CHAPTER 1
Elsie's POV
“Moon goddess, I beg of you—let the results reflect the deepest longing of my heart.”
I silently prayed as the scent of herbs and antiseptic clung to the air.
I sat on the edge of the padded table, hands folded tightly in my lap, trying to still the soft tremble in them.
The healer's office was quiet today—just the occasional rustle of paper and the ticking of the old brass clock above the shelf.
I ran my fingers absently across the soft fabric of my dress, trying my hardest to calm the hope blooming in my chest.
A gentle knock at the door brought my head up. Pack Doctor Myles stepped in with a clipboard clutched in his hand.
His white coat was slightly wrinkled at the sleeves, as always, but his eyes were warm—and today, there was something else in them.
A spark? Excitement?
I didn’t quite understand it yet.
“Luna Elsie,” he said, his voice filled with reverence. He bowed slightly, as tradition dictated. “Congratulations.”
My breath hitched. “Congratulations?” I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper..
He smiled. “It’s true. You’re with a child. And not just one, my Lady—twins.”
I gasped, the sound escaping before I could contain it. My hand flew to my mouth, the other to my stomach, as tears welled in my eyes.
Twins.
For a moment, I couldn't speak. I couldn't even breathe properly. The world around me blurred, and all I could hear was the rush of my heart pounding against my ribs.
By the goddess...
Is it real?
I… I'm… pregnant?
Two heartbeats now inside me. Two lives. Two tiny, perfect souls.
A sob bubbled up, but I pressed it down with a laugh instead.
“Thank you,” I whispered, blinking quickly as the tears fell freely. “Thank you, Myles.”
He bowed his head. “It is an honor to deliver such news on your anniversary, Luna. The Goddess truly smiles upon you and Alpha Lucas today.”
Alpha Lucas.
My Lucas.
My thoughts raced to him—to the man who had carried the weight of a thousand expectations on his shoulders and had never once let it break his love for me.
Years of trying. Years of tears behind closed doors, of council members telling him that he should take another mate. That I had failed him as Luna. That I was unworthy.
But he had never flinched. Never turned away. Even when the pressure had grown suffocating, even when I told him he deserved more, he had only pulled me closer and said, “You are my Luna. That is enough.”
And now, on the very day we vowed ourselves to each other all those years ago… this.
I let out a shaky breath and looked down at my stomach, still flat beneath my palm. “He’s going to be so happy,” I murmured, almost to myself. “He’s waited so long. We both have.”
“Would you like me to prepare a formal report for the Alpha?” Myles asked gently.
I shook my head, a smile tugging at my lips. “No. I want to tell him myself.”
I rose slowly, my hand still protectively cradling the gentle curve of my belly. The sun through the window warmed my skin as I turned toward it, a soft breeze filtering in through the cracked pane.
Two little ones. Two miracles.
I whispered a silent thank-you to the Moon Goddess, feeling more full than I had in years.
Today, I wasn’t just a Luna.
Today, I was going to be a mother.
And I couldn’t wait to see the joy in Lucas’s eyes when I told him.
I thanked Doctor Myles once again.
He gave me a warm nod—the kind that felt more like a blessing than anything else—and I stepped out into the open air.
The door clicked shut behind me, and I paused at the top of the small stone steps outside the healer’s hospital.
Twins.
I still couldn't believe it.
My heart fluttered all over again. I placed a hand on my stomach.
I could barely feel anything physically, but in my soul, I knew they were there. Two lives. Two tiny pieces of Lucas and me.
A wide smile tugged at my lips, and I couldn’t hold it back.
I moved quickly down the steps, the breeze catching the hem of my dress as I hurried toward the black SUV parked just outside.
One of the guards opened the door for me, nodding respectfully. I murmured a soft thank-you, barely able to contain my excitement long enough to settle into the driver’s seat.
As soon as the door closed behind me, I let out a quiet laugh—joyful, breathless.
I started the engine and eased out of the parking lot.
---
My joy was through the roof as I arrived at the Alpha estate.
I parked in my usual spot near the entrance, barely remembering to turn off the engine before I stepped out.
I didn’t want to wait. Not a second longer.
The guards greeted me with their usual bows, but I offered only a distracted smile as I moved past them quickly, my heels clicking against the polished stone.
I climbed the stairs faster than I should have, my hand skimming the smooth banister. Our room was just ahead—the one place in the world where I felt safest. Loved. Cherished.
But as I reached the door, hand outstretched to push it open, I froze.
A sound.
Low at first—barely audible. Then again, louder this time. A moan. Drawn out and breathless.
I blinked.
No.
Another sound followed. A man's groan—deep, rough, unmistakably Lucas. My breath caught in my throat, and my hand slipped away from the handle.
I stepped back a little, heart thudding so loudly I thought it would give me away. Every part of me trembled.
More moans. More whispers. Skin against skin. The creak of the bedframe—our bed.
My earlier happiness, so bright and pure, drained from me like blood from an open wound. I stood there in silence, barely breathing, as the sounds on the other side of the door grew louder.
I didn’t move.
I couldn’t.
I don’t know how long I stood there, frozen in place, my fingers curled into the side of my dress as I listened.
And then came the climax—the final cries of pleasure.
Tears blurred my vision, but I didn’t let them fall.
I swallowed hard, pressing a hand to my stomach. The warmth I had felt moments ago was completely gone.
Then I heard her.
A laugh. Soft. Familiar.
Then her voice, laced with satisfaction: “You’ve missed this, haven’t you, Alpha?”
And just like that, a wave of heat surged through me.
I knew that voice.