Chapter 2

The drive back to the Pack House was a blur of nausea and suppressed rage. When we arrived at the sprawling estate, the sun was setting, casting long, blood-red shadows across the lawn.

I reached for the door handle, but Theo was already out, rushing to the passenger side to help Elena. She leaned heavily on him, whispering gratitude, while I dragged myself out of the back seat.

We walked into the grand foyer. The pack members who worked in the house-maids, guards, cooks-stopped and stared. It was highly irregular for an Alpha to bring another pregnant woman home while his Mate walked behind him.

"Prepare the guest suite," I told the head housekeeper, Martha. My voice was steady, despite the shaking of my hands.

"No," Theo interrupted. His voice boomed off the marble floors. "Elena will take the Master Suite. She needs the most comfortable bed."

The Master Suite. The Luna Suite. My room.

"Theo," I warned, stepping forward. "That is our room. That is where I sleep. That is where your scent is strongest."

"And that is why she needs it!" Theo turned on me, his face twisted with a mix of guilt and stubbornness. *"The doctor said her stress levels are critical. My scent stabilizes her wolf. Stop being petty, Aria."*

*"Petty?" I stared at him. "You're evicting your pregnant wife for a mistress."*

"And where am I supposed to sleep?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Elena spoke up then, clutching her belly. "The doctor said I need quiet. Maybe... maybe Aria shouldn't be on the same floor? Her wolf seems so angry. I'm afraid she might hurt my baby."

"My wolf has never hurt a soul!" I shouted. The accusation was absurd.

Elena flinched, burying her face in Theo's chest. "See? She's yelling. It's terrifying."

"Enough!" Theo roared. The power of his Alpha Command slammed into me like a physical wall. My knees buckled, and I fell to the hard floor. "Aria, you will not threaten my guest."

I gasped for air, unable to stand. The command forced my muscles to lock. This was the ultimate betrayal. Using the Alpha's authority to force your Mate into submission was considered barbaric.

"Take her things to the first-floor servant's quarters," Theo ordered Martha, refusing to look at me. "The room at the end of the hall. It's quiet there."

The servant's quarters. The damp, drafty rooms near the laundry.

"Theo, please," I begged, the Command lifting slightly so I could speak. "It's cold down there. It's not good for our baby."

"It is temporary," he muttered, leading Elena up the grand staircase. "Just until Elena is stable. Don't be so selfish, Aria."

I watched them ascend. Elena glanced back over her shoulder. A small, triumphant smile played on her lips. She had won.

Martha helped me up, her eyes full of pity. "I'm so sorry, Luna," she whispered.

"Don't call me that," I said, pulling my arm away. "A Luna commands respect. I clearly have none."

That night, the servant's room was freezing. The heating vents didn't reach this part of the house. I curled up on the narrow, lumpy mattress, wrapping my arms around my belly. The air smelled of bleach and mold.

I could smell them. Even three floors down, my enhanced senses picked up the scent of Theo's musk mixing with Elena's vanilla. They were in my bed.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. *It was a reply from my mother.*

*James is assembling the War Guard. We are coming. Sit tight, baby. Do not engage.*

*Before I could reply, the door creaked open.* Theo stood there, silhouetted by the hallway light. He stepped inside, closing the door.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked awkwardly.

I sat up, pulling the thin blanket tighter. "It's freezing, Theo. There is mold on the ceiling."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. It's just for a few weeks. Elena is... she's very fragile."

He took a step toward me, reaching out to touch my cheek. As he got closer, the smell hit me.

He smelled like her. He smelled like sex and vanilla.

My stomach heaved. A violent wave of nausea rolled over me. My body, my wolf, and my baby were rejecting him.

"Don't," I gagged, scrambling back against the wall. "You smell like her. It makes me sick."

Theo froze, his hand dropping. His face hardened. "I am trying to make peace, Aria. I am trying to do the right thing. Why do you have to make this so difficult?"

"Give me my phone," I said, clutching the device to my chest.

He saw the phone in my hand. His eyes narrowed. "You aren't telling them anything. If James finds out, he will declare war. Do you want that on your conscience? A war between packs because you couldn't share a bedroom for a few weeks?"

He snatched the phone from my hand.

"Hey!" I lunged for it, but he was faster.

"You can have this back when you learn to behave," he said coldly. He turned and walked out, locking the door from the outside.

I was a prisoner in my own home. *But at least the message had been sent. Now, I just had to survive until they got here.*