He opened his mouth to insist when his phone suddenly rang.
A familiar voice spoke in the old tongue: “Karl, want to have some fun? I’m waiting in your car.”
Karl hastily silenced his phone, but guilt flashed across his features when he looked at me again.
“Something urgent has come up at the pack border. Will you be alright alone? Don’t worry too much—I’ll return soon.”
I sneered internally but kept my tone light. “It’s fine. I trust you.”
I forced a pale smile and turned toward our bedroom.
Karl rushed out, so distracted he didn’t even notice his phone slipping from his pocket.
When I picked it up, the screen showed an incoming call. True to his meticulous nature, Karl had no contact name saved, but I knew exactly who was calling.
I answered with bitter amusement and heard unmistakable sounds of intimacy through the speaker.
Natalie’s voice came through, sweet and teasing: “Didn’t your little Luna satisfy you?”
The sounds paused briefly before Karl’s cold laugh reached my ears.
“How could she compare to even a fraction of what you give me?”
The passionate sounds resumed, and Natalie’s delighted giggles cut into my heart like silver-tipped claws.
I silently transferred the recording to my phone and returned to our bedroom.
When Karl returned hours later, I was preparing for bed.
He approached carefully and took my hand, his skin still carrying traces of Natalie’s scent.
I pulled away in disgust, but Karl’s attention fixed on my bare finger where my mate-claim ring had once been.
“Where is your ring?” His voice dropped an octave, Alpha authority seeping into his tone.
I rubbed the hand he had touched and replied casually, “I took it off during my bath. The pregnancy makes my fingers swell. I forgot to put it back on.”
“It’s just a ring. You’ve gone without yours before.”
Karl’s face hardened, rendered momentarily speechless.
We’d never had a traditional pack ceremony. No binding run beneath the full moon, no witnesses to our mating vows. Only these rings when we formalized our bond.
Yet Karl had always refused to wear his, claiming he didn’t want neighboring packs to gossip about our relationship when he was on diplomatic missions.
Now I understood—he wasn’t protecting me from gossip. He was hiding our bond from Natalie.
After a long silence, Karl spoke again, his tone uncharacteristically soft.
“I was wrong. I’ll wear mine from now on. I won’t remove it without your permission.”
Karl rarely softened his demeanor, but his hypocrisy only increased my revulsion.
“Let’s hold a formal mating ceremony at the next full moon. The pup will still be small enough that you can participate in the traditional run.”
“I’ll announce your position as Luna to every pack in our alliance to prevent any… misunderstandings in the future.”
I knew this was guilt talking after his affair. I couldn’t help but frown with irritation.
Karl mistook my expression for emotion and pulled me against his chest.
Later that night, I heard him slip from our bed and pad into the living room.
Through the cracked door, I watched him speak into his phone, his tone apologetic.
“I just need to placate her for now. She’s carrying our pup, after all…”
“Don’t be upset. I’ll come to you soon, alright?”
His words echoed clearly, nearly bringing me to my knees.
The pup I had struggled so desperately to conceive had been part of his calculation all along.
I returned to bed in a daze, took out my phone, and booked passage to the Northern territories for the night after the supposed mating ceremony.
When Karl returned, he gently caressed my belly, whispering tenderly.
“Rest now. There’s a situation at the border. You and our pup wait for me here.”
As the door closed behind him, I slowly opened my eyes.
Karl, you can anticipate your mating ceremony. I’ll be preparing a surprise of my own.
