Chapter 70

MISTY

We returned to the palace in the early evening, and a wave of sadness washed over me as our week away came to an end.

We’d spent three days deep in the Shadow Moon Pack’s territory, living wild and free. Lloyd hunted every night and never came back empty-handed.

I received a crash course in surviving off the land. He didn’t miss an opportunity to teach me, and now I could accurately tell time by the sun’s position in the sky.

Even though Cammy and I could hunt as well as any wolf, we were nowhere near as proficient as Lloyd. Chasing rabbits was something we did for fun, not for survival, and I realized how blunt my instinct had become.

Giving Lloyd the slip was nearly impossible, even with a head start, but I used that as motivation.

Cammy, though, enjoyed the chase—especially when Vetus caught her. She submitted to him willingly, almost as if that was her life goal all along.

We even had a few sparring sessions, but they never lasted more than a couple of minutes, mainly because Lloyd could not resist. Before I knew it, we were tangled passionately on the ground. He blamed the lack of clothes and the way my breasts bounced…

As expected, the old pack huts from Lloyd’s time were long gone. I could feel his quiet sorrow through our bond each night, but I knew that coming here was part of his healing process.

He shared stories of his family and the pack in general, and I found myself wishing I could have met them.

Under the crescent moon, we made love in the open, the stars as our witness. Before heading back to the motel, we howled at the moon together, the sound echoing off the cliff.

As we parked at the palace entrance, a vaguely familiar Subaru caught my eye. Chelsea’s grandfather stepped out, stretching his back, just as Chelsea bolted from the entrance toward him.

“Grandpa!” she yelled, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace.

“Congratulations, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you,” he said, his voice warm with affection.

Congratulations?

I slid out of the car slowly, and Chelsea’s gaze shifted toward us.

“You’re back! Finally.” She linked arms with her grandfather and walked toward us, her smile bright. “So, did you two have fun?”

“Alpha, Luna,” David greeted, extending his hand with a respectful nod.

“We did,” I replied, an uneasy feeling in my stomach. “But what are the congratulations for?”

Chelsea’s smile faltered for a moment before she sighed. “Damn, talk about timing. I didn’t plan to tell you like this, but I guess it’s out now—I’m pregnant,” she said, her face lighting up with excitement.

I halfway guessed it. They mated while at Monolith, and that was quite a while ago.

“Congratulations,” Lloyd said, shaking David’s hand firmly. “And I thought you were here to collect historical facts.”

David chuckled, giving Lloyd a knowing look. “Oh, I am,” he assured him. “This was a happy coincidence.”

“We’re just going to get settled, but why don’t you join us for dinner? And thank you for letting us use your beach house,” Lloyd said, pulling the keys from his pocket and handing them to Chelsea.

“Glad it’s getting some use,” she replied with a smile.

I walked around to the back of the car and popped the trunk, feeling oddly out of sorts. I couldn’t focus on anything but pregnancy…

I didn’t know how Lloyd felt about pups, but I wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment—and there was something else to consider.

~“This is what we’re supposed to do,”~ Cammy chided.

~“Shut up.”~

A low growl from Lloyd snapped me back to reality. I was halfway to the entrance, suitcase in hand, while they were still chatting. Chelsea caught my eye, biting her lip. I forced a bright smile, but it didn’t fool anyone.

“Luna?” A servant appeared, taking the case from me, giving me the excuse I needed to slip away. With a quick wave, I headed toward the bathrooms beneath the stairs, locking myself in one of the stalls.

~“What’s wrong with you?”~ Cammy asked.

~“Nothing.”~

~“Why are you so worried?”~

I sighed. ~“In five weeks, I’ll be crowned queen, and the last thing I need is to worry about pups. It’s just…too much,” ~I said evasively.

~“You’re already luna. Being crowned isn’t going to change anything.”~

~“I’m just not ready for pups,”~ I said firmly.

The bathroom door creaked open, and I caught the familiar scent of oak and allspice. I quickly flushed the toilet, composed myself, and opened the stall door. Lloyd was leaning casually against the vanity, his green eyes locked on mine.

“I’m picking up some…unusual feelings,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m fine,” I deflected, turning to wash my hands.

“You don’t want pups?” he asked, his voice soft but probing.

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

I sighed, glancing at him. “I just don’t want them right now. Is that such a crime? It feels like everyone thinks she-wolves are just here to bear pups,” I vented, my voice rising slightly.

“Come here,” he said gently, pulling me into his arms. I rested my head against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. “It’s not a crime. And there are ways to prevent it if that’s what you want. I’m sure there are more modern options these days.”

I nodded. “Yes, there’s a pill. Are you angry?”

“No,” he said, his voice calm. “We never really talked about pups, and I just assumed…” He trailed off with a shrug.

Guilt gnawed at me. “I’m sorry. It’s just that so much has happened. I want to get used to being luna, and soon queen, before thinking about pups.”

“Believe me, I get it,” he said softly. “I haven’t wrapped my head around everything either. So, how long do you want to wait? A month?” His chest rumbled with laughter.

Now, I felt even more guilty. He had far more to deal with than I did. I smacked him lightly. “I’m glad you think this is funny. I’m only eighteen, you know.”

“I’m only twenty-one,” he teased.

“Is that what your fake driver’s license says?” I shot back, smirking.

“Mm-hmm.” He tipped my chin up. “Next time, just tell me what’s going on instead of leaving us guessing. So, how long ~do~ you want to wait?”

Taking a deep breath, I braced myself. “How about two years?”

To my surprise, he nodded. “Okay. That’s reasonable. But if you’re already pregnant, we’ll have to deal with it, okay?”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Do you seriously think I’d do something reckless if I were pregnant? Besides, you should be able to tell if my scent changed, shouldn’t you?”

His fingers combed through my hair. “I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m just saying there’s a chance you already are.”

I narrowed my eyes, trying to read his emotions through the bond, but Lloyd was good at keeping them in check. I silently prayed I wasn’t pregnant, but given the intensity of the last week…there was a definite chance.

I’d find out soon enough.

“I’m going to shower,” I said, stepping away from him. Keeping him at bay would be nearly impossible if I had to wait for the pill to take effect, but there was another question that nagged me.

“Good idea,” he agreed with a slight smirk, clearly knowing that avoiding intimacy would be far more challenging than deciphering an ancient grimoire.

Tanner accosted us before we made it to the stairs. “Alpha? Could we have a quick word?” he asked.

“Er, sure,” Lloyd agreed, but I could see he didn’t want to leave me.

Giving them a wave, I made my escape and ran up the stairs, breathing a sigh of relief when I reached the bedroom.

~“I want pups,”~ Cammy piped up.

~“Let me at least get through this coronation first,”~ I shot back.

It was true; I didn’t want pups right now, but there was another reason, a much more worrying one that I hadn’t considered until I heard Chelsea was pregnant.

What if I was like my mother and couldn’t carry any to term? I didn’t want to go through the agony she did: the hope and disappointment.

What would Lloyd do if I couldn’t supply him with an heir, especially as the alpha king? Could Yamika’s essence prevent that? Or was it Kiralah’s magic? Yamika hadn’t really known whether I would have survived without their interference.

~“So that’s why?”~ Cammy asked softly. ~“I’m sorry, Misty. That thought never entered my head.”~

Grabbing my phone, I quickly dialed my mom. The moment I heard her voice, tears welled up in my eyes.

“Hello, angel girl. Did you have a good week away?” she asked warmly.

“I did. It was wonderful! I wish we could’ve stayed at the beach house longer,” I replied.

“Well, Sharon has offered it to us after the coronation. I can’t wait.”

“Wait, how did you know about the coronation? I just found out this week…,” I asked, puzzled.

“Chelsea called me with the good news,” she explained.

I paused, and a thought crossed my mind. Did my mom know that Chelsea was pregnant?

“Misty?” she prompted, sensing my silence.

“I’m here,” I replied quickly.

“So, do you have to wear those ugly royal robes?” she teased.

I hadn’t even thought that far ahead. “No, I won’t. But…will you make my dress? I don’t trust anyone else.”

“Of course, I’ll make your dress. But we’ll need to start soon—I don’t have as much free time as I used to. Misty, what’s wrong? I can tell something’s bothering you. Did someone upset you?”

“No, no one upset me,” I assured her. “But…did you know that Chelsea’s pregnant?”

“Yes, she told me. Are you?” she asked gently.

“I don’t know, but…” My voice wavered. “What if I take after you, and I can’t carry a pup to full term?”

I told my mom that Yamika was the one who healed her. She was amazed to learn that Yamika was Kiralah’s familiar. However, I didn’t mention that I might not have been born without their magic or that Yamika’s essence was still inside me.

Her silence weighed on me, increasing my unease.

“Sweetheart, you don’t need to worry,” she finally said, her voice full of reassurance. “You didn’t just inherit ~my~ genes, and magic lived in your body for a long time. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” I whispered, wiping away my tears.