140 iv. A Luna’s Concessions
“What brings you here grandmother? And with that... thing?” he said, his eyes darting from the old woman who entered his study and to the wretched woman to whom he was married to.
“This is not a thing but a woman. More importantly, she is your wife. Tell me what she just told you is not true. Tell me you weren’t that stupid to think about divorcing her. Tell me you aren’t that foolish to entertain the idea of annulling your marriage!” the grand matriarch did not back down.
She had just enough of this grandson of hers who seemed determined to ruin their pack. The alpha who has lost his mind for a human girl.
A human girl she should not have adopted to their family in the first place. If only she knew the trouble that frail girl would cause in the future she should have banished her at first sight.
“I am indeed annulling my marriage to that woman. I will talk to the elders about it during the grand council’s meeting,” his words were not swayed by the old luna’s anger.
“How could you do such a thing? I have been a good wife to you. I have provided you with an heir! You cannot discard me this way. If you divorce me, then what happens to Jiro’s claim as your heir? His position will weaken. You will lay him open against attacks from inside and outside of the pack,” Cinderella tried her best to make him see reason, propelling herself to him, and clinging to his shirt.
“Take your dirty hands from me. You wretched, evil woman! Take it off or I swear I’ll have it ripped apart. Don’t play the victim here, we both know what you did. You have killed my unborn child,” Dominus’s voice filled with authority as Cinderella immediately takes her hand off his shirt.
The old lady scowled at Cinderella, “Shut up before you embarrass yourself further. It is such a shame to see a luna stoop this low. So don’t dare open that pretty little mouth of yours if you do not intend to fill it with any reasonable words.”
Cinderella shut up, her knees trembling. She felt like she couldn’t breathe from the insults and the fear she felt at the moment.
.....
This must all be just a nightmare. She has done nothing wrong. She was a good wife to him. She was dedicated to their family. She has done everything to keep them whole.
“I have made up my mind, grandmother. I really am divorcing that evil woman,” he motioned towards the woman beside the grand matriarch who was trembling in fear.
“Do you hear what you are saying? Do you understand the implications of all of what you just said? Your wife’s family is powerful. It will destroy our entire family, no, the entire pack if you do this. You know why the elders have chosen her for you. And today that situation has not changed. It has become even worse. There have been intermarriages between her pack and ours. Your attack against their luna will be deemed an attack against our very own,” the old lady raised her voice, hoping to raise awareness on her grandchild.
She knew what it was all about. The only person who can make him act this way. Unreasonable and foolish. Irresponsible and reckless. For him to forget the dire consequences of his actions and close his eyes to his reality, it must be her.
“Did Mary ask you to do this? Is this why you are behaving like a fool? I cannot allow this madness to continue. Did she threaten to leave you if you do not fulfill her caprice?” the grand matriarch’s voice started to falter.
If it was hers, then chances are her grandchild wouldn’t listen to reasons. He was blinded by his love for her, this much she is sure of. He is head over heels in love with that selfish little girl.
“She did not threaten to leave. She did make a request. It was nothing more but that,” he looked at the old lady and his wife, and he realized he wasn’t as stonehearted as he thought he was.
Both women looked miserable, but more for Cinderella. She looked terrified, alone, and about to lose her mind.
She looked like her mind is in shambles and her whole being will soon be carried away by her sorrows. Never in his life has he seen someone so broken. He doesn’t delight in breaking things, especially people.
“I can’t lose my title, Dom. I married you and loved you. I bore you a child. Are those not enough for you to take pity on me? What happens to our child now? Do you plan to depose him and to install your child with her as your new heir? Is this what this is all about?” she murmurs, starting to bite her nails as tears streak her cheeks.
She was an evil woman who was filled with jealousy and selfish motives. Some might even say that she deserves what came to her.
She killed their child. Whether knowingly or not, the effect is the same. She has killed his and Mary’s unborn child. That is an unforgivable offense.
But he is not without mercy. He realized he did value that she has been loyal to him as a wife, and a capable luna who has managed the pack’s multitude of concerns side by side him.
Discarding her this way is too cruel. But what can he do? Even if his guilt and conscience eat at him, it was all beyond his control.
His beloved has asked for it. She was also justified in doing so. She lost their son because of this woman. How else can her hurts be cured if he did not let her achieve the justice she seeks for their family?
“I will give you a week before I announce my intention to seek divorce. Please move out your things by then. For your sake and our child’s. Leave the manor, you do not belong there any longer. You have no right or reason to still remain there,” this was the only mercy he can give.
“I am sorry for this. There is nothing I can do more for you. I have made up my mind to have this marriage annulled. I will make sure you are provided for all your life. I will also give you a hefty sum and I’ll give you back your dowry. I swear to do all these things, so you can start again. You can visit our child anytime, I guarantee it,” his determination did not waver, though his heart also felt a deep pity for the girl.
What she said wasn’t groundless, he has witnessed it personally. She has loved him, that much cannot be denied. If only his heart did not belong to another he could have tried to return even a fraction of her emotions.
But he couldn’t. His heart belonged to only one woman from the start. No, his whole being belongs only to her. Mary.
There was simply no way the woman could have won him over even if she tried her hardest to do so. His heart has already been reserved lifetimes ago.
Their marriage was a sham. A marriage that was merely for convenience and entirely for display. There was no love to nurture between the two of them nor was there enough goodwill on both sides from the very beginning.
“Have you forgotten what I just said? You cannot annul your marriage to your wife! I will not allow you to start a rebellion against our family! You will cause the death of us all, do you not realize this yet,” the old lady raised her voice in a panic.
“I heard you, grandma, I am sure you are saying the truth. There will be chaos and at most, there will be rebellion and blood. But these things don’t matter at all right now. What matters is I am taking a chance at my own happiness grandma. I am finally starting a family with the woman I love beside me. Can that not be enough for you, granny?” he asked her sincerely.
The grand matriarch felt a pang of guilt in her heart. She has miscalculated things once before. She thought this marriage is the answer to their problems. But all it did was make things worse.
“What do you want me to do?” the grand matriarch asked him, conceding somehow.
“I want you to respect my decision grandma. And I want you to be happy for me. Knowing at least it is what I wanted. This marriage has suffocated me from the start. It didn’t strengthen the pack but divided it. It sowed havoc from within us. Your days as luna have come to an end. It has been for quite a while now. I am now the alpha, grandma. I am now the one responsible for this pack’s future and our family as well,” he held her hands and squeezed them.
“Can I trust you to protect our family? Can I trust you to make the right decisions, Dom? You have to tell me that you can be trusted with the pack’s future and not just of your own,” his grandmother’s voice was softer now, almost maternal.
“You can trust me. I promise to be responsible for my decisions. I will protect our family, grandma. But I need your help to do that. Please show me your support, granny,” he pleaded with her.
The old lady nodded slowly as if to show her ascent. “You have my support, alpha.”
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