Mira arrived at the house at exactly 8:00 pm.
She paused at the foot of the steps, irritation curling low in her chest.
She’d intended to arrive much later but the manners her mother had instilled in her wouldn’t allow it.
Her mother’s voice sharp and unyielding in her memories.
“Punctuality is respect.”
Mira hated that it still worked.
The door opened before she could knock.
“Luna Mira,” an Omega girl bowed, her eyes flickering to Mira’s empty hands before darting to the ground.
Mira noticed.
“Amy,” Mira acknowledged, walking in without an explanation.
The house smelled the same as it always had, like polished wood, dry herbs and something bitter.
She moved through the hallway without being led, already knowing exactly where Karen would be.
“Lady Karen is expecting you at the dining table.” Amy said softly, hurrying after her.
As expected, Karen sat at the head of the table, her spine straight, icy blue eyes blazing with anger.
Good.
“Finally decided to join us.”
Mira smiled—tight, forced.
“My apologies.”
Her eyes scanned the room, noticing Adrian’s absence.
Unlike her, his tardiness wasn’t intentional.
It probably had something to do with Ivy.
“I see you’ve finally decided to drop the sweet girl act.” Karen spoke, her eyes lingering on Mira’s empty hands.
“Karen,” Mira greeted instead, ignoring her mother-in-law’s jab.
“It’s been too long.”
“Indeed,”Karen responded.
“Sit.”
Mira slipped into the seat opposite her, her heart beating in anticipation.
She knew what was coming next.
Karen slid a glass to Mira, the dark-greenish content spilling over.
“Go on.” Karen encouraged.
“Drink.”
Mira eyed it blankly, the rancid herbal stench filling the room.
“It’s a fertility tonic.” Steve—Adrian’s father explained, his voice low, hesitant.
“She got it from the healers.”
Mira nodded, then hesitated.
She raised her hand to pick it up, the confidence she’d built faltering—for just a fraction of a second—before dropping her hand, raising her chin instead.
“No.”
Karen froze, so did Steve.
“What did you just say?”
It was a warning, a chance to take it back but Mira squared her shoulders in defiance.
For three years, it had been the same routine.
Invitations disguised as concern.
Meals she barely tasted.
The glass placed carefully in front of her, every single time.
And Mira—swallowing it down, ignoring the burn in her throat, the way Karen’s eyes followed every movement, waiting.
She had told herself it was easier this way.
Quieter.
That enduring it was part of being a good Luna.
A good wife.
But she was done playing dutiful wife.
“I said,” her voice was steady, firm, despite the way her heart raced.
“No.
I won’t take it.”
Steve raised his head in surprise, watching the two women sit unmoving, glaring at each other.
“You,” Karen stood, her chair scraping against the floor loudly.
“You dare defy me.”
Mira stood, her demeanor calm, controlled.
“I am the Luna.
You cannot order me around.”
Karen went around the table, approaching Mira.
Her steps were slow, dangerous, her eyes wide with rage, cheeks flushed.
If Mira didn’t know how unpredictable her mother-in-law was, she’d find it amusing how easy it was to rile her up.
“A barren Luna.”
The words landed, hitting Mira like a blow.
She tightened her fist, refusing to give the woman the reaction she wanted.
“Is it me?” Mira tilted her head to the side.
“Or is your son simply impotent?”
Karen lunged.
Mira’s arm came up instinctively, shielding herself from the woman’s attack.
It never landed.
Instead, she felt a familiar presence shielding her, one that made her wolf recoil.
Adrian.
He held his mother’s hand, his jaw clenched tightly.
“Adrian!” Karen exclaimed, her face brightening up like she hadn’t been a second away from assaulting Mira.
“You’re here.”
Adrian let go of his mother’s hand, wrapping it tightly around Mira’s waist and pulling her closer. The source of this chapter is g.com.
“You were about to hit my mate.” He growled.
“Your mate,” her eyes drifted to Mira in disgust before snapping back to her son.
“Called you impotent.”
Adrian froze, then smiled.
His arm around Mira tightened even further.
“Mira,” he chuckled, glancing down at her.
Mira stared back, confused.
“She’s been very humorous lately.” His eyes shifted back to his mother.
“Women tend to get like that when their bodies change.”
Mira froze.
Karen frowned.
“That’s right mother.
Her body is changing.”
His hand moved to rub her stomach.
Mira felt bile rise to her throat.
“Mira is pregnant.”
The lie landed like a punch to the gut.
Mira nearly staggered, Adrian’s hand holding her in place.
She felt a mix of disgust, anger, and pain.
“She is?” Karen eyed her skeptically.
Adrian pressed a kiss to Mira’s forehead.
It felt cold, unwanted, making her skin crawl.
She wanted badly to say no, to curse Adrian out for lying but she swallowed it down, knowing it would do more harm than good.
She nodded instead, plastering on a fake smile.
“Yes.
I’m pregnant.” She pressed her trembling hand against the one Adrian still had on her stomach.
“We found out recently.”
Karen’s shoulders relaxed.
“That explains it,” she murmured, walking back to her seat.
“We’re finally going to be grandparents Steve.”
Steve nodded, his gaze lingering on Mira for a second before darting to the table again.
“I’ll have Amy bring di—”
“Actually,” Mira cut in, pressing a hand to her head.
“I’m leaving now.
I feel faint from the excitement.”
“Yeah,” Adrian agreed.
“My mate needs to rest.”
Karen’s eyes narrowed in displeasure but they didn’t give her a chance to object before turning away from her.