After Harrison left, the villa went dead silent. I waited from sunup to moonset, but he never returned. My empty stomach growled-even my wolf core felt hollow. Dragging my weak body to the rune-kitchen, I popped open the obsidian pressure cooker.
Big shock: only moonflower chicken soup left, with scrawny necks and bony bits. The good stuff? Gone. Harrison must've taken the moonstone-marbled breast meat to Quinn.
I stood there, then laughed hollowly. What did I expect?
I boiled a bowl of plain moonroot noodles in enchanted water. Just as I sat down, Harrison strode in. His eyes landed on my meager meal, and his brows furrowed. "You're carrying a pup, and this is what you eat? Moonroot has no Lunar energy!"
He ushered me to the obsidian dining table, pulling out a chair.
I gave him a wary look but sat, forcing down a few bites before pushing the bowl away.
"Not everyone has the luxury of someone cooking moonstone - infused meals," I said icily. "So I make do."
Harrison's face reddened.
"If you hadn't pushed my buttons earlier, I'd have taken care of you. And I left you moonflower chicken soup! You're pregnant-stop being so fussy. It's good for the pup."
His words made my wolf core ache.
"Stop!" I snapped. "The smell of moonflower makes me gag. How can I eat that?"
Harrison froze, looking sheepish. "I... forgot. I was with Quinn. She craved moonflower soup, and she's the one recovering." His tone turned accusatory. "You're not an invalid. It was just a vial of Lunar Blood. Stop acting like you're on the verge of passing out!"
His words slammed into my wolf core.
Quinn. Always Quinn.
Even with our pup growing inside me, I'd never be a match for her in Harrison's eyes.
It brought back memories of our bonding ceremony.
My family had constantly belittled me, saying I wasn't worthy of Harrison.
They claimed Quinn, with her Lunar - blessed scent, was his true mate.
They'd arranged secret meetings between them, using my name to draw Harrison out.
At first, he'd laughingly told me about it, but as time passed, he stopped mentioning Quinn's invitations. Now I knew-his resolve to stay true to me had crumbled long ago, replaced by the allure of Quinn's scent.
He noticed my silence and his tone turned softer.
"Okay, Luna, I get it. Carrying a pup and giving Lunar Blood-it's rough. Let me feed you some moonroot noodles."
He twirled the fork, holding the noodles out like he was trying to make amends.
That's when I caught it-the faint scent clinging to his sleeve.
Quinn's. My wolf core recoiled, and I dashed to the bathroom, emptying the meager contents of my stomach right into the obsidian sink.
When I finally stood up, I saw my reflection-pale, drained.
Harrison hovered behind me, looking flustered as he reached for my arm.
"Luna, are you alright? Should we call the pack healer?"
I wrenched my arm away. "Don't touch me."
His expression darkened in an instant.
As I stumbled back to the bedroom, his annoyed mutter followed me.
"So damn ungrateful. I try to be nice, and you act like I'm the enemy."
