The Alpha’s Plus Size Obsession novel Chapter 14

14 

Mary Ann 

Several days blurred together in a haze of quiet determination and hidden hurt. Modric remained a ghost in his own home. He returned only when I was deep asleep and left before the first light of dawn touched the windows. I knew because the servants whispered and because the faint trace of his cedar scent lingered in the halls some mornings. His empty chair at every meal became a painful reminder and the center of growing gossip. 

I sat through breakfasts and dinners with my head high, smiling at the children and nodding at the elders, but the vacant seat at the head of the table burned in my peripheral vision. It felt like a public declaration. The Alpha could not stand to share space with his wife. 

One afternoon while walking through the gardens, I overheard two young servants chatting near the laundry lines. Their voices carried clearly on the breeze. 

“The Alpha cannot even bear looking at his wife,” one said with a giggle. “He runs to the borders every chance he gets. Poor Luna. All that softness and no one to appreciate it.” 

The other laughed softly. “Maybe he misses his old flame. Velvera was always so slim and fierce.” 

I paused behind a flowering bush, my chest tightening. The words stung, digging into old wounds about my body, my place here. But I straightened my shoulders and kept walking as if I had heard nothing. Hiding would only feed the rumors. I was Luna now. I would not shrink away. 

Instead of retreating to the Luna Wing, I joined the pack women for breakfast the next morning. The long table in the sunny side hall was filled with mothers, healers, and older she–wolves. Conversations paused briefly when I approached, but I offered a warm smile and took a seat. Good morning. May I join you?” 

Elder Mira, the wise woman who had blessed me on my first day, immediately slid over to make space beside her. She placed a gentle hand on my arm in full view of everyone. “Of course, child. We were just talking about the herb gardens. Your suggestions for the new planting beds have been wonderful.” 

Her public support warmed me more than I could say. The other women relaxed, and soon the table filled with easy chatter. I listened more than I spoke at first, learning the rhythms of their lives. Then the topic turned to the upcoming Unity Festival. 

“It was supposed to be next week,” one of the mothers said with a sigh. “But after the clashes with Mooncrest, the elders cancelled it. Too much tension still.” 

He hesitated, glancing toward the pack house before answering carefully. “He did return last night. He just didn’t come to see you.” 

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