I woke to the crackle of firelight and the faint smell of herbs. My lashes fluttered, heavy as stone, and the first sound I caught was my brother's voice.
"She's awake," Darius murmured, relief trembling at the edges.
I tried to lift my head, but it throbbed. "What happened?" I whispered. My throat burned, dry and fragile.
"You fainted during the gathering," he said, pulling a stool close. His eyes were sharp with worry, but softer when they landed on me. "They barely noticed. All of them rushed to her."
Her. Selene. The name hovered unspoken between us.
I swallowed hard, my chest aching. "And Kieran?"
Darius's jaw tightened. "With her."
The words struck me, sharp and unyielding. I closed my eyes, but before I could respond, the curtain rustled.
"Elara."
His voice. Deep, commanding, and yet… hesitant. I opened my eyes to find Kieran standing at the threshold, shadows carved across his face. For a heartbeat, I wanted to reach for him. For another, I wanted to scream.
"You should rest," he said quietly, stepping closer. His gaze flicked to my brother, then back to me. "Leave us, Darius."
"No." My brother's voice was iron. "You don't deserve—"
"Darius," I whispered, laying a hand on his arm. "Please."
Reluctantly, he rose, his stare like steel against Kieran's before he left. The curtain fell back, and suddenly it was only us—the Alpha and his Luna, bound by a bond neither of us seemed to want anymore.
Kieran exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair. "You frightened me."
I almost laughed, but the sound came out bitter. "Frightened you? You didn't even see me fall."
His jaw flexed. "I was tending to Selene."
"Of course," I murmured. My fingers curled around the thin blanket. "You always are."
"Elara—" he began, but the physician entered then, carrying a small vial. He paused, bowing slightly.
"My Alpha, my Luna," he greeted, setting the vial on the table. His eyes flicked between us, unreadable. "I have finished my examination."
Kieran stiffened. "And?"
The physician's gaze softened when it met mine. "The Luna is with child."
The room tilted again, but this time from the weight of the words. I pressed a hand to my stomach, the bond humming louder than ever. "I… I'm pregnant?"
"Yes," the physician said firmly. "Barely, but the signs are clear."
Kieran inhaled sharply, his hand braced against the table as if the floor had shifted beneath him. His eyes snapped to me, burning with something I couldn't name. "Why didn't you tell me?" he murmured.
"I didn't know," I whispered. My own voice trembled, fragile and small.
For a long moment, silence wrapped around us, broken only by the crackle of fire. Then Kieran stepped forward, kneeling at my side. His hand hovered, trembling, before it finally pressed gently to my abdomen.
"My heir," he said softly, almost reverently. "Our heir."
The bond surged between us, fierce and undeniable. Tears pricked my eyes, and I hated them for falling. "You sound surprised," I whispered.
"I am." His gaze lifted to mine, unguarded for once. "They told me you couldn't… that you—"
"That I was barren," I finished bitterly. "That Selene would give you what I could not."
He flinched, guilt flashing across his face. "Elara…"
I shook my head, looking away. "You believed them."
His fingers brushed mine, hesitant. "I was wrong."
I wanted to pull away, but the warmth of his touch burned through me, pulling at the frayed threads of the bond. For the first time in weeks, he wasn't Alpha. He wasn't Selene's protector. He was simply Kieran—my mate, my husband, the man who once swore the moon itself would bow before me.
"Rest," he murmured, rising slowly. "For now, you must rest. The pack will know soon enough."
"No." My voice was firm despite the weakness in my body. "Not yet. Let me keep this, just for a while. Before they turn it into another weapon."
His eyes darkened, but he nodded. "As you wish, my Luna."
The words wrapped around me, both comfort and ache, as he left the chamber.
When the curtain fell, I exhaled shakily. My hand pressed against my stomach, a whisper escaping my lips. "You're real."
The bond pulsed, warm and steady. For the first time in so long, I felt a spark of hope.
But deep inside, I knew—Selene would not surrender quietly.
Selene's POVThe mirror caught the sharp edge of her expression, beautiful but twisted with panic. Selene gripped the edge of the vanity until her knuckles whitened.
"She's pregnant," she hissed. Her maid flinched behind her, silent.
Selene's lips curved into a smile, but her eyes blazed with fury. "No. No, this cannot be. If she bears the Alpha's heir, then everything I've built crumbles."
Her hand slid protectively over her own stomach, empty though she had claimed otherwise.
"I won't let her win," she whispered, almost to herself, almost to the shadows. "Not when I've come this far."
The candlelight flickered, casting her smile into something sharp, something dangerous.
And the war for the Alpha's heart had only just begun.