The Betrayed Luna's Second Chance

Ruby

My wolf and body were drained and worn out from the profound effort of birthing our child.

All this while, I had underestimated the pain of a child's birth, and I never knew it would be this agonizing. What made it all worse was the fact that I had to endure the pain alone without my mate, who was the only one that could ease my ache, but for some unknown reason he was yet to be seen.

This was the most important day of our lives-the moment we had dreamt of since our childhood, yet he disappeared after receiving a call just the moment my water broke. How unlucky of me, but thankfully my bodyguard, Andrew, was kind enough to carry me in his arms, bringing me to the hospital.

My ears perked up upon hearing the sound of the doctor's footsteps. Weariness met anticipation, and I lifted my gaze despite being exhausted and smiled warmly. I had endured twelve hours of labour, making my body crave sleep.

Saying that I was beyond exhausted would be an understatement, and all I yearned for was to cradle my baby in my arms and bring him closer to my chest.

My tired eyes met Dr. Williams brown eyes, which are normally warm and compassionate. However, his eyes seemed to darken as he walked towards me, like they were hiding some secret.

My heart sank as I noticed he wasn't holding a baby wrapped around a blanket like I had expected, and I clutched the edges of the hospital bed unintentionally, digging my claws into them.

"My baby... where's my baby doctor? Where's Alex?" I muttered, my voice trembling.

My Alex. My baby. My precious son. I need to hold him.

Alex was the name I and Liam had always thought of giving our first son, and it was also the name of his late father, making it so special, especially to him. But right now, I didn't need the doctor to tell me what was going on, as I could clearly read the writing on the wall from the way his lip corner pulled down.

"No, there must be some mistake. Please, tell me you're wrong," I implored, desperation lacing my voice, as if by sheer willpower, I could undo this tragic reality.

He hesitated, a fleeting moment of uncertainty crossing his features. "I wish I were, Luna. We did everything we could, but the complications were severe. I'm truly sorry for your loss."

The room blurred as tears welled up, streaming down my cheeks without my approval.

"Why?How could this happen? I heard my son cry; he sounded fine." I choked on the words, the pain in my chest making each breath an effort.

What would I tell Liam? Our precious baby was gone, and we didn't get to hold him for a second.

"It may be the will of the moon goddess; she gives and takes," he offered, a subtle flicker in his eyes revealing more than his words conveyed. I had known Williams for a long time and trusted him, but right now I was doubting every part of our friendship.

Regaining the last strength in me, I raised my hands, signalling for him to come closer, and he obediently did. Before he could say anything, desperation fueled my actions as I swiftly brought out my canines, sinking them into his ear-not enough to tear it off, but enough to make a point.

His eyes widened, and a scream of pain escaped his lips. I smirked, looking at him with deadly eyes.

"What do you know about giving birth, Williams? Do you have a womb in you, or do you know how much I suffered in bringing out that child from my vagina, you asshole? You better tell the moon goddess to bring my baby, or I will send you to her instead." I screamed, gripping his white coat tightly.

"Luna I understand your pain very much, so please don't say that. What happened was beyond our control and nature," he said, making me more angry, and I released his coat, letting him go out of frustration.

"Why do I sense something more behind those eyes? Give me my child." I demanded, my grief turning into a quest for answers. He sighed, glancing around cautiously.

"Luna, there were complications, but there's an investigation underway. I can't say more right now." He said not meeting my eyes, and confusion and anger intertwined with my sorrow.

"Investigation?What happened to my baby? Tell me the truth!"

"I understand this is devastating, but we need time to gather all the facts. It's painful for me too," he explained, choosing his words carefully, and I couldn't help but cry loudly, disturbing the once peaceful hospital as I longed for the comfort of my mate.

As if reading my thoughts through the mate bond, Liam walked in, slamming the door with a deafening anger in his eyes. But what took me by surprise was when I saw another woman cling to him, intensifying the ache within.

Before I could share the heartbreaking news about the loss of our baby, he hurled pictures at me, each one a painful reminder of what we had lost.

"Why, Ruby? What did you do?" He spat, his accusations stinging like salt in an open wound. I tried to speak, to share the unbearable truth, but my words were lost in the chaos of shattered images and a love torn apart by grief and betrayal.

I gently picked up the scattered pictures, my heart sinking as I examined one closely. It captured a moment with Andrew, my bodyguard, standing close-innocent, yet the angle could easily misinterpret it as something more. I sighed, realising how appearances could deceive.

"It's not what you think, Liam; let me explain." I began to explain, but my mate stormed forward. His eyes blazed with fury, and before I could utter another word, his grip tightened around my throat, the air escaping my lungs, and the only sound I could hear was the unfamiliar voice of a woman laughing.

Panic and fear filled my eyes as I struggled to convey the truth, silenced by the painful squeeze that threatened to choke away not just my words but the very breath of understanding between us.

Gasping for air, I desperately tried to make eye contact with him, seeking any sign that he would listen. The pictures slipped from my grasp, forgotten on the cold floor.

"Please, listen." I managed to wheeze; my voice was strained. Tears blurred my vision as I attempted to convey the innocence behind the captured moment with Andrew. His grip tightened further, and anger radiated from him.

"Explain?You think I'd believe your lies like I had done for fifteen years?" He spat, his words laced with venom. The room felt like it was closing in, my throat burning as the lack of oxygen took its toll. Panic surged through me, not just for the misunderstood photograph but for the unravelling of the trust we once shared.

"I didn't; you should know better." I gasped, my hands weakly reaching for his, trying to loosen the suffocating hold.

"It's not what you think." I muttered, watching painfully as his eyes, once filled with love, now held only fury. He remained unmoved, unyielding. As darkness threatened to consume my vision, I felt a profound sense of loss-not just for the child we had lost but for the connection slipping away, shattered by a twist of fate and a cruel misunderstanding.

Thankfully, in the nick of time, just before Liam could snap my throat, Dr. Williams rushed forward, grabbing my mate's arm in an attempt to set me free, but unfortunately, his strength was nothing compared to Liam's.

"Stop! You are hurting her. The Luna is weak and exhausted. Please, Alpha, let her go," Dr. William pleaded in a firm voice, and reluctantly, my mate released his grip, his chest heaving with rage.

Dr. Williams guided him away, creating a physical distance that matched the emotional chasm growing between us.

Clenching my eyes shut, I let a few fat teardrops roll down my cheeks. The blazing anger in his eyes and the accusations in them were too strong to bear. It literally hurt to look into his steel grey eyes, which were now burning with hatred towards me.

"You should have died along with your bastard baby; that way, you would have at least saved me from this disgrace. I can't believe I ever fell for a woman like you, and I wish I could turn back time to take back my love for you, but then again, it's never too late for rejection."

"No, please, Liam, don't do this. We love each other. Give me time to heal and explain. Let's talk this through." I begged in excruciating pain and crawled towards him, my tear-streaked face pleading for a second chance.

"Please, let's try again. We can make another baby right now if you want," I begged, my voice broken and desperate.

"A slut like you doesn't deserve a second chance," he spat, his words like venom cutting through my heart like a knife had stabbed my chest.

"I love you." I whispered, despite his harshness, feeling my heart bleed internally from pain and my wolf slowly vanishing due to heartbreak.

"I, Alph Liam, reject a lowlife slut like you, Ruby, as my Luna and true mate," he said, pushing me away with a force that sent me crashing to the floor.

The impact was brutal, and unintentionally, my head collided with a concrete table. The world blurred, and as darkness closed in, I felt the weight of his rejection and the physical pain intertwining-a cruel symphony of agony-before everything went silent.

Ruby

Liam

Alex.

My perfect family. We will all be together forever.

I woke up with a dull ache in my head, realising I had been dreaming and groaning in pain. Letting out a loud curse, I felt a bandage wrapped around my head, which was a physical reminder of how I had escaped death.

I felt so empty-hollowed out by grief and loss as the weight of the news and the memories of the past event pressed on me. I slowly recollected the series of events, and it was as if I had died twice in just a day. The death of my child had already pushed me to the brink of insanity, and now the cruel inability to bear the rejection of my mate has intensified my agony.

The shattered fragments of my heart, already scarred by the loss of my mate's love, seemed to crumble further. The vivid recollection of his unexpected animalistic behaviour clawed at my soul, each memory like a sharp sword ripping through my chest.

The love and mate bond that had once been a source of warmth and comfort now became a haunting and scary memory, tormenting me with the realisation that what we had shared would forever remain a nightmare.

I lay there looking lost, staring into the empty space as I wallowed in self-pity, hoping to wake up from this unexpected nightmare.

"It's all just a misunderstanding," I muttered, trying to comfort myself.

Liam will come back to me. He will beg for forgiveness, and we will all go back to the happy family we once were. We will have as many children as he wants, if possible.

My stomach rumbled in hunger. I didn't even care to stand and source food, as all I could think about was Liam, my mate, and when I heard a knock on the door, I ignored it, deeply lost in my disastrous world.

My grandmother entered the room, her eyes filled with both concern and love, and that's when I realised that I was no longer in Diamond Heart Pack, where my mate ruled as the alpha with me as his Luna.

I was far away from home.

Did Liam kick me out while I was unconscious? No, he wouldn't dare. He loved me.

"No, he does not love us," I heard my wolf's distant voice say.

"Here, dear," my grandmother said, bringing me out of my thoughts. She handed me a cup filled with a traditional medicine she had brewed. I remembered how she gave it to her sick patients while I was little, who had been knocked out for days.

How long had I been asleep? Did Liam ever come to find me?

My grandmother was the healer of the sapphire moon pack, which was little compared to that of my mate's. In our world, we had four packs that were the strongest, but the diamond pack was the strongest of them all and most powerful, and no other pack could ever compare to or match its strength.

The scent wafted through the air-a mix of herbs and healing properties. I took the cup with shaking hands, grateful for her care, and drank the concoction carefully so it wouldn't spill. The warmth spread through me, a soothing balm to both body and soul.

Yet, as the comforting effects settled in, so did the flood of memories. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I began to cry, the pain of loss overwhelming. My grandmother sat beside me, watching me cry my soul out silently, pouring out my emotions, and at this point, I was grateful to have her in my life as her presence gave me reassurance.

She was the only family I had left, as both my parents disappeared mysteriously without a trace. She gently placed a hand on mine, giving me a look of empathy I never wanted to see from anyone, especially her.

"It's okay to grieve, my dear. Let it out. You have been asleep for days, so I am sure you have a lot of emotions bottled up inside you." She said it softly as the weight of my rejection and the loss of my baby pressed heavily on my chest.

"I loved him so much, and now it's all gone." I whispered through my tears.

"I know you did; even a blind man could see that." Grandmother comforted me, bringing me closer to her chest in a loving embrace, and in that tender moment, I let the tears flow, each drop carrying the weight of heartbreak and the beginning of a painful healing process.

"Sometimes, dear, healing begins with acknowledging the pain. Let yourself grieve." She added that it made me sob harder as I remembered all my loving moments with my dear mate.

Liam and I were childhood sweethearts. I never foresaw us breaking up; we once swore to each other that only death could break us apart, but now everything was over in the blink of an eye.

"I'm here for you, my sweet Ruby. You aren't alone," she said softly.

Yet I felt lonely as the weight of the double loss was an anchor pulling me deeper into despair, and the only thing that could ever pull me out of this was Liam or my child magically appearing out of nowhere and into my arms.

"I could understand his pain, Granny; I lost our baby. It's my fault, grandma; I failed him as a mate. You know how much he has always wanted a child, so his position as the alpha would never be questioned forever, and I couldn't give him that." I sighed.

"Stop saying such silly things, child, before I make a portion that would seal your mouth forever. Don't you ever blame yourself for losing a child? It's not your control, and you should be thankful that you didn't die."

"I wish I did. I lost both my mate and our baby. I have nothing to live for anymore." I confessed, my words heavy with sorrow, and my grandmother smiled sadly, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Give yourself time. Healing takes time."

*********

Healing doesn't exist, and I got to find out in the days that followed. I wandered through the pack lands like a ghost as everyone gave me the look of pity, making me aware of the fact that my sad news had travelled around the pack.

My grandmother was always by my side, trying to comfort me with words like, "You're stronger than you realise, my love. The pain will ease with time." But I knew better deep within that this was something I could never heal from and not accept as the reality of my shattered dreams lingered.

"I can't bear the emptiness," I admitted, walking back into the house after trying to take a stroll. The pity looks I kept getting from her pack members made me feel more miserable and embarrassed, and tears streamed down my face.

My grandmother hurriedly dropped the cup in her hands and embraced me. She felt like a haven, which managed to soothe the ache I was feeling within.

"You don't have to bear it alone. Lean on me, Ruby. I will help you find your way back to yourself." She said leading me back to my room. It was unlike the large master bedroom Liam and I once shared, but it was comforting.

I lay on the bed like I always had as the weight of grief and memories pressed on, and just when I was about to close my eyes, I heard a soft knock on the door, and I gazed up to see my bodyguard, Andrew, entering the room.

Ever since he had carried me to the hospital, I had never seen him, but my grandmother had mentioned how he brought me back to her pack while I was unconscious as a result of hitting my head on the concert table.

A part of me didn't blame me if he decided to forsake me and fail to fulfil his oath to protect me, as, just like me, he was also a victim in this situation.

His eyes softened with concern as he saw the tears staining my cheeks.

"Luna," he began, his voice filled with an unusual urgency, "there's something you need to know. Alpha Liam is getting married to another woman, and he intends to make her Luna immediately."

The words hung in the air, a cruel twist to an already devastating tale. My heart, already shattered, seemed to crumble further at the news of his swift decision to move on.

The tormenting thoughts swirled in my mind, and a haunting question lingered: would Liam truly take another woman, especially after we had lost our baby just a few days ago?

I could remember the sound of her laughter filling the hospital room while my mate choked me almost to death. It was a sharp contrast to my pain, which fueled the seed of suspicion and doubt in me.

Dread settled within me as I grappled with the possibility that the woman he had brought into my hospital room, the one who had callously laughed at my suffering, could be the same one he now intended to marry. The betrayal cut deeper into my soul, the wounds of his rejection, and the startling revelation that my perfect world had been turned upside down washed over me as I realised that I had been abandoned.

By my mate and childhood love.

"Why?" I managed to choke out, the pain and confusion evident in my voice. Andrew sighed, a mix of sympathy and frustration in his expression.

"I don't know, Luna. The news just came in, and I thought you should be informed."

The room felt like it was closing in on me, and the walls were echoing with the weight of betrayal. It suddenly felt like I was getting choked up. I looked at my grandmother, her eyes mirroring the sadness I felt within.

My world had shattered, and a new wave of heartache crashed over me. The realisation of his quick replacement plunged me into a deeper abyss of sorrow.

What made everything feel worse was when I realised the effect of Liam's decision on me. When a Luna leaves her position, she gets demoted to the lowest of all ranks, which is an omega.

Once I sign the contract of resignation, accepting the leave my mate and accepting his rejection. I would have no choice but to be forced to live as an omega forever. It felt like a final blow to my already-shattered world.

It was better to die than for a Luna, who was once high-ranking and at the top of the food chain, to become the lowest of the lowest.

In my world, death was better than being an omega.

Ruby

"Luna,"

I was slowly slipping away from reality.

"Luna,"

I just wanted to die or wake up from this nightmare.

"Luna, are you still listening?" Andrew's urgency jolted me back from the brink, yet the persistent darkness within echoed a silent scream through the shattered pieces of my world.

"Yeah, I am, Andrew. It's just that everything is happening all at once, and it's really hard for me to take in," I admitted, my voice overwhelmed with emotions. It was hard to believe everything that was happening and how easily Liam was quick to replace me.

I fucking carried his child. We were always together twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and three hundred and sixty days. How dare he think I fucking cheat?

Andrew looked at me in understanding and nodded his head sympathetically. Andrew was unmated, and I have never seen him with a female, so I doubt he understood all I was going through right now.

"I understand, Luna, what it feels like to lose someone you love," he muttered with a distant look in his eyes, then his face suddenly changed to one of determination.

"That's why we need to prepare to go back to Alpha Liam's pack. The sooner you sign the resignation, the better for you to fix your lives back together and move on." I nodded my head, acknowledging the need to face the tumultuous challenges awaiting me at the place where love had crumbled.

"I pray the moon goddess gives me the courage for it." I sighed tiredly, taking a sip from the cup.

Andrew's eyes softened, mirroring the empathy in his voice. "You're stronger than you think, Luna. We'll get through this together." He said it passionately, but I didn't want to read deeper into it as my mind was clouded by the thought of Liam.

I sipped the liquid courage; a weary sigh escaped me at the thought of going back to my mate's pack, which settled heavily on my shoulders. Would Liam miss me? Would his eyes be filled with regret once he saw me? If I told him not to marry that she-wolf, would he agree?

My journey back to Alpha Liam's pack felt like an odyssey into the heart of my shattered past, and I could only hope that the moon goddess would lend me the resilience to navigate the storm; after all, she was the one who was responsible for my predicament.

How dare she give me a mate and child and then take them away from me all in one day without giving me a heads-up?

Just as I was about to say something, a knock interrupted our conversation. Andrew glanced at the door, concern etched on his face.

"Luna, I'll check on that. You stay here." He said it in a protective aura and bowed, leaving me alone, and a sense of vulnerability settled in. Moments later, he returned with a grave expression, which heightened the air of anticipation.

Who was at the door?

His gaze shifted to my grandmother, whose eyes widened like she could understand what was going on. Confusion and curiosity danced in my mind as the unspoken exchange between them left me on the edge of understanding, a puzzle piece that had hope they would help me fill out too before I die of anticipation.

I gazed down at Andrew's hand and noticed he was holding an envelope. My heart began to race, and a surge of anxiety coursed through me. The mere sight of the envelope stirred a whirlwind of emotions, and my mind couldn't help but leap to the possibility that it was from my ex-mate, Liam.

"Luna, someone came with test results for your grandmother. I think you should prepare yourself for it," Andrew said, his voice carrying a gentle warning as he extended the envelope towards my grandmother. I gazed at him, a mixture of fear and anticipation swirling within.

Was my grandmother sick or something?

I watched with a sense of foreboding as my grandmother opened the envelope with shaking hands and removed a piece of paper; her eyes widened in shock, and tears slipped from her eyes.

"As I suspected," my grandmother muttered before gently patting my back lovingly. Her eyes held different emotions that were unreadable and hinted at difficult news.

"Ruby," she began, her voice soft but laden with sorrow.

"While you were asleep for days due to the impact on your head, I took your blood samples worriedly and ran a test as I monitored your condition closely, and just as I suspected, the results of the test just confirmed my suspicion, and I'm afraid the trauma has weakened your body significantly." She said so, and a sense of fear washed over me, causing goosebumps on my skin as I waited for her to continue.

She took a deep breath, like she was finding it difficult to deliver the heartbreaking news, and I didn't know how to feel about everything, but to me, nothing could be worse than losing my baby and getting rejected by my mate.

"You won't be able to give birth or carry a baby anymore. The damage is too severe, and your body can't withstand the strain."

Stunned, I felt the ground crumble beneath me. This was the last thing I was expecting, and slowly her words sank into my brain-it was a profound loss added to the layers of grief already burdening my heart. The dreams of a family-of being a mother-shattered in an instant.

Liam made me childless; can I ever forgive him for this?

I sat there, slowly absorbing the devastating truth. I unconsciously drifted my gaze outside, and the forest seemed to echo the quiet sobs of my shattered hopes, a silent mourning for a future that would forever remain out of reach.

"Ruby, calm down, please," I heard Andrew say, but his voice felt distant as I felt overwhelmed by the cascading blows of betrayal. I couldn't contain the anguish any longer.

My tears turned into sobs, and the room bore witness to my despair as I started breaking things, from the cup to the table and everything breakable I could find that was close to me. I wanted to let my pain out through destruction, just like the way my heart had shattered a thousand times already.

"You will hurt yourself, Ruby. Stay calm," my grandmother warned, but I ignored her, and in a frenzied state, I ran out of the house, seeking solace in the woods.

I didn't know how long I ran, but I didn't stop until my human legs were weak and tired and all the oxygen in my lungs was out.

The shadows of the trees embraced me as I stumbled into the silent expanse, the echo of my footsteps lost in the haunting symphony of the night.

Amidst the rustling leaves and distant whispers of the wind, another sound emerged-a soft, heart-wrenching cry that mirrored my own pain. Was someone in danger? I thought as curiosity and sorrow drove me further until I found the source of the noise.

As I followed the haunting cries through the woods, the sound led me to an opening. There, in the pale moonlight, I saw a basket covered in blood, surrounded by a hungry bear.

And one thing kept ringing in my head.

I had to save it, even if it cost me my life.