MY WOUNDED LUNA

Chapter One

Since I was born, I had always had this belief that the bond between mates was unbreakable-that no witch, no power, no strength or anyone could break whatever was destined by the moon goddess herself. I was wrong. Blinded by love, or rather infatuation, the moon goddess would have called me foolish too because that was what I had portrayed all my life.

The night was cold, alone and angry in my room. A chill ran down my spine but I doubt it had nothing to do with the weather. The Alpha, my mate, was nowhere to be seen since I woke up this morning and I had a feeling something was wrong. The news I had received a few minutes ago made me laugh at myself inwardly, everyone I knew or everyone in this pack knew about what was going on.

But at last, I was the only one left in the dark. She was in labor, his first love, the woman he loved even before me, the woman he still loved. It was obvious to anyone he would definitely choose her over me.

She was finally giving birth to his child. I had no idea she was pregnant till now because she always wore big dresses that covered her baby bump but I'm sure she had planned it with my mate to keep the baby a secret from me.

Getting fed up with all this, I threw on my robe as I made my way to the pack house. The lonely streets and the howling of owls made me nervous but I didn't want my confidence to waver, even one bit. My heart pounding against my chest as I stepped foot into the pack house, the hallway was dimly lit, the whisper's from the members of the pack grew louder as I approached.

Most of them looked away but a few remained stunned by my presence, they knew better than to look me in the eyes.

All of them seated there knew what I was about to face. But none of them made a move to confront me, not like I needed it.

I pushed the heavy, brown, mahogany doors open. My breath hitching as I took in the scene laid down in front of me. There he knelt, my mate-Alpha Kael, by her side, he held her hand as she laid there, writhing in pain. His grip on her hand was firm, his gaze soft and full of loyalty.

It was the same way he should have been looking at me. But ever since she returned from wherever she went to, his gaze turned hostile and full of hate.

"What is the meaning of this?" My voice boomed around the room, louder than I had expected but satisfied with the results, the weight in my chest made it hard to breathe but I tried my best to keep breathing.

Kael's eyes barely glanced my way, his eyes stuck on her but his expression had darkened completely, a flicker of disgust passed through his eyes before sighing heavily, as if I was some rotten garbage that had stumbled into the room.

"Can we not do this now, Astrid?" His voice was low, barely above a whisper but it sounded like a command.

"Not now?" I requoted his words, my fists clenching at my sides. " You're kneeling by her side while she gives birth to your child and you expect me to stay silent?"

"That's enough!" He snapped, his eyes glowing in the dimmed room, it always glowed whenever he got really upset. "I can't do this right now Astrid, you're being unreasonable"

The words echoed through my head like a gong was played in the room.

Unreasonable?

I took a step forward to where he was kneeling, my breath shook with anger. "You are the one being awfully unreasonable, unreasonable is rejecting our mate's bond to fulfill her dying wish!"

The room grew very silent, the howling of the wind was the only sound evident in the room as my chest heaved. The pack doctor shifted uncomfortably as he wiped the sweat from his forehead not minding the blood on his gloves, and one of the nurses coughed silently as she looked away, pretending she hadn't heard anything. But I saw it-that flicker of pity in their eyes that I had received since I walked through these doors.

Because they all knew.

They knew that I was just a replacement for her, they knew he would cast me aside immediately she returned back, pregnant and sick, claiming she didn't have a long time to live.

They knew how persistent I had been to take care of this pack, to win his heart, to keep our mate bond alive, all to hold on to a bond that was meant to be sacred.

And they knew, I knew, I had already lost this very battle.

Kael drew in a short breath and turned to me fully, his jaw clenched in anger. "This is her last wish, Astrid. She wanted a child-my child to be exact, before she leaves this world, I'm giving her that"

I let out a butter chuckle, the sound bitter and hollow even to my own ears and to everyone seated here because they looked up at me as though I had run mad. "And what about me? What about us? What about the mate bond?" I couldn't help but ask thinking it would spark something within him.

His gaze darkened as he finally looked away. "I'll deal with that later"

"Deal with that?" I whispered to myself, shaking my head with nothing but disbelief and shock. "I am your mate, your wife for crying out loud, not some problem to be handled when it's inconvenient for you"

But he had finally turned his attention back to her, as if I hadn't just said something, I felt my heart break into pieces.

As if I didn't matter anymore.

And then before I could utter another word from my lips, I felt them.

Hands.

Grabbing me.

I gasped, struggling as a group of the pack warriors surrounded me as they seized my arms with no gentleness at all.

"What are they doing, Kael? Let me go!"

"They're taking you somewhere safe, somewhere you can't cause any trouble" Kael said, his voice lacking any emotions as he spoke.

"Until my child is brought this world, I won't have you causing any trouble for her or the child"

My chest hurts, I couldn't think as his words sliced into my heart.

"You're locking me away, aren't you?" My voice shook, disbelief washing over me.

Kael's jaw clenched as I saw him nod but he didn't meet my eyes. "Don't take it personal but it's for the best"

The best.

The best for her. For the child.

Never for little old me.

I didn't even try to resist as they dragged me away. Not because I couldn't fight them or didn't have the strength to, something inside me had cracked beyond amends.

I had spent at least three years of my life fighting for something that I had already lost.

So, I let them lock me away, I let them shove me into the basement of the pack house, sealing me off like a deranged werewolf.