Chapter 79 MORNING RITUALS
Medea's Pov
I woke up drenched in sweat, my heart was pounding so hard I thought it would break through my ribs. I had been dreaming about the ceremony and in the dream, the Elders put their hands on my belly and started screaming that there was no baby and everyone was pointing at me and calling me a liar.
I sat up in bed and tried to calm down but my hands were shaking really badly. Today was the day, the blessing ceremony. The day I either pulled this off or lost everything.
Raphael was still asleep next to me and I watched him for a minute. He looked so peaceful, like he had nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, I felt like I was about to throw up. My stomach churned with nerves and guilt, my chest tight as I listened to his steady breathing. He trusted me completely, unaware of the storm waiting just beyond this moment. Lying there beside him, I felt the weight of everything I was hiding press down until it was almost unbearable.
I got out of bed carefully so I wouldn't wake him and went to the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face and looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes had dark circles under them and I looked terrible.
"Pull yourself together Medea," I whispered to my reflection.
I went back to the bedroom and started getting ready. The ceremony wasn't until noon but I had so much to do. Getting into the ceremonial gown, everything had to be perfect.
I was sitting at my vanity, doing my makeup, when Raphael woke up. He came over and kissed the top of my head.
"Good morning. How are you feeling?" Raphael asked.
"Nervous," I said and that was the truth.
"Don't be nervous. Today is going to be amazing, Everyone is going to celebrate our baby," Raphael said.
I felt my stomach twist when he said that. The baby that might not even exist.
"I hope so," I said.
"I brought you breakfast," Raphael said and he gestured to a tray on the bed.
There was fruit and toast and tea all arranged really nicely, set out with quiet care. The plate was balanced just right, the tea still steaming faintly. He must have made it himself, because the servants hadn’t come in yet. That realization twisted something in my chest. It wasn’t grand or showy, just thoughtful—proof that he’d woken up thinking about me. The tenderness of it made the guilt settle heavier, harder to ignore.
"Thank you. That's sweet," I said.
"Only the best for my Luna and our future heir," Raphael said.
He sat on the bed and watched me eat. I tried to take small bites because my stomach felt like it was full of rocks.
"Are you excited?" Raphael asked.
"Yes. Very excited," I lied.
"Me too. I can't wait for the Elders to confirm everything. Then everyone will know we're having a baby," Raphael said.
"Right. Everyone will know," I said and my voice came out weird.
Raphael got up and came over to where I was sitting. He put his hand on my stomach and bent down to talk to it.
“Hey, little one,” Raphael said softly, resting his hand against my stomach. “Today is a big day for you.” His voice warmed with emotion as he smiled to himself. “Everyone is going to celebrate that you’re coming. The whole pack.” He leaned closer, reverent, almost awed. “Your daddy loves you so much already. You’re already changing everything, and you’re not even here yet.” The tenderness in his words made my throat tighten, love and guilt colliding painfully in my chest.
I felt tears start to come and I had to bite my lip really hard to stop them. How could he be so sweet and loving when I was lying to him about everything?
"Raphael," I said and my voice cracked.
"Yeah?" Raphael asked and he looked up at me.
I wanted to tell him everything right then. I wanted to confess that I faked the pregnancy, that I slept with Derek, and that I didn’t deserve him. The words sat heavy on my tongue, burning to be spoken. One breath, one moment of honesty, and it would all be over. But fear wrapped tight around my chest. I saw how gently he looked at me, how certain he was of us, and I couldn’t bring myself to destroy that illusion—not yet.
But then I thought about Eclipse and what she said she would do if I told the truth. I thought about being exiled or executed, but I couldn't do it.
"I love you," I said instead.
"I love you too, so much," Raphael said and he kissed my stomach.
After he left to get ready himself I just sat there and cried quietly. I was the worst person in the world.
There was a knock on my door and Eclipse came in without waiting for me to answer. She was already dressed and her hair and makeup were done.
"Why are you crying? Today is not the day for tears," Eclipse said.
"I almost told him. Just now. I almost confessed everything," I said.
Eclipse's face got hard and she came over and grabbed my shoulders.
"You listen to me. You are not going to fall apart now. We are too close. The ceremony is in a few hours. All you have to do is lie there and let the Elders do their thing. That's it," Eclipse said.
"But what if they know I'm not really pregnant? What if they can tell?" I asked.
“They won’t know,” Eclipse said confidently, her lips curving into a satisfied smile. “I paid Elder Janice enough money to make sure she says exactly what we need her to say.” She waved a dismissive hand, as if the matter were trivial. “Everything is handled. The ritual, the witnesses, the story—it will all go according to plan. By the time anyone thinks to question it, it’ll be far too late to change anything.”
"You bribed an Elder? Eclipse that's crazy," I said.
"It's necessary. Now stop crying and finish getting ready. I'll help you with your hair," Eclipse said.
She sat me down at the vanity and started working on my hair. She pulled it back into this elaborate updo with flowers woven through it. It was really pretty but I felt like a fraud.
"Practice your expression," Eclipse said.
"What?" I asked.
"Your serene expectant mother expression. The one you're going to wear during the ceremony. Practice it now," Eclipse said.
I looked in the mirror and tried to make my face look calm and happy, smoothing my expression until it felt almost believable. I practiced a soft smile, relaxed my eyes, tilted my head just right. I needed to look like a woman who was blessed to be carrying a baby—grateful, serene, glowing. Not someone unraveling from the inside. I held the mask in place, even as my reflection stared back at me like a stranger.
"Better. But you need to relax your shoulders. You look tense," Eclipse said.
I dropped my shoulders and tried again.
"There. That's the face you wear today, happy, calm, and blessed. Can you do that?" Eclipse asked.
"I think so," I said.
"You’d better do more than think. You need to be convincing," Eclipse said.
After my hair was done Eclipse helped me get into the ceremonial gown. It was white and flowy and it had gold embroidery all over it. It was beautiful and probably cost a fortune.
"How do I look?" I asked.
"Like a Luna who is about to be blessed by the Elders. Perfect," Eclipse said.
I looked at myself in the full-length mirror and barely recognized the person staring back. I looked like someone who had everything. A mate who loved her, a pack that respected her. A baby on the way.
But it was all fake. Every single bit of it.
"Eclipse what if this doesn't work? What if everything falls apart today?" I asked.
"It won't. Trust me. I've thought of everything. Just stick to the plan and everything will be fine," Eclipse said.
"And if it's not fine?" I asked.
"Then we deal with it. But stop thinking about worst-case scenarios. You need to focus on getting through today," Eclipse said.