Chapter 1 The Anniversary That Changed Everything

Elena's POV

I put on my apron around my waist as I stepped into the kitchen of warm Ember– flame – my restaurant, my sanctuary, my place of Peace. The scent of thyme and roasted garlic hugged my breath, and the air in the kitchen was covered like a blanket with those scents.

But not today.

Today, I felt like the air was dragging memories of my past along it, thick with ghosts I hadn't invited. My hands moved on autopilot, clearing counters, straightening trays, adjusting oven dials-but inside, I was still standing in the dining room from last night. It kept on reoccurring and reoccurring.

It was our anniversary. Five years married to Damien Thorne. Five years of duty, silence, distant kisses, and me convincing myself that one day, maybe, love would come. And it will not just come, it will also lead.

Last night, I'd prepared his favorite meal- which he always loves; rosemary lamb chops, honey-glazed carrots, and that cinnamon-apple tart he always claimed reminded him of autumn back home in the North. I'd set the table myself. Lit the candles. I wore a soft blue dress he once said made my eyes look like moonlight, just to remind him of the love moment we have spent together during the moon bond.

I was also planning to tell him that, "I'm pregnant."

I'd imagined it in so many ways: his eyes lighting up, the walls between us cracking just a little, maybe even a hand over my stomach in awe. I wanted that moment. I needed it.

He came in late, but smiling. Kissed my cheek, complimented the perfume that I wore.

"Smells incredible," he said, taking his seat like nothing was off. Like this wasn't the night I had finally dared to hope.

I dished out his food on his plate.

But just as I was about to speak while dishing the food-just as the words had begun forming in my throat-his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen, and there was shift in his expression that I won't forget. From warmth to command. He stood up so fast, scraping the chair loudly against the floor.

"Council emergency," he said. "I have to go."

With an awful look on his face.

I stood, too. My lips parted, unsure if I should stop him, unsure if I even could.

"Damien, wait-"

I tried to say something, but the words were stuck between my throat.

"I'll make it up to you," he said over his shoulder, already halfway out the door. "I'll bring you that enchanted necklace from Silvermist. The one you liked."

I was following him thinking he would change his mind, until he entered his car and drove out.

My heart was in deep pain.

Then I said to myself, our anniversary isn't important to him, despite all the effort I put in just to make this anniversary take place.

Elena?" Miriam's voice yanked me back to the present.

I blinked. "Huh?"

She stood at the doorway to the kitchen, arms crossed, clipboard in hand. Tall, poised, graying hair pulled into its usual tight bun. Her eyes were the kind that saw through lies-especially the ones we tell ourselves.

"Are you okay?"

She asked.

I nodded quickly. "I just didn't sleep well."

She held my gaze a second longer than I liked, but said nothing. Instead, she flipped through her notes.

"This came this morning," she said, handing me a white envelope. "From the Culinary Council."

I took it with mild confusion. "What's this?"

I asked her.

She smiled, her smile got me thinking, she was amazed, then whispered to my ear.

"You've been selected for the Alpha Dominion Apprenticeship. Three years abroad. Full scholarship. Royal Kitchens. Only five chefs were chosen."

The words hit me like cold water.

Me? Elena who spent nights crying in the bathtub? The Luna who cooked meals that no one noticed?

"That's..." I couldn't even find the right emotion. Joy? Shock? Dread? I touched my stomach instinctively.

There's a heartbeat now. A secret. One Damien still didn't know.

"I... need to think about it," I whispered.

Miriam nodded. "Of course. Just don't take too long. They'll want a decision by the end of the week."

She turned and left, leaving me standing in the middle of my kitchen, heart pounding in a whole new way.

Before I could even breathe, one of the servers burst through the door.

"Chef!" Danny looked nervous. "There's a customer out front who asked to speak to you directly. Said the food was... not up to Luna standards."

I frowned. "What?"

"She's pregnant," he added. "And apparently allergic to disappointment."

I sighed and untied my apron. "Fine. Let's see what we're dealing with."

I stepped into the restaurant's main hall and immediately saw her.

Tall. Blonde. Elegant. Belly rounded under a silk dress too tight to hide it. Her nose was scrunched like she'd just caught a bad smell.

"Is that the chef?" she snapped, looking at me like I was gum stuck under her stiletto.

"Yes," Danny replied nervously.

"Good heavens. In a five-star restaurant? The lamb was overcooked, the carrots tasted like sugar paste, and the dessert-don't get me started on that sour mess. At my stage of pregnancy, it's practically violence."

I inhaled slowly. "I'm sorry the meal wasn't to your liking. I cooked it myself. The lamb was prepared medium, as requested, and the carrots are lightly honey-glazed to balance the tartness of the dessert."

She waved a manicured hand like I was wasting her time. "I don't need a food lecture. My husband will hear of this. He's a respected man. You might want to start polishing your résumé."

I kept my tone even. "If he has something to say, I'll be in my office."

Her smile turned razor-sharp. "Oh, he will. And when he does, I hope you remember this moment."

I turned and walked away before I said something I couldn't take back. My hands were shaking when I got back to my office.

Then came a soft knock.

"Ma'am..." It was one of the younger waitresses, voice shaking. "Her husband is here. Are you sure you want to see him? I... I can handle it."

"No," I said, straightening my shoulders. "Let him in. I can handle anything."

The door swung open.

And my world stopped spinning.

It was Damien.