Eero's perspective
Two months later.
Everything in Blood Moon Pack fell back to the way it was. We were peaceful at the moment and all the smaller packs around Claudius' territory feared him once again. It was only a matter of time, before he decided to attack Moon River Pack for their long-overdue debt that they must pay for.
All the deltas and warriors that he was training in the past two months had gotten ready for great battles. Soon, Claudius and his best tropes would be back at conquering packs, expanding his land and territory.
“Fuck!” I cursed under my breath after I saw one red line on the pregnancy test. I was still not pregnant, even when Claudius and I were doing all that we could to conceive.
I walked out of the bathroom and the Alpha was up from his slumber. On the next eclipse, that was a month from now, we would finally hold our mating ceremony. We would officially become husband and wife, and me a Luna.
“You were up early, little wolf,” he commented. Underneath the crisp white comforter was his naked body.
“There are piled up works in my end. That's why. I have to start my day early,” I said as I was rolling my perfume oil behind my ear.
Claudius wore his boxers that I stripped off his body last night.
“Did you shower early to start your day ahead of everyone? Or you went to test yourself and found the result negative? You took a shower to wash away your frustration?” He mocked me.
We were looking at each other's eyes through my vanity mirror inside our walked-in closet.
Claudius caged me in his arms. Instead of getting soothed by it, it frustrated me even more.
“We have been trying for a baby for months now, Alpha. Still, there's none. The Moon Goddess isn't blessing us with a baby. What if there was something wrong with me?” I asked, finally voicing out the fear that had been running in my hand these days.
“And what could be wrong with you, huh, Eero?”
“I am not sure. What if I am barren? You know that there are she-wolves who are barren.”
“It's a rare case, baby.”
“And what if I am one of them? What if I can't give you heirs like I promised you before? Y-You won't be able to claim your birth right to rule the realm and the three kingdoms.”
“We will try and try and try until the Moon Goddess blesses us with our pups,” he said, and all the assurance somehow calmed me down.
Claudius pecked on my forehead, and then he finally let go of me.
“I will see you tonight, mate.” I only moved my head once to acknowledge his words. The Alpha got inside the bathroom and me off to my Luna duties.
I lightly shook my head. I couldn't believe that I was starting with this Luna duties before I officially became one.
***
“Luna Eero?” Cielo asked and that pulled me back to reality. I tore my eyes off the mother and child that I had spotted on the roadside.
I fixated my eyes on the old woman who was standing in front of me, offering me her freshly picked flowers, in ex-change for the meat and grains of rice that we had given to this part of the Blood Moon's territory, which was far from the main land.
“You don't really have to bring me this, but thank you. They are really lovely.” I told her while bringing the flowers closer to my nose.
The smile on my lips was slowly filled with wondering as the old woman kept her eyes on me.
“I can hear what your heart truly desires,” she said.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Aside from fulfilling your promise to your mate to give him heirs, there is one more thing that you can't get your mind off.”
I grinned nervously. I knew what she was talking about.
“You wish to claim your birth right. You want to be an Alpha yourself.” My hearts was wrapped up by fear after I heard that.
That was my deepest, darkest secret that I was hiding from everyone, especially from Claudius.
“Grandma, you shouldn't be out here.” A girl who I guessed was about Averi's age cut off the old woman.
“Apology for whatever she told you, Luna. My grandmother is suffering from dementia, and she talks nonsense most of the time. I hope you won't mind any of it.”
The girl then guided her grandma away from me, but the old woman kept looking back at me with a smile that I knew I wouldn't forget.
We were already done for the day. I was just waiting for Cielo beside my car when the same woman from earlier approached me again.
“Give me your palm,” she demanded.
“Luna, we don't have much time and I need to tell you something,” the old woman pleaded, and I followed her instruction involuntarily.
She traced the lines in my palm with her eyes closed. And when she opened them, she searched for my eyes.
“You're afraid that you won’t get pregnant, but nothing is wrong with you.”
“Really?”
“A week after the eclipse, the Moon Goddess will bless you with a son.”
My jaw dropped to the floor. Excitement filled my heart.
“Are you sure? How about my mate? Will he succeed in claiming his birth right over ruling the realm?”
“His birth right?” She asked. A smirk formed on her lips.
“Alpha Claudius was born with no such right. The realm is not for him to rule. The realm is for no man to rule.”
I was puzzled by that. The old woman turned her back on me. I was frozen. When I decided to run after her, I could no longer find her anywhere.
“Luna, are you okay?” The newly arrived Cielo asked. I roamed my eyes once more to look for the old woman. When I realized that I couldn't find her, I gazed at Cielo and assured her that I was fine.