RISE OF THE REJECTED LUNA

Noemie stared up at him, her look of excitement fallen and crumbling into the ground.

Her face fell, her eyes glistened with tears she had become too scared to shed-no, she was too scared to do anything now, in the presence of this man who was once her loving husband.

She tilted her head, staring into his emerald eyes, her throat dry, her palms clammy.

Clutching the sides of her night robe tightly, she looked back at him. "What do you mean I have to sleep in the guest room tonight? It's... our anniversary," her voice broke in the end, and she shuddered when she received a cutthroat glare from him.

"Do not question my orders, Noemie. You'll do as you are told."

Noemie stumbled backwards. The harder he glared at her, the more she felt like sinking into the ground and allowing it to swallow her whole.

It was their 3-year anniversary, and she had personally whipped up his favorite dish, gotten all cleaned up, and worn his favorite cologne just to impress him, just to make him feel happy. But why did it feel like her plans had backfired and come crashing in her face? He had refused to even look at the food, and now he was sending her away.

Noemie couldn't wrap her head around the reason he wanted her out of their matrimonial chambers this night-the night of their anniversary.

She had tried to understand him being distant and harsher towards her, but wasn't this the peak of it all? He had stayed out late till this ungodly hour and was now chasing her out of their room.

She bit her lips, trying so hard to suppress the pain she felt. "Da..." The sharp glare that followed from him almost made a tear slip out from her eyes. He had banned her from addressing him casually. "Alpha Damian..."

"Enough, Noemie. Leave now!" he cut her off.

That was it. No room for questions nor bargains, strong finality mixed in his words.

Noemie turned back to leave. She looked back at him one more time, hoping to see something in his eyes-anything at all-but she was greeted with nothing but emptiness in those eyes, and as she left, a tear slid out of her eyes.

Noemie made her way to the guest room, feeling the pressing weight of shame on her. The Luna of Shadowcang Pack, spending a night out of her chambers, shouldn't even be whispered, much less witnessed.

Each step felt heavier than the last as she dragged herself to the guest room, hoping her husband would come after her-but none of that happened.

She got into the room and fell on the bed, hot tears streaming down her eyes as she thought about everything. Where was the love in his eyes? His care, his attention-where did it all go?

She tried to understand him. He was an Alpha, probably had problems that made him stressed-why he couldn't talk with her, nor laugh with her. Perhaps why he stayed away from home for weeks without calling her even once. How comfortable he was to not see or hear from her for as long as a month.

Before, he couldn't go a day without seeing her. No matter how busy he was, he always made time to hold her, to make her feel like a woman. When last had he touched her? She couldn't even remember, and it made her heart sink.

Was the pack in trouble? Were they being threatened? She almost went to her maid's room to settle her curiosity, but she halted in her steps. It was late, and if people found her wandering about this late at night, it would raise eyebrows.

Her hand slipped from the door handle, but she was quick to tighten her grip back on it. If Damian was in some sort of trouble-if he was really in need of help-she should at least show him support, show him that she was here if he ever needed anyone to lean on. Yes, that was why she was his Luna after all.

Noemie slipped out of her room, making her way back to their chambers. Her feet were slow. She was scared, and something at the back of her mind reminded her that defying Damian's orders would warrant a sort of trouble she couldn't take-but she could risk it-no, she was going to risk it.

As she walked down the long hallway, her pink robe swept the clean marble floor, her golden hair cascaded down her slender shoulders.

Her feet halted in front of their chambers, her hands clammy as cold sweat rolled down her back. Her heart did a marathon in her cage. She should turn back. Damian didn't want to see her, and it wasn't right to irk him anymore.

Her hands turned clammy at the the thought of incuring his rage, her lips dry.

But if her hunch was right and he wasn't doing really good, what kind of wife would she be if she didn't confront him about all of it and let him lean on her?

Although all the warning bells rang in her head, something prompted her to take the bold move-and she did. She twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.

Her blood drained from her body, her face paled with horror at the sight that slapped her hard across the face-the sight that greeted her.

Her husband, Damian, entangled in their matrimonial bed with another woman. The same bed in which he had taken her virginity and whispered all sorts of promises to her-promises which clearly meant nothing to him.

Noemie staggered backwards, almost falling hard on the ground if it weren't for the support of the wall-but the duo didn't even notice she was there. They were too engrossed in their lovemaking.

The air suddenly felt too cold to breathe in. Her heart felt like it was being teased before being heartlessly ripped out of her chest as her whole world came crashing that instant.

Noemie just stood there on the spot, watching the duo being engrossed in their activity without a care in the world.

Her stomach churned, she felt like puking her guts out, and then something snapped in her. "Damian!!"

Her scream jolted the two out of their lovemaking, and Damian scrambled out of the bed, marching towards her like he had plans to completely destroy her for interrupting their session together.

The look in his eyes-anger, disdain, and resentment-as though she was the intruder here. Her head spun at his next words:

"What are you doing here!? Didn't I tell you to sleep in the guest room!?"

His words struck a vein in her head. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't sleeping, to make sure she wasn't in her own nightmare. She wasn't though-this was all painfully real.

She looked back up at him. He stared back at her, breathing aggressively like a thin thread was holding him from pouncing on her.

She had caught him in bed with another woman, and this was all he could say to her? Noemie bit her lips so hard that blood began seeping from the wound.

Her lips parted so many times, yet words couldn't come out-it was like she had gone temporarily mute from shock.

"Honey, that's enough. You shouldn't stress yourself out," the thin, sultry voice penetrated deep into her skull, and Noemie saw the woman emerge from the dim lights that had earlier concealed her.

Draped in lingerie that barely covered her body, her own sister stood right in front of her, a mocking smirk adorned her lips.

Noemie's lips quivered. This wasn't true. She shook her head in denial, but she was here in flesh-her tormentor and now her husband's mistress.

"Hello, Noemie," her ex-mistress, Veronica, called her in a mocking tone.

Noemie couldn't believe it. No matter how evil she was, no matter how malicious and cunning she had known her to be, Noemie had never pegged that she would come all the way here to ruin her life and her happiness.

"Ve... Veronica," Noemie stuttered, almost not believing she was really here.

She looked back from her ex-mistress to her husband-and no hint of remorse from both sides. Instead, they looked like they couldn't wait to throw her out just so they could continue with what they were doing.

Veronica was the Alpha's daughter in her pack, Crestmoon Pack. Whereas she, she was nothing but a servant, an omega.

Veronica hated her for absolutely no reason and had made her life hell. When Damian had bought her, she had been very happy to be free from her-but now she was here, now as her husband's mistress.

How long has this been going on? How long had she been fooled?

"Why is she here, my love?"

She questioned her husband like she wasn't standing there at that very moment.

Her blood boiled, and she lost all control. She lunged towards her, pulling her hair and pushing her to the floor. She was ready to pounce on her, but that was when she felt someone forcefully pull her away from Veronica, and before she could blink, Damian slapped her twice on the same cheek.

It seemed like he had exerted all his manly strength into the slap. Her lips burst, and blood rushed out of her nose. At that moment, Noemie felt like there was a thin line between her and death. Her head ached, her cheeks hurt-like she was reliving the moment Damian had slapped her.

Her pains were suppressed by an overwhelming feeling of shock and disbelief. Her husband, who had never once raised his voice on her, had hit her. She stared at him, but not a single remorse in those eyes-all she saw was untamed hatred directed toward her.

"Damian, the baby," Veronica cried.

Baby?

Her blood ran cold as she stared at both of them. What baby was she talking about?

As if to answer her unspoken questions, Damian left her side-despite the fact she was hurt because of him and was now bleeding-he left her to hold Veronica in his arms. And the way he looked at her, his gaze soft, like she was the most priceless treasure on earth.

Noemie didn't know where she summoned the energy from, but she rose to her feet, her limbs shaking.

"Baby? What baby are you talking about?" Her voice broke, and Noemie wanted to believe that Damian had slapped her so hard that she was now mishearing things.

"What baby!!?" Noemie yelled at the top of her lungs, wanting to crumble them both. The bitter taste of betrayal slapped her at the back of her throat.

Damian walked up to her, and he grabbed her arm, throwing her out of their room. She landed on the cold floor, and Damian looked down at her, fire burning in his eyes.

"Yes, she's pregnant with my child-my heir-something you couldn't do for three years!!"

My eyes glistened with tears, my throat constricted, but he wasn't done yet.

"I cannot continue to have a barren woman who will bring me nothing but shame to my pack," he spat, looking at her like she was nothing less than a rat from the sewage. "Veronica is here to stay. She will be my Luna, and from henceforth, she will stay in my chambers, and your things will be moved to the guest room."

Her heart broke at how Damian mercilessly smeared her condition in her face.

She clenched her fist. "I refuse to live under the same roof with that woman. I'd rather die."

"Die then." Those were his last words before slamming the door on her face.

Noemie felt bile rise to her throat, and she ran to the nearest bathroom to throw up, vomiting her guts out.

Lately, she had been feeling nauseous, and she could see herself bloating. She had planned to tell Damian about it today, but who knew what shocking revelation awaited her? Now even if she was pregnant, what use was it when he had chosen another woman who was pregnant for him and he was now in love with?

That night, Noemie cried her eyes out, not able to contain the pain she felt. She asked her personal maid for advice-Lily.

Lily was the closest person she could call a friend. "Get the pregnancy test done. I have a hunch you might be pregnant too."

Noemie shook her head. Being nauseous and bloating up wasn't a new thing for her, and each time she went to the hospital for a checkup, she was always greeted with nothing but disappointment.

Nevertheless, she went for the pregnancy test-and truly, she was pregnant.

Noemie gripped the test result in her hands, a bitter scoff escaped her lips. Now she had a reason to fight. It wasn't over.

But when she returned back home, what she hadn't expected was for Damian to shred the test results in her face and then declare Veronica as his Luna.

Chapter 3

"You're barren. Do you think this fake result can sway me?" Damian's words were nothing less than a slap in her face.

Damian left her there and Noemie was utterly speechless, her resolve and hope smashed into tiny bits. She tried approaching Damian again the following day, but then she met Veronica in the throne room, Veronica gallantly seated on her throne, right next to Damian's as his Luna.

Her feet halted, her blood boiled, but she had to control herself. There was no need to stir trouble when Veronica was going to be out of here soon. Yes, once she was able to convince him to chaperone her for the checkup, then he would see the truth himself.

Not finding Damian in the throne room, she turned to leave, but Veronica's words stopped her:

"I'm hungry, Noemie. Get me vegetables," her voice taunting yet bossy like this was her father's kingdom.

She wasn't a slave anymore; she was now a Luna. Noemie turned back swiftly, glaring at her. "Get a servant, I have other business to attend to."

In the next second, Veronica came to stand in front of her, her lips pulling up into a malicious smile that emphasized her wickedness. "That's why I asked you. You're still a servant after all, nothing has changed."

Noemie dug her fingers into her palm to control herself. She had wrapped Damian around her fingers, and if she got into a fight with Veronica now, Damian wouldn't want to listen to anything she said.

As much as it hurt that Damian had let another woman fill her space in his heart, she could do nothing but swallow the bitter pill.

Noemie turned to leave, ignoring Veronica's earlier words, but that was when she heard a loud, piercing scream from Veronica.

Noemie jolted in shock and turned back just in time to see Veronica on the floor. Fear marred her face at the possible thought of the dirty game Veronica was about to play.

As if on cue, Damian rushed in, ignoring Noemie completely like she didn't exist. He rushed to Veronica, who lay on the floor, whimpering in pain-pretend pain. Noemie could see through her acting, and her blood ran cold at the possible thought of what could happen next.

"Honey, our baby," Veronica cried.

Noemie's heart twisted as the two took the role of a lovey-dovey couple right in front of her eyes.

Her heart skipped a beat when Damian threw her an accusatory look. Wait, he didn't think that she...

"I just wanted some vegetables as I was feeling too weak to get it," Veronica cried as Damian cradled her in his arms. Noemie dug her hands into her palm, and if she exerted even a little more force, her hand would surely start bleeding.

Veronica threw a look at her. "She got angry, then pushed me on the floor."

Noemie swallowed, expecting Veronica to pull this kind of stunt the moment Damian walked in.

"How dare you try to hurt her? Knowing fully well she's carrying my heir!" Damian yelled, his veins bulging.

Noemie took a step backward, afraid he might hit her again. Her mouth parted several times, but no words could come out. She hadn't even touched Veronica, but the way Damian blindly believed every word she uttered made her insides twist.

"I... I didn't push her. Veronica is-"

"Not another lie from you, else I would throw you in the dungeon myself for attempting to hurt Veronica and cause harm to my future heir!"

His words were nothing less than needles pricking each and every part of her skin. While Damian engulfed her with his eyes, Veronica's lips twisted into a mocking smile, clearly enjoying the plight she had orchestrated.

"Why won't you believe me? You can ask the maids, they were here to witness what happened," Noemie said, her eyes falling on the two maids who had been quietly sweeping in the corner.

Damian signaled them to come forward. "Did you see Noemie push her?" he questioned.

They nodded. "Luna Noemie pushed Luna Veronica to the ground, my lord."

Noemie gasped in shock at how they had bluntly lied against her. Veronica had succeeded in turning them to her side.

It was crystal clear that Veronica wasn't just here to take her husband away from her-she was here to take everything else: her position as Luna and the loyalty and respect of the pack members.

With no one next to her side, Veronica succeeded in painting Noemie as a villain, and Noemie was gobsmacked at how she had turned her maids to her side.

"Why let your jealousy jeopardize the future of Shadowfang pack?" His words were like a sharp dagger being twisted in her chest.

Noemie could say nothing more, and at that moment she prayed for the ground to open up and swallow her. She felt completely defenseless against the false accusation laid on her.

"Apologize immediately," Damian commanded.

Noemie bit her lips, her body shaking with both anger and pain. "I can't."

"Then prepare to spend a month in the dungeon," he deadpanned. The look in his eyes told her he was dead serious.

Noemie almost couldn't believe it-that her loving and caring husband, who once cherished her like a priceless gem, was now threatening to throw her in the dungeon-in hell.

She could never survive in there, especially now that she had a baby.

She stared at Damian, and her eyes shifted to Veronica, who was patiently waiting for her to accept her defeat. Tears brimmed in the corner of her eyes. "I'm sorry, Veronica."

"It's Luna Veronica to you," Damian interjected sharply. "From henceforth, you're to be at her beck and call and attend to every single one of her wishes."

He was turning her into Veronica's personal servant. Her chest tightened. "What about me? I need care too," her voice came out cracked and broken.

"Your lagging brain should at least let you know that the mother of my heir is my utmost priority here, not a barren woman who has brought me nothing but shame."

Her heart sank as she watched them both, unable to complete her earlier mission, as it was crystal clear that Damian would never believe any word that came out of her mouth.

While Noemie put up a brave face in front of anyone, she cried her eyes out when she was alone. Never did she think that her marriage would be ruined so quickly, and the worst of all was that Damian refused to believe that she was pregnant. It was right to say he didn't care, because if he did, he would've at least looked at the result to see it was indeed true-not shred it into pieces in her face.

While she took the role of a servant in her own home, she prayed for things to at least get better, but they only worsened.

Noemie decided to lean on her last resort. She took a cab to her restaurant. Damian had gotten it for her as a wedding gift, and she had been running it ever since then.

Her plan was to take as much money as she could from the safe in her office and flee from the pack.

Getting there, she was gobsmacked by the scene that welcomed her-a renovation going on in her restaurant without her consent or order.

"What is going on here!?" Noemie demanded from her manager, while she shivered from the intense cold-it was snowing. "Why carry out a renovation in my restaurant without my approval?"

The manager straightened his glasses, glaring at her like she was a nobody. "Alpha Damian has removed the restaurant from your name," he said sharply as he handed her a file.

Her hands trembled as she looked through it, and then she saw the name-Veronica Brunt, as the new manager.

The file slipped from her hold and she fell next, fainting on the cold, snowy ground.