"Seraphina, allow me to explain please..." Desmond pleaded as we were sauntering our way to our chamber after he came back from attending the bachelor's party of Count Jacob Urba. "It's not what you think—"
I silenced him by slapping my mate who was also my husband. "You dare to explain when I already caught you?" I asked sweetly.
Desmond's face had gone color seeing how cold I was right now even though I was smiling brightly. I could feel the emotions he felt right now and so was he because we both marked each other. He was feeling lost and frightened by the way I was acting. I knew he could feel how hurt I was right now.
I smirked. "That's right. Shut the hell up."
When I arrived at our chamber, my heart jumped out of my ribcage as I felt Desmond's pair of arms wrapped around me from behind. Then I felt his face buried in my hair.
That made my heart ache. Tears suddenly cascaded down my cheeks, feeling in pain. My wolf and I were both howling in pain.
"Seraphim... I have hurt you... Please... Please forgive me..."
I smiled bitterly. Seraphim... That was my mate's endearment to me because he thought that Seraphina came from Seraphim, a type of celestial being.
While my endearment to him was... Cinnamon. It was because he was the spice of my life. For me, he looked so alluring when I addressed him. He always squirmed and melted every time I would call him with that endearment even though he was known as the ruthless ruler here in the north of the Sowinski Kingdom.
But right now, just remembering those endearments we had for each other, made me feel in pain.
Desmond must have felt what I was feeling because his hug tightened which squeezed my heart.
"Seraphim... Seraphina... Please forgive me... Don't leave me... I cannot afford not to be with you." His voice croaked.
I could feel he was in pain as well. But nothing could be overwhelmed by the fact that catching him sleeping with a... courtesan. It was the result of drinking with them. If I only knew that he would have slept with a courtesan, I shouldn't have allowed him to come to Count Urba's bachelor's party.
"Did you sleep with her because until now, I cannot bear a pup?" I asked in agony.
Now, that I realized. We were married for five years yet I haven't gotten pregnant with our pup. It was a trivial matter for Desmond and he always assured me that we should enjoy ourselves being husband and wife. I agreed to it and felt blessed that he had the same thinking as mine.
However, now that I remember. This must be the result which was why he slept with a slut.
Desmond gasped in horror. "No! No!" He spun me around. His eyes were already red. "It's not... They put in an aphrodisiac incense... I thought that was you... Seraphina, believe me. All I thought about was you..." He knelt before me and hugged my waist. "I beg you... Please don't leave me if you are considering that. I cannot afford to lose you, Seraphina. Please..." he cried.
I stared down at him, not moving an inch. Just looking at my mate right now made my stomach churn. There was pure hatred starting to blossom in my heart. Even my wolf was feeling downcasted when we found out about what happened. It broke our heart...
Could I even trust him again?
Could I?
Could I forgive him?
I snapped back when Desmond was already sobbing while begging at me. His eyes were broken.
"One more chance, seraphim... Please, one more chance, Seraphina. I will prove to you that—"
"Desmond." I cupped his face. "I will not leave." Then I reached for his hair and stroked it. "Didn't I tell you before that I can forgive? That is one of my vows, remember?" He nodded. "I will forgive you only once. However, if this happens again, I will not forgive you anymore. I will divorce our marriage and I will break our mate bond. Do you understand me, cinnamon?" I said in my sweet tone, threatening him.
Desmond gulped and nodded. But his sullen look brightened up as he took my hands and brought them to his lips, worshipping like a goddess.
"Yes, thank you, seraphim!" He stood up and hugged me so tight as he sniffed.
I tried my best to forget what I had seen at that time. I really did my best. But there were times that I didn't want him to come near me because every time I would see his calloused big hands, I could remember the part of how he caressed his hands to another woman who wasn't even me.
Desmond noticed that. He noticed that I was starting to distance myself from him these past few weeks. I couldn't even allow him to kiss me on my lips because I would only remember that he kissed and ran his tongue to that courtesan's body. I did everything not to allow him any physical touch from Desmond.
Even deciding to make love with him... I just couldn't find myself to be aroused by his touch. It was why we ended up sleeping without facing each other. Or more likely, I was the one who was not in the mood to make love with him.
"I can't... I'm sorry..." I said and immediately faced my back to him as I covered my naked body under the sheets.
I heard his sigh. Desmond knew that I was still bothered about the event that happened these past few weeks. He couldn't just say that I must forget it already because there was no way I couldn't.
"C-Can I at least hold you?" There was a pain in his baritone voice. His voice croaked. Gone was the enthusiasm he had whenever we talked before bedtime.
I shivered in disgust at his question. "You should go to sleep. I am already tired," I said coldly.
"Seraphina..."
"I am tired!" I said angrily and turned my head at him. "Can you not see that, Desmond?!"
Desmon's jaw dropped at my sudden outburst. Then his jaw clenched before he averted his gaze from me. "I-I understand. Forgive me if I make you uncomfortable..."
I exhaled sharply and faced my back to him. But somehow I felt guilty about the way I just acted. I just couldn't help bursting out because my wolf and I couldn't move on from what happened.
I couldn't tell my deranged thoughts to Desmond because I felt like... he wouldn't be able to understand my feelings.
From there on, Desmond and I started to distance ourselves from each other. He became quick-tempered. This time, it was the worst. My pack members had to beg at me to halt Desmond from punishing some of them severely.
"Luna, please... Alpha is uncontrollable," one of the wives said as they knelt before me.
One of them cried. "Luna, please... My husband did nothing wrong to be punished in the prison cell. He finished his work as it is supposed to be. But Alpha... Alpha Desmond found him an eyesore. Then he ordered the pack guards to capture him..."
"Luna, please... Please do something. I am afraid Alpha Desmond will kill my mate... Please!"
I pinched the bridge of my nose, sighing before I nodded. "Lead the way," I said so I could calm them down and needed to settle this issue as soon as possible.
I went to the prison cells along with the wives and mates of our men. As I arrived there, I was greeted by the strong scent of rusty, metallic one.
Only to know that it was some fresh blood.
Desmond looked surprised at my presence when I arrived there and saw his hands were tainted with crimson red blood. I heard gasps coming from the women behind me.
"What on the Moon Goddess' name are you doing to your pack members, Desmond?" I asked earnestly.
His expression softened for a moment before it changed into a stoic one. "Educating them."
My eyebrows attached together. "Educating what exactly? Can you not see these women behind me were worried about their mates?"
Desmond glanced behind me. His face darkened as I felt the fear emitting from these women behind me.
"Halt!" I raised my voice causing him to snap back to look at me. I narrowed my eyes at him and immediately stepped forward to look at him, challenging him by staring at him before I grabbed his collar. "Do it again," I threatened my husband. "Do it again, Desmond. I dare you."
He squinted his amber eyes at me. I could tell that he was annoyed at me based on the emotions I felt when we marked each other. And I knew too well that Desmond knows me, too. I wouldn't back down so easily if I knew that he was being an irrational Alpha again.
He exhaled sharply. "Release them," he ordered coldly while looking straight into my ocean blue eyes.
I released his collar and immediately gestured to my head. "Leave now," I told him.
He growled softly. "Seraphina, do not tell me what to do..."
"I tell you what to do when I want to. Before more bloodshed happens, get out of this prison cell. Now." I pointed the way out.
Desmond opened his mouth to retort back at me but he halted and turned his back at me. I was glaring at his back before I glared back at the pack guards who were here. They straightened their backs when I eyed them.
"Do inform me if Desmond is being a lunatic bastard again. Do you all understand me?" I asked firmly.
As the pack members of this pack, they should have known better who they must fear. Not the Alpha of the Rising Diamond pack.
It was Luna of the Rising Diamond pack who was frightening enough when she got mad. Even Desmond knew how to curl up like a kitten whenever I stepped forward to assess the situation if my husband was being a lunatic again.
It was why my pack members had huge respect for me as their Luna because I could tame their Alpha even though I was a rogue before Desmond and I met.
They bowed their heads. "Yes, Luna. As you command," they said in unison.
I nodded and turned to the opened prison cell seeing the wives attend to their husbands. I softened and sighed, approaching them. "I already summoned Anderson to come here." I was talking about our pack doctor. "Rest assured. With the antidote he will bring here, they only need bed rest after that," I said softly.
The wives sniffed and nodded. "Thank you, Luna."
Before I left the prison cell, I waited for the arrival of Anderson to be certain that they would be granted enough antidote for wolfsbane.
"Is he there outside?" I asked Anderson after bidding farewell to them.
Anderson looked hesitant to answer. But then, he nodded his head. "Yes, Luna," he replied. "He was speaking with Beta Harvey and Beta Oakley before I came here."
"I see. I shall take my leave then."
"Yes, Luna." Anderson bowed his head before me.
I already expected that Desmond wouldn't just leave like that. He would wait for me until I came out.
He really even asked his two Betas to come there just so he could wait for me. Yes, Desmond has two Betas.
When Alpha King Azarius was impressed with the contribution of Desmond back with the rogue war ten years ago, His Majesty granted him a noble title and an estate where he could build his own pack.
Because of the rogue war, we happened to meet at that time when I was held captive by the rogue leader there. He helped and saved me. That was the time we started to realize we were each other's mates. And I was the only one who could tame Desmond whenever he was being furious and being a ruthless one.
Our mate bond went through ups and downs before we finally had married each other and I became the Luna of the Rising Diamond pack.
That time, Desmond decided to have two Betas and three Gammas who would help him handle the pack affairs as well.
Sighing, when I came out from the prison cell, I spotted them. Desmond immediately turned his head in my direction. The two Betas bowed their heads at me which I only nodded, acknowledging them.
Even though I was feeling hostile because of what happened weeks ago, I couldn't deny the fact that Desmond was the only one who could make my heart skip a beat. But I immediately averted my gaze when the image of him sleeping with that courtesan replayed in my mind.
I suddenly wanted to cry while my wolf was consoling me because of that.
"Seraphina..."
I bit my lower lip when I felt him following me from behind. "Not now, Desmond." I couldn't help my voice croaking which immediately cleared my throat. "We are going to talk about your action today," I said, not turning my head at him.
I didn't hear anything from him. I only heard his sigh.
I could already tell that our conversation later would end up a disaster. I just hope not.
Hi, dear reader! My another book, The Rogue Alpha Reverses the Time is joining a book contest here on Goodnovel. Please support that book as well! Help me to win The Reborn Luna writing contest. 🥺 Thank you! And don't forget to give this book a Gem! Love lots, Mystique Luna.✨
"Now, explain," I urged him as we went to his study room and sat in his valuable chair where he usually sat.Desmond creased his forehead. "Seraphim, do we really have to argue about this? This is just a trivial matter." He shrugged and looked away to get a book on the bookshelves.That made my blood boil. "Trivial matter?" I slammed the desk, not making him flinch at it. "What an absurd statement! How can you return to your old self?! What on earth is happening to you?!"Desmond approached me and was about to hold my face but I immediately distanced myself from him and shivered in disgust upon remembering what happened weeks ago. That way, I saw the pain registered in his eyes as he lowered his hand.He sighed. "You are avoiding me whenever I would dare to even touch or hold you," he pointed out.I averted my gaze, feeling guilty at that point. I tried my best not to avoid it but my body quickly made me move away from him.I already guessed it was my wolf's will. Until now, she could
He knew...Desmond knew that I was getting irritated at Hazel's presence ever since the day I arrived here in his pack. I was very unhappy when I saw her getting to stick with him even though from the time Desmond and I met, I hadn't accepted him as my mate."What business did she have to do here, cinnamon?" I asked when I poured him some tea in his cup. Even though I knew that she presented herself as proper etiquette, I still wanted to know what she did. I wanted it to come from Desmond.After I bestowed him his tea, Desmond guided my waist to have me sit on his lap before he wrapped his arms around my waist causing my heart to race rapidly. Especially when I came to smell his alluring scent of the combination of citrus, orange, and cedarwood.He smelled exotic to me. And I found it attractive.He planted a soft kiss on my shoulder before he answered, "She greeted me and told me that she would stay at Harvey's manor for two weeks. She said that she is looking forward to seeing me?"
Today was the cotton harvest season here in the Rising Diamond pack.It was a fruitful year again because we got to harvest more cotton this year. Cotton was one of the main agricultural products of the Sowinski Kingdom. We sold and distributed them to the cotton fabric manufacturers here from our local area. Sometimes, we were exporting them to the three different kingdoms called Estasia Eglaria Kingdom, Yuanzhong Kingdom, and Waevalon Kingdom.I giggled as soon as I saw Desmond joining with the fellow men. He had a huge frown on his face seeing that he really didn't like harvesting cotton because it annoyed him when some of the strands of the cotton stuck to his clothes.'It seems you are enjoying harvesting, cinnamon,' I mind linked him while chuckling.Desmond looked for me in the crowds and spotted me. He playfully rolled his eyes. 'I cannot believe I have to do this every year just to impress our pack members,' he mind linked back.'Come. I'll wipe your forehead, cinnamon.' I wa
"Seraphim, are you alright?"I snapped back. "Huh?" I blinked and looked at Desmond who was tilting his head, looking at me. "Are you saying something?"He creased his forehead before he sighed. "I am asking you if the food is to your liking. You haven't touched it. Isn't appetizing for you? Shall we change to a different restaurant?" he asked. There was a concerned expression on his face.I shook my head as I looked down at my food. He was right. I haven't touched it. "I don't have an appetite right now, cinnamon." I forced a smile as I sighed."Is there... something wrong?" Desmond asked, hesitant as he took my hand.I glanced down at his hand. I secretly gnashed my teeth. I almost smiled bitterly before I put up my real smile. "No, cinnamon. We have been eating a lot for the past two days so I think I am still full. You know what I mean..."We had arrived at the capital two days ago to attend the meeting with Alpha King Azarius. Since we arrived there, the palace never failed to pr
"Seraphina, grab me some electric blue taffeta, will you?" I nodded my head as I went to the shelves for fabrics where they were arranged by fabric type and by color. Then I took the electric blue taffeta and bestowed the fabric to Nicia who was busy hand sewing a new cicada gown ordered by Lady Helga. I returned to my seat to finish the bonnet matching the ball gown for Lady Helga. Nicia and I were the ones handling this while my other fellow seamstresses were busy dealing with the new customers from the noble ladies. I took the needle and black laces to sew it to the brim of the blue hat. "Are you going to stay late again, Nicia?" I asked when I continued sewing. Nicia glanced at me. "Probably. It is not as if we have a choice. We didn't even have a break for work, Seraphina." She grinned. I chuckled, huffing. "You are right." But I sighed one more time. "I do not know what to explain again to Sander if I come home late and he is waiting for me again." "If only Madam Ibanez wa
I woke up the next morning having Sander, not in my arms. I panicked and got up from the single bed where we both slept."Sander?" I went to the dining room to see brown-colored bread, made from barley flour with rye, on the table. Then I heard a hissing sound coming from a pan and saw Sander's small back and messy golden hair locks inherited from mine. "Sander..." I called when I found out that he was cooking.My son named Sander stiffened before he turned around and smiled. "Good morning, Mama!" He instantly hugged me.I hugged him so tight and carried him in my arms. "You're cooking for Mama again, little man." I checked what he was cooking and saw that he was cooking some salmon. Upon finding it out, I couldn't help kissing his forehead as I felt a little bad that he was doing this for me. I must be the one who must do this to him but it turned out to be otherwise."I woke up early, Mama, to catch a salmon in the river for our morning meal!" He beamed.I lifted him down and knelt
"There are so many food stalls here, Mama! I can't pick one!" Sander beamed as we came to walk to the seaside and saw some food stalls.I chuckled and held his hand tightly. "How about we go to a nearby restaurant? I am very sure you haven't experienced coming there, have you?"His eyes widened in awe. "Restaurant?" I nodded, caressing his hair. "I would love to!"I fixated on his bowtie and his hat. "There." I cupped his cherub face. "My baby pup grows up so fast. I can't accept it yet," I said, feeling emotional as I gave him some kisses which Sander giggled at."Mama, I want to grow up so I can protect you. I will look for work and I will earn so hard that Mama won't work anymore."That made me teary-eyed. "What did I do to deserve you?" I kissed his forehead. He was such an adorable child. I really don't deserve this pup..."Because I love my Mama. My playmates teased me that you don't love me anymore because Mama is not staying with me for the whole day. But I told them you are w
I was bothered by Sander's words as soon as we headed back home. Even though days had already passed, I could still feel chills down my spine. I didn't get a chance to ask him about it and what the man really looked like.But if what Sander proclaimed that the man looked like my son, could it be... him? He was here?That was impossible for sure. This rural town was far away from where I lived before. It was impossible that he would be able to find me since I never used my maiden surname or his surname.I only used my own name since as a peasant, they don't have any surname. I knew that I was safe because having a name, Seraphina, was a very common name here in the Sowinski Kingdom.But... if Desmond managed to find me, then I must do what it took to hide my son away from him. There was no way that he had a chance to see our son.Never.After he hurt me... After he made me a fool from our marriage...Did he really think that he deserved to know about our son?Absconding from his pack..