Reclaiming His Luna

~Aurora.

Standing on my ten toes, I carefully yet quickly scanned the hall in search of Ethan or rather, Alpha Ethan. It was his birthday and coronation today and the hall was already filled with distinguished guests from our pack and beyond, but I hadn't a sight of the celebrant, chuckling softly, I left the hall and made for his room.

He told me the previous day that he was nervous about his coronation, about his kingship, and I tried as much as I could to assure him that everything would be fine. Ethan, my boyfriend, was a king and a leader and with me by his side as his wife and Luna, I had no doubt that he would lead our pack to success.

I was heartbroken and in pain, since Ethan and I discovered, not too long ago, that I was not his mate, but my pains were quick to heal when Ethan proposed to me three days ago.

'I love you, Aurora, and I don't care what the moon goddess says about you not being my mate because I choose you, Aurora. I want you by my side, always and forever.' those were exactly his words.

I bit my upper lip to hide my grin from widening, Ethan was the sweetest man ever, and I loved him too.

Upon approaching his room, I paused in my tracks to fully identify the sounds I heard coming from his room. The sound was pretty recognizable yet strange because it was the last thing I expected to hear today, at least not from my boyfriend's room. Narrowing my eyes at the door, I padded my feet closer to the door, and a noise that sounded like a breathless moan filled my ears. I needed no soothsayer to know that the moan was from Ethan because I knew what he sounded like.

"Yes, baby! Yes!" I heard him scream. I felt the blood on my face drain as I froze in front of his door and my hand around his doorknob. That definitely was Ethan in the room with another woman, his moans, and screams were enough confirmation but, I wanted to see it for myself, to see that I was not jumping to a deadly conclusion. The Ethan I know would never cheat on me, I was certain, I needed to make sure he really was the one inside the room.

Drawing in a deep breath, I turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, and I saw him thrusting in and out of a strongly recognizable face. My heart dropped to my stomach as my vision turned hazy, the remainder of the blood on my face flushed. I was nauseous, the food I had that morning churned fiercely and threatened to escape through my mouth. I pressed my palms against both sides of my temples and widened my eyes to make sure they were not deceiving me, but alas! They weren't, Ethan, my boyfriend was in bed with Isadora, my sister, my elder sister who was to me the mother I never had. Who was very supportive of my relationship with Ethan.

I wanted to run, everything in me told me to turn and run away without daring to look back, but, I stood there, watching as she arched her back, watching as she dug her nails into Ethan's back, and moaned into his ear, watching as Ethan chuckled in content before plastering kisses all over her body.

"The moon goddess has made me the proudest man in the whole world." He kissed her forehead, "I am the luckiest man in the whole world," he kissed her lips, "he gave you to me," he kissed her shoulder and she chuckled, "she gave you, Isadora Aldrich, the most beautiful lady in our pack, to me as my Luna and my mate."

I scoffed, loudly, and chuckled in disbelief as I pushed the door open, the creaking of the hinges coupled with my chuckles was loud enough to distract them.

"Did you need something, Aurora?" Isadora asked in a mocking tone as Ethan pulled out of her with a groan and fell to the bed. " Aurora," she called in a tone that told that I was a disturbance to them as she sluggishly gathered the duvet to cover her bare chest while Ethan did nothing to cover himself. Had he no shame?

Playfully, he whispered something into Isadora's ears that made her chuckle and slap his chest playfully before he turned to me and I saw it; the emptiness in his eyes. The deep blue eyes I knew were now void of emotion, not even the faintest glimpse of remorse was in it. Tears clouded my eyes as all the words he said to me three days ago began swimming into my head.

'I love you, Aurora.'

'I choose you, Aurora.'

'I want you.'

'Always and forever.' Had he not meant any of those words?

I watched the both of them watch me standing before them like I was some comedy show, wiping my tears, I shook my head in response to Isadora's question.

"No, I just came to inform Ethan that his guests are waiting."

"Information gotten, now begone," Isadora said with a wide smile as Ethan chuckled softly.

"Aurora," Ethan called and sat up on the bed, "we really did not plan for you to find out like this. We were supposed to make an announcement today after my coronation but, I guess, we got carried away by excitement." He turned to look at Isadora with a wide smile on his face. That was the same smile he used on me, heck! He and I made a 'we' and not Isadora.

I sniffled a scoff back and blinked to push back the tears threatening to roll down my cheeks, "do you even hear yourself?" I tried to speak in a nonchalant tone, but my emotions took a huge hold on me, making my voice come out in a whisper, "you want to announce to the pack that you are cheating on me with my sister."

Isadora laughed. "What? No," he scoffed and pulled the end of the duvet to cover himself, "I was going to announce Isadora as my mate and Luna." He turned to Isadora and cupped her face, "the moon goddess has shown me mercy and has given me a goddess like herself as a mate."

"Bu...but you...you said you didn't care." I stuttered.

"Please, Aurora, I am the to-be Alpha of this pack, how can I not care? I decided to go with you because I thought the issue of me getting a mate was a lost cause, but now that I have Isadora," he turned to me with a grin.

Now that he has Isadora, he has no other option but to discard me, and in an embarrassing way too. Ethan lied to me, he only proposed to me because he had nobody else, he didn't even love me.

"You said you loved me," I was fighting against my tears and undoubtedly, I knew they were winning.

"I do care a lot about you, Aurora." He now cares, he no longer loves.

"You said you do not care about the mate bond, Ethan."

He sighed and pushed off the bed, reaching for his boxers and swiftly fitting it around his waist before coming to stand in front of me.

"Tell me you meant all you said to me, Ethan, tell me you are not leaving me for anybody, tell me Ethan. Look at me and tell me you love me." I could not believe that I was pleading, pleading that the man I love, the man who used to love me, would love me once more.

"Enough, Aurora, just stop it." he groaned ad he rubbed the bridge of his nose. " It is high time you came to terms with this," he was standing at akimbo. "I was hurt when it was said you weren't my mate. For the goddess sake, I am the Alpha of this pack and I needed a mate. I had to suppress my desire to have a mate because of you, just to make you happy, and now that I have one, why can't you let me be happy with her?"

"What about us?"

"I am with Isadora now, make peace with that. Isadora is my mate and Luna and I love her and come what may, I will always choose her." I saw the fire in his eyes, when he looked at me, his eyes were void of emotion but, I saw the fire of burning passion in his eyes as he spoke about her.

My tears won our battle and I let them roll down my cheeks. The two people I loved most in the whole world had betrayed me, and they weren't making it easy for me. I shifted my eyes to loo at my sister, and she was looking back at me with a smirk. She carried her head in her hand which was supported by elbow, creating a hole in the bed. I tore my gaze away from Isadora and back to Ethan to see the fire gone from his eyes and was replaced by rage. He was angry and at me too. I pressed a palm against my mouth to stop myself from screaming.

How could he? He had no right to be angry. I was the one who was hurt, I was the one who was betrayed, I was the one who should be angry.

"Ethan," I called out in disbelief.

"Alright now, show time is over." Isadora said sitting up on the bed, "Ethan, love, I no longer want her here, please send her away."

"Out the door now, Aurora."

I scoffed, "You can't be serious, Ethan." Clenching his jaw, he grabbed both my arms and squeezed them by my side, "It's Alpha Ethan to you now, Aurora and Isadora is your Luna and I forbid you to show her any form of disrespect. Now leave, before I do something the both of us will turn out to regret."

I stared back at him in shock as he shoved me out the door. That was not the Ethan I knew, that was not the Isadora I knew. Having grown up without parents, Isadora and Ethan were the only ones I knew but now, I had no one, and I was alone in the whole wide world.

"Toddles," I heard Isadora sing after me before Ethan slammed the door in my face.

~Aurora.

It was already two weeks since my sister's and boyfriend's betrayal and another two weeks since I got confined into a corner of the palace maids' room to work as a personal maid to my sister, Isadora.

I had formerly refused to serve her and ran back to our house, only to be greeted by strangers with news that my sister sold our house; Isadora sold the only place I called home. Having no other option, I hung my head between my shoulders and assumed my position as her personal maid, while being fully aware that I would be sharing the same space with Ethan.

And Ethan? Isadora did all she could to rub him and his affection to my face, every ready to invite me to their 'newly weds' private time, inviting me to their room whenever Ethan was around in a disguise of wanting to have a conversation with her sister.

I was no sister to Isadora, perhaps, a competition and a quest to conquer, but a sister? That was the least thing she saw me as. I blamed my parents these past few days for leaving me in this cruel, wicked world, if they had been here, I wouldn't have been in the palace working as a maid, I was certain. If I had known them, perhaps, I would have been in a corner of the world living my best life, if I had known them...

I sniffled and Jessie groaned as she turned to me.

"Ugh, not again, Aurora, I am beginning to grow tired of your tears."

"I'm sorry," I said as I wiped my tears and turned my face to the wall. The cross was mine to bear, I didn't need to disturb others with my pain, especially Jessie who was doing her every best to see that I was okay.

"Oh, come on, Aurora, you know I didn't mean it like that, I just hate seeing you crying over these people. Nobody should be the reason for your tears, especially not your sister and her husband." Jessie was a friend I made during my times as Ethan's girlfriend and has been the only person who stuck with me since Ethan's betrayal. "God, Aurora, you're burning up." I winced as I felt Jessie's palm against my neck.

"I'm fine, Jessie." My fever started about four days ago, and it only got worse with each passing day, the headache that came with it was severe, the body pains and the nausea, they were all strange and frightening and the last thing I wanted was to report to Isadora because I knew she would see that as a reason to punish me more.

"I will take the aspirin and I will be fine." Which was a lie because I have been taking the aspirin for the last four days without any improvement, but how could I be better when all my sister does was to make me stressed?

The morning was quick to come, and I woke up feeling rather light headed than usual and my stomach churned from the scent of the soap the maids had used in bathing and later gave in to throwing up to the scent of my soap. Once I was done cleaning up, I made for Isadora's room to find her still asleep with a pile of clothes in the corner of the room.

With a weak sigh, I picked the clothes and left to resume my duties for the day, and Isadora's laundry was the core chore of each day. While sorting the clothes out, the room began to spin, I leaned against the wall with my rubbed my thumbs against my temples but that did nothing to stop both the lightheadedness and the headache. I closed my eyes and tried to take in deep breaths, but it only did nothing to ease my pains.

"Jessie!" I yelled, gripping the washing machine to steady myself. Receiving no feedback from Jessie, I started on the clothes to avoid Isadora's wrath because I knew Isadora wouldn't take my sickness for an excuse.

A gasp escaped my lips as my head spun again. My head turned heavy and my vision, hazy.

"Jessie!" I screamed again at the top of my lungs with terror in my voice this time. I wasn't sure she heard me, so I pushed myself off the washing machine and made for the door, perhaps, I thought, I would be better if I made it back to the maids' quarter.

"Aurora," Jessie called with a gasp as she rushed into the room, and the fear in her eyes were the last thing I saw before I felt my body against the floor.

****

The smell of disinfectant wafted through my nostrils as a bright light attacked my eyes as I peeled them open. I pressed my elbows into the bed and propped myself up on the bed just in time for Jessie and the doctor to walk into the ward. I was in the royal clinic, I could recognize Dr. Kings and that smell of disinfectant anytime.

"Thank God you're awake, Aurora," Jessie said, rushing to my side, "I was worried something had happened to you when you passed out in front of me."

"Yeah, she was ready to snap me into two on your behalf." Dr. Kings added while watching us from a distance.

" I have to go back to my duties, but I'll be back soon and don't worry, I will try my best to cover for you." I gave her a smile and a small nod before watching her leave the room and Dr. Kings walk up to me.

" I come bearing news, Ms-," he pulled out an envelope from the pocket of his hospital coat and read out, "Ms. Aldrich."

I raised a brow at his cheerful tone because I knew there was nothing going on in my life that warranted such cheerfulness.

"What news is that doctor?"

"Good news," he quipped and held out the envelope, "you are three weeks pregnant, Ms. Aldrich."

"Wha- what do you mean?" I snatched the envelope from Dr. Kings and pulled out the test results to see the 'positive' and 'twenty-one days pregnant' staring back at me. " This can't be possible, I can't be pregnant."

"But that is your name written on the result, isn't it?" I looked down at the paper and my name, Aurora Aldrich, was clearly written on the paper.

My lungs contracted and refused to release, I looked up at the doctor with tears in my eyes and saw he was still speaking. I held the paper in my hands and rose from the bed, uninterested in any other word she had to say, though catching a few words about strong foetus and weak womb, but I couldn't care less.

The streets were empty and lonely when I stepped into the starless and night. The moon also has refused to shine its lights upon the earth or, maybe, upon me. The chirping of the crickets and the hooting of the owls were my only escorts as I staggered back to the palace.

I knew whom I was pregnant for because he was the only man I knew, but, what was I to say to him? With my sister by his side as his wife? Would be even entertain the topic after he had already made a choice to be with Isadora? Heck! How was I supposed to tell him I was pregnant for him?

My legs gave out, causing me to crash against the rough ground, scrapped hands and knees evidence from my fall.

'You are not weak, Aurora." Zoey, my wolf said as I blinked back the tears that were threatening to escape my eyes. 'Talk to him about this and he would accept you. You are with his child, Aurora, he would never refuse you."

"I am with his child," I whispered into the cold night as I rubbed my stomach, my tears finally finding their way down my cheeks.

"I am with his child," I repeated and pulled myself up the ground, determined to share the news with him.

I decided to write a letter to Ethan knowing he was not going to reply to my messages just as he has been doing since he was crowned king. I attached the result to the letter and slid into his study and placed the letter in the middle of the book I was certain he was currently reading, knowing he was coming back to the study to round off before retiring for the night.

I hurried back to the maids'room and waited for Ethan to send for me or, rather, come to look for me.

Nearly three hours later, there was a knock on my door. I jumped down from my bed even with little strength and rushed to the door, to my disappointment, a guard from the palace stood in front of my door with an envelope bound by the royal seal.

My heart hammered against the walls of my chest as I took the letter from him.

'Why didn't he send for me?' I wondered, 'didn't this deserve a proper deliberation?'

I snatched the letter from the guard before closing the door and pressing my back against it, with shaky hands, I tore the letter and quickly skimmed through the content written in black ink.

My heart sunk, and my shoulders fell with every paragraph I read.

"You dare to play games with me, Aurora. But games or no games, I, your Alpha King, Ethan Balor, deny your claims and whatever it is you claim to carry. I, Ethan Balor, deny having made any actions that resulted in whatever claims you seem to have.

And if your claim happen to be true, I advise that you do away with it. If you want to live to see another day, take care of it and never speak of it to anyone.

Do away with it and never play such games again, Aurora. But if you try to keep it or try to play such games with me again, I promise you, my face will be the last thing you see on earth before your painful transition to the other world. I promise you that, Aurora, I promise you.

My knees failed me and I crumbled to the ground with tears in my eyes.

Once again, Ethan had succeeded in breaking my heart, but this was the last time it would ever happen.

I was never going to do anything to harm my child. It has been my everything from the moment I discovered it, so nothing was going to make me harm it, not Ethan and certainly not his threat.

Wiping my tears, I decided to run, to pack my things and leave the palace and its environment or even, Sturgeon moon back and its environment and never to return to it.

NEVER!

~Aurora.

10 years later.

"No, there wouldn't be need for extra medications, if you stick to what I have recommended, in no time, I promise you, you be just fine." I flashed the man sitting across me a smile as he went through the list of drugs I just wrote him.

"Just go down the hall to the right, hand the pharmacist there the paper, and every other thing will be sorted out for you."

He nodded again, "thank you, doctor, you are indeed a lifesaver." I gave him my signature smile as he stood up and left the office.

Adding his file to the list of cleared patients, I picked up the next patient's file, skimmed through it before ringing the bell to signal her in. She came in, greeted me and I responded with my signature smile just like I have been doing since the day began.

If I had been told that in ten years, with the situation surrounding my runaway, that I would be sitting in a well conditioned office and across patients and counselling them, I wouldn't have dared to believe it.

Ten years ago, I took the bold decision to save my life and that of my child, ten years ago, I was hurdling the streets with a round, wide, and weird stomach trying to make ends meet and ten years later, I was proud of the achievements I hadn't known I would make.

"I really am scared, doctor, what if I die? How would my children live without their mother?" I chuckled at her terror filled voice, my subconscious shivering with fear for my sake. How would my child survive without his mother?

"Mrs. Drake, I can assure you, if running for my life was enough to save my life, sticking to medications will certainly do the trick for you. And, you are one lucky woman because, unlike some other patients, your sickness was discovered on time and if you work with us and stick your medications, your sickness will disappear within the blink of an eye."

"And my son, I fear that he may have it too. He had a cut that was exposed to bacteria. And is this sickness hereditary? I wouldn't want any of my kids to go through this suffering."

"No ma'am, it isn't but, you can bring your kids in for testing, I bet that will give you enough consolation you will be needing."

"Yes, it will. Thank you, doctor."

"I am more than glad to help."

I let my lungs expand once the door was shut. Her question had me thinking about the night I made a decision to leave Sturgeon moon pack. Ten years later and I still feared the threat hanging around mine and my son's head. We were marked people, as long as we lived, death hovered around us.

Putting down the patient's file, I picked my purse and made for the door just in time for a colleague to walk with his hands occupied with flat files.

"Going somewhere, doctor Rory?" He asked. I nodded while taking some steps back to give him enough room to walk in and set the files down on my desk.

"Home, Reginald. I need to go home to my son."

"So soon?" He raised a brow and tilted good head.

I groaned loudly, "I am two hours past my closing time, sir, isn't that enough for you?"

"Of course not, Rory, I do see, and I appreciate the help and everything you have done to help this hospital and that is why I am telling you to accept my offer. See it as a reward for all your hard work."

"Here we go again, Reggie," I said with a sigh. "And I suppose I will be working alongside you, yeah?"

A corner of his lips rose in a small smile, and he nodded, "no, I will be working alongside you. Come on, Rory, you are already the best doctor in our field, just say yes to my offer and be at the best place you could ever imagine."

I sighed even louder, "Fine, Reggie, I will sleep over it."

His smile widened, "I will be waiting for your response, but don't take too long, Greece wouldn't keep waiting for you." He picked his files and left the office.

Reginald's offer was a good one, but it wasn't the first offer I have received over the years. All offers which I eventually had to turn down because they included me leaving my new pack.

Waxing crescent pack was the place that saved my life and that of my child, it gave me a new and better life even when life dared to have me destroyed, and it was already giving my son his fair portion of a good life. I was already on top of my career and my leaving the pack will have the same effect as me staying, so what was the need of moving at all?

Exhaling deeply, I squared my shoulders and left the office. I loved my job, but I loved myself and my son more, if waxing crescent was a place that calmed my mind and brought me comfort, then there was no way I was leaving it.

The ride back home was a smooth one and just as expected, Arne came rushing out once he saw my car drive in despite his nanny's protest. I smiled at my little bundle of joy, my little reminder of who he was and who I ceased to be ten years ago; An Alpha king and a weak and orphaned omega.

"You're home early today, doctor Rory." Audrey, his teenage nanny said, finally taking hold of Arne.

"Yes, and hopefully, I have relieved you of your burden for the day."

"I... I do love working with you, ma'am, Rory."

"I we do love having you with us," I said, tapping her cheeks playfully, "isn't that right, Arne?"

"Of course, mommy. I like having Audrey around."

I chuckled, "I only had a less busy day at work today but, you are welcome to stay with us until you are ready to leave."

"Okay ma'am." I took hold of Arne and let go of my purse he had been fussing with, and we headed into the house. "Doctor Rory?" Audrey called, and I turned to her, "a mail came in for you today. I kept it on the dinning table for you."

"Yeah mom, it is a beautiful mail."

Audrey chuckled, "it indeed is a beautiful mail."

Raising a brow, I walked to the dinning room and I picked the yellow envelope that laid at the center of the table. My heart skipped a million beats at once as my eyes flashed through the familiar seal on the envelope; the royal seal of Sturgeon moon pack.

With shaky hands, I tore the envelope and took out the letter and skimmed through it. My heart stilled a bit as it lacked the content I feared, the threat to kill me and my son.

Taking deep breaths again, I read through the content of the letter;

Dear Dr. Rory Aldrich, it is with pain that the royal house of Sturgeon Moon pack write to you.

Our pack is at the verge of being wiped off the face of the earth due to an epidemic that has struck our pack. We have heard of you and the wonders you have worked in treating cases similar to ours.

We implore your help and ask that you come and help us in saving our pack, our existence, and heritage.

We hope you listen to our pleas and hope to hear back from you soonest. Thank you.'

My heart swelled with anger with each word I read. Ten years ago, the 'royal house of Sturgeon Moon pack' had written me a letter to do away with my son and now, they were pleading with me to help them save their pack.

How was I supposed to help the same person who wanted my son...his son dead? Or wasn't my son part of his pack.

Hissing loudly, I folded the letter and shredded it into tiny pieces. Maybe, just maybe, I might consider Reggie's offer and move to Greece.