The Pregnant Luna Mated to Ex’s Best Friend (Aria) novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16. I Want to Sever Our Mate Bond

(Ana’s POV)

The sharp sting in my palm felt satisfying as I slapped Alexander for the third time. His amber eyes flashed dangerously, the wolf within him finally breaking through his composed exterior

“Enough!” he snarled, lunging forward.

Ibraced myself for his reaction, but instead of feeling his grip on me, I watched as he whirled around to attack whoever was restraining him. His fist met nothing but air as Dominic easily sidestepped, maintaining

his firm hold on Alexander’s wrist.

“Control yourself,” Dominic said, his voice deadly calm. “This is a hospital, not your territory to throw

tantrums in.”

Alexander’s chest heaved with barely contained rage. “Release me now, Blackwood. This doesn’t concern

you.”

“It became my concern when you abandoned your mate on your ceremony day,” Dominic replied coldly, his silver–gray eyes unflinching.

Elizabeth stepped forward, her face stricken. “Please, both of you–this isn’t the place.”

Alexander wrenched his arm free from Dominic’s grip, straightening his rumpled suit jacket with forced dignity. The red marks from my slaps stood out vividly against his skin.

“Aria, we need to talk privately,” he said, reaching for me.

1 backed away, my wolf snarling protectively. “Don’t touch me.”

“You bastard!”

The shout echoed down the hospital corridor. My brother James came charging toward us, his face contorted with grief and fury. Before he could reach Alexander, Lucas Bell appeared seemingly from nowhere, intercepting him with a swift movement.

“Let go of me!” James struggled against Lucas’s restraint. “He killed my mother! His selfish actions-”

“Stop this immediately!” Elizabeth’s voice cut through the chaos. “My God, Emily just passed away. Have

some respect!”

Nurses had begun to gather at the commotion, their faces showing a mix of concern and disapproval. One reached for a phone, presumably to call security.

“Get him out of here,” I said to Lucas, nodding toward my brother. “Please.”

Lucas nodded, steering James away despite his continued protests.

Dominic stepped between Alexander and me, his tall frame creating a barrier. “I think it’s time for you to leave,” he told Alexander. “Your Luna needs space.”

“You don’t speak for my mate,” Alexander growled, his Alpha authority filling his voice.

“No, but I speak for the hospital,” Dr. Nathan Lewis said, appearing beside us. “And I’m asking all of you to

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Chapter 15 Want to Ser.

take this elsewhere. We have patients who need rest.”

Without waiting for further argument, Dominic gripped Alexander’s arm and forcefully pulled him away. Elizabeth gave me one last pained look before following them, her shoulders slumped with the weight of everything that had happened.

The days after my mother’s death passed in a blur. I kept myself busy with funeral arrangements. The endless details – choosing a casket, selecting flowers, receiving condolences – kept my mind occupied.

At night though, when everything went quiet, grief crushed me like a physical weight. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, mourning the loss of my mother and protecting our unborn pup.

The Storm Pack sent flowers and food. Pack members stopped by with awkward condolences. Alexander, mercifully, kept his distance.

Each morning I woke up, surprised I had survived another night of grief. Each day I moved through tasks like a ghost. Olivia stayed by my side, handling what I couldn’t.

“You need to eat,” she would remind me, pushing plates of food I barely tasted.

James drifted in and out, his own grief making him unreachable. We orbited around each other, connected by loss but unable to comfort one another.

A week after my mother’s passing, Olivia drove me to Silvercrest Hospital. We went to collect my mother’s belongings. The staff had everything packed in a cardboard box.

“Her clothes, books, and toiletries,” the nurse said gently. “We also cleared out her bedside drawer.”

I nodded, not trusting my voice. The box felt impossibly light for all it contained the last physical traces of my mother’s life.

Clime 16 Want to Sey

“But she died because of shock! Because she heard Claire’s voice on Alexander’s phone!” My voice rose with

“The disease took her, not you,” Olivia insisted. “Never blame yourself.”

But I did blame myself. And Alexander. And Claire. The guilt and anger swirled inside me like a toxic storm.

I stared down at the yellow hat, thinking of the tiny life growing inside me. This child would forever connect

“I want to sever our mate bond,” I said suddenly.

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