CHAPTER 003
KEISHA'S POV
Three days later
Two red lines? My brows shot up in disbelief. I stumbled backwards, the pregnancy test stick trembling in between my fingers— my heart thumped louder than a ticking timer as I collided with the bathroom wall, slowly descending till my bum touched the floor.
I scrambled for the pack of the strip, my eyes scanning through for the direction of use down to the indication of the result.
“Two red lines…” I traced my finger across the inscription making sure not to misread the lines. “Positive!" Shock dried my throat as the word 'I'm pregnant' escaped my lips. I am pregnant with Alpha Alan's child! My jaw dropped.
Just a couple of days ago, I caught him— undeniably cheating and today I'm carrying his child. How much more cruel can life be? My body quaked.
My eyelids batted involuntarily as my lips parted. What was I going to do? I held the stick closer to my eye hoping I had read the result wrongly.
“No! No! This can't be happening!” I threw the stick away from me, clawing into my head like I was trying to hold my mental health together.
“Are you serious?” Lumis chuckled in disbelief. Somehow she sounded excited, wagging her tail. “Are you really asking what you are going to do? Huh?”
Not sure what she was trying to drive at, I lifted my head, brushing my hair off my face. “What do you mean by that?” I queried, my brows knitted together in confusion
“Girl! This is it! You just sealed your place with the Alpha! This is the ticket to claiming your rightful seat as Luna!”
Still confused, I wiped off the tears gathered in my eyes. “You know I hate suspense, Lummy.” I frowned.
“Okay. Remember when we overheard Alpha Alan discussing with Beta Jeffrey?”
I nodded.
“Apparently, his legacy is threatened. Rumours have it that he's the bastard son of Late Alpha Bernard. To save his claim and legacy, he needs to find a Luna, produce an heir before the next blood Moon circle,” Lumis explained.
“And what does that have to do with everything that has transpired?” I rolled my eyes, frowning at Lumis.
“You're smarter than this, Keisha! Get it! Inside you is what he desires so much. An heir! All we need to do is to get to him right away, tell him you're pregnant before that mistake of a human— Aurora, succeeds in luring him into making her Luna,” she growled softly.
While I still thought of Lumis’s suggestion, a knock on the door by my dad shattered my concentration.
“Hey, honey! I…I don't know what is going on with you and it's fine if you don't wanna talk to me, but you should be out there at the pack house tonight, finding yourself a mate. Not locking yourself up in the room.”
Huh! Pack house? The Lunar moon! I rolled over to my bedside opening the blinds. The full moon beamed above. “How on earth….” My brain froze.
“The calendar!” I muttered. My eyes flew open as I scanned the room, spotting it on my dressing table. Running over to it, I pushed down my family picture frame accidentally.
“Is everything okay in there?” My dad echoed from behind the door.
“Umm, yeah! I'm just getting ready,” I responded, staring at the red ink circling the number 14.
Today was 14th February— the mating ceremony day. I had memorized it like a nursery rhyme, yet I forgot it was here. Who would blame me? At least, not with everything I had been through.
I hurriedly freshened up, putting on a red, mono-strap floral dress. Parting my hair from the middle, I rolled it into a bun behind, leaving two curly strands to fall over my face before smearing my lips with a red lipstick. If Lumis’s suggestion was going to work out, at least, I shouldn't appear looking like a douchebag.
I checked the bandage around my arm ensuring it was okay before placing the test stick into my tote bag, tossing it over my shoulder, and headed out.
I held tight to my bag like my world depended on it. Actually, it did. The open field was crowded with intended mates eagerly waiting for the ceremony to begin. I wove through them, searching for Alpha Alan and by all means avoiding Mrs Jacqueline. She was going to have my head for being absent from my duty for a couple of days.
“Lummy, do you sense him?” I asked, relying on my wolf senses to locate Alpha Alan.
“Not yet,” Lumis responded, twitching her snout and whiskers in search of him. After a moment, she howled. “I found him. He's…,” she paused, twitching her nose again. “He's in the dressing room,” she bellowed.
I nodded, straightening out my dress—desperation in my eyes. Holding tighter on my bag straps, I took a quick glance at the faces, ensuring no one was focused on me before sneaking into the main building through a restricted zone I spotted.
The hallway was quiet — only distant voices were heard. The windows seemed to muffle the noise from outside. I hid behind the walls, trying to catch my breath.
“You’ve got this, Keisha,” I geared myself, doing a three-second countdown in my mind before heading to Alan's dressing room.
My eyes raked the surroundings as I moved. Everything seemed good until the door by my right flung open. My breath hung in my throat.
“And, who do we have here?”Aurora purred, clapping rhythmically as she stepped in front of me, flanked by Emily and Aria.
Shit. I froze. “I…I was just…”
“Just what?” Emily folded her arms. “Trespassing?”
“No…No, I wasn't. I think I just missed my way. I…I should be heading back,” I stuttered. My body quaked as I took a U-turn, but I got pulled back.
“And where do you think you're going?” Aria mocked. “You still don't get the memo, Keisha. Tonight’s not for mutts like you,” she sneered, bursting into a laugh with the others.
“You look all dolled up. Who were you hoping to seduce, Keisha? Alan?” Aurora's eyes narrowed.
My face slowly twisted into a scowl the moment the betrayal bit me again. I squeezed hard on my tote straps.
"Please, I'm not here to fight you all. So please, kindly step aside and I'd be on my way," I said, my tone slightly raised.
"And what would you do if I stood in your way?" Emily moved to block my path, while Aria grabbed my tote bag.
“Give that back!” I yelled, struggling with Aria in a tug. My hair unraveled, falling behind my shoulder. “Let go of my bag,” I continued struggling.
Aria scoffed. “Look at her. Strutting around like she would be chosen as Luna. You think a pretty dress and desperate eyes will make Alan forget who you really are?” she sneered, still holding on to my bag.
Something snapped inside me. I lost my temper, connecting my fist to her face with a heavy impact.
“What! You slapped me?” She gasped. Her hand flew to her cheek, shock giving way to fury as Aria lunged at me with her nails poking toward my eyes.
Aurora stepped back immediately, arms folded. Emily screamed, trying to pull us apart. “Stop it! Both of you! Stop!”
I wasn't ready to listen. This beatdown was long overdue. Fists, hair, elbows—we rolled to the floor, fighting dirty. I barely noticed when my tote bag flew off and scattered on the floor.
“Enough! Stop it, both of you!” Emily yelled, finally separating us, pushing Aria back.
“Don't think you will go away with this!” Aria sobbed, holding together her torn dress.
I straightened my dress with a hiss, my heart, pumping with adrenaline— yet I said nothing. I dropped to my knees, gathering my belongings back into my bag when I noticed something was missing
“No… no, no, no…” I rummaged again, my palms sweating. “Where is it? Where is it?” I poured everything back on the floor, searching. But it was late— the pregnancy test stick was gone. My heart dropped. Tears blurred my vision.
My search was interrupted by approaching footsteps. Lifting my head, my jaw dropped. Alpha Alan stormed toward us, rage painting every inch of his face. And behind him, like the venom she was, stood Aurora—holding the pregnancy stick between two fingers like a trophy and flanked by two guards. My eyes narrowed.
“How dare you lay a hand on Aurora!” Alan barked. His question was accompanied by a sting on my face. My hair whipped across my face from the impact. Tears rolled down my face.
“Was your intent to kill my unborn child?” His voice cracked. “You… murderer?!”
Murderer?
I blinked through the blur. “W..what are you talking about?” I turned to Aurora—she smirked, holding up my test stick.
“I…I didn't do anything, Alpha Alan. I didn't touch her,” I sobbed in between my explanations.
“Are you trying to call my mate a liar?” He barked.
Mate? My chest tightened.
“You have crossed the line, Keisha! And for that, you must dance to the tune of your music,” his body shook as he growled in my face.
“Seize her!” He ordered.