Pregnant and Banished by Alpha

Two weeks passed in a blur of humiliation and aching silence. The pregnancy test remained hidden in my pocket, its edges softened from my constant touching, like a talisman I couldn't bear to part with. Each morning, I felt the tiny life inside me, a secret rebellion against the growing coldness of the pack house.

I stood at the window of my new quarters in the East Wing, watching rain streak down the glass. The guest room felt more like a prison cell than a home—bare walls, a narrow bed, and a window that faced away from the forest view I'd once loved.

"Diana." Wilder's voice cut through the silence as he appeared in the doorway. He didn't bother knocking anymore. "There's been a complaint."

I turned slowly, one hand instinctively moving to my stomach. "What now?"

"Kaylee says the staff creates too much noise near the Alpha house." His golden eyes were flat, emotionless. "It's disturbing her wolf."

Of course it was. Everything disturbed Kaylee's supposedly fragile wolf these days.

"So?" I asked, though I already knew what was coming.

"So I'm reassigning the household staff to the outer perimeter." He straightened his shoulders, the Alpha authority radiating from him like a physical force. "You'll be taking over their duties."

The words hit me like a slap. "I'm still Luna," I reminded him, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You're a chosen mate," he corrected coldly. "And the pack needs to see an example of humility."

Humility. The word tasted bitter on my tongue.

An hour later, I found myself on my hands and knees in the meeting hall, scrubbing at the stone floors with a coarse brush. The soap burned my skin, and the scent of bleach made my stomach churn—a dangerous sensation for someone in my condition.

"Look at her," a female voice whispered from the doorway. "The great Diana Graham, on her knees where she belongs."

I didn't look up. I didn't need to know who it was. The pack's whispers followed me everywhere now, a constant reminder of how far I'd fallen.

"The Alpha says she's been lying about being Luna material," another voice added. "Says she's too weak to carry an Alpha's pup."

My hand froze mid-scrub. They knew. Or at least, they suspected.

I forced myself to continue, ignoring the stabbing pain in my lower back. The pup was all I had left now—my secret strength, my reason to endure.

---

"The pack run will commence in ten minutes," Wilder announced that evening, his voice echoing through the pack house. "Everyone will attend."

I stood in the doorway of the kitchen, where I'd been preparing dinner—another task that had once belonged to someone else.

"Wilder," I said quietly, "perhaps I should stay behind tonight."

His eyes narrowed. "Is this another attempt to gain special treatment?"

"No, I just—"

"Enough." His Alpha Tone vibrated through the air. "Your constant sulking is becoming a disruption. You will join the run and prove you're still part of this pack."

Outside, the sky had darkened to an ominous gray. Thunder rumbled in the distance as the first heavy drops of rain began to fall.

We gathered at the edge of the forest, pack members shifting restlessly as the rain intensified. I stood apart, my body feeling heavier than usual, the secret weight of my pregnancy making each movement more difficult.

Wilder shifted first, his magnificent golden wolf form emerging in a fluid motion that still took my breath away despite everything. The others followed suit, until only I remained in human form, watching them disappear into the trees.

I shifted slowly, painfully, my wolf form feeling awkward and unbalanced. Something was wrong—I could feel it in the way my body moved, in the strange weakness that seemed to radiate from my core.

The rain fell harder as I followed the pack into the forest, already lagging behind. The mud sucked at my paws, making each step an effort. Above, thunder crashed like the Moon Goddess's anger made manifest.

I was so focused on keeping my footing that I didn't notice Wilder circling back until he was directly in front of me, his golden eyes gleaming with suspicion.

"You're deliberately holding back," he growled, his mind-link cutting into my thoughts. "Stop this pathetic display."

"I'm not—" I tried to respond, but a sudden, sharp pain cut through my abdomen.

I stumbled, nearly falling. Another pain, stronger this time.

"Wilder," I gasped, my wolf form trembling. "Something's wrong."

He circled me slowly, his hackles raised. "Get up," he commanded, his Alpha Tone forcing my body to respond despite the agony spreading through me.

As I struggled to my feet, I felt it—a warm wetness between my legs, the metallic scent of blood mixing with the rain and mud.

"No," I whispered, watching crimson stain the ground beneath me. "Please, no."

Wilder's nostrils flared as he caught the scent. For a moment, something like horror flashed across his face.

"Diana..." he began, taking a step toward me.

Then his head snapped up, his eyes going distant as Kaylee's mind-link pulled him away.

"Wilder!" I cried out desperately, but he was already turning, already running back toward the pack house where Kaylee waited.

I collapsed onto the muddy ground, alone in the storm, as my body betrayed me and my world went dark.