Ella.
"Alex," I called softly, tugging at his shirt when he didn't respond. The fabric bunched under my fingers as I searched his face, hoping to find the warmth I was used to.
He finally looked at me and forced a small nod. "It's alright, baby. At least you are good." His words were meant to reassure, but they felt distant, practiced, as though he was saying them more for my sake than because he truly believed them.
I swallowed the tightness in my throat and mustered a smile. "Alright, baby. I would be leaving for work now. I'll see you later," I said gently. I lifted myself slightly, stretching on my toes, and pecked his cheek in a brief, tender kiss.
The familiar brightness that usually lit up his face wasn't there. No teasing smile. No soft laughter. Just a quiet, unreadable expression. Still, I smiled anyway, pretending not to notice, pretending it didn't hurt.
I pulled away from him and turned, heading straight toward the road to hail a taxi. With every step, my chest felt heavier. Alex was acting strange—withdrawn, distant—but I couldn't bring myself to blame him. I had raised his hopes high, only to watch them crumble moments later. Anyone would be affected by that.
I exhaled deeply, my breath shaky as I wrapped my arms around myself. "Moon Goddess," I whispered silently, my lips barely moving, "can you help me this once? I need… a pup." The plea echoed in my heart, desperate and raw.
I didn't realize I was crying until a tear slipped down and splashed against my skin. Then another followed, and another, until my vision blurred. My chest tightened painfully as old memories surged forward without mercy.
I remembered the way people used to look at me, eyes filled with scorn instead of respect. The whispers that were never really whispers at all.
"She is fit to be a Luna," they would say mockingly.
"She is wolfless!"
"And to top it all, barren."
The words replayed in my head, cruel and sharp, each one slicing deeper than the last. I could almost see it again, eggs flying through the air, splattering against my body, against my face, while laughter rang out around me. I remembered standing there, helpless, humiliated, wishing the ground would swallow me whole.
The tears flowing down my cheeks increased, my shoulders trembling as the pain I had buried resurfaced. I pressed a hand to my mouth, stifling a sob as my steps slowed.
"Please," I whispered brokenly, my voice cracking under the weight of years of hurt. "Please, bless me."
The prayer left my lips soaked in tears, fragile but sincere, as I stood there clinging to the last thread of hope I had left.
And suddenly, a sharp pain tore through my belly.
I gasped, my steps faltering as my hand flew instinctively to my stomach. The pain wasn't like before, this one was sudden, insistent, frightening. My heart slammed against my ribs as dread flooded me. Without thinking twice, I turned around abruptly, abandoning the road ahead, and hurried back toward the hospital. Every step felt heavier than the last, my breath uneven as fear whispered all the terrible possibilities I didn't dare give voice to.
By the time I got there, my palms were clammy and my body felt weak. I went straight to the nurses' station, my emotions hanging by a fragile thread.
"Excuse me," I said, my voice trembling despite my effort to sound calm. "I…I was here earlier. I need to see my report again."
The nurse frowned slightly, tapping on the computer. "Your report? Ma'am, you were already told the result."
"I know," I replied quickly, shaking my head. "But something doesn't feel right. Please… can you check again? Just to confirm."
She hesitated, then glanced at another nurse beside her. "What's your name?"
I told her, my fingers curling tightly into the edge of the counter.
She clicked through the files, her expression slowly changing. "Wait," she murmured. "Can you hold on a moment?"
My heart skipped. "What is it?" I asked anxiously.
She turned the screen slightly, calling the other nurse closer. "This file… the blood sample number doesn't match the patient ID from earlier."
The second nurse leaned in, eyes narrowing. "You're right. This result belongs to someone else."
My breath caught painfully in my throat. "What do you mean… someone else?"
The first nurse's eyes widened as she rechecked the envelope. "Oh my…there's been a mix-up. We read the wrong result to you."
Time seemed to freeze. "Then… mine?" I whispered.
She quickly retrieved another file, scanning it carefully this time. Her lips parted, then curved into a smile. "Congratulations," she said softly. "You are pregnant."
"What?" The word barely left my mouth.
"You're pregnant," she repeated, nodding. "The test is positive. Very clear."
My knees nearly gave way. "Are you… are you sure?" I asked, tears springing to my eyes. "Please, confirm it again."
She nodded immediately. "We've confirmed it twice now. There's no mistake."
I let out a shaky sob that was half laughter, half disbelief. "Oh, Moon Goddess…" I whispered.
The nurse handed me the correct envelope. "Here is your report. I'm really sorry for the confusion earlier."
I grabbed the envelope with trembling hands, clutching it to my chest as if it might disappear if I let go. "Thank you," I breathed, already turning away.
I didn't wait another second. I rushed out of the hospital, my heart soaring despite the lingering ache in my belly. Tears streamed down my face, but this time they were filled with joy.
I was finally pregnant.
I rushed home too quickly, my heart pounding with fragile excitement, only for it to shatter the moment I stepped inside.
There, on our matrimonial bed, was my mate.
Alex.
He was sprawled against the sheets, bare and unguarded, with Eva, my best friend curled comfortably in his arms. Her head rested on his chest as though she belonged there, as though that place had always been hers. The room felt too quiet, too cruelly still.
The envelope slipped from my trembling fingers.
In that instant, everything I believed in collapsed, and my world broke apart in silence.