Chapter Four

Silence meets my declaration, and my announcement seems to echo off the walls. I'm pregnant with your child! – I can't believe I blurted it out the way I did.

I take some fierce gratification from seeing the shock on Nalani's face, her smug smirk nowhere in evidence now. My joy is short-lived, however. At first, I read surprise in Evander's gaze, then – dare I think it? – happiness. But that flash of brightness in his eyes is gone before it can take root, quickly replaced by cold, hard regard.

"You are all dismissed," Evander says to the servants, his gaze never leaving mine.

The household helps scurries to get as far away from what is about to happen as possible. The tension in the air is electric, like the eye of a storm, and I fear I'm the one who's about to be struck by lightning.

"Wait, you," Evander says, pointing to the tattletale. "Get me my Beta. Tell Ralfi I want him here now."

"Yes, sir," the servant replies, bowing his way out the door.

Evander waits until the hallway is empty, until the last retreating footstep can no longer be heard.

"Now," he says, turning his full attention on me. "Pregnant? Really? That's how you want to play this, Aurora?"

"Play?" I repeat, confused by the question. "I'm not playing at anything. When I woke up in the hospital, Dr. Oliver told me the good news." I look at him pleadingly, trying my best to smile. "And it is good news. Evander, you're going to be a father."

His lips draw down into a deep frown. "How can you look me in the face and say that? We've tired, and failed, innumerable times to mind link. My wolf can’t sense your wolf’s presence, which means you have no wolf."

The disgust on his face makes me physically ill. "This is desperate, even for you. Your lying never ends. I had no idea you could sink so low."

"What? No! Why would I lie about this?" I take a step toward him, needing him to understand. "Ask Dr. Oliver. I'm sure he'll be happy to show you the test results."

Evander and Nalani share a look, and I do not like the expressions on their faces at all. They know something I don't. This is bad.

"More lies. Reports can be faked. I think you know that better than most, don't you?" He lifts his chin, glaring down his proud nose at me. "Our entire marriage is a lie, isn’t it?”

Terror shakes me to my very core. "I have no idea what you're talking about," I say. 

"All your words of love and devotion are just as false as everything else you've told me, aren't they?" If I didn't know better, I'd say Evander looked hurt, and even worse, deeply disappointed.  

"I know you weren't born wolfless. You're cursed."

He snarls at me and I flinch away from his sudden fury. "How dare you risk the safety of this pack – my pack – with your never-ending lies? Your curse could have spread, it could have brought misfortune down upon all our heads!"

"What?" I can't keep the shock off my face. "No, Evander, I have no idea what you're talking about." Confusion has me staggered, stuttering. "Please, listen to me. I would never endanger the pack."

"Enough!" he bellows and I can only cower. "Nalani took me to see an elder who understands witchcraft. There are traces of an ancient curse on your belongings. You never told me anything about this before we mated. Even now, as I stand here with proof, you deny it.

“Deceiving the Alpha and endangering the pack violates our cardinal rules. As you well know, the punishment is exile. You will hereby be imprisoned until the rejection ritual is complete.” 

He looks me in the eyes, and I don't see the man I love in his gaze anymore. The look he gives me is as cold as any howling, winter night, and his brow is etched with disappointment. 

“After you formally hand over the title of Luna to Nalani, you will be expelled from the pack. Don't make the mistake of ever coming back, Aurora. Nobody wants you here."

"Evander, if you would just listen–"

"Enough, traitor!" Nalani screeches just as Ralfi enters. "No one wants to hear any more of your lies!”

"Ralfi," Evander says, ignoring Nalani's outburst. "Take Aurora to the guest bedroom. Make sure the door is locked. She is to remain there until the ceremony." He spares me a single, punishing glare. "If she resists, feel free to employ any means necessary to get her secured."

Employ any means necessary. Evander's words. That is the type of command he gives when sentencing a criminal. That is the kind of command he gives when speaking of the damned. That one phrase and I know without any doubt that he doesn't care if I'm hurt, only that I'm imprisoned.

In his eyes, I am no longer his mate or his wife. In his eyes, I'm a villain. A liar who endangered the pack and deceived him for years. The pain is so immense, so staggering, I'd rip my own heart out if I could – anything to make it stop.

"Evander, please," I try again, because I must. He’s got it all wrong and my child’s life is at stake. "There is no curse. You have to believe me. Don’t you think you would have noticed before now if it was real?”

My voice trails off and I deflate as Evander exits the hallway, clearly refusing to acknowledge me any longer.

"The child I'm carrying is real and it's ours!" I scream after him. But I might as well be yelling at a stone for all the effect it has.

"Come on, Aurora," Ralfi says, gently, but firmly, gripping my arm. "Let's get you to the guest room."

I spare the hallway one last glance before I go. Evander is long gone, but to my surprise, Nalani remains. She leans against the hallway wall, a sadistic little smile playing on her lips. When she catches my eye, her grin widens and she lifts her hand to show me the crown – my crown – now in her possession.

The crown glimmer in the hallway light, and she gives it a twirl on her index finger. She gives me a wink, sarcastic and cruel, then spins on her stiletto heel to follow Evander out of the hallway.

My heart shatters. A wisp of a whimper escapes my throat as I am led away by Evander's Beta.