LUNA ASTRID
"Luna Astrid, Alpha Jameson is waiting for you in the grand foyer." The butler announced, before bowing his head respectfully at me.
I stood in front of the ornate vanity mirror, my hand resting protectively over my flat stomach. One last time, I whispered the same plea I had repeated countless times.
"Please, let it be a male pup."
Disappointing the Alpha—again—wasn't an option.
His anger terrified me.
A single tear slipped down my cheek, smudging the delicate makeup I had carefully applied. I quickly wiped it away, but the fear remained.
With a deep breath, I left the sanctuary of our room. My heart pounded as I descended the staircase. The moment I spotted Jameson, his piercing glare locked onto me. His presence was dominant, his posture rigid, and the trail of cigarette smoke curling around him only added to my unease.
"I'm certain this pregnancy will finally give me what I and the pack need—an heir. Don't you agree, Luna Astrid?" He said, his voice cold and measured as I reached his side.
He dropped the cigarette butt onto the polished marble floor, crushing it under his shoe. Then, as if trying to mask his dark aura, he grabbed my waist with a gentleness that felt unnaturally forced. Pulling me closer, Jameson pressed a brief kiss to my lips—a gesture that carried no warmth, only control.
Even in his embrace, I felt anything but safe. I feel danger rather than safety whenever he's around, and that's a fact I cannot deny or change.
"I'm hoping for the best too, Alpha." My voice trembled despite my efforts to sound composed.
His lips curled into a cold smirk as his grip around my waist tightened. The gentleness was suddenly replaced by dominance. "You better." He growled. "Have you forgotten that this is your fourth pregnancy already? I'm running out of patience, Luna Astrid. I need an heir, and this is your last chance to give me one. Last chance." His voice was deep and tormenting.
Last chance?
If I failed again, would he cast me aside?
My breath hitched at the thought as I followed his lead.
When we reached the pack's infirmary, Jameson stayed close by my side. Healer Hilda greeted us warmly and immediately began conducting a series of tests. An hour later, she returned with the results.
"Give me the good news, Healer Hilda," Alpha Jameson said, his grip tightening around my hand as his voice brimmed with anticipation. "We're having an heir, aren't we?"
The healer hesitated for a while as she studied the papers in her hands.
It's bad news. I could already feel it.
A sense of dread coiled in my stomach. My palms grew clammy despite the coldness of the room, and my pulse quickened.
The silence stretched.
"What's taking you so long?" Jameson snapped, his patience wearing thin. "Read the test results for us."
Healer Hilda cast a nervous glance my way before addressing the Alpha. Her voice wavered as she spoke. "Alpha Jameson, the Luna is three weeks pregnant with a…" She hesitated, exhaling deeply before continuing, "…female pup."
Fuck.
My heart plummeted as Jameson's fingers slipped away from mine. His jaw clenched, and in one swift motion, he snatched the test results from Healer Hilda's trembling hands and hurled them across the room. Papers fluttered to the ground like fallen leaves, but his rage didn't end there. He drove his fist into the wooden table beside us, the loud crack echoing in the sterile infirmary room.
But what terrified me most wasn't the destruction—it was the cold, detached expression on his face. Not a flicker of emotion, not even when blood began to drip from his split knuckles.
He turned to me. "Four years. Four attempts. Four pregnancies. And four fucking female pups." His words cut deep. "Your only purpose as a Luna was to give me an heir, and yet, you fail every time!"
Before I could react, his hand shot out, roughly cupping my face. "At this point, even an Omega would be more useful than you." His tone was searing.
He released me harshly, and I staggered back as he turned toward the door. Just as I thought he was leaving, he paused, his cold gaze shifting to Healer Hilda. "Prepare the Void Elixir and make Luna Astrid drink it." He commanded, his voice devoid of remorse. "I want nothing to do with the female pup inside her." With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
My heart splintered into a thousand pieces as I crumpled on the cold floor.
"I can't do it. Not again," I whispered, my voice trembling as tears cascaded down my cheeks. "I want to keep this pup. I want to be a mother. I want to watch her grow, to feel her love… Please, don't take her from me. I'm begging you." My voice broke as I looked up at the healer, my tear-streaked eyes pleading for mercy.
Healer Hilda helped me to my feet and pulled me into a gentle embrace. "I'm so sorry, Luna Astrid, but I cannot defy the Alpha's command."
Void Elixir is a cruelly powerful potion used to dissolve an unborn pup, to end a life before it could even begin. And for the fourth time, Alpha Jameson was forcing me to take it.
