Avenging Luna
Chapter 67: Whom To Choose

Chapter 67: Whom To Choose

Drake’s POV:

I noticed something was off with Leila. It wasn’t just the usual stress of everything we were going through—Lily’s return, the Blood Moon Pack threatening war, Raphael’s betrayal—it was more. The bond between us had always been strong, but lately, there was this strange anxiety radiating from her, a sort of restless energy that I couldn’t put my finger on. I tried to tell myself that it was just the pressure of the situation, that she was probably just dealing with everything the way she always did. But deep down, I knew there was something more. Something she was hiding from me.

At first, I thought it was Lily. Her unexpected return had thrown everyone off balance, especially after her sudden claim about the child. I knew that had hit Leila hard, bringing up all the insecurities that came with our past. But as the days went by, I could tell it wasn’t just that. The anxiousness I felt through the bond grew stronger, more pronounced, and it was coming from Leila. Whatever it was, it wasn’t just Lily.

I watched her carefully, trying not to make it obvious. She was still the same fierce, resilient woman I loved, but there was a shadow over her, something that dulled her usual fire. I would catch her staring off into the distance, lost in thought, her brow furrowed like she was wrestling with something deep inside. She avoided my gaze more than usual, especially in moments when we were alone. She had become more distant, keeping her emotions hidden behind a wall I couldn’t break through.

One night, after we had settled into bed, I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. The way she stiffened in my arms didn’t go unnoticed. Normally, she’d melt into me, her warmth soothing the tension in both of us. But not tonight. She was tense, distracted, as if her mind was miles away. I tightened my grip, hoping to draw her back to me, but she remained distant.

"Leila," I whispered against her neck, my voice low. "What’s going on? You’ve been... different lately."

She froze for a second, her body betraying the calm façade she tried to put up. I could feel her heartbeat quicken, the bond between us humming with her unease. After a long pause, she sighed and turned to face me, but even in the darkness, I could see the uncertainty in her eyes.

"I’m fine," she said softly, but the words felt hollow, like she didn’t even believe them herself.

"Don’t lie to me," I pressed gently. "The bond... I can feel it. You’re anxious, distracted. It’s not just about Lily or the Blood Moon Pack. It’s something else. You don’t have to carry it alone, Leila. Talk to me."

She bit her lip, her gaze shifting away from mine. I knew she was hiding something, and the longer she stayed quiet, the more the knot in my chest tightened. I hated this feeling—knowing she was struggling with something and not being able to help. I hated that she felt like she had to carry the weight of it alone.

"I just... I need time," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "There’s a lot going on in my head right now, Drake. I don’t know how to explain it."

That wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t stand by and let her spiral into whatever storm was brewing inside her. But I also knew pushing her too hard would only make her pull away further. So, I nodded, even though every part of me screamed to demand more answers. "Okay," I said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "But know that I’m here. Whatever it is, we’ll face it together."

She nodded, but the distant look in her eyes never faded. That night, as she slept beside me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

---

Over the next few days, Leila’s strange behavior continued. She started avoiding conversations about the future—about us, about the pack, about everything that mattered. I’d catch her retreating into her own thoughts, sometimes disappearing for hours without telling me where she was going. It wasn’t like her to be so secretive, especially not after everything we’d been through together.

I knew I couldn’t ignore it any longer. She was hiding something, and it was eating her up inside. The worst part was that I couldn’t shake the feeling that it had something to do with us, with our bond. Every time I tried to bring up the future, she’d change the subject or give me a vague response. Something was off, and it was driving me crazy.

One evening, I found her sitting alone by the lake, staring out at the water with that same distant look in her eyes. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over everything, but Leila looked like she was a million miles away. I approached quietly, not wanting to startle her, but as I got closer, she spoke without turning around.

"I’m not sure if I can do this," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. "Do what?" I asked, keeping my voice calm, though I could feel the panic rising in me.

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she hugged her knees to her chest, her gaze never leaving the water. "Everything. Us. The pack. This... life." Her voice cracked, and my heart shattered at the sound.

I crouched beside her, gently turning her to face me. "Leila, what are you saying?" My voice was steady, but inside, I was breaking.

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she finally met my gaze. "I don’t know if I’m ready, Drake. I don’t know if I can be the mate you need, the Luna this pack needs. And... and I don’t know if I’m ready to be a mother."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. "A mother?" I whispered, the realization sinking in. "Leila, are you...?"

She nodded slowly, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I think I’m pregnant, Drake. But I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t know if I’m ready to bring a child into this world. How can I be a mother when I never had one? How can I show it love when I don’t even know what that is?"

My mind reeled as I tried to process her words. Leila was pregnant. My mate, my love, was carrying our child. But the fear in her eyes, the uncertainty in her voice—it broke me. She wasn’t ready. She was scared, and I didn’t know how to fix it.

"We’ll figure it out," I said, my voice rough with emotion. "You’re not alone in this, Leila. You never have to face anything alone."

She shook her head, tears falling faster now. "I don’t know, Drake. I’m scared I’ll be a terrible mother, that I’ll hurt this child the way I was hurt. Maybe... maybe it would be better if I didn’t have it."

The world stopped. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. The idea of losing our child—of her choosing not to have it—it was too much. But I could see the torment in her eyes, the weight of everything crushing her. I didn’t know what to say, how to make it better. All I knew was that the woman I loved was standing on the edge of a decision that could change everything.

And I didn’t know how to stop her.

The joy I’d felt at the thought of becoming a father vanished like smoke, swallowed whole by the dark realization of what Leila was considering. My mate—the woman I loved more than anything—was ready to deny our child a chance at life. How could she even think of something like that? I knew her past, knew the suffering she’d endured as a child. She had every reason to fear bringing a child into the world, to worry about being a mother when her own childhood had been so broken. But did that mean she could deny this child, our child, a future?

No. I couldn’t accept that. I wouldn’t.

The thought of her making such a choice, a decision that would not only take away the child we’d created but also destroy a part of her, tore at me. I knew this would break her, and it would break us. She wouldn’t forgive herself, and the regret would poison everything we’d built together. I could see the torment in her eyes, the doubt and fear, but I knew without a doubt that if she went through with this—if she chose to abort our child—it would ruin her. And it would ruin us.

From nowhere in hell was I going to let that happen.

I clenched my fists, my emotions swirling between pain and anger, love and frustration. How could she not see it? This child was a part of us, a living, breathing piece of the love we’d fought so hard to preserve. And I was certain—more than anything—that this child would be loved. I would make sure of it. Leila and I had both been through hell, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t give our child something better, something brighter than what we’d experienced.

"Leila," I said, my voice strained, barely holding back the torrent of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. "You can’t do this. You can’t take this away. Our child... they deserve a chance. We can give them something better than what we had."

Her eyes were red from crying, her face a mask of pain and confusion. "Drake, I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I can be a good mother. I’m so scared. What if I mess this up? What if I hurt them the way my mom hurt me?"

I took her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me. "You are not your mother, Leila. You are strong, and you have a heart that’s bigger than you realize. This child will be loved—by both of us. You won’t be alone in this. We’ll figure it out together. But please, don’t make a decision you can’t take back. You will regret it, and it will tear you apart."

She sobbed softly, her body trembling against mine. I could feel the weight of her emotions through the bond, the swirling mix of fear and uncertainty that threatened to consume her. But beneath that, there was something else. Hope. A faint, flickering hope that maybe, just maybe, things could be different.

"I don’t know, Drake," she whispered. "I don’t know if I’m strong enough."

"You are," I said firmly. "You’re stronger than you think. You’ve faced down demons that would break most people, and you’re still here, still standing. You’ve already done the hardest part. This... this is the next step. And you won’t have to do it alone."

Her hands gripped my arms, holding on as if I was the only thing keeping her grounded. "But what if I fail?"

"Then we fail together," I said, my voice steady. "But I don’t believe that will happen. I believe in you, Leila. And I believe in us. This child is a part of both of us. We can do this."

I held her close, feeling the rapid beat of her heart against mine. The fear was still there, but so was the love. I could feel it in the way she clung to me, the way her sobs quieted as she leaned into my embrace. I knew she was scared, but I also knew that deep down, she didn’t want to make this choice. She was overwhelmed, lost in her own fears, but I wasn’t going to let her make a decision that would destroy her.

"I love you," I whispered into her hair. "And I love this child. We can give them the love we never had. You’re not alone in this, Leila."

She pulled back slightly, her tear-filled eyes searching mine. "What if I’m never ready?" she asked, her voice small and uncertain.

I shook my head. "We’ll take it one step at a time. No one’s ever truly ready, Leila. But I promise you, when you hold our child in your arms, everything will fall into place. You’ll know what to do, because you’ll love them more than anything."

For a long moment, she just stared at me, as if trying to absorb my words, to let them sink into the parts of her that were still filled with doubt. I could see the war waging inside her—the fear of the unknown versus the hope of what could be. And then, slowly, she nodded, just barely, but it was enough. Enough for now.

But I wasn’t naïve. This wasn’t over. The battle wasn’t won. I could still feel the doubt lingering in her, the weight of her fears hanging over us like a storm cloud. Leila was far from making peace with the idea of being a mother, and part of me wondered if she ever truly would. But for now, she was here, in my arms, and she hadn’t made a decision yet. That was enough for me to hold onto.

But I knew one thing for sure: I wasn’t going to wait for her to make the wrong choice. I wasn’t going to sit back and let her spiral into the darkness of her fears. I would fight for her, for our child, with everything I had. Because this wasn’t just about her anymore. It was about us. It was about our future.

And I wasn’t about to let her destroy that.

---

The days that followed were tense. Leila still hadn’t made a final decision, but the weight of it hung over us like a sword ready to fall. I could see the struggle in her eyes every time we talked about the future, every time I mentioned the child growing inside her. She tried to smile, to act like everything was normal, but I could feel her slipping further into her doubts.

I spent most of my time making sure things in the pack were in order, keeping an eye on Lily and Marcus while also trying to handle the growing threat from the Blood Moon Pack. But no matter how much I buried myself in work, my thoughts always circled back to Leila. To our child. To the decision that still loomed over us.

And then, one night, as I lay beside her, I heard her whisper something in the dark. Her voice was so quiet, I almost didn’t catch it.

"I don’t think I can do this," she murmured, more to herself than to me.

I turned to her, my heart pounding in my chest. "Leila?"

She didn’t respond, just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts. I felt the fear tighten around my heart, knowing that the choice she was about to make could shatter everything. I couldn’t let it happen. I wouldn’t.

Because if she chose to abort this child, it wouldn’t just be the child we lost.

It would be her.

And I wasn’t ready to lose her.