Claiming The Rejected Luna

Amara’s POV.

I was trying, goddess knows I was really trying.

Smiling through gritted teeth, breathing through the ache, pretending the tension in my chest wasn’t getting tighter by the day.

Every morning I told myself I could handle it, for the baby, for the pack, for him.

Karl, the Alpha, my mate, the man who made me feel important then, the man who made me forget that I grew up an orphan.

He made me forget how unwanted I felt in the pack with no one to really support me, I was excited when I found out we were mates because of how he made me feel.

Now he looked at me like I was a duty, a mistake, a ghost in his home.

He hasn’t touched me in days, weeks even and I knew why.

Because she was back, Tiana Vale, his ex, the prophecy girl as everyone called her now. The girl who wore that smug look like she’s never truly left.

The prophecy said I had to accept her, that’s what they all told me, what her return was destined, and that her presence will bring peace to the Nightmoon pack, that I needed to be strong and understanding.

But I never knew peace was since she came back, every time she brushed past him, their eyes locked a second too long, every time she spoke, Karl listened a little too closely.

I saw it, how his body turned towards her like it was instant, how his lies got smoother ever since she got here.

“She’s just here to help the elders and the seer,” he told me, “Her presence might help guide the pack.”

Lies.

“You have nothing to worry about, she’s my past and not my present.”

Lies.

“She doesn’t mean anything to me.”

Lies.

I wasn’t stupid, I saw the way she looked as him when she thought I wasn’t watching. And I felt it, that cold emptiness in our bed that wasn’t from the coldness of the room or the chill of the sheets.

But still I stayed, because I was pregnant. Because leaving now meant giving up the one thing I had left, the tiny flicker of life inside me. The pup we’d tried so hard for.

The pup I was willing to give my heart for, and the very same one Karl was forgetting existed.

*******

The afternoon is all shattered started like any other afternoon since she came back, quiet tension when we sat in the hall, fake smiles I had to put on, a heavy silence hanging between me and Karl as I left the hall for air in the garden.

I was headed towards Karl’s office when I hard voices, I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but I knew it wasn’t a pack meeting or I would’ve been informed.

My wolf stirred uncomfortably, something was wrong and I could feel it.

I heard a laugh, her laugh and then a moan and I froze.

“No, no, no.” I muttered softly to myself.

My feet moved before my brain caught up, I pushed the door open with trembling hands and what I saw made my stomach twist.

Tiana on his desk and Karl between her legs, their mouths moved together like they were starving, his hands on her waist and hers in his hair.

“Get off her!” I screamed.

They sprang apart like I’d poured boiling water on them. Karl’s eyes went wide, I didn’t see guilt in them, just irritation.

Tiana jumped down, smoothing her dress with slow, deliberate smugness.

“Oh Amara,” she purred. “Didn’t your parents ever teach you how to knock?”

“Shut up.” I snapped.

I stormed towards her, rage exploding in my chest like wildfire. “You think you can just come back and crawl your way into his bed?”

“She didn’t crawl,” Karl snapped.

I froze, my attention turned to him.

“What did you say?” I demanded.

“Don’t touch her again, she’s part of this pack and very essential to this pack.” He warned.

I laughed, bitter, “And I’m not?” I asked.

“I’m part of this pack! I’m your Luna, your mate and I’m carrying your child and you’re…” I reached for Tiana, not even thinking.

Just desperate to do something, to shake the smugness of her perfect face.

Karl shoved me hard and my back hit the wall and I crumpled. My breath rushed out in one ugly gasp.

My hands flew to my stomach, the pain I felt was sharp and immediate. My wolf whimpered as I stared my hand.

“No…” I whispered as I stared at the blood in my hands.

It soaked through my dress in seconds, I looked up at him in disbelief, “You pushed me.”

Karl looked down at me like I was a piece of furniture he’d accidentally broken, “I warned you not to touch her.”

“You pushed me.” I repeated.

Before he could answer a scream echoed outside the building. An alarm sounded and the screaming increased.

“ROGUES!” A scream echoed through the walls.

“We’re under attack.” Someone shouted outside.

Panic exploded in the corridor, I could hear footsteps outside, Karl turned to the window, “Tiana, come on we need to get to the vault.”

“What about Amara?” She asked lazily, a smirk on her face as she stared at me.

“She’ll be fine.” Karl muttered.

Karl didn’t even glance back at me, he grabbed Tiana’s hand and ran.

He left me, bleeding on the floor and alone.

I tried to stand, but my legs gave out, I clawed at the wall, leaving streaks of blood behind.

My stomach clenched, my wolf whimpered inside me struggling to hold on.

I couldn’t see straight anymore, I needed help but no one was coming.

My hands were soaked, my vision blurred as I crawled to the hallway, praying and hoping someone would find me.

My chest heaved as I looked around, I crawled forward and tried calling out but I could barely hear my voice.

I stared at the trail of blood on the ground, my heart pounding quickly, until it slowed down suddenly and everything went black.