HIS APOLOGIES CAME TOO LATE

CHAPTER 7

The next morning, I woke before dawn with my stomach churning with nausea. I barely made it to the bathroom before emptying the contents of my stomach. This was the third morning in a row, and I knew my pregnancy was becoming harder to hide. Elena's potion had masked my scent changes so far, but the physical symptoms were another matter entirely.

I rinsed my mouth and splashed cold water on my face just as Dominic appeared in the doorway.

"Are you sick?" he asked, his brow furrowed with what might have passed for concern if I didn't know better.

"Just something I ate," I lied, avoiding his gaze in the mirror.

He stepped closer, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Maybe you should see Elena today."

I tensed under his touch. "I'm fine. I have too much to do today."

"What could be more important than your health?" he asked, his voice dropping to that tender tone he used when playing the role of caring husband.

"Pack business," I replied vaguely. "The winter festival preparations won't organize themselves."

His hand dropped from my shoulder. "Selena offered to help with that. She has excellent taste in these matters."

Of course she did. "How thoughtful of her," I said, forcing a smile. "But as Luna, it's my responsibility."

Before he could argue, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression shifting subtly. "I need to handle this. We'll talk later."

The moment he left, I pulled out my phone and texted Mira: Meeting today?

Her response came moments later: Noon. The old hunting cabin. Come alone.

I dressed quickly, choosing loose clothes that wouldn't reveal the slight swell of my stomach. As I made my way downstairs, I heard voices from the kitchen—Dominic and Selena, laughing intimately over breakfast.

"I'll be out for a few hours," I announced from the doorway. "Pack errands."

Dominic barely looked up. "Take a guard with you."

"That won't be necessary," I said firmly. "I'm just going into town."

"It wasn't a suggestion, Luna," he replied, his Alpha voice slipping into the command. "Mason will accompany you."

Mason was Dominic's most loyal guard and his childhood friend. Having him shadow me would ruin everything.

"Fine," I conceded. "I'll find him on my way out."

As I turned to leave, Selena called out, "Oh, Reina? Could you pick up some jasmine tea while you're out? I seem to have run out."

The audacity of her request made my wolf snarl. "Of course," I said sweetly. "Anything else you need in my house?"

Her smile faltered just slightly. "That will be all. Thank you."

I found Mason waiting by my car, his broad shoulders and imposing height making him an intimidating figure. "Good morning, Luna," he greeted me with a respectful nod.

"Morning, Mason," I replied, getting into the driver's seat. "We're just making a few stops in town."

He slid into the passenger seat without comment, his dark eyes watchful as I started the car.

My mind raced as we drove. How could I lose him before meeting Mira? The hunting cabin was deep in the territory's western woods, in the opposite direction from town.

We reached the marketplace, and I began my charade of normal errands—picking up fresh bread, stopping at the bookstore, collecting Selena's precious tea. All the while, Mason shadowed me silently, reporting our movements to Dominic via brief text messages that he thought I didn't notice.

It was nearly eleven when disaster struck. As we walked past the pack clinic, Elena emerged, her eyes widening at the sight of me.

"Luna Reina!" she called out. "I was hoping to see you today. Your test results came back."

My blood ran cold. "Test results?"

Elena's confusion was evident. "Yes, from your appointment last week. About your—" She glanced at Mason and lowered her voice. "Your condition."

Mason's attention sharpened immediately. I could almost see his ears perk up at the whispered exchange.

"Right," I said quickly. "My... headaches. Can we discuss this inside?"

Once in the privacy of her office, I rounded on Elena. "What are you thinking? I never came in for any tests!"

Elena's face paled. "I'm sorry, Luna. Alpha Dominic came by this morning asking about your health. He mentioned you'd been sick, and I thought—"

"He sent you to trap me," I realized, my heart pounding. "He suspects something."

"I didn't tell him anything," Elena assured me hastily. "But Luna, you need to be careful. The potion masking your pregnancy won't work forever, especially as you enter your second month."

I ran a hand through my hair, calculating rapidly. "I need you to create a diversion. Something that will keep Mason occupied for at least two hours."

Elena hesitated. "What kind of diversion?"

"A pack emergency. Something that requires strength but isn't life-threatening."

She thought for a moment, then nodded. "I can do that."

I left the clinic with a fake prescription bottle filled with vitamins, telling Mason they were for my "headaches." We continued our errands until Elena's plan unfolded perfectly. A young warrior rushed up to Mason, panic in his eyes.

"Mason! Thank the Moon Goddess I found you. There's been an accident at the training grounds. Three warriors are trapped under collapsed equipment. We need your strength!"

Mason looked torn, glancing between me and the messenger.

"Go," I urged. "I'll head straight home. I'm done with my errands anyway."

After a moment's hesitation, he nodded and followed the warrior, leaving me alone.

I drove quickly to the hunting cabin, arriving just as Mira pulled up with another vehicle behind her. A tall, broad-shouldered man stepped out, Beta Liam from the Northern Crescent pack.

"Luna Reina," he greeted me with a formal bow. "Your mother sends her regards."

Tears pricked my eyes at the mention of her. "Is she well?"

"Very," he assured me.

We entered the cabin, and Mira quickly secured the perimeter while Liam laid out maps on the table.

"We've gathered significant support," he explained. "Four neighboring packs are ready to stand with you when you challenge Dominic's leadership. But we must move carefully. Selena's presence complicates things."

"She's planning something," I said, showing them the photos I'd taken of the wolfsbane and weapons. "I think it's more than just Dominic's obsession with her. They may be planning to overthrow neighboring packs."

Liam's expression darkened. "This confirms our suspicions. Our scouts have reported unusual movements along your borders. Rogues gathering, but not attacking."

"They're building an army," Mira concluded grimly.

I placed a protective hand over my stomach. "We need to move faster. Once my pregnancy becomes obvious—"

A sudden howl cut through the air—the pack's alarm signal. All three of us froze.

"That's from the eastern border," Mira said, moving to the window. In the distance, smoke billowed into the sky.

My phone exploded with notifications. Messages from pack members, all saying the same thing: Attack on the eastern border. All warriors report immediately.

Then a text from Dominic: Where are you? Return to the pack house now.

Liam's phone buzzed as well. "It's my Alpha–Alpha Mark," he said grimly. "The Northern Crescent border patrol found three of our warriors dead. Throats slashed."

"This is no coincidence," I said.

My phone rang, Mason calling. I answered cautiously.

"Luna," his voice was tight with anger. "There was no accident at the training grounds. I've been searching for you for over half an hour "

Before I could respond, the cabin door burst open. Three masked warriors rushed in, their eyes glowing with bloodlust.

"Run!" Mira shouted, shifting instantly into her wolf form.

I turned to flee but my path was blocked by a fourth attacker. As I backed away, my foot caught on the edge of the rug. I fell backward, my head striking the corner of the table with a sickening crack.

The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was Liam charging toward my attacker and Mira's wolf leaping through the air, jaws open and ready to kill.

My final conscious thought was of my unborn child, and a prayer to the Moon Goddess to protect the innocent life growing within me.