My Alpha Chose His Sister-in-Law Over Me, Now He Begs Me to ReturnChapter 3

On the third morning, Kieran's voice came through our mind-link.

"You blocked Neil?"

"I only blocked his messages."

The other end of the link went quiet for a few seconds.

"Serena, the agreement is very clear. Emotional outbursts double your waiting period."

I'd been home for a day.

I was folding Wren's tiny clothes. Each piece was heartbreakingly small and soft.

She was so small. Thea said her heartbeat was weaker than a normal pup's and had to be checked every day.

Valerie had taken the oak cradle, so I lined an empty drawer with my coat and made a makeshift bed for Wren.

Kieran was growing impatient.

"Serena, the time you waste arguing with me will be added to your waiting period."

I finished folding each piece and tucked them into my bag.

"Then add it."

My voice was flat.

"Double it, five times, ten times. Do whatever you want."

"Kieran, I'm done waiting for you."

That afternoon, Kieran came home.

Valerie walked at his side, with Neil trailing behind.

He strode through the door in two steps, and his eyes landed on the tiny figure in the drawer.

I thought he would stop.

He did pause.

For about two seconds.

"She's small."

"She's four weeks early. Thea told you Wren's heart is weak."

"Thea tells me many things every day." He looked away. "She's alive, isn't she?"

"I made the right call, Serena. You were in labor for three hours. Valerie was in labor for ten. Even if the medicine had gone to you, it wouldn't have changed anything."

I laughed.

"Kieran, do you know I almost died giving birth to her?"

"You're standing here just fine now, aren't you?"

His brows drew together slightly as his eyes swept over me.

"Thea said you've been able to get out of bed for a while, yet you keep shutting yourself in this room. Is this how you're trying to punish me?"

"Luna, under the agreement, emotional outbursts are grounds for extending your waiting period."

Neil pushed up his glasses and quickly jotted it down on the document.

"That also includes... the time you spend waiting for your account access to be restored."

I looked at Kieran.

"So you came today with Neil to keep a record of how much time I owe you?"

Valerie slipped into a pair of slippers as if she belonged there, then smiled.

"You've got it wrong, Luna. Kieran came to help shorten your waiting period."

"As long as you stay calm and take Wren to her check-ups on time, and—"

"Apologize to Valerie." Kieran finished the sentence for her.

My nails dug into my palms, then slowly loosened.

So that was his real purpose.

He had come back only to make me bow my head to Valerie.

And the worst part was, I realized he truly believed he was offering me a way back.

"What about Wren's Welcome Howl?" I asked. "She's already three days old."

"Sunday," he said. "The Moon Stone is fully booked for the rest of the week. Sunday is the next available time."

"Her Welcome Howl needs to be scheduled?"

"You howled for Marcus's baby the same day."

"That was a special case."

"Serena, you should learn to wait."

I stared at him.

He hated waiting more than anything.

Yet with me, time and again, he made me wait.

Suddenly, I understood.

He didn't hate waiting.

He just hated having to wait himself.

Valerie raised her phone.

"I'm going to record the whole thing, Luna. Maybe tidy yourself up a bit before you apologize?"

After taking a few pictures, she casually posted them to the pack's private social media platform.

In the photos, my hair was a mess, my face deathly pale, and dark circles shadowed my eyes. Holding my baby, I looked like I'd been through hell.

Comments flooded in almost immediately.

[This is our Luna? She looks like a maid washing dishes in the kitchen.]

[Valerie is the one who belongs beside the Alpha. She's fast and efficient.]

[It's just childbirth. Why is she acting so fragile? I had three pups and never needed a drop of Moonveil.]

Kieran's expression darkened, but Valerie only leaned into his arms.

"I just wanted everyone to see how Luna's doing. She hasn't left the house since giving birth, and everyone misses her."

Kieran's expression softened.

He looked at me again.

"If you can't even apologize, then you can learn how to be a Luna."

"Starting today, Valerie will temporarily take over your Luna duties."

"Come back when you've learned to keep up with this pack's pace."

A metallic taste filled my mouth.

"Kieran, this is the third time I've told you."

"Wren didn't breathe for a full ninety seconds when she was born. You gave the medicine to Valerie. You chose that yourself."

Kieran's frown deepened, while Valerie let out a soft laugh beside him.

"For someone who makes it sound so serious, Luna, you had plenty of strength to glare at me just now."

She raised her hand.

"Oh, right. Were you looking for this?"

A solid-gold crescent moon pendant swung from her fingers.

My eyes widened.

It was my mother's keepsake.