Luna. Chapter 2

(Lyra’s POV)

The next morning, I woke up alone. Kael's side of the bed was cold, the sheets undisturbed. He must have slept elsewhere - probably in the chair beside Seraphina's bed, playing the devoted caretaker.

I made my way downstairs, hoping to find him in the kitchen making his usual morning coffee. Instead, I found him pacing by the window, his phone pressed to his ear. He was speaking in low, urgent tones to someone about increased security measures and potential threats from the Shadow Den pack.

"The patrols need to be doubled," he was saying. "If they're bold enough to hold someone for three years, they won't hesitate to come after her again."

When he noticed me, he quickly ended the call. "Morning," he said, but his attention was already drifting back to his phone.

"How is she?" I asked, pouring myself a cup of tea. The smell of coffee, which I'd always loved, now made my stomach turn - another pregnancy symptom I couldn't share with my husband.

"Better. Resting." He scrolled through messages on his phone. "Dr. Sarah came by early this morning to examine her. She's malnourished and has some injuries that need time to heal, but she'll be okay."

"That's good," I said, meaning it despite everything. I might be hurt and confused, but I wouldn't wish suffering on anyone.

Kael looked up from his phone, studying my face. "You seem different. Are you feeling alright?"

My heart jumped. This was it - the opening I'd been waiting for. "Actually, there's something I've been wanting to tell you-"

"Kael?" A soft, musical voice called from upstairs. "Could you come up here? I'm feeling dizzy again."

The moment shattered. Kael was already moving toward the stairs before I could finish my sentence. "Of course. I'll be right there."

He paused at the bottom of the staircase, looking back at me with distracted eyes. "What were you saying?"

"Nothing important," I lied. "Go take care of her."

As his footsteps disappeared up the stairs, I sat alone with my tea and the words I couldn't seem to say. 

An hour later, he came back down carrying a breakfast tray with barely touched food.

"She can't keep much down," he explained, scraping the plate into the trash. "Dr. Sarah says it's normal after what she's been through. The trauma affects everything - appetite, sleep, trust."

I watched him wash the delicate china plate with more care than he'd shown our regular dishes in months. "She's lucky to have you taking care of her."

"She would do the same for me." His voice held a certainty that stung. "Before everything happened, before she was taken, we promised we'd always be there for each other. No matter what."

"Even after you married someone else?"

The words came out sharper than I'd intended. Kael's hands stilled on the plate, and when he looked at me, I saw a flash of emotion.

Annoyance? Guilt?

Who cares.

"That's not fair, Lyra. You know our marriage was arranged by the pack council. We've made it work, we care about each other, but Seraphina and I... what we had was different. It was a choice."

Each word felt like a small knife twisting in my chest. "I see."

"I'm not trying to hurt you," he said, but he didn't move to comfort me either. "I'm just trying to be honest about the situation. Seraphina needs me right now, and I need you to be understanding about that."

Understanding. He kept using that word like it was a magic spell that would make me okay with being pushed aside.

"Of course," I said quietly. "I understand perfectly."

But I didn't understand at all. I didn't understand how the man who'd held me all night after bad dreams could suddenly seem so distant. 

"Thanks." He dried his hands and hung up the towel. "I should get back to her. She gets anxious when she's alone for too long."

After he left, I sat in the kitchen feeling the weight of my secret growing heavier. I'd planned to tell him about the baby over a romantic dinner, maybe with candles and his favorite wine. I'd imagined his face lighting up, maybe he will spinning me around the kitchen with joy.

Instead, I was sitting alone while he tended to another woman, and my good news felt like an burden I couldn't share.

I pressed my hand to my belly again. "Don't worry, little one," I whispered. "Daddy's just confused right now. Once he knows about you, everything will be different."

But even as I said it, I wasn't believed it myself.