The Discarded Luna’s Second Chance

Chapter 12

Friday arrived wrapped in storm clouds that matched my mood. Weston's car idled outside the Evernight house, his fingers drumming impatiently on the steering wheel as I descended the porch steps.

"Finally," he muttered, then louder, "You look beautiful."

The midnight blue dress hugged my pregnant curves, chosen specifically to remind everyone I carried another man's child.

Armor against the mate bond that would assault me on Kieran's territory.

"Wait!" Celeste's voice chirped from the doorway. She glided out in a scarlet dress that screamed for attention. "I'm ready."

"You're not invited," Weston said flatly.

"But I'm your assistant." She pouted prettily. "These negotiations affect my work. Plus, Harper shouldn't travel so far without family support. What if she goes into labor?"

I watched Weston cave in real-time, his protective instincts warring with irritation. "Fine. But you follow my lead."

"Of course." She slid into the backseat, victory gleaming in her eyes as they met mine in the mirror.

My stomach turned. Celeste always made a bad situation worse and tonight was already a knife blade.

The drive to Wolfhart territory should have taken two hours. In my previous timeline, it had been a journey through increasingly hostile land—dead forests, abandoned buildings, the visible decay of a pack under tyrannical rule.

Now, my breath caught as we crossed the border.

Flourishing businesses lined well-maintained roads. Children played in parks that hadn't existed before. The very air felt different—lighter, free of the oppression I remembered.

“Goddess,” I said before I could stop myself. “They remade the place.”

“Remade?” Celeste trilled, looking intently out of the window. “I’m certain it was always… fine.”

“It wasn’t,” I said. “Not like this.”

Weston’s jaw worked. “As for me, nothing special.”

“I’m describing what I see.”

The gates opened on a compound that combined fortress and welcome: stone walls softened with ivy, a central courtyard lined in lanterns.

Alex waited at the pack house entrance. He was nobody back then—just another orphan Brennan kept around for entertainment. Now he was tall and lean, with sharp cheekbones and surprisingly warm brown eyes that crinkled when he smiled.

Exactly as I remembered.

“Beta Alexander Reese,” he introduced himself, hand extended first to me. “Apologies for missing your reception. Duties kept me home.” He tipped his head, studying my face. “But I remember you. From years back. Harper Evernight, yes?”

“She is my fiancée,” Weston said quickly, taking my elbow like he was claiming a parcel. “And this is Celeste, my executive assistant.”

“Pleasure,” Celeste sang, offering her hand like an audition. “We’re very grateful for your hospitality.”

Alex shook it, then looked back to me, curiosity warm. “It’s been a long time, Harper. You were younger, but I remember the visit. What do you think of our changes?”

“They’re remarkable,” I answered honestly. “The housing. The shops. The way the courtyard feels safe. You can smell good work.”

“Good work,” Weston repeated, displeasure scraping the words. “We’re all doing our best with limited resources.”

“Of course,” Alex said smoothly. “Right this way.”

He guided us through a vaulted entry and down a corridor that glowed with old wood and new money. Celeste clung to the conversation like ivy, laughing too brightly whenever Alex glanced her way.

“And how many officers do you command? How does your patrol rotation work? I do a bit with security myself.”

“Do you?” Alex offered pleasant non-answers, redirecting without cruelty. “I’m surprised I haven’t met you before, Miss Evernight.”

“Oh, everyone says that,” she cooed.

The dining room took my breath away. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light over a table laden with enough food for twenty people, not four. Fresh flowers decorated every surface.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"Our Alpha wanted everything perfect," Alex said carefully. "He's particular about... certain guests."

"Where is Alpha Kieran?" Celeste practically purred, adjusting her neckline. "We're so eager to see him."

"Running slightly late. Pack emergency." Alex's expression suggested this wasn't unusual. "He'll join us shortly."

We sat, the elaborate feast spread before us untouched. Protocol demanded waiting for the host Alpha, but my stomach had other ideas. The growl that escaped was audible in the silence, mortifyingly loud.

Celeste giggled, a delicate bell-tone for the gallery. “Oh dear.”

Heat crawled up my neck. Before it could crest, Weston spoke with an authority he rarely spent on me.

“Serve now.” He didn’t look at Alex; he didn’t ask. "My pregnant mate needs food. If Kieran has issues with that, he can take it up with me. I'll personally apologize for the breach, but Harper eats now."

The room stilled. Even Celeste looked shocked at Weston's protective declaration. Alex nodded slowly, then began filling my plate himself.

"Thank you," I managed, genuinely surprised by Weston's defense.

He squeezed my hand. "Nobody makes you uncomfortable. Not even another Alpha."

The sentiment might have touched me if I didn't know how quickly his protection would evaporate when it conflicted with his interests.

Celeste’s fork traced the rim of her plate, tapping a coded frustration she couldn’t voice. She tried to tug attention back, leaning toward Alex. “Alpha Kieran must be terribly busy. How does he balance so much? The pressure must be… intense.”

“Competence helps,” Alex said mildly. He turned to me. “How far along?”

“Nearly there,” I answered, and that was all it took for my body to begin unspooling from the inside out.

Everything felt more real with food in the air and men at the edges of the room pretending not to watch.

The moment the far doors opened, the air shifted.

Conversation collapsed into an instinctive pause as Kieran crossed the threshold. And my pulse tried to climb out of my throat and run.

He'd dressed to devastate—black suit tailored to his powerful frame, showcasing every line of lethal muscle. His dark hair was pushed back, revealing the sharp architecture of his face.

His eyes found mine instantly, and the mate bond slammed between us like a physical blow.

“Apologies,” he said to the room, but he was looking at me. Only me. “We had a delivery issue at the eastern gate.” His gaze swept the table once, quick and comprehensive. “It seems you’ve started without me.”

“I ordered it,” Weston said, owning the breach. “Harper needed to eat.”

Kieran’s mouth tilted at one corner—approval or warning, impossible to read. He took the head of the table but didn’t sit. “How far along?” he asked.

The question aimed at me, not Weston, not the room.

Before I could answer, Alex said smoothly, “Very near.”

Kieran’s glance cut to him, accepted the information with a brief nod, then returned to me. “What arrangements have you made for the birth?”

"Harper will move in with me immediately," Weston announced proudly. "I want her settled before our daughter arrives. Can't have my future Luna living separately from her Alpha."

Three people froze simultaneously. Me in shock, Celeste in fury, and Kieran in something darker.

"Move in?" I found my voice first. "Weston, we haven't discussed—"

"What's to discuss? You're having my child. We're getting married. This separation is ridiculous."

"But it's improper," I protested, diplomatic even through my panic. "We're not mated yet. The pack will talk."

"Harper's right," Celeste interjected, surprising everyone. "The pack gossips enough already. Moving in together before the wedding would add fuel to those fires."

I looked at her, a new suspicion scraping bone. Her support raised every alarm in my head. Celeste never took my side unless it served her purposes.

Kieran’s expression darkened by degrees as if someone were dimming a room. His attention moved from Weston’s confident face to Celeste’s sweetness, to me, and finally to my stomach.

The muscle at his jaw ticked once.

“The timing,” he said softly, dangerous because it wasn’t loud. “Is delicate.”

Weston mistook that for respect. “We agree. Which is why we’ll transition now. No gaps, no rumors. You’ll find Silvercrest operates with discipline.”

His glare encompassed everyone at the table, raw displeasure radiating from him in waves that made my wolf whimper.

The universe chose that moment to intervene.

Warmth flooded between my legs, soaking through the midnight blue dress onto the expensive dining chair. For one horrified second, I thought I'd lost control of my bladder. Then the first contraction hit, stealing my breath.

"Harper?" Weston noticed my expression. "What's wrong?"

"My water…" I gasped. "My water just broke."