Chapter 44
THE CRESCENT Packhouse was bustling with activity as servants scurried around, preparing for the evening’s banquet. Despite the festive event, a tense atmosphere hung in the air, much like it had for the past few months. With Luna Emilia and Alpha Robert’s relationship on shaky ground, tensions within the pack had been mounting and permeated throughout the pack house.
Everyone couldn’t help but feel like ever since Marga arrived, everything just went down the hill, especially when Serena left. They started missing how peaceful the pack was, and how well–managed it used to be. Now, everything is chaotic, and their once pristine image has been tarnished. To make matters worse, they have become known as a family with many problems, and it’s the talk of the town.
“Can’t you stay still? You’re making me dizzy!” Marga’s face twisted into a frown as she observed Calix pacing anxiously in their room. She could tell that something was bothering him, and she knew exactly what it was. “Do you honestly believe Serena will show up at the banquet? How shameless of her to come back and celebrate the birthday of the person who kicked her out.”
Calix came to a halt and turned to face Marga, who sat with her arms crossed over her chest, giving him a piercing glare. Not only was the relationship between Luna Emilia and Alpha Robert strained, but so was theirs. Despite their attempts to maintain civility in front of others, the pack members felt the growing distance and coldness in their bond.
“Were you not aware of the news? They had already entered the territory and were currently residing in the hotel.” Calix’s words caused his wife to frown even more.
“What? Are you serious?” With a trembling hand, Marga stood up from the ornate chair, her face a mask of disbelief and anxiousness. She had been against the idea of extending an invitation to Serena, but ultimately gave in, convinced that there was no way her sister would return to the place that had abandoned her.
And yet, now hearing that she was already in the eastern region made Marga’s heart race with unease. A nagging feeling told her that Serena wouldn’t come back without reason, especially after what had transpired at the celebratory banquet.
Each step
felt heavy as she made her way to the window, her heart pounding in her chest. The air outside was thick with tension and a distant rumble of thunder echoed through the clouds, mirroring the storm brewing inside Marga’s mind.
“Why would I joke about it?” Calix raised a brow at her as if he was annoyed by her attitude, prompting her to turn back and face him again. “You saw how your sister drastically changed, and now that she’s officially the Luna of the largest pack in the northern territories, I’m certain she will attend the party with a strategy in mind.
“Are you suggesting that she would seek revenge as a way to get back at us?” Marga shook her head and scoffed, but a small part of her couldn’t deny that it may be true. She had seen how Serena had changed since returning from the war a few months ago. Instead of being submissive and compliant like she used to be, she had become arrogant and difficult to deal with.
“Do you honestly believe that Serena would just sit idly by after everything that went down? I’ve known her for years and while she may seem docile, she doesn’t forget easily. It would take a miraculous change of heart for her to not retaliate after- being betrayed like that.”
“And whose fault was that?” Marga snapped angrily. It was your infidelity that caused this situation in the first place. You were the one who cheated on her, and that triggered everything else.”
As soon as Calix heard those words, his expression turned grim. He was already aware that Marga wasn’t as innocent as she pretended to be, but her blatant display of who the true villain was only served to aggravate him further. His hands balled into fists by his sides and his expression hardened as he fixed his gaze on her.
“It was because you purposely seduce me!” he shouted, causing Marga to flinch and realize that her facade had slipped.
In a split second, she composed herself and began acting to deflect his anger. She placed a hand on her stomach and
pretended to be in discomfort, which immediately made Calix concerned. He snapped out of his rage and came closer, his hand tenderly caressing her bloated growing belly while the other was on her back for support.
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Chapter 44
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“W–what’s wrong?” he asked, panic flooding his veins after seeing her pained expression. Marga then closed her eyes tightly, trying to act more convincing, “I’ll call the physicia-”
“I–it’s all right.” She grabbed his sleeves as she sat down, taking a deep breath before looking at him with tears in the corner of her eyes.
“The doctor warned me about the harmful effects of stress on the baby, so maybe that was the reason,” Calix let out a heavy sigh, berating himself for losing his composure. He had promised himself that he wouldn’t let his second marriage crumble like the first and overlook any issues, but his emotions got the best of him once again.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout.” he apologized as he crouched down and caressed her belly, “I won’t do it again.”
“I’m sorry, too.” Marga’s hand gently rested on top of his, and their eyes locked in a mutual expression of regret and shame. Calix closed his eyes and leaned in for a kiss, feeling the weight of their shared guilt.
He straightened his posture and inhaled deeply, trying to compose himself. It was clear that the conversation had reached a dead end; no matter how they approached it, nothing would change if they continued to argue. It was time to let it go and move on. Whether she deliberately seduced him or not was no longer relevant. The deed had been done, and there was no point in dwelling on it now.
They should focus on the present, as they still have a few months left before officially becoming Luna and Alpha of the Crescent pack. It would be more productive for them to strategize on restoring their reputation rather than revisiting a past where both of them were at fault.
“I’ll step outside to cool down for a bit. You should also rest before we start preparing for the banquet.” Calix’s voice turned gentle, a stark contrast to how he had spoken moments before. “Stop thinking about Serena, no matter what she was planning, I’ll make sure to stop her.”
Marga simply nodded, determined not to let herself get too worked up. She had already successfully dealt with Serena once before, and she was confident she could do it again if necessary.
Unbeknownst to her, a plan was already in the works to seek revenge against all those who had wronged Serena.
Marga just let out a deep sigh and gazed out the window as Calix left the room, the thunder outside raging and the wind blowing wildly, it was as if it were warning her that things were about to get ugly.
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