Pregnant By My Best Friend Alpha

Kyra's POV

Was it a blessing to marry your best friend?

I was not sure what Nathan thought. But for me, becoming his chosen mate was a dream come true. And now-what was even more miraculous-we were going to have our first pup.

"Congratulations, Luna Kyra," the pack doctor told me cheerfully as she saw the shock in my eyes. "We are about to welcome the first Alpha heir to our pack."

I subconsciously touched my belly, still unable to believe a pup was growing there. Had I heard it right? I was pregnant? I was pregnant with Nathan's pup! After three years as his Luna, I was finally carrying the pup who would be my mate's heir, the future of the Nightfall Pack.

"Sylvia," I whispered to my wolf, "we're going to be mothers."

My wolf stirred within me, her presence warm and protective.

On the way out of the hospital, I couldn't wait to tell Nathan about our pup. I wondered what his reaction would be. Would he howl with happiness? Would he kiss me and everything? Goddess, I could barely contain myself.

I cupped my red face as I fantasized. But the moment I felt the cold from the simple ring on my finger, my wildly beating heart calmed down. I almost forgot that Nathan wasn't the type to be keen on having pups, especially since our marriage was arranged by our families.

Our families had been friends for a long time. So our marriage also strengthened the alliance between the Nightfall Pack and the Raven Shadow Pack.

Nathan was a complete gentleman, both as a friend and a mate. Every time we had sex, he was considerate but cautious-careful not to claim me with his mark. No claiming bite, no permanent tie.

He said there was no need to add shackles when we weren't ready.

This pup, in a way, was out of the plan.

My mind became restless as I sat in my car. Would this be good news for him?

"You're spiraling," Sylvia murmured in my mind. "Stop overthinking. He's your mate. He'll be happy."

"Luna Kyra, is everything okay? Should I send a mind-link to Alpha Nathan?" My private driver, Luke-a loyal warrior from my father's pack-asked. Luke was reliable, like family, but if I chose to share, I still wanted Nathan to be the first to know this news.

"No," I shook my head, giving Luke a reassuring smile. "He's on the flight. I'll talk to him myself later." That way, I could sense his answer directly from his raw expression. I was always good at that.

I closed my eyes, recalling the day I met Nathan.

After my father remarried, I never got along with my stepbrother Kieran Carver. Unlike his gentle and beautiful mother, he looked fierce and brutal. His arms were covered in tattoos, and the scars on his forearms showed he'd been in serious fights. Most importantly, he always acted like he hated me-glaring when I laughed, scoffing at my hobbies. But sometimes I'd catch him staring when he thought I wasn't looking. Weird. To escape that house, I transferred to a new high school.

On my first day at the new school, I saw Nathan in the hallway between classes. His bright smile in the sunlight was dazzling. Long before we became best friends, I fell in love with him at first sight. But it was an unrequited love-I knew it well.

In high school, I was only a boring nerd in everyone's eyes, while Nathan Anderson was the shining quarterback. Everyone was surprised that we could be friends. Though I faced hostility, I enjoyed being around him. I slowly realized I didn't want to be just his friend.

However, right when I was about to confess my feelings, he met his fated mate.

I shook my head, trying to get rid of those sad old memories. I gripped the wedding ring on my finger, reminding myself the past was past. Nathan said they were over and I was his wife now.

I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and opened the door to our house. My heart calmed down as I breathed in the scent of home. I must have been overthinking. That woman had been out of our lives for a long time, and my marriage with Nathan was as beautiful as a fairy tale.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. At this point, Nathan should have gotten off the plane. He had been traveling for over a month for the sake of the pack's business.

Nathan was the president of ADE, and I was actually the vice president of the company. The Nightfall Pack operated ADE-a top-tier fashion magazine company to the human world. Our secret operations team handled pack business behind the scenes, while our fashion resources provided the perfect cover. Some of our top models and designers were actually werewolves, blending seamlessly into human society. Of course, compared to humans, we still had many unique abilities.

"Nathan, about what time will you be home? I have some news to share with you." I sent him a mind-link, but he didn't reply. I really missed Nathan after being apart for a month.

I dialed his number immediately. I really wanted to hear his voice now, to know when he would arrive home. I would prepare a good meal for him and he would reward me with a sweet kiss. Then we might have passionate sex, like what he gave me the night before his business trip. Oops, I almost forgot I was pregnant now. I needed to tell him first and then we could do something else instead.

I was happily envisioning our lovely reunion when my heart dropped as a woman's voice came over the line.

[Hello?]

My phone fell to the floor and my body started shaking uncontrollably. No! It couldn't be her! It couldn't be Sophia! She was already out of our lives! I must have misheard.

All the bad high school memories came rushing back.

Nathan had shifted when he was eighteen. His wolf, Alaric, knew right away that Sophia Gilbert was his fated mate. Sophia Gilbert was a typical blonde beauty that men would go crazy for. She was the popular cheerleader in high school while Nathan was the star quarterback. Better match than he and a nerd like me, right?

I didn't know why Sophia hated me so much. Maybe because I was always near Nathan.

"Oh look, it's Nathan's charity case," she would say whenever I walked by, her friends laughing behind her. One time, she locked me in a bathroom stall while her friends poured ice water over the door. I stood there, shivering in my soaked clothes as they giggled. Another time, she "accidentally" slapped me so hard it left a red mark. "Oops," she said with a fake smile, "I forgot nerds bruise easily."

The worst was when they cornered me in the hallway after gym class.

"You really think he actually likes you? You don't even have your own wolf." Sophia popped her gum, stepping so close I could smell her scent. "He only talks to you because his grandma made him."

One of her friends grabbed my glasses. "How many fingers am I holding up, blind bat?"

I tried to take them back, but Sophia grabbed my wrist, her nails digging into my skin. "Stay away from him," she hissed. "Or next time, it won't just be your glasses that get broken."

They left me there, my vision blurry as I picked up my cracked glasses from the floor.

When I told Nathan what Sophia did and said, he just laughed.

"You don't have your wolf yet because it's not time. When you turn eighteen, your wolf will come. I'll be there to help you through your first shift," he said, ruffling my hair like I was some dumb puppy. "Sophia's just messing with you, don't take it seriously."

But I did.

Because every time Sophia sat with him at lunch, she "accidentally" spilled her drink on my books. Every time I walked past, she whispered, "He's mine." And whenever Nathan wasn't looking, she gave me that cruel smile-as if she enjoyed hurting me where he couldn't see.

My pride couldn't stand being bullied this way, while my best friend fell in love with such a bitch. So I once tried to stay away from them in silence, but Nathan refused to leave my life. Every time I drowned myself in books and studies to forget them, Nathan would appear at my doorway, asking me out. I couldn't say no to his charming smile; I couldn't say no when he claimed it was his duty as my best friend to take me to experience the real world.

To avoid ruining our friendship, I could only hide my broken heart, silently playing the role of his best friend by his side and watching his happy face for Sophia. I finally gathered the courage to study abroad as I learned Nathan was planning to propose to Sophia. However, I never expected Nathan's grandma would call to beg me back.

I returned in a hurry only to see a lifeless Nathan. His wolf, Alaric, had gone eerily silent. Nathan's heart was badly hurt by Sophia-she rejected her fated mate. My beloved sunshine boy was nowhere to be seen, and my heart was bleeding. I hated Sophia Gilbert, that damn bitch!

Nathan didn't tell anyone what had happened except that he was done with Sophia. Grandma begged me to bond with him to stabilize the pack. I didn't understand why he agreed until the day I heard him say, "It doesn't matter who I take as Luna now." To him, marrying anyone but Sophia was all the same.

It was so fucking painful, but I still walked into this marriage without a second thought. My cherished boy was broken, and I wanted to fix him, not caring if I ruined myself in the process.

I fell asleep at home feeling so insecure and worried. I woke up in the middle of the night when I felt someone caressing my cheek.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and realized I had fallen asleep in the living area.

Someone lifted me from the couch. His minty scent enveloped me, but beneath it-something cherry.

I looked at him with heavy-lidded eyes.

"Nathan."

"Hmm," he hummed as he walked toward the stairs. "Why did you sleep on the couch?"

I stared at his face as he gently laid me down on the bed. He caressed my hair and kissed my forehead. My wolf, Sylvia, purred with satisfaction.

We'd been apart for over a month, my body missed him, and my heart longed for him.

"Where have you been? I've been waiting for you," I said as I caressed his cheek.

"Just met a friend. You said you were waiting for me-is it something urgent?"

Looking at his gentle face, suddenly I didn't want to ruin the moment, so I closed my parted lips and swallowed the truth back down.

I shook my head and pouted, telling him that I was sleepy. He chuckled and carefully carried me to the bed. The moment he was about to leave me after giving me a goodnight kiss, I panicked for some reason. I quickly grabbed him and kissed him with all my passion, trying to undress him, wanting him to touch me more and deeper. I missed him. I wanted him. I felt the only way I could feel at ease was to let him have me again-to make sure he was still mine.

"Wait, Kyra," he said, pinning my hands gently on the bed to stop me. "I thought you said you were sleepy and needed to rest."

"But I think I miss you more now." I looked at him with innocence, and I could catch desire flashing in his eyes, but I didn't know why it faded so quickly. He used to be happy when I became the initiator.

He didn't laugh. He sighed deeply and gently tucked my hair behind my ears before he held my hand and stared into my eyes. "I have something to tell you."

I felt my heart race. I thought about the pup in my womb. He's got something to tell me. I have something to tell him too.

"W-What is it?" I asked, my voice trembling.

He took a deep breath. "You know you're important to me, right?"

I slowly nodded. I couldn't answer. I was scared of what he was about to say. I had a bad feeling about this.

"You were my best friend before we got married. You're one of the few people I treasure."

I didn't know why he was telling me all this, but I felt tears already pooling at the corner of my eyes.

"Kyra." he paused and squeezed his eyes shut before he looked at me again. "I-I think it's time for us to end our marriage. Can you reject me?"

"N-Nathan." I felt my heart clench.

He smiled. "I know you don't have feelings for me either. You just married me because of my grandparents. You only did this because you love them. Now it's time for our real happiness, Kyra."

I shook my head. "W-What are you talking about, Nathan?"

"Sophia is back, Kyra. My fated mate is back."

Kyra's POV

I got off the bed, desperate to escape, but Nathan caught my wrist. His grip was firm-the strength of an Alpha, impossible to break free from. I immediately wiped away the tears that rolled down my cheeks before he could see them.

I felt my heart breaking into pieces. I thought... I thought I could make him fall in love with me during the three years we were together. I thought his feelings would deepen, that he would see me as a woman rather than just a best friend.

I failed. No matter how hard I tried as his chosen mate, his Luna, his heart still belonged only to his first love and fated mate-Sophia.

"Kyra..."

I faked a smile. "I need to wash up before eating."

He stared into my eyes as if trying to figure out what I was thinking. I knew he knew me too well, so I tried hard to hide my pain and smiled at him.

He sighed and let go of my hand. "Okay. I'll wait for you here. Let's eat and go to work together."

Together? How cruel could he be? He wanted us to stay the way we were right after telling me his first love was back and he wanted to leave me?

If I used to be able to force myself to stay in the position of his best friend wishing him happiness, I no longer had that courage after the three years we'd shared. There was no way I could endure that kind of torture again, especially when I was carrying his pup.

The pup... I had thought it was good news for us, but now... it would be more like a burden to him, I guess. A burden that would keep him from finding his true love and freedom.

I knew what it was like for an unwanted pup to grow up. My parents divorced even before my mother died, and my father's new family hated me-it hurt like hell. I didn't want my pup to experience the same thing I had felt.

I faked another smile. "We can't. I need to visit the studio for the photoshoot of our new models."

"I'll go with you-"

"No." I pushed his hand away. "You have some documents to sign. Our schedules are already organized, remember?"

"But-"

"I'll be fine to go alone."

He sighed and slowly nodded. I entered the bathroom, immediately opened the shower, and stood under the cold water. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I covered my mouth to suppress my sobs.

"Don't be sad, Kyra. I'll always stand behind you and the pup," Sylvia reassured me.

I wiped my face and gently caressed my belly. I shouldn't put my pup's life at risk just because my heart was broken. I needed to be strong. I needed to stay calm.

When I got out of the bathroom, I was shocked to see Nathan was still there. He was struggling to fix his tie. I also noticed my pair of heels and a dress laid out on the bed.

"Hey! I picked your dress for today."

We kept our marriage private in the company to avoid any perception of workplace romance. Nathan said he would try to do small things for me as a mate. He had done that well, and I used to enjoy those sweet moments, but now it was going to kill me.

I put the white dress back and picked up a red one. When I faced him, his forehead was creased.

I smiled. "I prefer red today."

He nodded and walked toward me. "I see. Help me fix this first."

I could feel his eyes staring intently at me. I took a deep breath and chewed my bottom lip as I struggled to fix his tie. My vision was getting blurry again. Damn!

"Kyra."

I jumped in shock. "Hmm?"

"Are you okay?"

I looked at him and smiled. "Yeah."

"I have another thing to say."

I finished fixing his tie. I glanced at him before I walked past and said, "Let's just talk some other time. I'm going to be late."

I heard him sigh as he followed me again. "Kyra, we're on the same page, right?"

I stared at him. No, Nathan. We're never on the same page. All of this was just my stupid fantasy. I thought you had feelings for me, but I was so wrong.

"If this is about the rejection, I understand everything, Nathan. I know what I have to do. Just give me some time because I'm really busy with the company."

"Kyra, I'm not just doing this for myself. I'm also doing this for you. You've been caged with me ever since we got married. I know you're not happy, because deep inside, you also want to find the fated mate you deserve. Someone who will truly love you. Not me. Not someone who's half-hearted."

"I understand what you're trying to say, Nathan."

He looked at me with concern. "You are my best friend. I don't want to lose you, Kyra. You're one of my few people..."

"I know," I said out of frustration. He looked shocked, so I calmed myself. "I-I know. You don't have to worry. I'm just stressed about work. It's not about our rejection."

His lips parted and he slowly nodded. He walked toward me, and I froze when he gently kissed my forehead...

"Thank you, Kyra," he whispered. My heart clenched. It had been three years, but I was still such a coward.

Sylvia howled in my mind, "Why can't you just tell him you love him, Kyra? He's your mate and you're carrying his pup! Tell him and he might change his mind!"

I swallowed hard and was about to speak, but his phone rang. I didn't miss the caller ID. Again, it was Sophia.

"I gotta go." He left our room, murmuring an apology, and I didn't miss the upturned corners of his mouth. "I called Luke; he's waiting outside. Eat before you go, okay?"

Why would I think I had a chance? He had already made his choice the moment he asked for the rejection, hadn't he?

***

I entered the studio wearing red heels and a red dress. Everyone was looking at me as I walked down the hallway. They all greeted me with a smile, but my face remained stoic, not showing any emotion.

The conversation with Nathan from this morning was still lingering in my mind, but I couldn't let it affect my work.

I couldn't fail at work after failing my marriage.

I took a deep breath to steady myself. However, when I entered the photoshoot room, I noticed everyone was in chaos.

"We can't! She's not answering her calls. What should we do? The Vice President is coming today. She'll be mad."

"We can just tell her the truth. She's nice."

"Not in this situation, Lily! She'd scold us-"

"What's happening here?" I asked as I entered the room.

The staff were all looking at me with worried expressions and I knew then there was a problem.

"G-Good morning, Miss Monroe."

Miss Monroe. Of course, the human employees didn't know Nathan and I were married, except for the werewolves in our pack.

I stared at her blankly. "What?"

"W-we have a problem, Miss Monroe. Miss Chen, our model, has been refusing our calls. She said she heard we're changing our model so.she doesn't want to come. She's even... threatening to file a case against us." She bowed her head.

Miss Chen was a renowned model in human society whom I had already selected as the cover model for our Asian magazine edition.

I gritted my teeth and looked around. "Where's the marketing manager?"

"S-she's still trying to convince Miss Chen, Miss Monroe."

I massaged my forehead and closed my eyes tightly. I grabbed my hair and screamed in anger. I felt everyone around me jump in shock. I groaned and drew a deep breath before looking around.

"Miss Monroe..."

"What is this, Miss Hayley? You are the marketing manager-what is happening?"

"Miss Monroe, I don't know how it happened, but Miss Chen heard you're changing our model. She's about to file a case against us-"

Changing the model? How come I didn't know about this? Miss Chen had always been our reliable partner, and unless necessary, changing models for a commercial shoot on short notice would only cause trouble for the company. I would never allow such a careless mistake.

"I never asked for that. You must be mistaken." I cut her off to save time. "Fix this mess or I'll have to fire you!"

"Miss Monroe... It's Mr. President who asked us to change it." Hayley spoke hesitantly. "He gave the order as soon as he got back from his business trip yesterday, and he told me today there would be a new model to replace Miss Chen."

I was stunned by the truth. Nathan's order? Why didn't he tell me? He used to discuss every major decision with me first.

"It shouldn't be..." I was confused. Nathan was not a clueless businessman. He carefully separated work and personal matters, which was why he always succeeded. That was also the reason he insisted on keeping our marriage a secret.

"Yes, Kyra. I gave the order." The voice pulled me back to reality.

"M-Mr. President." Hayley bowed with respect when she saw the man who suddenly appeared behind me.

Before I could react, a familiar, sickly-sweet voice cut through the room.

"Hello, darling Kyra, it's been so long."

It was Sophia.

I turned around and saw her standing there, her designer dress clinging to her curves, right beside Nathan.

Just like in high school, the two of them looked perfectly matched, dazzling together. The moment I saw her, my stomach churned.

Kyra's POV

"I think you owe me an explanation, Nathan. About changing the model!" I gritted out as I walked directly up to him and questioned him.

He knew exactly how much effort I had put into winning this project. I had hardly slept during those days, and Miss Chen was the ideal candidate for us. I remembered he agreed too. But now. he had just changed the model however he pleased without telling me in advance, just to hook his ex up with a modeling job.

It felt like a hard slap to my face.

"Go ahead with the work. I'll make things clear to her," he told the staff first, ignoring the anger that was about to explode from my eyes.

I was seething with rage as I saw Sophia by his side, that same mocking smile on her face she used to make my life hell in high school.

"Answer me, Nathan! Why did you change the model so suddenly?" I couldn't hold back my anger, and he just touched my shoulder, whispering, "This isn't the place to talk. Let me explain in the car."

I looked around, noticing others sneaking glances at us. Then I shook his hand off and walked toward the parking lot. I already knew I wouldn't like his explanation.

"Now, say it," I blurted as we sat in his car.

He stared into my eyes as if weighing my emotions. I looked away. I couldn't stand his gaze anymore, never seeing me the way I wanted him to. He had no feelings for me, and it hurt so much.

"I-I." he paused and sighed. "I replaced Miss Chen because Sophia wanted to be our model. She's also fit to be our model, so I agreed-"

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

He pressed his lips together and looked away, messing up his hair before shaking his head and holding my hand.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It was just so sudden. She asked me for a favor, and I can't say no."

I pulled my hand back and looked at him, feeling both pain and anger. "You can't say no to her, so you'd rather harm the company? Our company? You betrayed me, Nathan."

"Kyra, come on. You know how much I love her. She's my first love."

Painfully, I closed my eyes. Oh yes, she's your first love. She's always the one you want, no matter what it takes. As long as she frowned, you would turn a blind eye to the pain and effort of others. You'd give her everything, even if she rejected you. But what about me and the pack? You're so heartless, Nathan.

"Well, you've already decided. I don't have a say in this since you're the President. Just go. I'll be in the office," I said coldly as I opened the car door to leave.

"Kyra..."

I looked him in the eye. "Go home early. Let's talk about the rejection at home tonight."

On my way back to the office, I saw Sophia sitting in the break room, sipping her coffee.

I stepped inside, and she shot me a mocking glance. "Never thought you'd actually marry Nathan. Guess Cinderella really did bag her Prince Charming."

My expression turned icy. "You were the one who rejected him. Why come crawling back now?"

Sophia's smile widened, dripping with amusement. "Because I still love him and he wanted me. That's why I'm back. But you-poor little thing-three years without me, and you still couldn't win him over. Some things never change, you're still that same desperate loser from high school."

Sylvia thundered in my mind, her voice seething with raw fury: "That bitch-just wait until I make her cry!"

I took a deep breath, struggling to quiet Sylvia's wild outburst, and forced a cool, steady smile as I faced Sophia. "Even if Nathan doesn't love me, our statuses are perfectly matched," I said, my tone calm yet determined. "I'm his Luna now, and I control a significant share of his company. Even if we parted ways, I'd walk away with a fortune. And really, do you think after Nathan rejects me, his family and pack would welcome you with open arms? From what I know, your family background and pack's influence pale compared to mine. Tell me, who's really the Cinderella in this story?"

With that, I strode out of the break room. Not long after, I heard the sound of a cup shattering.

Even though my words struck a raw nerve with Sophia, deep down I knew she was right. As long as Nathan loved her, I'd forever be the loser in this love triangle.

***

I was playing with the wedding ring on my finger. I told Nathan to come home early, but he never came home at all. He wasn't even answering my mind-links or calls.

Now that Sophia was back, this house probably wasn't home to him anymore.

My eyes shifted to the pregnancy report on the table. What a mockery. I had still been naive enough to hope things would be different if I told him about the pup. But I had to forget it-the pup was never in his plans.

Sure, Nathan wouldn't reject me if he knew I was pregnant. But he couldn't let go of his obsession with Sophia either. He might stay in this loveless marriage if his parents wanted, but all I would have was an empty shell. That's not the kind of father I wanted for my pup.

It was 5 a.m. already when I looked at the clock on the wall. I tried dialing his number again, but he was still busy. What was he busy with? Was he busy making love with Sophia? He must have missed her so much, didn't he?

I still remembered the day he came back after his first private trip with Sophia. His joy was unmistakable. Nearly right away, I knew they had made love. That same day, I went back to my room and cried as I took off my makeup. Nothing I did worked. I could never replace Sophia in his heart.

It felt like hundreds of pounds pressed on my chest. I decided to shower to wash away my miserable emotions, but as soon as I opened the wardrobe, our intimate clothes-snuggled together-brought me back to the memory of how Nathan and I had sex here last time.

It was that time he didn't use protection. He had been so passionate that I thought he was finally accepting our marriage. I once believed his return from that business trip meant a fresh start for us, but in the end, it was the beginning of our falling apart.

I didn't remember how I fell asleep. When the alarm clock went off, I subconsciously reached for the pillow beside me. Cold, just like last night. He still hadn't come home. I sneered at myself as I saw my reflection in the dresser mirror. The dark circles under my eyes were so clear, and my hair was a total mess, looking just like a ghost.

"Kyra, I don't want to see you grieving like this. You'll only break yourself if you stay on the wrong path. Let him go, and spare yourself. Your pup needs a strong mom," Sylvia advised me.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea flooded my stomach and I realized I hadn't even eaten the night before. Feeling sick again, I ran to the sink and vomited. I spat out yellowish liquid, and while I was washing my mouth, I felt a warm hand caress my back.

I immediately looked up and met a pair of brown eyes watching me through the mirror. Standing behind me with a worried expression was my mate, Nathan.

"Are you okay? Are you not feeling well? You should have told me."

I stared at him in the mirror. "You didn't answer my calls."

Guilt flickered in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I had things to do. I stayed at the office all night."

I wiped my face and walked past him.

He followed me. "Kyra."

"I woke up late. I didn't prepare breakfast."

I tried to avoid his eyes. I felt like losing my temper. I had never felt his selfishness so clearly as I did now. He called me his best friend, yet had never cared about my needs. My feelings.

"Kyra. you know I'm not asking about that. I'm just worried about you..."

"Kyra, are we still okay?"

He was asking me that-after offering to reject me, without even asking if I was okay with it? He decided it on his own, just because his first love had turned up again. I couldn't believe him.

I faked a smile. "I just don't feel well today, Nathan."

He immediately squatted beside me, which didn't surprise me since I knew he truly cared. What did surprise me was why he still did this after crushing my heart.

"Are you okay?" He gently touched my forehead and neck. "Are you sick? Tell me how you feel, Kyra."

"My feelings don't matter," I couldn't help but blurt out. He looked shocked by what I said.

When I tried to avoid him, he grabbed my wrist and made me face him. His angry expression told me he had lost all patience.

"What's wrong with you, Kyra? You've been like this since yesterday. Is this about Sophia? Or because I didn't come home last night?"

I met his gaze, annoyed. "You're the one who asked for a rejection! I told you to come back earlier, but you let me wait all night. How do you want me to greet you this morning, Nathan?"

He clenched his jaw and shook his head. "Kyra, I-"

"Enough. We can talk about the rejection after work today."

"Kyra!" he called, grabbing my shoulders. Confusion and pain were visible in his eyes. "Are you. in love with me?"

I was taken aback. In love? Yes! Ever since high school. Ever since he became my best friend. Who wouldn't fall for someone who's always protected you?

But of course, I couldn't tell him. Everything would just become more complicated. I didn't even want his pity. I shook my head and pushed his arms away. "Are you on drugs? I'm not in love with you. It's just a partnership between us. The only difference is, I wasn't as lucky as you-I never found my fated mate."

I turned my back and walked into the bathroom again. I locked the door and slumped by the bathtub. I needed to focus on myself. I couldn't let my emotions control me but. why were my tears falling again?

Sylvia howled in my mind, "Kyra! You can't even tell him how you really feel."

I wiped my tears away, angry at myself.

It took almost an hour to bathe. When I was done, I found Nathan had already left. He kept abandoning me. I never imagined we'd fall this far apart.

***

"Good morning, Miss Monroe."

"Good morning, Vice President."

I didn't greet anyone back like I usually did. I still felt miserable, and my mood was off. Irritation washed over me easily, out of my control. Maybe it was Nathan's rejection-or my pregnancy.

I was about to enter my office when I heard two girls talking.

"Did you see her? I bet she's Mr. Anderson's girlfriend. They seemed close."

My forehead creased. Nathan's girlfriend?

"Ah! It's Miss Sophia."

"Sophia? Sophia Gilbert? The model?"

"Yes! I could bet my whole month's salary on it. They look good together."

"Come on! Miss Monroe and Mr. Anderson look better together."

"Are you serious? They're best friends. You know, some people are just better as friends. It's Mr. Anderson and Miss Monroe."

I squeezed my eyes closed and entered my office. I slowly closed the door behind me and leaned against it. This was even harder than I expected.

I took a deep breath and sat at my swivel chair. I had just turned on the computer when a notification popped up on my phone screen. My hands started shaking when I saw it.

It was Nathan's social media update-a photo of him and Sophia, eating together in a fancy restaurant.

I balled my fists and gritted my teeth. Of course, there was no way I could compete with her in his heart. She had always come first, and for him I would always be last.