, scrambling to my feet. I gestured to the vending machines. “I was just—I just—”

I couldn’t get the words out, of course.

Noah didn’t say anything, didn’t ask any questions. He just stepped forward and pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. I didn’t hesitate before I buried my face in his chest and let the tears flow once more, my fingers curling into his shirt.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back. “It’s going to be okay.”

But it wasn’t. It wasn’t okay, and I didn’t know if it ever would be.

“I can’t do this,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I can’t stay with him if he has a baby with someone else. I just… I can’t.”

Noah didn’t respond right away, his arms tightening around me as he let me cry. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft and gentle.

“You don’t have to decide anything right now,” he said. “Just breathe, Kayla. One step at a time.”

I nodded, taking a shaky breath as I tried to calm myself. My friend’s presence was comforting, and for a moment, I allowed myself to lean on him.

But the moment didn’t last.

The sound of footsteps echoing down the hall made me stiffen, and I quickly pulled away from Noah, wiping at my tears with the back of my hand. I didn’t want anyone to see me like this, to see me breaking down in Noah’s arms. It would only make matters worse.

“You should get some fresh air,” Noah said as if reading my mind. “It’ll help clear your head.”

I nodded, knowing he was right. I needed to get out of this hospital, away from the suffocating walls and the harsh lights and the prying eyes. I gave him a small, grateful smile before turning and making my way down the hall, toward the exit.

The cool night air hit me as soon as I stepped outside, a welcome relief from the stifling heat of the hospital. I took a deep breath, letting the cold winter air fill my lungs. I pressed my hand into a nearby statue—some marble, abstract sculpture featuring cubes and angles—and felt the icy surface ground me.

In, out. In… out.

I began to feel better, marginally. Just enough to breathe once more, at least.

But the peace didn’t last.

“Luna Kayla!”

The sound of a voice calling my name made me stiffen, and I turned to see a group of journalists hurrying toward me, their cameras flashing and their microphones thrust in my direction.

“Luna Kayla, can you comment on the birth of Alpha Nicholas’s son?”

“How do you feel about Anna naming the baby after him?”

“Is this the end of your relationship with Alpha Nicholas? Will the wedding be called off?”

The questions came at me like a barrage, each one hitting me like a punch to the gut. I opened my mouth, trying to form a response, but the words wouldn’t come. My mind was blank, my chest tight, and I felt like I was drowning all over again.

But then, just as I was about to break, I felt a familiar presence at my side.

Nicholas.

He stepped forward, his arm wrapping around my shoulders as he pulled me close to his side. His smile was wide, and his amber eyes were sparkling.

“My wedding with Kayla will not be delayed or called off,” he said. “I love Kayla, and even with an unexpected baby in my life, nothing will come between me and my mate.”