Isadora's POV
I stood before the door to the bathroom, dozing with open eyes, to look at my mirror image. When I thought of my marriage to Ragnar, my Alpha, my emotions were nearly overwhelming, but I could not afford to spill.
How has marriage become such a challenging endeavour?
Ragnar and I have been married for two years, and our passion has slowly washed out, like clothing that has been used for some time. All that remained was a shattered shell of what we once were, shattered by the fact that I couldn't provide Ragnar with the one thing he craves above all else: verify an heir."
Ragnar had slowly become unimaginably cruel towards me, and I felt as if I was a complete disappointment to him for not being able to be his ideal mate. Slowly but surely, I sensed the disappearance of love between us, as if I did not know him anymore.
I could no longer help myself but wonder what had become of the warm, caring Alpha I married.
It was horrible to think that Ragnar would not be there again and would be clueless about trying to salvage a marriage. Being a werewolf, the concept of having an heir to the succession of a line in the pack was something that I could perceive.
Still, what good is that if it must cost the love that we once shared?
Tears that had been treasured in my eyes for so long started to flow and run down my cheeks. I sighed deeply. All I wanted to return to was simplicity, where love was the highest thing in our lives.
As soon as Ragnar opened the door, I removed the tears that I had worn on my face. I had to avoid him; he couldn't see me like this. When he walked into the room, I stood facing the door and observed him as he fixed his gaze around, pausing when he looked my way.
"Luna," he said, and his voice had a low, authoritative tone.
"What have you been doing throughout the day?"
I breathed in deeply and straightened my posture, trying to calm down. I blurted out, "I went for a walk, Alpha."
Looking sceptical, Ragnar quirked an eyebrow.
"You want to walk?" during the day?"
To which I averted my eyes and bobbed my head up and down, the way an agama lizard does when threatened. "Yes, I thought I'd stroll and get some air. "
Ragnar came closer to me, his blue eyes directly on my face. "Is everything alright, Luna?" He asked.
I hesitated for a moment, then gave a brief nod. "All is well," I responded, lying through my teeth.
I knew he was not entirely convinced by what I said, but he no longer insisted. "Okay," he said the following words, which made me inclined to listen to him.
"Nyxen is pregnant," he said, looking at me directly.
He was my best friend, but I was shocked by the announcement Nyxen gave to me.
"I didn't know you liked cooking," I remarked to mask my surprise.
"For what?"
Ragnar's pupils contracted sharply as he interrupted me, "You are weak, Isadora, but you are not foolish; Nyxen is bearing me an heir."
The words hit me as hard as a metal claw, and I nearly fell to the ground, Collapsing into the chair. I could not believe my ears. I was angry, envious, and heartbroken. Without blinking, Ragnar stared into my eyes and said, "Luna, do you realise what this means?"
So he will?" he asked. "The pack needs an heir, and Nyxen will give it to them."
I could not believe my ears—and I could not believe what came out of his mouth next.
I was filled with anger and hurt as I shouted out at him, my hands trembling violently.
"Why are you making me suffer like this?" I demanded.
This is usually accompanied by questions like, "How could you be so cruel to us?"
Ragnar looked at me stonewashed; he was not speaking for hours, and the longest time felt like an eternity. He finally spoke up.
"I didn't plan for this to happen, Luna," he told her gently. Indeed, I never wanted to hurt you; there is something between Nyxen and me that I cannot explain.
"How can you be with her if you say you love me?" I was crying as I asked the question.
I never thought I would have to choose between you, but now I must consider our child and our pack.
"At the stroke of one, I will welcome the birth of my new heir with Nyxen." Your presence is expected." He went on.
I recoiled at the tone, the power a pack rank held over me as the Luna to the Beta, snapping at my heels like a whip.
"I'm not going," I said firmly. "I will not smile and be polite to you, dear."
Ragnar scowled, and his wolf perceived my animosity toward him. But I did not budge an inch; I did not agree to make a fool of myself as he wanted me to.
"You'll be there," he growled. You are my mate, and Luna is responsible for always being with me.
'What if I don't come?' I snapped at him.
"Luna," he rasped, the cute glint in his gaze fixated on my eyes. 'You have no choice.'
'This isn't a suggestion, you know!'
He did not utter another word after that. Instead, he just walked away, leaving me sobbing, followed by the sound of the door slamming shut.
I let out an audible groan when Ragnar left, and the sound of the front door closing could be heard loud and clear. This made me struggle between trying to be a proper Luna and my anger towards him for betraying me. I had to ensure no one laughed at me again for not giving Ragnar an heir.
A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts just when I was in mid-air. I suppressed a shiver, thinking about Ragnar coming back to fetch me again for the ceremony.
But when I reached the door, I realised that the woman standing on the other side was Nyxen, Ragnar's mistress.
"What do you want exactly?"
