Substitute Luna, Runaway With His Quadruplets

Ivy's POV

The sixth time my Alpha husband refused to have sex with me, I left and moved in with Grandma Susan.

In the strict hierarchical world of werewolves, I'm a wolfless Luna meaning I'm weak. Also I've been stripped of my family name, meaning I live with no dignity at all.

Despite this, Alpha Theodore doesn't refuse to mark me. I'm a wolfless Luna and his wife, but he doesn't respect me or trust me.

I stand at the sink. I feel sick again and I know what this means even if I'm trying to ignore it. I know it means I'll have to face my husband the Alpha again. He's my husband and he'll need to know the truth.

My mind drifts to the last time I saw Theodore.

I reached across the bed to touch his body I'm desperate for his touch. My body aches for him.

"What do you want, Ivy? I'm tired," Theodore said as he pushed my hands away. "In any case, have you forgotten your position. I am your Alpha, I'll decide when we have sex. Now go to sleep."

"I know my position - I'm your Luna. How can you deny me your body?"

"Ivy, can you not hear me? I said not to tonight."

"If not tonight, then when? When last did we have sex? I'm your wife even if you wish I wasn't."

I started crying even though I don't want to. I know Theodore, he hates weakness. He hates that there is no wolf in me. I hate that there's no wolf in me too. I wipe the tears away in frustration. If we're not fated, if he knows this, he should say it out. I'm tired of this pretending.

Theodore sat up in bed, his anger rising. Is he finally ready to speak the truth?

"What do you want from me, Ivy? I'm trying! I married you, is that not enough? After what happened, after the lies and deception, I still married you! No one else would have done that. Why are you not thankful?"

I felt my anger build at the injustice of his words and I jump up from the bed. I stood naked in front of him, seething with fury. I deserved better! I am the Luna! I did nothing.

His eyes were on me. He wished he was not lusting for what he was seeing. He breathes hard and his eyes shift to glowing green. The wolf was rising though he's fighting it, fighting it with all that he has.

"I've never lied to you! Ever! I never lied to the Sterlings either! Do you think I knew that I was not theirs, not the heiress of the Silver Claw Pack? How could I have known? I was a child!"

"That's not what Tiffany says. She says you knew it all along, you knew she was the real heiress. That you're the one that kept her from her rightful place and made her suffer. You're the one that stopped her from marr..." He stopped himself.

"Finish!" I shouted, fury pushing up inside of me. "Finish what you're saying! You think I stopped you from marrying Tiffany? Tiffany thinks she should be in this bed with you, that she should be your wife! I know this. She thinks a wolfless Luna like me should be abandoned, thrown to the wind, forgotten, not lying in bed with the Alpha! And you think that too!"

Why didn't he trust me? I've never told him a single lie. Still he lets Tiffany's bile fill his head.

"I don't know what to think," he said.

"And yet you let her lies poison our bedroom! Poison our life!" My breath is coming hard, my heart beating in my chest like a bass drum. My fury raged inside of me like a wild animal.

Suddenly Theodore stood and puled me to him roughly. He sniffed the air, my scent aroused him.

He can't fight the wolf inside. There he was, in all of his power! Biceps pumping with power, his face showing the overpowering lust for me. He must have me- now! I needed him too.

He pushed me to the bed, bent me over, ready to enter me, and then he stopped.

"No! No! I'll not do this! I will not!"

He was in agony. His desire was on display, his body ached for mine.

But his mind steps in. Tiffany's lies step in. My wolflessness steps in. How can a powerful alpha like Theodore bed a wolfless luna? He can't.

He fell to the bed. I looked at him. Is it pity I felt? But for who? For an Alpha married to a Luna he can no longer bed? Or the Luna with no wolf, with no family? A Luna who deserves no respect.

"This is the sixth time you have refused to take me. This will be the last. I'm leaving."

He turned and looked at me, the wolf now deep inside. He said nothing as he watched me dress.

I pack that night and come here to Grandma Susan's, the only person in his family that truly supports and accepts me as I am. The only one who believes that Theodore and I are meant to be together.

I hold the kitchen sink, and bend forward and vomit. I know I'm not sick; I'm pregnant. And it's time for a meeting with my husband.

***

"I'll see you soon," I tell Grandma Susan, though I'm not sure I'm telling the truth.

"Ivy, my dearest, you must be careful. Danger awaits you, all of you. Trust no one. I love you." And then adds reading my mind, "Do not fear, we will indeed meet again."

I cry as I drive away. I've been betrayed by the parents I thought loved me and the brother who protected me. Thrown away like rubbish because I have no wolf, because the truth about me not being the heiress was revealed. Still Grandma Susan stood by my side. I'll never forget that.

I pull into the town where Theodore lives. I drive for a bit and then park the car a distance away from Nicole's surgery. I need to get her to do a pregnancy test and a prenatal check-up so that I make sure everything is in order before I meet my husband and give him the news

I park a distance away. As I walk, people stop and look at me. The town becomes eerily quiet. Something has changed during the time that I've been gone.

I stare back at them. Who do they think they are? I am the Luna of Silver Claw Pack and they should respect me!

I enter Nicole's office and she's waiting for me. I warned her I was on the way.

"What's going on, Nicole? Everyone's looking at me as if I've grown another head," I say.

Nicole looks at her receptionist and then says, "Let's go in my office."

Inside she tells me. "Tiffany is back."

"What?! Really? Where has she been for the past three years?"

"I don't know. The Alpha is keeping everything quiet. Apparently she arrived in a weakened state and he wants her kept calm. But you know the people. The rumours. They all think you had something to do with her disappearance before the wedding." She looks at me sadly. "Most in the pack are treating her as the new Luna. It's disgusting."

It's hard to hear Nicole's words, but she has always been my loyal friend, and sugar coating the situation would be of no help to me and she knows it.

"Thanks. Anyway there's nothing I can do right now. I'll deal with it all when I see Theodore. We have some more pressing business you and I. Like I told you on the phone, I think I'm pregnant."

Nicole smiles. Despite everything, a new baby is always a wonderful miracle. "Let's have a look."

She does a pregnancy test which is positive and then lays me down on her examining table so that she can do an ultrasound.

"Oh my word!"

"What is it? What are you seeing?" I ask.

"Quadruplets! You're pregnant with quadruplets!"

She shows me their four little beating hearts and I fall in love immediately.

"Take a photo so I can show Theodore. I know he'll be so happy," I say.

"Sorry, I can't just now. The machine is broken. We'll get a photo at your next appointment. Or maybe the Alpha will be with you and he'll see his babies live."

Despite the reality of the situation that predicts something very different, I hope that Theodore will be there at the next appointment too.

***

I leave Nicole's surgery and decide it's best to warn Theodore that I'm on my way to him. I call and he picks up after five long rings.

"Hello, Ivy. What do you want? We're in the middle of a family dinner," Theodore says, his annoyance not kept at bay.

It's noisy in the background, but above the noise, I hear Tiffany laughing. I don't mention it.

"I'm here in town. We need to talk about something. I'm coming to the house." Before he can stop me, I hang up.

I stop to buy dessert for the family dinner to show I hold no grudges.

On the way I think about how Theodore might respond to the news that he will be a father. He may decide he doesn't care, that he wants me out of his life anyway.

It doesn't matter. If that's what he wants, I'll raise the children alone. I have money. And I'm certain Grandma Susan will want us to live with her. We'll be just fine.

I drive down the last stretch of road leaving town, an empty part, the road cut out of the forest, the trees towering on each side.

Suddenly I see a sports car racing towards me, in my lane! What is this person doing? They're heading straight at me!

I panic knowing I have no wolf and I'll die if the car crashes. I try to veer to the other lane and the sports car veers with me. The driver intends to kill me!

That's when I see who's driving the car: it's Tiffany! How can that be?!?

The sports car sideswipes me and I start skidding headlong into the trees going far too fast. I know when the car hits the tree I'll die.

Just before the crash, I see Tiffany and she's smiling at me, her eyes glow green, her wolf is enjoying this.

And then everything goes black.

Ivy's POV

I open my eyes and my first thoughts are: I'm not dead and how are my babies? I look around the room and that's when I see Theodore next to me holding my hand.

"Oh thank the Moon Goddess you've woken up!" he says, relieved. He smiles and I smile back. I'm happy he's there.

I try to sit up. Theodore stands and lifts me, positions the pillows.

I'm surprised I feel very little pain. As I look around my body, it looks fine. No bones seem to be broken, there are a few scratches but nothing serious. I guess even without wolf I'm pretty tough.

"Is that alright?" he asks positioning the pillows in a better way. I nod. "How are you feeling? I've been so worried."

"I'm feeling alright actually."

As he moves away I see Tiffany standing behind him in the doorway. It's clear she's not pleased I'm alive. She glares at me, her mouth a slit of annoyance.

"Oh the Goddess has shown us mercy!" she says.

When Theodore turns and sees her, the face she had for me has disappeared replaced with one full of care and love.

"Ivy, we've been worried sick! What a blessing that you are finally awake. The Silver Claw pack would be devastated to lose their Luna. Everyone has been praying for you."

I feel a shudder run through me and then I see her face again as it was just before everything went black, her face smiling at me as she forced my car into a tree. Then I remember it all.

"Get away from me!" I shout. "Don't even come near me! I know what you did! And so do you!"

Tiffany stops in her tracks and Theodore looks at me confused.

"What's going on, Ivy? Tiffany has been sick with worry. Why are you saying this?" Theodore says. "You're saying crazy things."

"Yes she was worried I might wake up from the coma. Sorry to ruin your plans, Tiffany!"

"Ivy, stop it right now!" the Alpha demands.

"I don't know what she's told you, but she was the one driving the car that hit me! I saw her face clearly. She was smiling!"

Tiffany gasps and Theodore goes to her and puts his arm around her shoulder to comfort her. I'm furious.

"Listen, Ivy, I think the crash has mixed up your thoughts in some way. Tiffany saved you! That road is deserted and has no cameras. You might have bled to death out there if she hadn't come along on her bike and got you out of the car and called the ambulance. You should be thanking her not accusing her! I think you need to apologize to Tiffany."

Apologize to that bitch who tried to kill me?!

"My thoughts are crystal clear and my mind is working fine. Tiffany tried to kill me! Check her car!"

"Ivy, I don't have a car. I never even learned how to drive, " Tiffany says.

Does this woman have any other thing to say besides lies?!

"I'm sorry you're saying all of this," Tiffany says. "Now that I've returned I really wanted us to work on getting closer and being true sisters. I've always dreamt of having a sister."

Her eyes fill with tears. "Ivy, I came back but I didn't come here to cause you any harm. I don't want anything from you. The accident really showed me just how much you mean to me."

Theodore holds her tighter as she cries softly into his chest. My body shakes with anger.

"You're a great actress, Tiffany! Good job! But you and I both know what you did!" I scream.

"You need to calm down, Ivy. You just now woke up from a two day coma. I'm certain this is unhealthy," Theodore says.

"Oh Ivy, how you misunderstand me. You always have. I suffered so much in my life. I only thought now that I finally found my family I would be able to be relaxed and finally know the beauty of a family's love."

My anger is so much I fear I'll explode. How can she stand there and say that!?

"All I want is to love and be loved," Tiffany whines. "I don't want to take anything away from you, Ivy. I promise you."

"Ivy, it's clear that you're confused. Why on earth would Tiffany want to kill you? And in any case, as she said, she doesn't even know how to drive. I think you need to give your body and mind a chance to heal," Theodore says.

I know that look on Theodore's face because it was there on our wedding day, another day full of Tiffany's lies and games. The day she disappeared.

The ceremony was about to begin when Jonathan, Tiffany's brother, Ivy's ex brother, burst into the room where we were getting ready.

Jonathan and I had been very close when we were growing up, but when I turned eighteen everything changed. When I couldn't shift, and it was shown that I had no wolf, he became suspicious of me.

Then when Tiffany arrived and proved that she was the real heiress of the Silver Claw Pack Beta family, Jonathan changed completely. He told me that he had no love for liars and that he would no longer see me as his sister.

It was one of the most painful parts of the entire episode of my life. It was a deep and lasting betrayal, my heart still aches in the spot where Jonathan had once lived. That day he really showed me how much he hated me.

"Tiffany is gone! What have you done with her, Ivy. You really are the most evil, conniving bitch I've ever known!" Jonathan said, glaring at me.

"Me? I did nothing. I've not even talked to her. If you haven't noticed I'm a bit busy with my wedding," I said.

Jonathan pushed a piece of paper at Theodore, who read it and looked at me with the same disappointed look he had on his face right then in the hospital.

"What is it? What does it say?" I asked.

Theodore read the note: "Sister doesn't want me at her wedding so I won't be showing up. Don't worry about me."

"How did I not want her at my wedding? She's one of the bridesmaids!" I protested. "She just wants to cause drama. I'm sure she's around somewhere."

"Obviously that was all a show for us, choosing her as a bridesmaid, acting like you cared about her, while in the background you were busy terrorizing the real heiress in the hope that she would disappear," Jonathan said. "And now she has. Are you happy, Ivy?"

"None of that is true. It's just Tiffany causing problems like usual."

"No!" Jonathan said. "It's you lying like always!"

I looked to Theodore for support, but he turned and left. Jonathan followed him leaving me all alone. Tiffany wasn't seen - again until now, three years later.

Who knows where she went? People still believe that I was involved in her disappearance. It's all lies.

It's clear now that it's also all been orchestrated by Tiffany in her plan to be rid of me, to unseat me as Luna.

I see Nicole passing outside the hospital room. She motions to say she'll be right back. I don't know the status of my babies and I don't want Tiffany here when I find out.

"Can you leave?" I say to Tiffany.

She nods. "I'll leave but before I do, Ivy, I love you and if it's useful or helpful for you to believe that I caused your accident, it's fine. I hold no grudges against you. I'll still love you."

If I could I'd have fly at her and slap that false humility right off her self-righteous face!

Theodore sits back in the chair by the bed but doesn't take my hand.

"I think all of this, everything from you realising that you have no wolf inside of you, the Sterlings chasing you out of the family, to Tiffany arriving and taking her rightful place, our wedding, this accident - all of it has been too much for you, Ivy. Far too much to bear. I think you've become untethered. You might need to move from here to a residential hospital."

"A mental hospital? You think I'm crazy?"

"Ivy, I never said crazy. Stressed. Mentally stressed."

"I'm not stressed, mentally or otherwise. I'm trying to make you and everyone else understand the truth, to hear the truth about Tiffany!"

Theodore sighs. "How can anyone know the truth when all you tell us is lies? No one trusts you any more."

Theodore stands and readies to leave. He's done with me, it's clear.

"What will it take for you to believe that Tiffany tried to kill me?"

"I don't know. Probably nothing."

"What if I told you she wasn't only trying to kill me? What if I told you that she was trying to kill our babies too? Would that change your mind? "

Ivy's POV

I let the news I've given him sink in while I run my hand over my belly and wonder: are our babies still safe in there?

"You're pregnant?" Theodore asks.

"Yes! With quadruplets. That's if Tiffany didn't kill them."

Theodore is stunned. "How do you know you're pregnant?"

"Nicole ran a pregnancy test when I came to town to see you. I saw the four little beating hearts of our babies on the ultrasound machine."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Theodore is still clearly trying to put all of this new information together. "I needed to know about something so important."

"Of course you do. That's why I was on the way to your house, to tell you, before the car crash changed everything."

Theodore sits on the chair next to me. I can see the effect my words are having on him. "But how can I believe you? You've told so many lies."

"Nicole has the file. She did a pregnancy test and a scan. She'll have the evidence that we're having four little pups. That is unless Tiffany killed them." I remember and suddenly become scared. What if my babies are gone?

Theodore jumps to his feet. "I must speak to Nicole."

Theodore calls one of his security guards outside the hospital room in the hallway. "Go and find Dr. Nicole. I need her here immediately."

"You'll see the truth just now. And maybe finally you'll understand that Tiffany is at the root of all of our problems. She's an evil liar who wants only one thing: my place as Luna and she's willing to do anything to get it."

"Stop! Ivy, I don't want to hear any more of your wild accusations! Let's wait for Nicole."

Though his words are harsh, I can hear that he's softening. Our babies will finally bring him to my side for good. Now at least I have Nicole to corroborate my words.

Nicole comes in, rushes to me and takes my hand. "Ivy, I knew you'd wake up from the coma. What a terrible time you've gone through! How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling surprisingly good, thanks for caring about me, Nicole. You're a good friend."

"Nicole, I want to see the photo from the scan of our babies," Theodore says. He is wasting no time with niceties.

Nicole stands and goes to him. "I'm sorry, I can't provide you with that. On that day our machine was broken. I even told Ivy that when she asked for a photo."

"Well that's convenient," Theodore says.

"It's not a matter of convenience, it's a fact," Nicole says.

"What about the pregnancy test? I want to see the file. Can I send someone to get it from your surgery?" Theodore asks.

Nicole looks at me and it's clear something is wrong. "I...I...don't know how to say this. Ivy, when you were in the coma we had a break-in at the surgery. The door was broken and things were knocked around, but nothing was stolen...except your file."

Theodore looks at me with a smug, know-it-all look. "I knew as much! No evidence that you're pregnant. Just a lie you concocted with your friend Nicole! I'm finished here!"

"All due respect, Alpha, but I'm a professional medical practitioner. I would not lie about a pregnancy because a patient asked me to. I take offence at the suggestion," Nicole says, clearly annoyed.

"I don't care what offends you, Nicole! I'm tired of being lied to and manipulated by Ivy and now by you. I would not put it past her to pull you into her nonsense. Also, I don't need to remind you that I'm the Alpha. You should tread carefully with your words, Doctor."

"I can only think of one person who would have stolen that medical file," I say. How far is Tiffany willing to go?

"So first Tiffany is a murderer and now she's a thief?" Theodore says. "What next? An international terrorist?" He smiles sarcastically.

"I wouldn't put anything past her. I think you'd even try to find a way to find her innocent if she was a terrorist! She really has you on her leash like a tame little dog!" I say, angry.

Theodore glares at me. I can see the anger pushing his wolf forward. I must watch myself.

"Fine, if she's pregnant you can always do another pregnancy test and scan," Theodore says. "Let's set things up for that."

Nicole looks at me and I can see something is wrong. She looks at Theodore and hesitates to speak.

"What?" he says getting annoyed. "Nicole, I told you to go and get the machine. I want to see my pups. Why are you just standing there? Why do you disobey me?"

She comes and sits next to me on the bed, ignoring Theodore. She takes my hand and holds it to her heart. I know what she's about to say before she says it.

"When you were in a coma I worried about the babies. I did an ultrasound. Nicole, the crash caused you to miscarry. The babies are gone, Nicole. I'm so sorry to give you that news."

Nicole hugs me. I can't believe my four little babies are gone! They were so alive, their hearts pumping, and now they are gone. I cry into Nicole's shoulder. How much more must I take?

"How convenient! The file stolen, the machine broken so no photo, and now a miscarriage! How far will you go with your lies, Ivy? How far?" Theodore is furious.

I push Nicole away so that I can see Theodore clearly. "What could I gain from lying about a pregnancy? It would be only a handful of months and it would be evident that there was no pregnancy."

"Yes! But in the meanwhile you would be back in my house, back to being Luna of Silver Claw. The pack would be overjoyed and welcoming of you again, only thinking of the pups, the future heirs of the Silver Claw Pack. They would forget all of your many misdeeds and forgive you completely. What would you gain? Everything!"

"Why can't you see the truth?! Tiffany caused the accident that nearly killed me and succeeded in killing our four babies. Does that mean nothing to you?"

"Yes Ivy, it means everything to me! Your crazy, wild talk means a lot. It means that you are out to get Tiffany in any way possible. Even lying about being pregnant. It confirms yet again that you are a liar and that someone like you can never be Luna!" He turns and leaves.

Nicole takes me in her arms again. Over her shoulder I see Tiffany. She turns to look directly at me and smiles victoriously and then follows Theodore down the hallway.

I ignore my anger, it's too much. There are too many emotions. How can the babies be gone? I weep and Nicole holds me. I cry until I am empty.

Nicole offers me a tissue and I wipe my face.

"I know it doesn't seem like it, but one day Theodore will understand the truth," Nicole tries. "I'm so sorry about you losing the babies."

"Thank you, Nicole. Things seemed so much better. I even accepted that I might have been raising those babies alone, and that was alright too. But it's all gone. I need to accept that."

We sit silently for a bit. I look out the window at the gloomy sky that reflects my life perfectly. I wish I had a wolf in me. Maybe if I had a wolf in me I might have been able to save my babies.

"I need to go finish rounds," Nicole says. "But you know I've been thinking how this is all very strange."

"Strange in what way?"

"That crash was horrendous. Your car hit that tree at 85 mph, a head on crash. No one survives a crash like that. But you did. And the injuries that you received should have taken months to heal, some even years. Instead you're nearly completely healed in only a week."

"I'm not sure why that happened. I guess I'm lucky. I'm happy I survived and glad I've healed. I wish my babies would have survived too."

"Yes, I know. And I'm so very sorry about that." Nicole stood. "I need to go. I'll check on you before I leave."

She goes and I think further about what she's said. It nearly sounds as if I have a wolf in me the way in which I healed, though I know I don't. I wish I did though. I wish I had a strong, powerful wolf that could emerge and help me get my revenge. Instead I'm a weak human.

I lay back and wonder what my life will be now. Will I return to Grandma Susan's and wait and hope that the Alpha will call me back one day? That seems unlikely. Should I just wander off into the woods and try to find somewhere where a wolfless Luna with no family can live the rest of my days?

I hear a voice, a strong, powerful voice.

Stop it! You are not made to be pitied!

You are not a weak person. You are a powerful queen.

I sit up in bed. I'm not certain where that voice came from though I feel it is a wolf talking.