Thirty minutes later, Nina was sat in the field of lilies, her hands folded across her chest, her pinky finger in between her teeth.

After the moment, she realized she indeed needed some fresh air.

A guard stood by her side, holding an umbrella above her head.

Moreen stood on the other side, pouring tea into the tea cup.

Nina stared into the bed of flowers.

This was not supposed to be happening.

She was Annalise! The strongest witch to ever live. How was she reacting to a man?

Nina cursed under her breath.

Was she ovulating?

Was that it?

She shut her eyes as the memory of him lifting her off the ground and placing her on the table came back to her.

She dragged a ragged breath, as she tried to steady herself.

Get it together.

She was just caught off guard that’s all. That’s all there is to it. She nodded, picked the cup of tea downing it in one go.

Feelings ruined things. It made people weak.

She couldn’t afford to be weak.

There was a reason she cursed them in the first place, and until she found that out, they were her worst enemy.

She shut her eyes, pushing the damning thoughts down and focused her thoughts on the cool breeze.

Just then, a guard walked up and bowed.

’’Luna,’’ Nina’s eyes opened. ’’The Matriarch requests your presence.’’

Nina was quiet for a second, and then she nodded.

’’Let’s go in. ’’ she said, standing up, she turned into the house.

The Matriarch’s dressing room was nothing like Nina pictures.

It was large, an entire room of its own.

Nina stood by the door for a few seconds as her eyes went over the rows and rows of dresses and shoes arranged in fine order. Servants were moving up and down still putting things in place.

The Matriarch was speaking with Lady Gina when she saw her.

’’Child.’’ The Matriarch smiled and held out her hand warmly. ’’Come. How are you feeling now.’’

’’Much better,’’ Nina said walking into the room, to where she stood ’’Thank you.’’

’’Yes, you look better.’’ She studied her face briefly, her smile bright.

’’I always knew there was something different about you.’’

Nina stood awkwardly as the Matriarch accessed her from head to toe.

She glanced at the servants and waved at them, and they quickly left, shutting the doors close.

’’Come, ’’ the Matriarch said, walking to a long couch in the center of the room and sat down, she tapped her side, and Nina walked to it sitting down awkwardly.

The matriarch’s gaze was still on her.

Nina shifted, pushing the strands of her hair behind her ears.

’’We didn’t conduct the fetility procedures because of... the circumstances of the case,’’

Nina’s eyes turned to her in shock, her mouth falling open.

The Matriarch tilted her head, her eyes on her stomach; ’’You don’t look like you’ll have any issues having a child.’’

Nina gulped hard, but the clog in her throat didn’t move.

She glanced at Lady Gina who was standing by the Matrirach’s side and the woman’s expression was fixed into an unreadable gaze.

’’Do you have issues with your monthly visitor?’’

Nina felt heat creep up her cheeks. She shook her head.

’’No, I don’t,’’

The Matriarch smiled. ’’Very good, we won’t have troubles in that area, although we need to look into how to get you to carry a child in the first place...’’

Nina coughed, a servant quickly brought her a glass of water.

’’But first, tomorrow is your Luna coronation,’’ the Matriarch continued, turning toward the racks. ’’The whole pack will be present. Every eye will be on you.’’ She glanced back. ’’You must look perfect.’’

The martriarch clapped once and the servants began to roll racks in. Different dresses hung in the racks. The other servants walked in with shoes and Jewelry.

’’Help the Luna try them on,’’ The Matriarch said, pointing at a raised platform.

By evening Nina had lost count of the dresses she’d tried on, somewhere past fifty.

She stood on the platform with her arms slightly out while Lady Gina circled her for what felt like the hundredth time, head tilted, lips pressed thin as she continued her back and forth with the Matriarch. None of them coming to an agreement.

The blue was too cold. The green was lovely but the neckline fell too low. The cream washed her out entirely. The burgundy was close but the waist clenched too tight.

Nina fixed her eyes on a point on the wall and existed.

’’This one,’’ Lady Gina said.

Nina looked down.

Gold. It fell clean to the floor and caught the candlelight and held it. She had to admit, it was beautiful.

The heels added three inches and Lady Gina finally, finally looked satisfied. The Matriarch was smiling.

’’Good,’’ the Matriarch said. ’’That’s the one.’’

’’Do you like it?’’ she asked Nina.

Nina stared at the dress once and nodded. Well, it wasn’t like she had an opinion now.

The Matriarch smiled, bright smile on her lips as she exhaled a breath she’d gathered.

’’Clear out the rest,’’ she instructed, and the servants began to gather the remaining clothes and shoes.

’’If that is all, I would be taking my leave now, ’’ Nina said and bowed after changing out of the dress.

’’No child, that’s not all.’’ The matriarch said, pointing on the spot beside her, ’’Come sit,’’ she said.

Nina raised her eyes.

There was more?

Nina forced a smile and sat down. A piercing headache already setting in.

A servant brought tea.

The Matriarch picked up the cup and sipped from it. her with that patient, unhurried look. ’I heard the Alpha let you stay with him?’’

’’Yes.’’ Nina looked at her tea. ’’I was scared of getting hurt again, so he allowed me to stay for sometime.’’

The Matriarch said nothing. Her expression didn’t change but a small smile tugged on the side of her lips.

She set her cup down.

’’Has the Alpha...’’ the woman drawled. Nina stared at her, waiting.

She turned to the room and waved, and the servants all left, Lady Gina shut the doors after them and returned.

The Martriach cleared her throat. Nina’s eyes wandered, she had a faint direction of where this conversation was headed.

The Matriarch, ’’Has the Alpha...and you done it.’’

Nina’s eyes widened. ’’What? No... we are not...’’

She frowned, ’’You are not what?’’

Nina’s lashes fluttered, heat rising up her cheeks.

’’We are not there... yet,’’ Nina gulped.

Why did she say that?

Was she itching to be there?

’’Why? Did you not stay together in Hades? And when you fell over the cliff, what have you been doing?’’

Nina’s mouth hung open.

’’It’s... it’s not...’’

’’You must seduce your husband,’’ she said, cutting her off. ’’You need to bear him an heir.’’ she said placing her hand on her stomach.

Nina cleared her throat.

Everyone in the pack’s house had their own agenda.

’’Or do you not know how to do it?’’

Nina’s eyes grew so wide they nearly popped,

’’What?’