The same morning repeated itself for the umpteenth time. Vione awoke without Usher at her side. Usher had left and she sighed as she rose from the bed. As she sat up, holding the blanket to her chest, she surveyed the aftermath of the chaos in the room-a testament to the passion of their love the night before.

The thought of it brought up a myriad of flowers with different scents, all blooming simultaneously in Vione's chest. Her emotions soared, and she felt as if she could truly fly until she touched the ceiling. Unfortunately, the joy was interrupted when a trace of resentment managed to surface.

Every once in a while, it seemed appropriate, not overly so, that Vione wanted to wake up in the morning in Usher's embrace. She wanted to start her day with Usher for breakfast, feel the warm kiss on his forehead, and open her eyes to see Usher's face first.

But Vione realized that Usher was really busy. He got up early every morning to be on time for work. There were many responsibilities on his plate, not only business matters, but also matters related to the pack.

So, Vione consoled herself. She satisfied her longing by remembering how wonderful the previous nights had been. Usher's touch was filled with emotion, the affection he gave radiated warmth, and his passion was more than enough to illustrate the overflowing and boundless love.

Sensations began to creep over Vione's body. She hugged her chest and felt her heart beat faster. She smiled, mocking herself.

"How could you miss Usher so quickly?"

Only a few hours without seeing Usher and Vione already felt a sense of longing. Her heart yearned and she could not resist it. So, she decided to get out of bed right away. She called a servant and gave instructions.

"Clean the room and prepare my clothes."

Usually, Vione did not do this. She was usually the one who tidied her room and prepared her personal belongings. She was used to doing everything herself, and it still felt strange to let others handle and touch her things. But this time was an exception. The room was in complete disarray, as if two wolves had just finished wrestling in the mating season. It was impossible for her to clean it up alone.

Vione quickly got ready and left. Her destination was the dining room, and fortunately she arrived just in time.

Usher was sitting alone at the dining table. In front of him was a portion of animal protein salad. He was enjoying his breakfast when he felt Vione's presence.

"Good morning, Usher."

Vione pulled out a chair and sat down. She allowed a servant to serve her breakfast while she continued to look at Usher with a bright smile.

"What's the matter, Vione?"

Usher's question startled Vione. She smiled and shook her head. "Nothing at all. I just... missed you."

Usher's chewing suddenly stopped. He swallowed the still intact vegetables into his mouth, then looked at Vione with a furrowed brow.

"Missed me?"

The joyful smile on Vione's face faded. She watched Usher's expression, blinked, and resisted the urge to rub her eyes. It could be a mistake, but it was not. Usher looked at her with an expression of disgust.

"Usher."

Usher finished his breakfast, his disgusted expression intensifying. He wiped his mouth, took a sip of water, and then spoke condescendingly.

"Don't act like that, Vione. Don't make me sick with your disgusting words. Do you want to see me throw up my breakfast?"

Vione was stunned. Usher's reaction was totally unexpected. How could Usher behave like that? He seemed genuinely disgusted and disapproving of her. His attitude was completely different from the night before.

"Usher, I didn't mean it like that. I just..."

"The other day, you ran down the hall calling for me. Then there was the day you came to my room with breakfast. Today you said something that made my stomach turn. What exactly do you have in mind?"

Vione could not answer. She could only remain silent, a strange feeling slowly creasing her forehead.

"You are really annoying, Vione. Do I have to keep reminding you of your position?" Usher asked without waiting for Vione's answer. He gave her a sharp look and emphasized every word. "You may be my Luna and my mate, but that doesn't mean you're worth that much. In my eyes you are not just a decoration. You mean nothing at all."

Vione's expression changed. "Usher. How could you say that?"

Usher growled. "I can say anything I want. If you don't want to hear such things, then all you have to do is one thing, watch your attitude. Never disturb my peace," he said, getting to his feet. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and slammed it down on the table. "Ugh! Disgusting woman!"

Vione was left gaping. She watched Usher leave with her mouth open and her eyes wide. For a moment she was completely motionless. Then she shook her head in disbelief.

"W-what did he say? Disgusting woman?" Vione felt her chest heat up. She growled and muttered, "How could he say I'm disgusting after last night when he said the opposite?"

Still fresh in Vione's mind were the various compliments and flatteries Usher had heaped upon her. Usher had said that she was a perfect woman, the right woman, and exactly what he had wanted all along.

Not only that, but Usher kept repeating similar words as they made love and moaned. In the midst of the pounding masculinity that continued to ravage Vione's world, Usher continued to whisper sweet words. Vione was soaring to the seventh heaven and now she was plummeting with extreme sadness.

"You're really annoying, Usher. What do you really want? You're always like this. Every night you make me feel like I'm in heaven, but the next day you turn it into a living hell," Vione muttered incessantly, and her appetite disappeared. She pushed the untouched breakfast plate away with a sigh. "You confuse me. What's wrong with you? Why are you like two different people-"

Vione's muttering was interrupted. She absorbed every word she had just uttered. She pondered, and the strange feeling that had surfaced earlier returned.

Vione was frustrated, but her confusion prevailed. Upon reflection, there was indeed an anomaly. Just as she had said, Usher seemed to be two different people.

Every night he came to me. He would court me, and his attitude was very gentle, full of love. Then the next day he was the opposite. He was harsh, cold, and did not hesitate to say hurtful things.

The strangeness became more pronounced. Vione's mind was immediately filled with contradictory facts. Usher's different behavior at night and in the morning made her wonder.

What is really happening? I mean, what is Usher doing? Why is he doing this and confusing me?

Vione did nothing else that day. She ignored several reports that came into The Palace. She glanced at them only briefly and decided that matters concerning the education of the pack's children and youth could wait a while. Besides, she had already drafted a proposal for the special education program a long time ago. All she had to do was coordinate the annual reports with the proposed learning plans.

Besides, forcing herself to work felt pointless to Vione. She could not get her mind off Usher's strange behavior. So, she spent the whole day in the lounge. She sat with a clear view through the window and remembered everything that had happened lately.

Usher. What's really going on with all this?

Time passed and Vione was still lost in her thoughts. She skipped lunch, and as the sun began to set on the western horizon, she remained motionless, pondering the impossible.

It can't be that there are two Ushers, can it?

Vione closed her eyes and shook her head. She dismissed the absurd thought and tried to find a more logical possibility. But the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted her thoughts.

Vione turned and noticed Mireya's arrival. She sighed deeply as she rose. Meeting Mireya with her mind filled with Usher's curiosities was not a good thing. So, she decided to leave.

Mireya entered while Vione wanted to leave. They met in the middle of the lounge and Mireya held Vione's hand. Vione's steps stopped.

"What is it, Mireya?" Vione asked, staring straight ahead. She pulled her hand out of Mireya's grip. "I'm sure you're not here to see me. You probably want to meet Usher, but unfortunately he hasn't returned yet."

Mireya smiled casually at Vione. "Of course, I know he hasn't returned. Uh, you may not know this, but Usher always keeps me informed of his daily schedule."

Vione fell silent. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, Mireya? You're not bragging, are you?"

"Whatever you think. I'm just letting you know."

"Unnecessary information."

Vione walked on. She was convinced that the sooner she left, the better.

But once again, for the umpteenth time, Mireya managed to stop Vione's steps. This time, not with physical action, but with words that managed to bring Vione's legs to a halt.

"I'm pregnant."

It seemed as if lightning had struck right before Vione's eyes. For a moment, her vision was blurred. The world seemed to disappear and she felt as if she had nothing left.

Pregnant? No. It couldn't be.

Vione blinked. She forced herself to keep breathing, though what followed was not relief, but a stabbing pain.

"I'll say it again, Vione. I'm pregnant and you know who the father of the baby I'm carrying is."

Cold enveloped Vione and quickly spread throughout her body. She could not move and was completely frozen.

"Of course, Usher. So, what do you think? Is this information important to you?"

Vione could not speak. Her tongue was tied. Her world was collapsing.

"Mireya, what did you just say? You're pregnant?"

Vione blinked. Her focus returned. She blinked slowly and saw Usher's arrival along with Garth.

Vione's heart wanted to speak. She wanted to call Usher, but her body felt paralyzed. Her hands, legs and even her tongue could not move. So, she could only stand still as Usher passed her with hurried steps to approach Mireya.

"Yes, Usher. I'm pregnant."

Vione was shocked by the pain that ripped through her heart. She wanted to close her eyes and ears and run away. She did not want to see or hear the affection between Usher and Mireya.

"Oh, God, Mireya. You're pregnant!"

Usher's voice indicated joy. He laughed, and a moment later Mireya's happy cry could be heard.

At that moment, Vione realized that she should have left immediately. But what she did was the opposite. She turned around and saw the heartbreaking scene. Usher was carrying Mireya, spinning around, accompanied by constant laughter.

Bitterness arose. Vione stuffed her throat with unimaginable bitterness. She blocked her airways and gave herself a suffocating warmth.

Vione shivered. Her body felt dizzy with the onslaught of reality. But she tried to endure. She braced herself as best she could and avoided shedding tears.

"Oh, Usher. Stop it. My head is spinning. I'm afraid I'm going to throw up here."

Usher's laughter subsided and he let Mireya down. He cupped Mireya's face and kissed her as if no one else was there.

Vione closed her eyes. She could not bear to watch this scene. She strengthened her heart, while next to her Garth could only look at her with pity.

"Mireya, really. This is such happy news. You don't know how happy I am right now."

Mireya laughed. Usher continued to hug her, kissing every part of her face. "Usher, stop it. I know you're happy, but look. Vione is here."

"Vione?" Usher repeated, uncertain. He drew back slightly, his hand still around Mireya's waist. He scanned the area, then knitted his brows. "Vione! When did you get here?"

Mireya's laughter grew louder. She patted Usher gently on the chest. "You're outrageous, Usher. Vione was here the whole time."

"I haven't seen her."

Vione bit her lip. She tried not to listen, but the mockery echoed in her mind. Yes, Usher, you haven't seen me all this time.

So pitiful. In Vione's eyes there was only Usher. But in Usher's eyes there was only Mireya. Vione began to wonder what all the words of love and tender touches Usher had given her meant.

Vione could not accept it. Fear rose in her heart. She clenched her fingers as tightly as she could and looked at Usher and Mireya without blinking.

"You two are really outrageous. How could you do that in front of me?"

Usher and Mireya both turned to Vione. Their overflowing happiness stopped. But Vione's words did not disturb them, quite the opposite.

"If you don't want to see it, you can leave, Vione. Besides, no one told you to stay here."

"Usher."

Usher's eyes widened. One of his hands left Mireya's waist and pointed in a direction. "You just go, Vione. No one told you to stay."

"Leave?" Vione repeated, her voice shaking. She stared at Usher with a look that implied all the depths of pain. "Are you telling me to leave, or do you want me to leave your life?"

The question drew surprise from all parties, each with different accompanying emotions. Mireya, of course, had sparkling eyes. Garth, on the other hand, was more in shock, which caused him to look back and forth between Usher and Vione.

"I didn't say that, Vione, but if that's how you feel, then so be it. You can leave here or even leave my life. I really don't care."

Garth shook his head gently. He tried to calm Usher. "Alpha."

"Shut up, Garth," Usher ordered without hesitation. Apparently, he could guess that the Beta would try to defend Vione. "This is my private matter; stay out of it."

But it was not that simple. Vione was Usher's mate. She was the Luna. She was the woman with the highest position in the pack. So, it was only right that Garth intervened. Garth did not want Usher to lose his mind and cause chaos.

"Alpha, I think it's best if you rest now. It has been a very busy day and you must be tired."

It did not work. Usher remained unmoved; his gaze fixed on Vione. "The choice is yours, Vione. Will you go or stay?"

"You're cruel, Usher. You really have no feelings. You're willing to do this to me just for this woman."

Usher growled. "Watch your words, Vione. This woman is Mireya and she's carrying my child. You should learn to respect her."

"Respect her?" Vione growled ironically, then she laughed bitterly. "I must respect your mistress? Oh, how amusing, Usher."

Usher's face turned red. His anger grew, but Mireya remained calm under Vione's accusations.

"I understand your anger, Vione. You must not want to accept this reality, but what else can you do? In Usher's heart there is only me. Especially now that I am carrying his child."

Vione's face turned crimson. Mireya's composure only fueled her anger. "You are truly a lowly woman, Mireya."

"Vione!"

When Usher growled again, Mireya laughed. She calmed Usher with a gentle touch on his chest, then spoke.

"I'm a lowly woman? Hmm. It seems someone here is unaware of her own situation. You called me a lowly woman, what about you, Vione? Aren't we equally lowly?"

Vione knitted her brows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..."

Mireya stepped forward, moving with a slow rhythm. Her gaze fell on Vione's confused eyes. She approached and then stopped directly in front of Vione. A meaningful smile appeared on her face.

"... didn't you do the same as me?"

*