Luna. Chapter 16

(Kael's POV)

The next morning brought chaos in the form of my oldest friend pounding on my office door at seven AM.

"Open up, Kael!" Zara's voice carried her distinctive mix of authority and barely contained fury. "We need to talk. Now."

I opened the door to find Zara standing there with her arms crossed and murder in her eyes. Behind her stood her mate, James, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

"Good morning to you too, Zara."

"Don't." She pushed past me into the office. "Don't you dare act casual with me right now."

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Zara spun around to face me. "What's wrong is that I just heard from three different ways that you publicly rejected Lyra. Your pregnant wife."

"Zara—"

"Your pregnant wife who also happens to be one of my closest friends." Zara's voice was deadly quiet. "The same Lyra who helped me through my miscarriage last year. Who brought me soup when I had the flu and listens me complain about James's snoring without judgment."

James cleared his throat. "I don't snore."

"Not now, babe." Zara didn't take her eyes off me. "Where is she, Kael?"

"She left. With Magnus Steele."

"She left because you threw her out!" Zara stepped closer, and I could see tears in her eyes. "How could you do this to her? She is your mate."

"It's complicated."

“Complicated.?" Zara laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Let me see if I can simplify it for you. Your wife tells you she's pregnant. Instead of being happy, and humiliated her banished her from her own home."

Each word hit like a physical blow because they were all true.

"You don't understand the situation—"

"Then explain it to me." Zara crossed her arms again. "Explain to me how Seraphina showing up suddenly made you forget everything you know about Lyra's character."

"Seraphina was held captive for three years. Tortured. She needed—"

"She needed what? Your complete and undivided attention while your wife was trying to tell you about your baby?"

The way Zara said it made something click into place. A memory of Lyra's excited expression that morning, the way she'd kept trying to interrupt when I was talking about Seraphina's needs.

"Oh god," I breathed. "She was trying to tell me about the pregnancy."

"Of course she was!" Zara's voice cracked. "Do you have any idea how scared she must have been? Pregnant for the first time, trying to find the right moment to share good news with a husband who suddenly couldn't see past another woman?"

"Zara, please. I know I made mistakes, but—"

"Mistakes?" James spoke up for the first time. "Kael, this isn't a mistake. This is a choice. You chose Seraphina over Lyra every single day since she came back."

"And now Lyra's gone," Zara added quietly. "Under the protection of another Alpha who was willing to give her what you wouldn't. Basic respect."

I sank into my desk chair, the weight of what I'd done finally hitting me fully. "Is she really pregnant?"

"What do you think?" Zara's voice was full of disgust. "You're an Alpha, Kael. If you'd bothered to pay attention to your wife instead of your ex-mate, you would have scented it weeks ago."

"But Dr. Williams said she had no record—"

"Dr. Williams said a lot of things that don't add up." James moved to stand beside his mate. "Zara and I have been talking to some of the pack members. There are... inconsistencies in the stories about Lyra's supposed deception."

"What kind of inconsistencies?"

"The kind that suggest someone might have been working very hard to make Lyra look like a liar." Zara's eyes were hard. "Someone with access to medical records and a very good reason to want your wife out of the picture."

The implication hit me like a truck. "You think Seraphina—"

"I think you should start asking yourself some hard questions about the woman you chose over your pregnant wife." Zara moved toward the door. "And I think you should do it fast, before Lyra disappears from your life completely."

"Zara, wait." I stood up quickly. "Is she... is she okay? The baby?"

"Why do you care?" Zara's hand was on the door handle. "You made it pretty clear last night that you don't believe the baby exists."

"I was wrong."

"Yes, you were." Zara turned back to me one last time. "The question is: what are you going to do about it?"

After they left, I sat alone in my office trying to piece together the timeline of the last few weeks. When exactly had things started to feel wrong? When had I stopped trusting my wife and started believing accusations without proof?

The answer was obvious and devastating: the day Seraphina returned.

From that moment, every conversation with Lyra had been interrupted by Seraphina's needs. Every attempt Lyra made to connect with me had been cut short by Seraphina's demands for attention.

And I'd let it happen. I'd chosen to believe the worst about the woman I'd married and the best about the woman who'd disappeared without explanation three years ago.

I picked up my phone and called Dr. Williams.

"Dr. Williams? This is Alpha Kael. I need to ask you about Lyra's medical records."

"Alpha, as I told you yesterday, I have no record of recent appointments with your... with Lyra."

"But is it possible that records could be deleted? Or altered?"

A long pause. "That would be highly irregular and illegal."

"But possible?"

"Technically, yes. Someone with administrative access could delete appointment records." Her voice was careful. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm starting to think someone might have been control the situation." I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache building. "Dr. Williams, can you tell me honestly: does Lyra smell pregnant to you?"

Another pause. "Alpha, I don't think this conversation is appropriate—"

"Please. I need to know."

"Yes," she said quietly. "She's definitely pregnant. About four and a half months along, I'd estimate."

The phone slipped from my numb fingers.