I was the fated mate of Grayson, the Alpha and CEO of the Avalon Group.

He'd promised me the most magnificent bonding ceremony.

And I’d believed I was the luckiest woman in the world.

But after an unexpected miscarriage, I overheard a conversation between Grayson and a Pack Elder.

“Use the ancient ritual,” he commanded, his voice cold and merciless. “Brand her with the infertility rune.”

A moment later, his phone screen lit up.

He was gently caressing the swollen belly of a human woman—Juliana, the one he’d always claimed to be protecting.

She was pregnant with his child.

Grayson ordered the Elder on the other end of the line, “Elara must be kept in the dark about all of this.”

The betrayal hit me like a physical blow, threatening to shred my heart.

I decided to disappear, to leave them to their new life.

What Grayson didn't know then was that after I left, his pack’s totem tattoo—the very symbol of his Alpha power—began to fade. He was losing the favor of the Moon Goddess.

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1

I stumbled back to the penthouse apartment, my world shattered.

I bumped into someone but was too dazed to even apologize.

I was on autopilot, my mind replaying the devastating scene in an endless, agonizing loop.

Grayson, the man who once cherished me above all else, was now plotting to strip me of my ability to ever become a mother.

And he knew—he had always known—that having a child of our own was my deepest wish.

In the hallway, younger pack members cast envious glances my way.

“It’s the future Luna,” one of them whispered. “For her, our Alpha has rejected every noble she-wolf. I heard she's been unwell, and he has flown in the best healers from all over the world to watch over her.”

Once, those words would have made my heart swell with pride.

But now, a bitter lump formed in my throat, and the shame of it all stung my eyes.

I heard Grayson’s furious roar before I even stepped inside.

“Incompetent fools! You lost three million dollars over one mistake? Let me be clear: I will not have Elara disturbed by your failures. Another screw-up like this, and I’ll gut the entire department!”

Grayson had always been elegant and composed, rarely losing his temper.

The last time he’d been this furious was when I’d scalded my arm on a stage lamp at a perfume launch.

Back then, his anger had made me feel deeply cherished.

But now, watching his performative rage, I felt nothing at all.

“I'm home, Grayson.”

At the sound of my voice, he spun around, the fury on his face melting into a brilliant smile.

He strode toward me, pulling me into a crushing embrace. “Elara, where have you been? I was worried sick.”

A faint, unfamiliar scent of perfume clung to him—cheap and cloying. It wasn't mine.

But I just buried my face in his chest, hiding the turmoil in my eyes.

“I just went for a walk in the rooftop garden.”

His smile was still warm, but the worry in his eyes hadn't faded.

He brought over a crystal glass of red wine, the deep red liquid swirling within.

“Here, Elara,” he murmured. “Drink this. I added some herbs to help you relax.”

I took it, swirling it gently.

My wolf’s heightened sense of smell caught a faint, sharp scent hidden beneath the rich, fruity aroma.

Wolfsbane.

“Thank you,” I said, “but I don't feel like drinking right now.”

“Come on, Elara. Just drink it. You need to rest.”

“I said no.”

The resolve in my voice made his expression shift, his patience wearing thin. The air between us grew heavy.

After a tense moment, his features softened into a gentle, yielding smile.

“Alright, if you don’t want to drink it, you don’t have to.”

Just as I thought I had dodged a bullet, a strange fragrance began to drift from the room's aroma diffuser.

My vision swam. My legs gave out.

And then—endless darkness.

I didn’t open my eyes again until the morning of the third day.

I was lying in the pack’s medical bay. A searing pain shot through my abdomen.

A chilling fear gripped me, and my trembling fingers lifted the thin medical gown.

There, on my lower abdomen, was an ugly, faintly glowing rune branded on my skin.

Before I could even scream, Grayson leaned over me, relief washing over his face. “Elara, you’re awake.”

His voice was gentle and soothing—as if he hadn't just shattered my entire world.

“Three days ago, you had a sudden energy surge and collapsed,” he explained. “The healers had no choice… but to perform a purification ritual for you. This brand will save your life.”

He paused, a flicker of feigned sadness in his eyes.

“But it comes with a side effect… you can never have children.”

I stared at him, my heart fracturing into a million pieces.

Seeing my despair, he pulled me into his arms. “Don't be sad, Elara,” he whispered. “I know you've always wanted a child. We can adopt a pup from the pack. I promise, I'll raise him as my own.”

For days, I said nothing.

Even the cold, impersonal walls of the Avalon Group’s headquarters couldn't contain the grief that consumed me.

To “comfort” me, Grayson canceled all his work and never left my side.

Then, just as I finally gathered the courage to confront him, Juliana arrived.

My assistant’s voice crackled over the intercom, announcing Juliana’s arrival.

She appeared before us, holding a painting.

Looking at her, my mind drifted back three years.

Back then, Grayson had just rejected the advances of all the noble she-wolves in the pack, declaring to everyone that I was his one and only fated mate.

Then, he rescued this “harmless” human painter from a street accident.

My own compassion had been my undoing; I’d agreed to let him keep the seemingly fragile girl by his side.

I even arranged for her to work at a gallery owned by the Group.

I took the painting she offered and turned toward the wall.

In the smooth glass surface of the picture frame, I saw it.

Juliana’s pale, slender hand snaked around Grayson’s neck.

Before I could react, she quickly kissed his cheek.

And Grayson didn't push her away.

Instead, he glanced at my reflection, then gently pushed Juliana back. His touch held no anger, only a deep, casual familiarity.

As if chiding her for being mischievous, his hand lingered on her slender waist for a moment before giving it a light squeeze.

They’d been doing this for a long time. The realization was a knife to the gut, and I scoffed at my own foolishness.

Pretending to feel dizzy, I told them I was going to the study to rest.

But I slipped into the study and activated the surveillance program on my tablet.

A screen lit up before me, showing me a live feed of the art room.

I had once used this technology to monitor business rivals.

Now, I was using it to watch my mate betray me.

The moment I was gone, Grayson pushed Juliana against an easel, his voice low and hoarse. “Didn't I tell you to restrain yourself in front of Elara?”

Juliana just giggled, her fingers hooking his tie. “I missed you,” she whispered. “You’ve spent so many nights with her already.”

She breathed against his ear, but her gaze seemed to pierce through the walls, landing right on me—she knew I was watching.

“Grayson,” she purred, “isn't this place special? You built this art room specifically for your fated mate. Every piece in here is something she loves. Doesn't that just make things more... thrilling?”

With that, she tore open her skirt, revealing the delicate lace underneath.

Grayson’s eyes darkened. His wolf took over.

With an urgency I once thought was reserved only for me, he kissed her fiercely.

I listened to their tangled breaths, their gasps and moans a symphony of my betrayal.

My breathing grew ragged. A cold sweat broke out on my skin.

A pain so sharp and relentless it stole my breath pierced through my heart.

This man—the man who had sworn to love only me, who had sworn he would never betray me—was now devouring another woman in the very space I had so carefully curated.

The truth was undeniable. Grayson had betrayed me.

Under the weight of it all, my knees buckled. I clung to the wall, refusing to let them see me so broken. My pride wouldn’t allow them the satisfaction.

When Grayson finally left, Juliana didn't.

Instead, she walked to the door of the study where I was hiding.

She looked down at me, a slow, triumphant smile spreading across her face.

“Elara,” she said, “you saw everything, didn't you?”

She paused, savoring the moment.

“And, I'm pregnant with his child.”

I looked up. “How long have you two been together?”

Juliana smirked, her voice filled with victorious glee. “Three years. You know, Grayson was born powerful, and I'm so fragile. It was only a matter of time before he was drawn to me.”

She leaned closer, whispering in my ear, “I bet you didn't know—our first time was in the very sanctuary you prepared for your bonding ceremony.”

I bit my lip hard, forcing myself to suppress the rage of my inner wolf. If I hadn't, I might have lunged at her right then and there and torn her to pieces.

Sensing my restraint, she grew bolder. “He felt guilty then. That's why he gave you access to the Group's treasury. And you—” she let out a soft laugh, “—you actually thought it was proof of his love. How absurd.”

“A year ago, when you miscarried and nearly bled to death, you had your assistants searching everywhere for him. They couldn’t find him, remember?” She tilted her head, a vicious glint in her eyes. “Guess where he was? In my bed. So if you know what’s good for you, you’ll disappear on your own and return the title of future Luna to its rightful owner—me.”

Her every word was a fresh cut. Memories came flooding back—the pain of losing my child that day had been so unbearable I had almost lost my life. My assistants had searched everywhere for Grayson, desperate to bring him back to me. But he was nowhere to be found.

Now I knew why.

My vision blurred.

Seeing my composure finally crack, Juliana reveled in her victory. She planted her hands on her hips and declared, “Next weekend, Grayson and I will be co-hosting a baby shower. You should come and watch—see how a real heir is introduced to the Pack. You never even had that chance, did you?”

She left, humming a little tune, while I collapsed in the shadows of the dim hallway, crying until darkness claimed me.

When I woke up, it was the next day.

Grayson was sitting by my bed. The moment I opened my eyes, he pulled me into his arms. “Elara, you’re awake! What happened? Why did you faint?”

“You know, Grayson,” I murmured, a bitter smile on my lips. “Sometimes I really envy Juliana.”

His expression froze. “What?”

“At least she’ll have a child of her own soon. If I… if I’d only been able to have our pup sooner, maybe things would have been different.”

Panic flashed across his face. “Why are you suddenly saying this? Has someone been filling your head with nonsense?”

“You don't need a pup to prove anything,” he rushed to assure me. “I will never leave you.”

I said nothing. I just looked at him.

Growing more and more desperate, Grayson shot up from his chair, yanked open the door, and summoned all his top executives over the internal comms system. “Get every female executive I’ve had contact with in here. Now!”

Before long, four or five impeccably dressed women walked into the room.

Grayson turned to them. “Tell your future Luna the nature of our interactions over the past few days.”

The first to speak was the finance director. “Three days ago, President Grayson accompanied Miss Elara to the medical center. I saw him then.”

The second was the Group’s chief nutritionist. “A few days ago, President Grayson consulted me about Miss Elara’s diet.”

The third was the head designer. “Yesterday, President Grayson summoned me to have a new evening gown custom-made for Miss Elara.”

One by one, they answered, and with each response, the tension in Grayson's shoulders eased. Every interaction, he had proven, was centered around me.

He let out a breath, as if this pathetic display had proven his fidelity.

And I just watched the performance unfold, unmoved.

Then, when silence fell, I finally spoke. “What about Juliana? She was here yesterday too, wasn't she?”

His entire body went rigid. “Juliana?” He feigned confusion. “Why bring her up? You know I’m just taking care of a helpless human.”

His denial was swift, but his voice trembled, strained and unnatural.