The morning sickness had barely subsided when I slipped into the pack kitchen, hoping to brew some ginger tea before anyone else woke. The quiet solitude was all I needed—just me and the gentle hum of the kettle.

"Making breakfast for your Alpha?"

I flinched at Eliana's voice, sharp as a blade slicing through the peaceful morning. She leaned against the doorframe, her silk robe hanging open to reveal the curve of her breast. Even in the early light, her makeup was flawless.

"Just some tea," I murmured, keeping my eyes on the kettle. "For the nausea."

Eliana's laugh was cold as winter frost. "Oh, the little broodmare needs her morning pick-me-up."

My wolf bristled at the word. *Broodmare*. Like I was nothing more than a vessel for Garrett's heir.

"You should be more careful, Emily." She moved closer, her floral scent suffocating me. "Did you really think he'd choose you? A little Omega with no power, no connections?"

I gripped the counter to steady myself. "The Moon Goddess chose me for him."

"The Moon Goddess made a mistake." Eliana's fingers trailed across the marble countertop, leaving a trail of her scent. "Garrett tells me everything, you know. Every night you cry yourself to sleep. Every time you vomit. Every pathetic little prayer you whisper to that useless wolf of yours."

My stomach clenched. Those were private moments—our private moments.

"He says you're so desperate for his attention you've started leaving little gifts on his pillow." Her eyes gleamed with malice. "How cute. How pathetic."

The kettle whistled, its shrill cry matching the scream building in my chest.

"Once you pop out that pup," Eliana continued, leaning in close enough that I could smell Garrett's cologne on her skin, "he'll have no use for you. Just you, your sad little wolf, and a nursery full of baby things no one will ever want."

I pushed past her, the empty mug clutched in my trembling hand. "I have two weeks," I whispered. "Catherine promised."

Eliana's laughter followed me down the hall. "Promises are for children, little wolf. And you're nothing but a means to an end."

---

Garrett's office was empty when I slipped inside later that day. I needed to find the pack territory maps—anything to distract myself from Eliana's words echoing in my head.

The massive oak desk dominated the room, its drawers neatly labeled. I found the maps in the second drawer, but as I closed it, something caught my eye.

A small brass key, partially hidden beneath a stack of reports.

My fingers trembled as I picked it up. What was Garrett hiding that required a lock?

The key fit perfectly into the bottom drawer—the one I'd never seen him open. Inside lay a wooden box, polished to a gleam and tied with a silk ribbon.

I shouldn't look. This was private.

But Eliana's words pushed me forward. *He tells me everything.*

With shaking hands, I untied the ribbon. The lid opened smoothly, revealing a shrine that shattered what little hope I had left.

A scarf—Eliana's scarf—folded carefully and tied with her scent. Photos of them together, some recent, some from years ago. And beneath them, letters.

Love letters.

"Dearest Eli," I read, my voice barely audible. "Another night pretending to love her while my heart belongs to you..."

The date on the letter was three days *after* our mating ceremony.

I sank to the floor, the letters scattered around me like fallen leaves. Each one more intimate than the last. Each one proof that Garrett had never intended to honor our bond.

"My wolf howls for you," one read. "Not for the little Omega who shares my bed out of duty."

My wolf whimpered inside me, the sound so pitiful it brought tears to my eyes.

---

The forest was quiet as I followed Eliana's scent toward the eastern border. Something about her smug confidence had set off warning bells—what was she planning?

I stayed downwind, my footsteps silent as I tracked her to a small clearing just beyond our territory lines.

A man waited there—rough, scarred, with the unmistakable scent of a Rogue.

"The information is accurate," Eliana was saying, her voice low but clear. "The training session is tomorrow at noon. The northern path will be unguarded."

The Rogue nodded, his yellowed teeth flashing in what might have been a smile. "And the price?"

"Create a distraction," Eliana said. "Something big enough to draw attention away from the training grounds. I need about ten minutes."

"What's your endgame, Beta's daughter?" the Rogue asked, curious despite himself.

Eliana's laugh was cold as winter ice. "Let's just say I need to eliminate some... competition."

My blood ran cold as I realized what she was planning. Not just to hurt me—but to endanger the entire pack.

I backed away slowly, careful not to make a sound. Whatever game Eliana was playing, it was far more dangerous than I'd imagined.

And Garrett was either part of it—or completely blind to the threat growing right under his nose.

The training grounds buzzed with activity as pack members gathered for the mandatory session. I stood at the edge, my hand instinctively resting on my stomach. Two weeks had passed since Catherine's plea, and still, Garrett's heart remained elsewhere.

"Everyone pair up!" Delta James shouted, his voice carrying across the field. "We're practicing defensive maneuvers today."

I scanned the crowd for Garrett, but he was nowhere to be seen. Probably with Eliana, preparing for their next betrayal.

A sudden explosion shook the ground, sending birds scattering from nearby trees. Shouts erupted as pack members scrambled for cover.

"What's happening?" I cried, clutching my stomach protectively.

"Rogues at the northern border!" someone yelled. "They've breached the perimeter!"

Chaos erupted. Warriors shifted into wolf form, racing toward the commotion. The training ground emptied quickly, leaving only a handful of us behind.

"Emily!" Delta James called. "Get inside! Now!"

But before I could move, a massive gray wolf burst through the trees—Eliana in her shifted form. Her eyes locked on mine, gleaming with something that made my blood run cold.

"Emily," she growled, her wolf's voice thick with malice. "Perfect timing."

She stalked toward me, her massive paws silent on the grass. I backed away, my wolf snarling inside me.

"Eliana, stop! The Rogues—"

"I know exactly what I'm doing," she snapped, circling me. "This is the distraction I arranged. Didn't you wonder why I needed those patrol routes?"

My heart pounded as I realized what was happening. This wasn't random—it was planned.

"You're insane," I whispered, backing toward the trees.

Her wolf lunged forward, teeth bared. "Insane? No, I'm practical. There's only room for one Luna in this pack."

I turned to run, but Eliana was faster. She slammed into my back with brutal force, her heavy wolf body propelling me forward. I screamed as I flew through the air, my arms wrapping instinctively around my stomach.

The world slowed as I hit the rocky outcrop at the edge of the training grounds. Pain exploded through my abdomen, sharp and tearing. I crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Alpha!" I cried out, my voice breaking. "Garrett! Please!"

Blood pooled beneath me, warm and sticky against my skin. I could feel it—the life inside me slipping away.

Eliana shifted back to human form, clutching her ankle. "Oh no," she whimpered loudly. "I lost control! The stress of the attack—I couldn't stop myself!"

Footsteps pounded toward us. Garrett appeared, his face pale with shock.

"Emily?" His eyes widened at the sight of my blood.

"Help me," I begged, reaching for him. "Our pup—"

A pained yelp from Eliana cut me off. She limped dramatically, tears streaming down her face.

"Garrett, I'm hurt," she sobbed. "My paw—I think it's broken."

I stared in disbelief as Garrett rushed past me to Eliana's side.

"Let me see," he murmured, gently examining her ankle while she leaned into him.

"Garrett," I gasped, the pain intensifying. "Your son is dying."

But he didn't look up. His hands cradled Eliana's foot, his attention completely focused on her minor injury.

"It's just a sprain," he told her softly. "You'll be fine."

Strong arms lifted me from behind. "I've got you, Luna," Gamma Marcus said grimly. "The Healer is waiting."

I watched through tears as Garrett helped Eliana to a sitting position, completely ignoring my blood staining the ground.

---

"The pup is gone," Dr. Helena Stone said gently, her hands still glowing with healing energy. "I'm so sorry, Emily."

I stared at the ceiling, unable to process her words. The emptiness inside me was physical—a void where life had been moments before.

"I felt it happen," I whispered. "The bond... it snapped."

Helena's eyes filled with tears. "The Moon Goddess blesses us with these bonds, but sometimes they're fragile."

A commotion outside drew her attention. "Alpha Garrett is here."

"Don't let him in," I pleaded, but Helena was already moving toward the door.

Garrett burst into the infirmary, his face ashen. The scent of Eliana still clung to him—her perfume, her tears, her deceit.

"Emily," he breathed, approaching the bed cautiously. "I came as soon as I could."

I turned away, unable to look at him. "You came too late."

"Is it true?" His voice cracked. "Did we lose...?"

"Our son is dead," I said flatly. "While you were comforting her."

Garrett's knees buckled as he sank to the floor beside my bed. "Emily, please—I didn't know—"

"You didn't want to know," I corrected him, my voice hollow. "You chose her. Even now, you reek of her."

His hands reached for mine, but I pulled away. The mate bond between us stretched thin, weakened by his betrayal and the loss of our pup.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, but the words meant nothing.

Sorry wouldn't bring back our son. Sorry wouldn't heal the wound in my heart. And sorry certainly wouldn't change the fact that when I needed him most, he had chosen another.

As I lay there, empty and broken, one thought crystallized in my mind: This was the end. The beginning of the end of everything we had once been promised.

I stared at the ceiling of the infirmary, counting the cracks in the plaster as Garrett's voice washed over me. His words blurred together—excuses, justifications, empty promises. My body felt hollow, emptied of both life and hope.

"Emily, please look at me," he begged, his hand hovering above mine. "I didn't know—Eliana was hurt, I didn't think—"

"Don't." My voice came out stronger than I expected. "Don't you dare make excuses for choosing her while our son died."

The monitors beeped steadily, marking time in this sterile room that smelled of antiseptic and grief. Dr. Helena had stepped out, leaving us alone with the weight of what we'd lost.

"I made a mistake," Garrett whispered, his eyes red-rimmed. "I'll make it up to you. We can try again—"

"No." The word sliced through his pleas like a blade. "There is no trying again. There is no fixing this."

I turned to face him then, really look at him for the first time since he'd entered. His handsome face was haggard, his Alpha aura dimmed by the broken bond between us. For a moment, I almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

"I, Emily Weaver," I began, my voice barely audible, "reject you—"

"Stop!" Garrett lunged forward, grabbing my wrist. "Don't say it. Please, Emily, don't say it."

I pulled away from his touch. "You rejected me first. When you chose her. When you let our son die alone."

"I didn't know," he repeated, desperation cracking his voice. "I didn't know he was dying."

"You didn't want to know." I met his gaze steadily. "You never wanted to know anything about me."

Something shifted in the air between us—the mate bond stretching thinner, fraying at the edges. Garrett staggered back as if physically struck, his hand clutching his chest.

"Emily," he gasped, "what have you done?"

"I've started what should have happened months ago." I turned away from him, unable to bear the sight of his pain when it was nothing compared to what I'd endured.

---

The storm came just after midnight, sheets of rain lashing against the windows of the infirmary. Thunder crashed overhead, drowning out the sound of my tears.

I waited until the night shift nurse left to check on other patients before sitting up. My body protested—weak from blood loss and grief—but determination pushed me forward.

"Come on," I whispered to my wolf. "We have to go."

She whimpered inside me, still mourning our lost pup, but found enough strength to help me stand.

The hospital gown stuck to my skin, damp with sweat and tears. I changed into the clothes Helena had left folded on a chair—simple jeans and a sweater that weren't mine but would do.

At the window, I hesitated. The rain poured down in torrents, but beyond the storm lay freedom.

"I'd rather die free than live another day in this prison," I told my reflection in the glass.

I slipped out the back entrance, the cold rain immediately soaking through my clothes. Mud splattered my legs as I stumbled toward the tree line, but I welcomed it—mud would mask my scent.

"Find me if you can," I whispered into the darkness, knowing Garrett would come looking once he discovered I was gone.

The northern border was days away on foot, especially in my weakened state. Everyone knew the Northern Frost Pack territory was inhospitable—a frozen wasteland where even wolves struggled to survive. But I had nothing left to lose.

---

Days blurred together as I pushed north, stealing food from abandoned cabins, sleeping in whatever shelter I could find. The fever came and went, my body fighting infection from the miscarriage. Each step was agony, each breath a reminder of what I'd lost.

The landscape grew harsher as I approached the northern border—trees thinning, grass giving way to rocky soil and eventually snow. The cold bit through my inadequate clothes, but I kept moving.

"One more step," I told myself as my vision began to blur. "One more."

The snow came faster now, swirling around me in a whiteout. My legs finally gave out, and I collapsed onto the frozen ground. The cold felt almost welcoming—a numbing balm to my broken heart.

"So this is how it ends," I murmured, watching snowflakes land on my eyelashes.

Through the haze of approaching unconsciousness, I heard it—the steady crunch of paws on snow. A massive black wolf emerged from the blizzard, its eyes gleaming like amber fire.

I didn't try to run. What was the point? Death had been chasing me since the moment I lost my son.

But instead of tearing into me as I expected, the wolf approached slowly. It lowered its great head and nudged my hand with its muzzle—gentle, almost tender.

"Please," I whispered, my voice fading as darkness crept in from the edges of my vision. "Just let me die in peace."

The last thing I saw before consciousness slipped away was the wolf's eyes—not cruel or hungry, but filled with something that looked almost like recognition.