Chapter 27 Elara's POV
I woke to find my room filled with strangers.
Three women stood near the window, each holding garment bags and measuring tapes. A fourth woman sat at the small table, arranging fabric samples. And on my bed lay more clothes than I had ever seen in one place: dresses, pants, shirts, all in soft fabrics and expensive-looking cuts.
"What is all this?" I asked, sitting up slowly.
The woman nearest to me smiled. "Good morning, Miss Elara. Alpha Kaden requested we come take your measurements and provide you with a new wardrobe. Everything you see here is yours to keep or reject as you wish."
I stared at the clothes at the designers clearly waiting to dress me up like some kind of doll.
"I don't need all this."
"The Alpha was quite insistent he wants you to be comfortable."
Comfortable as if expensive clothes could make up for everything else.
"Thank you, but I'm fine with what I have."
The women exchanged uncertain glances. "But the Alpha said-"
"I don't care what he said, I don't want any of this."
They looked distressed, like my refusal would get them in trouble. I felt bad for them because they were just doing their jobs. But I couldn't accept gifts from Kaden and couldn't let him think he could buy his way back into my good graces.
"Please." One of them said,
"At least let us leave the clothes you don't have to wear them if you don't want to, but the Alpha will be upset if we take everything back."
I sighed. "Fine, leave them but I'm not making any promises about wearing them."
They seemed relieved they spent another twenty minutes laying out the clothes, explaining what each piece was, before finally leaving.
When they were gone, I noticed something else on the bedside table. A sleek new phone, still in its box, with a note attached.
‘In case you need to reach anyone. K’
I picked up the phone and stared at it. Another gift. Another attempt to... what? Make me forgive him? Make me forget what he had done?
A knock at the door made me look up.
"Come in."
Damian entered, carrying his medical bag. His eyes swept over the room, taking in all the new clothes and the phone in my hand.
"Let me guess." He said. "Kaden's idea of an apology?"
"Apparently." I set the phone down. "He sent designers and this."
"And you are not impressed."
"Should I be? He thinks he can buy his way out of rejecting me?"
Damian sat down in the chair by the window. "I don't think he's trying to buy anything. I think he's desperately trying to show you he cares in the only way he knows how."
"By throwing money at the problem?"
"By trying to provide for the baby."
Damian pulled out his stethoscope. "It's misguided, yes but his heart might be in the right place."
"I don't care about his heart, I care about the fact that he destroyed mine and now expects me to just... what? Forgive him because he bought me some dresses?"
"No one expects you to forgive him. Least of all him, I think."
Damian gestured for me to sit. "Come here. Let me check your vitals."
I sat on the edge of the bed while he took my blood pressure and listened to my heartbeat. His movements were familiar now, comforting in their routine.
"Everything looks good.” He said after a few minutes.
"Your strength is coming back, the baby's heartbeat is strong, you are healing well."
"What about the lunar pulse? What does it really mean?"
Damian was quiet for a moment. "Honestly? I'm not entirely sure. The textbooks say that children born with a lunar pulse are blessed by the Heavens that they are destined for something important but there is not much concrete information beyond that."
"Important how?"
"That varies, some became powerful Alphas. Others became healers with incredible abilities. Some became pack leaders who united warring factions."
He looked at me seriously. "The point is, your child is special, Elara and that means you need to be extra careful. There are wolves who would see a blessed child as a threat."
The words sent a chill through me. "A threat to what?"
"To the established order to their own ambitions to anything they are afraid might change."
He squeezed my hand gently. "I'm not trying to scare you. I just want you to understand that this child your child is going to attract attention, not all of it good."
I pressed my hand to my stomach. "How do I protect them?"
"You let Kaden protect both of you whatever your feelings about him, he is strong. He's capable and he won't let anything happen to you or the baby."
"Because the baby is special not because I matter."
"That's not true and you know it." Damian stood.
"I have to get to the hospital. But I'll be back this evening to check on you again. And Elara? try to eat something youare still too thin."
After he left, I wandered through Kaden's quarters. They were massively bigger than any house I could remember living in. Multiple rooms, expensive furniture, windows that looked out over the forest.
It should have felt like a prison and part of it did. But another part of me felt strangely comfortable here. Like some deep part of my subconscious recognized this place.
I was examining a painting in the hallway when I heard footsteps behind me.
"Elara."
I turned to find Selena standing there. She looked perfect as always blonde hair styled flawlessly, makeup immaculate, designer clothes that probably cost more than a year's wages.