Chapter 65: Chapter 65 ;Oh!No! I shouldn’t have said that.

Emily’s POV 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Why was he staring at me like that? Shouldn’t he be happy about this pregnancy?

"Emily, you should worry about yourself now," Aiden said quietly. "Just you and the baby. No more stressing yourself."

"Aiden... are you happy about this pregnancy?" I asked, searching his face.

"Why wouldn’t I be?" He offered a small smile. "I’m happy. The pack is going to have another baby. It’s joyful news."

A smile broke across my face despite the unease twisting in my chest. "Good." I turned toward the door. "I’ll leave you now. I know you need your alone time."

The moment I stepped out and closed the door behind me, the smile slid off my lips like it had never existed. My shoulders slumped as I walked down the hallway to Alina’s room. I didn’t bother knocking—just pushed the door open.

Alina stood there, completely naked, reaching for a towel.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Emily?" she snapped, quickly wrapping the cloth around herself. "Can’t you use your common sense and knock at least?"

"Why are you naked?" I shot back, irritation flaring hot in my veins. "Don’t tell me you were waiting for Aiden to come see you like this."

"I am not like you," she said coldly. "I have decency."

I scoffed and stepped closer, ignoring the way her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"Nothing. I just came to tell you that I’m pregnant."

Alina’s face stayed blank, not a flicker of emotion. It pissed me off even more.

"Congratulations," she said flatly. "Now leave."

"Just congratulations, Alina?"

"What else am I supposed to say?" She crossed her arms, irritation sharpening her voice.

I smiled, slow and deliberate. "Do you know what this means? It means I’ll have the upper hand here. I’m the pack’s Luna. Introducing the world to my son will make your child irrelevant."

Before I could twist the knife deeper, my gaze caught on her neck. My eyes widened.

"What is that on your neck?"

"None of your business," she hissed. "Don’t fucking ask."

My pulse spiked. "Is that... who the hell marked you?"

"Who else would mark me, Emily?" A smirk curled her lips. "Don’t worry, it isn’t your so-called husband."

"Lucian marked you," I breathed, shock freezing me in place. "This can’t be possible."

"Why can’t it be?" She tilted her head, the smirk deepening. "I am his mate, after all. It’s only right I get to have his mark."

"He marked you, right?" I said, letting the words hang between us with a sharp smile. "But what will happen when the child in my stomach belongs to him?"

Alina’s smirk vanished instantly, just as I’d hoped.

"What are you saying?" she asked, confusion twisting her features.

"You know, Alina, I’ve been a greedy bitch all my life. I want one thing, then another, then another..."

"That doesn’t fucking answer my question," she snapped, stepping closer. "What do you mean?"

I held her gaze, savoring the moment. "I got pregnant months ago—before you and Aiden finalized your divorce. But during that time, I wasn’t sleeping with him. I was fucking Lucian. That means the child in my stomach belongs to him."

Her eyes widened, shock and fear flashing across her face as she stumbled back a step.

"That’s not possible, Emily."

"Why can’t it be possible?" I shot back, irritation rising. "Your child’s father is Aiden and you aren’t even married to him anymore. So why can’t it be possible for me?"

"It’s not the fucking same thing and you know that," she growled, her voice laced with fury.

"Why are you getting so aggressive?" I tilted my head, a slow smile curving my lips. "Is it that shocking to know your precious Lucian will be a father soon? Don’t worry—the world will see this child as Aiden’s. But Lucian will know it’s his son... and that will bring him right back to me."

A jagged, bitter laugh escaped her throat.

"You know, I never thought you were this stupid, Emily." Her eyes gleamed with sudden triumph. "Now you’ve told me the child isn’t Aiden’s but Lucian’s. This is my perfect opportunity to finally get you kicked out. What do you think Aiden will say when he finds out his Luna is carrying another man’s child?" She leaned in, voice dripping with amusement. "He’ll be furious. He’ll be angry. And he’ll publicly exile you in front of the entire pack."

"You won’t do that," I said, my stomach tightening.

"I sure will, Emily. You just solved all my problems."

"Aiden will never believe you," I countered, forcing confidence into my tone.

"Are you sure about that?"

"You know what? Fuck you." I spun on my heel and stormed out of her room, slamming the door behind me.

My heart pounded as I leaned against the wall in the hallway, breath coming fast. She won’t tell Aiden... would she? This was so fucked. What the hell was I thinking? Why did I blurt all of that out?

I pressed a hand to my stomach, mind racing. I wouldn’t let her tell him. And if she did, I’d make damn sure he didn’t believe a single word.

I stormed down the hallway, my pulse thundering in my ears. The walls felt like they were closing in, each step heavier than the last. What the hell was I thinking? The words I’d thrown at Alina replayed in my head like a curse I couldn’t take back. My hand instinctively pressed against my still-flat stomach, as if I could shield the secret growing inside.

I slipped into my bedroom and shut the door quietly, leaning my forehead against the cool wood. My breath came in short, shaky bursts. Alina’s amused laugh echoed in my mind—sharp, victorious. She had me cornered, and I’d handed her the knife myself. After about a hour.

A soft knock made me flinch.

"Emily?" Aiden’s voice filtered through the door, low and steady.

I wiped my face quickly, forcing my expression into something calm before opening the door. He stood there, eyes scanning me with that same unreadable intensity from earlier.

"Are you alright?" he asked, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. His gaze dropped to where my hand still rested on my belly. "You look pale."

"I’m fine," I lied, offering a small smile that didn’t reach my eyes. "Just... pregnancy things. Hormones, you know."

He nodded slowly but didn’t leave. Instead, he crossed to the window, staring out at the pack grounds bathed in moonlight. The silence stretched between us, thick and uncomfortable.

I watched the line of his shoulders, the way his jaw tightened. Does he suspect anything? The thought sent a fresh wave of panic through me. If Alina went to him now—

"Emily." Aiden turned, his voice quieter. "If there’s something you need to tell me... about the baby, about us... say it now."

My throat tightened. I opened my mouth, but the confession stuck like glue. Instead, I crossed the room and slipped my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek to his chest. His heartbeat was strong and steady under my ear.

"I just want this baby to bring us closer," I whispered, the half-truth burning on my tongue. "That’s all."

He hesitated, then his hand came up to rest on my back. But it felt distant. Guarded.

Before I could say more, footsteps echoed in the hall outside—quick, purposeful. My stomach dropped as Alina’s voice carried faintly from the direction of the living room.

"Aiden? We need to talk. Now."

I pulled back from him, my nails digging into my palms. She wouldn’t. Not this soon.

"Hmm, you can say what you want right here," I cut in, my voice carrying a faint tremor of worry as I stepped fully into the room beside Aiden. Alina’s gaze snapped to mine, and a slow smirk curved her lips. She can’t say it. Not in front of him. I’m fucked if she does.

"Alright then," she said smoothly, crossing her arms. "I’ll say it right here. Now that Emily is pregnant, isn’t it best if I take Leo out of here? You need to focus on taking care of her more. She’ll be giving you a son soon... so you won’t need me around anymore."

A wave of relief crashed through me, so sharp it nearly made my knees weak. I exhaled softly, the tight knot in my chest loosening.

Aiden’s expression hardened. "No. What makes you think I would ever agree to that?" His voice was low, edged with steel. "Leo is my son. My heir. No one is ever taking that position from him."

I shot him a quick glare, but he didn’t even glance my way.

"You stay here," he added firmly, leaving no room for argument. "And that’s final."

Alina’s smirk faltered for a split second, her eyes narrowing as she looked between us. I kept my face neutral, but inside, my mind spun wildly. She had chosen a safer weapon this time—testing the waters instead of dropping the bomb. But the threat still lingered in the air like smoke, ready to choke me the moment her patience ran out.

I placed a hand on Aiden’s arm, forcing a soft, grateful smile. "Thank you," I murmured, though the words tasted bitter. For now, I’d survived. But I knew Alina wasn’t done. Not by a long shot.