Deandra’s POV

I was so sure that I was dreaming because there was no way that these images on my phone were real. There was no way Daniel would betray me like that, or at least that was what I told myself as I scrolled through the five pictures I had received from the unknown number.

In all five pictures, Daniel was there with his childhood friend, Hope, which was nothing out of the ordinary since they were usually inseparable. Rather, it was what they were doing that was completely shocking and took my breath away. In the first picture, Daniel was caressing Hope’s protruding belly and they both had wide grins on their faces.

Again, this picture would have been completely normal if Hope wasn’t wearing a sash that read “Mom to be” around her body. Daniel had a matching sash around him too but his read

“Dad to be”.

The second picture was even more heartbreaking and showed more evidence of what was happening in the first picture. The two of them were holding an ultrasound picture with big smiles on their faces.

My phone fell on the floor with a thud alerting everyone around me that something was amiss. It was Layla who reached me first. She held my hand and shook me a couple of times before bending to pick up my phone when I didn’t offer any reaction.

Her scream of shock jolted me from my thoughts and I crumbled to the ground, the chair I had been sitting in, crashing to the floor beside me. Layla reached for me immediately but I refused to be consoled.

I knew it would have been frustrating waiting for three years without a child but it took two people to make a baby! Did he really have to do this to me?

“Everyone, sorry but the party's over. Thanks for coming and make sure to grab a souvenir on the way out.” I heard Elliot say and I would have offered him my thanks under different circumstances.

Every part of my body hurt and I wasn’t injured. My heart was the most affected. That tiny organ that is responsible for pumping blood had stopped and I didn’t know how I was still alive because it hurt too bad.

“Come on Andra, let’s get you to bed.”

I shook my head but got up anyway. Instead of following him upstairs to the bedroom I had shared with Daniel for the past three years, I walked to the refreshments table and grabbed a glass of wine. I knew I wasn’t supposed to be drinking but I didn’t care about that at that point.

All I wanted was to numb the pain I was feeling so I drank, and drank until I couldn’t stand on my own two feet.

Elliot grabbed my hand as I tried to reach for another glass and lifted me up in his arms, bridal style. “I think that’s enough now.” He carried me out of the room as the last of the guests rolled out of the room and I saw Layla look at the door before we left the room completely.

I woke up the next morning with a nasty headache and a mountain of regrets. I know I was in a bad place but I still had my child to think about. Why did I have to drink so much? As soon as I woke up, I ignored how I was feeling and got dressed hastily, driving myself to the hospital before I could attract attention to myself.

On the drive to the hospital, I could only think about my child. Why did I let Daniel get to me so much that I lost sight of what was most important? For three years I had suffered and faced torture at the hands of his family because of my inability to conceive and then when I finally had a chance to, I was going to destroy it because Daniel was being a jerk. Never!

I didn’t even park the car properly before I stormed into the hospital and demanded to see the head doctor at the clinic. Normally, I wouldn’t use my title and the privilege that came with it like that but I was desperate.

Immediately I was sighted, I was taken inside to meet the head doctor who looked surprised to see me.

“Is everything okay Luna?’ she asked, her tone tinged with concern and I shook my head, narrating everything that happened yesterday to her in one breath.

“Is my child going to be okay?”

She shook her head and smiled, sending chills through my body. “Yes Luna, your baby is going to be okay but first I need to run some tests.”

Half an hour later, I walked out of her office with a relieved smile on my face only to run into Daniel and Hope on my way out of the hospital.

“What are you doing here?” Daniel asked, trying to hide the fact that he had been holding Hope’s hand so affectionately but I had seen it. “Is something wrong?”

I almost laughed at his sudden show of affection and if I hadn’t seen the pictures yesterday then probably, I would have fallen for it. “Where have you been? I called and texted.”

His face showed a strange reaction to my question but I didn’t call him out on it. Instead, I started walking away. I would be a fool if I stayed there and allowed my intelligence to be insulted.

Rushing towards the exit, I crashed into someone and almost tumbled to the ground but he caught me.

“Watch where you’re going, woman, wouldn’t want to get you admitted because of carelessness.”

At his words, I broke down in tears which scared him. I didn’t mean to cry, I was just feeling a bit too emotional. From confirming that my child was okay and had survived last night’s drinking ordeal to running into Daniel and his lover who I thought was just his childhood friend.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

As I followed him out of the hospital, I questioned my sanity at the same time I wanted so badly to get away from Daniel who was running after us. In the end, my desire to get away from Daniel won.

***

I don’t know how long I slept for but when I woke up, I found that we were packed outside the packhouse and that he was just sitting in the driver’s seat staring at me. I jolted awake and glared at him.

“Relax, all I did was drive around for a while so you could sleep a bit and so your husband wouldn’t follow you.” He pointed out the window at the packhouse. “And then I brought you home some minutes ago.”

I nodded, unable to do much else and got out of the car at the same time he got out. He was at my side of the car, opening the door before I had time to react. “Thank you,” I mumbled as I made my way out of the car.

He nodded and helped me out when it seemed that my cloth was stuck. I had started to walk towards the packhouse when he spoke again. “I can help you get back at him, you know.”

I spun to face him immediately, shocked by his words. So many questions were running through my mind but one was prominent.

“What do you know about me?”

“Everything there is to know.” He sent me one last smile as he walked back to the driver’s side. He got in while I stood there staring at him.

“Think about it.”

And then he was gone leaving me wondering who he was and just how much he knew about my situation with Alpha Daniel of the Dagger Pack. “Who is he?” I asked myself in deep thought

Deandra’s POV

Daniel was waiting for me when I got back.

“Where were you?” he fired as soon as I walked into the room but I ignored him, my mind swirling with thoughts of that mystery man and just how much he knew about my life with Daniel.

“I’m talking to you,” Daniel yelled and I scoffed, rising to my feet to acknowledge him.

“You shouldn’t take that tone of voice with me, especially since you’re at fault.”

At my words, he frowned but I wasn’t going to give him time to construct words that would soothe my mood like he always did. I pulled the pictures out from my phone, thanking the stars I had bothered to save them.

“How could you do this to us?” I screamed, throwing the phone against his chest.

He caught it and stared at the screen; surprise evident on his face.

“How did you….? How long have you known?”

I scoffed and shook my head. How was that the most important question right now? “is that all you’re going to say about that?” I asked him, the disgust I was feeling evident in my voice.

I expected him to be sober, and sorry for what he had done but instead he was acting like he had done a good thing.

He sighed. “I didn’t mean for you to find out this way,” He tried to look concerned for me but I was buying it. “Hope is pregnant for me and I am sorry I didn’t tell you earlier but you were already stressed with not having kids of your own I didn’t want to put that on you,”

“But it was okay to sleep with her because it wouldn’t stress me?”

Daniel scoffed and rose to his feet. “Look Deandra, I’m sorry you had to find out this way about Hope but I don’t see this as a bad thing. If anything, Hope is giving us a chance to be parents since you…” he trailed off but I heard the words he didn’t say, loud and clear. Since I couldn’t have children.

It was laughable because standing there looking at him, I was carrying his child and he didn’t even know it. The joke was on him.

“I need you to start seeing Hope as a sister. Take care of her like you’d take care of Cassie. I didn’t mean for things to happen this way but now that they have, there’s nothing I can do about it.

We simply have to find a way to coexist as one big family. Besides, the mother is so excited for her grandchild.”

I rolled my eyes, of course, Yolanda was excited.

“Where does that leave us Daniel?” I asked the million-dollar question and he stood there staring at me, his mouth opening and closing without words coming out.

“I don’t…” he started to say at the same time I opened my mouth to announce the pregnancy but we were both interrupted by a hasty knock on the door.

“Come in,”

A maid walked into the room, her steps hasty and I frowned.

“What is it?”

“I am so sorry to disturb you Luna, Alpha, but Miss Hope sent me to find you. “she spoke, turning to face Daniel.

“She’s in a lot of pain and might have to go to the hospital.”

“The baby, something is wrong with the baby,” he whispered and ran out of the room, the maid following him from a distance before I got the chance to ask any further questions.

Tears pricked my eyes but I held them at bay refusing to give in to my emotions. They would never see me weak. It’s my fault anyway and perhaps if I had just told him that I was also carrying his child then maybe he’d be just as concerned for my well-being.

Despite how badly I wanted to stay strong, a few stray tears slipped past my defences and rolled down my cheeks. I sighed and slumped on the bed, giving in to them. The sobs racked my body and my heart broke even more with each tear that fell.

I was distracted by the sound of footsteps in the room indicating that someone else had joined me. Wiping my eyes clean discreetly, I rose to my feet and frowned when I saw who it was.

“Hope? But I thought….”

She didn’t give me time to finish before she lunged at me, grabbing me by my hair and forcing me to rise to my feet so she didn’t pull my hair out. “Don’t you feel embarrassed to be living here still when you can’t even have children? Aren’t you ashamed?”

I managed to set my hair free from her clutches and stood straight, glaring at her. I didn’t want to have to put my hands on her but if she forced my hand then….

“Hope, what is the meaning of this? I thought you were in pain.”

“Leave here already, go so Daniel and I can live like a family with our child. Your presence is suffocating.”

I chuckled bitterly and glared at her. “Aren’t you ashamed that you had to get pregnant to trap my husband? Don’t you feel embarrassed that he wouldn’t have come to you otherwise?”

My words got to her and I smirked, glad I had hurt her even just a tiny bit. “I am going to tolerate you for Daniel’s sake but don’t get too comfortable, pregnancies can be lost.” I reminded her as I started to walk away.

“You bitch, did you just threaten my child?”

She tried to reach for me but I swerved out of the way in time and she missed me, her hands falling to her side. She glared at me and made a move to leave but then we heard footsteps, no doubt it was Daniel coming to find Hope who was supposed to be in pain.

“He will always pick me over you, watch, “and she fell to the ground without being pushed and screamed.

I gasped, watching the scene before me in confusion. What did she think she was doing?

“Deandra, what happened?” Daniel asked, his voice full of concern for me until he saw Hope on the ground and his countenance changed. “Did you push her?” And without waiting for a response, he continued.

“How could you do that Andra, knowing that she’s pregnant?”

I watched in disbelief as he bent down to pick her up from the ground with Hope faking an injury.

I felt tears filling my eyes again but I forced them back not wanting them to see how much their actions were affecting me.

“She threatened to harm our child. All he did was ask her to accept me as her family.” Hope cried, resting her head against his chest as she faked a sob.

I shook my head not believing the events that were playing here right before my eyes. Was Daniel falling for this? She wasn’t that good an actress.

“I am so disappointed in you Andra, so disappointed.” He whispered and the tone of his voice nearly broke my resolve but I held it in, refusing to give into my emotions no matter how hurtful his words were.

They were like little knives piercing my heart and yet I refused to give in.

“If you don’t start seeing Hope as part of our family, I will have no choice but to kick you out to protect my child.” I stared at him with a shattered heart.

Deandra’s POV

“I told you not to come here, we can’t be seen like this.”

I stopped in my tracks and hid behind a wall wondering who Hope was talking to.

“Hope, that’s my child in there and you know it.” I gasped a bit too loudly and caught myself just in time before I was discovered.

“Keep quiet,” Hope hissed and looked from left to right.

This shameless woman, I thought as I listened to their conversation. I should have known the baby wasn’t Daniel’s but he had been so confident that the child was his that I never suspected anything.

“If anyone hears you, our plan will be ruined.” She looked around again before she leaned in and whispered, “I want what’s best for this child and so do you so why don’t you just take the money and leave?”

I shook my head in disgust at that and left my position behind the wall ready to go and confront her when I heard footsteps coming from the opposite direction.

I could practically hear Hope’s heart racing loudly in her chest

“Andra, what are you doing here?” I heard Hope’s tiny gasp of surprise at the mention of my name and I smirked.

“I was just on my way to the kitchen when I thought I heard voices and decided to check. What are you doing here anyway?”

He looked around and frowned when he saw no one then sighed. “I was just going to our bedroom to get my phone. Did you see it before leaving?”

I shook my head but reached for his hand. “Can we talk?” I asked, changing the subject. I wanted to settle things between us and make sure we were back on good ground again.

“I wanted to know if we were okay. I didn’t…” Daniel shook his head and pulled his hand away.

“I can’t get past the fact that you threatened Hope and the baby, it’s my baby too Andra. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to the baby. I would never forgive…” he trailed off but I could hear the words he didn’t say. He would never forgive me.

Tears filled my eyes but I held them back as I nodded my head. “What can I do to make it right?”

“Treat Hope nicely, apologize for what you did yesterday and then we will see from there.” He walked away after speaking and I stood there rooted to the spot not believing how much my life had changed in the last two days.

“Do you know it’s rude to eavesdrop on people’s private conversations?” I jerked and turned my head to look at Hope who was standing there with a triumphant smile plastered on her face.

No doubt she had heard what Daniel said and she was happy that she was once again winning and I was losing. But not for long…

“I already told you that Daniel will always pick me over you. Why don’t you want to accept that and move on?”

I nodded and smiled. “You’re right, Daniel will never see me the same way again and I can’t blame him since I can’t give him children.”

The next thing I did shocked us both ] went down on my knees and sighed. “I am sorry for yesterday, pushing you to the floor and threatening your child’s life.” I paused before continuing again, unaware that Daniel and Yolanda were watching from a distance.

“Daniel was right, you are part of the family now and that child is as much mine as it is Daniel’s.”

I rose to my feet afterwards, sent Hope one last smile and then walked away.

I couldn't believe how low I had gone because of Daniel and the love I had for him. But the main reason behind my actions was I wanted my child to grow up with his father, I didn’t want my child to have a broken home with parents that were divided.

***

I don’t know how long I stayed in the kitchen crying when Daniel joined me and wrapped his arms around me. I almost burst into tears when I felt his arms around me but I held them at bay.

“Thank you for apologizing to her. I owe you for everything."

I simply nodded my head and stepped away, not wanting to get swayed by his words.

"I'm making dinner, would you like something?" I asked, and coughed to cover up the sniffles.

"We'll all eat." He replied just as hsk mother walked in and frowned at our closeness.

"Since we're celebrating, why don't we get the chef to make something big and beautiful?" Daniel agreed immediately and I was whisked away to our bedroom by Daniel who was acting all nice and friendly with me now.

Later that day, we sat down to eat dinner and I was back in my usual seat beside Daniel. I was ready to tell him about the baby and I couldn't wait for us to be alone.

Hope had barely touched her food and I could tell she wished she were sited so close to Daniel alas….

“Do you both have names yet? I mean for the baby whether it's a boy or a girl." Yolanda asked and my fork dropped my hand and landed on the plate noisily.

Daniel shifted in his seat and refused to meet my eyes when I tried to catch his attention.

Hope who loved attention took the floor and told Yolanda, “We decided not to rush things and surprise ourselves aft

"Let's make a toast." Yolanda proposed and we all raised our glasses.

"Oh no Deandra, I think you should drink this instead. I had it made specially for you." Hope said, suddenly rising to her feet just as a maid walked into the room.