Ares POV

　　As Ander broached the topic of the invitation from the Sun Flower Pack, I felt a pang of annoyance prickling at the edges of my consciousness. Despite their persistent attempts to draw me into the affairs of their pack, I found myself increasingly disinterested in their world.

　　"I think their pack just doesn't interest me," I interjected, my tone clipped as I dismissed the notion of attending Bathel's birthday celebration. "I have more important matters to attend to than indulging in their festivities, and I highly doubt that my presence would make any difference," I added, my resolve firm as I turned my attention back to the tasks at hand, determined to prioritize my responsibilities over the trivialities of pack politics.

　　"You don't want to listen?" Ander's whispered words caught my attention, drawing my focus away from the flood of messages from other packs seeking alliances. Despite my preoccupation with other matters, his remark piqued my curiosity.

　　"It's also somehow connected to Dana, everything is unexpected," Drake chimed in, his words adding another layer of intrigue to the situation.

　　I glanced up from my work, a furrow forming between my brows as I regarded Ander and Drake with a mixture of confusion and interest. "What do you mean?" I asked, the hint of a question lingering in the air as I awaited their response.

　　Upon the mere utterance of her appellation, I found myself incessantly pondering over her nomenclature and the vicissitudes befalling her diurnally within the confines of the Sun Flower Pack. I harbored the conjecture that perchance she thrived in that milieu.

　　"What of it?" I interjected, my tone tinged with disdain.

　　Ander drew in a profound breath. "Due to your insouciance toward them. Are you truly oblivious to her gravid state and yet to be official for the rank of Luna within the Sun Flower Pack? It is common knowledge. Save for Blaire, that is," he divulged. My cardiac pulsations quickened exponentially, the cadence of my heartbeat assuming an anomalous tempo.

　　Retracing my thoughts to moments prior, I endeavored to digest Ander's revelations with greater acuity, despite my reluctance to accept their veracity. The gravity of the situation precluded any semblance of jest.

　　Regaining my composure, I settled back into my seat, keenly attuned to the palpitations of my lupine heart.

　　"Dana?" I queried, sensing an inexplicable stir within my soul.

　　"Yes," Drake asserts. "The revelation is hardly surprising. However, what remains unknown is her designation as the chosen mate of Bathel Harris, compounded by the unforeseen circumstance of her pregnancy..." he elaborates.

　　With a swift motion, I ascend from my seat, elongating my neck in a preparatory stretch before confronting them, exuding an air of assurance.

　　"Is that truly the crux of the matter for both of you?" I challenge, prompting an immediate shift in their countenances.

　　"Well-"

　　"You must vacate my office, and I shall do likewise. I have pressing matters to attend to," I interject, halting Ander's response as I stride purposefully out of the room.

　　They trail behind me, my heart now pounding in my chest with an intensity that unnerves me. Uncertainty clouds my thoughts as I halt abruptly, pivoting to confront them both.

　　"Denounce all alliances. The Black River Pack suffices. Is that too difficult to comprehend?" I demand, my patience waning, unwilling to engage further in conversation.

　　With a nod tinged with awkwardness, they acquiesce, offering perfunctory bows before sidling past me, their departure leaving me alone.

　　I stride purposefully to the pack's bar, ensuring solitude before hastily seizing a bottle of beer.

　　Did Dana truly ascend to the imminent position of Luna within my political adversary's domain? The realization blindsided me, despite the subtle signs I had overlooked-those fleeting moments of intimacy between them. I had chosen ignorance, and now I bear the consequences.

　　Though I feign indifference, a gnawing sensation of vulnerability grips me, a sensation I detest but cannot shake.

　　The realization of Dana's potential ascension to Luna within the ranks of my political adversaries looms ominously, casting a shadow over my consciousness. Though the proclamation remains unofficial, the subtle shifts in the pack's dynamics hint at its veracity.

　　Yet, despite this knowledge, I find myself inexplicably tethered to the past, endlessly seeking her presence without rational cause. Memories of our tumultuous relationship persist, haunting my thoughts and fueling a bitterness that refuses to dissipate.

　　Ironically, there's a perverse sense of equilibrium in this revelation. While I now possess my own Luna, Dana has found her place as someone else's chosen mate. I can't help but reflect on her unspoken desires, her silent aspirations to hold such a role in my life-a wish that now manifests in a reality I never anticipated.

　　The bitterness of this truth weighs heavily on me as I raise the bottle of beer to my lips, the bitter taste mirroring the bitterness of my contemplations. Yet, despite the bitterness, I drink without hesitation, seeking solace in the numbing embrace of alcohol.

　　The revelation of Dana's pregnancy reverberates through my mind, a stark contrast to the dormant state of my relationship with Blaire. Guilt festers within me, a gnawing sensation that refuses to relent. Blaire, despite her unwavering support and affection, remains untouched, a testament to my unfulfilled promise to reserve myself for the woman who once held my heart.

　　The guilt morphs into a seething anger, coursing through my veins with a fierce intensity. With clenched fists, I unleash my fury upon the unyielding barrier of the wall, each blow fueled by a potent mixture of frustration, resentment, and regret. The impact reverberates through my body, momentarily eclipsing the emotional turmoil that churns within me.

　　Blaze's inquiry pierces through the haze of my turbulent thoughts, prompting me to sink heavily into the chair at the bar.

　　"I don't know," I murmur, my voice barely audible above the din of the surroundings.

　　"How could this happen?" I whisper to myself, grappling with the inexplicable twist of fate that has entwined Dana's life with mine once more.