I was carrying the Alpha's heir, my child due beneath the next full moon, when a sealed parchment arrived at Moonfang Keep.

The wax bore the crest of the Moon Sanctuary.

It was the sacred lodge where Kael Blackthorne, Alpha of the Moonfang Pack, had taken me after our mating ceremony seven years ago.

Inside rested a small ivory card.

I hope you and your Alpha enjoyed your stay.

My fingers turned cold.

My mate.

My Alpha.

The male who had sworn before the Moon Goddess to belong to me alone.

For two years, he had been bringing another she-wolf into the very chamber where he had first claimed me.

The first visit had happened on the night I lost our first pup.

A soft chime echoed from the Whisper Crystal resting beside my bed.

An unfamiliar sender.

No name.

Only a single message.

"His true Luna. The one destined to give the Pack strong heirs, unlike the barren female beside him."

Several Memory Crystals accompanied the words.

My hands trembled as I awakened the first one.

Mist swirled across its surface before forming a living vision.

Kael stood beneath silver moonlight, holding another woman in his arms.

"You are the only one I have ever loved."

His voice was unmistakable.

"When Bianca gives birth, I will dissolve our mating bond."

"I will make you my Luna."

The crystal dimmed.

For a long moment I could not breathe.

……

More messages appeared one after another.

"You deserve to know the truth."

"Every hunt he claimed kept him away from the Keep, he spent beside me."

"He only remains with you because the Council demands an heir."

"The Spirit Archive holds every memory of us together."

With numb fingers, I opened the enchanted archive.

Memory after memory unfolded before me.

Kael never allowed his face to appear clearly.

Yet I recognized him instantly.

How could I not?

I had fastened every cloak across his shoulders.

I knew every scar upon his hands.

Every silver wolf ring he wore during Council gatherings.

The tiny crack in the obsidian signet carved with the Blackthorne crest.

I never needed to see his face.

I knew my mate.

Then one memory stopped my heart.

The woman clung happily to Kael while displaying a moonstone ring.

Silver blossoms surrounded them.

Moonfire drifted across the night sky.

The inscription beneath the memory read:

The day he accepted me as his chosen mate.

My vision blurred.

That had been the same night I miscarried.

I remembered calling for Kael until my voice disappeared.

The Moon Healers had begged him to come.

Instead, he accused me of inventing excuses to pull him away from his duties.

Then he never came.

I watched our tiny pup carried away beneath a white burial cloth.

Something inside me died beside that child.

For months afterward, silence haunted Moonfang Keep.

Even the Pack Warriors avoided meeting my eyes.

Then another Memory Crystal appeared.

Inside rested a healer's blessing.

A tiny heartbeat glowed beneath sacred runes.

Below it was a single sentence.

I carry Kael's pup.

The chamber spun around me.

Air refused to fill my lungs.

Outside my window, warriors continued their patrol.

Servants moved quietly through the Keep.

Life carried on.

As though my world had not just shattered.

I rushed toward Kael's chambers.

Inside a carved oak chest rested the keepsake pouch he always carried.

For years, it had held a small portrait spell of us together.

When I opened it, my heart finally broke.

My likeness was gone.

Another woman's smile looked back at me.

There was no denying it anymore.

My mate had betrayed me.

The Alpha who had pledged himself before the Council of Elders.

The male my father had trusted before his death.

The only wolf I had ever loved.

With shaking hands, I awakened the final Memory Crystal.

Kael's face appeared clearly this time.

His expression glowed with happiness.

"You're carrying my pup?"

The woman nodded.

He swept her into his arms, laughing with a joy I had not heard in years.

"As soon as Bianca gives birth to a healthy heir, I'll dissolve our bond."

"Then we'll become a true family."

"Our pups will inherit everything."

The crystal darkened.

I watched it again.

And again.

Every viewing carved another wound into my heart.

My fingers brushed the empty place where my mating band once rested.

Pregnancy had swollen my hands, forcing me to remove it weeks ago.

Only now did I understand.

That bond had lost its meaning long before the ring ever left my hand.

I sank onto the floor, holding myself together as everything I believed crumbled around me.

Then the great doors of Moonfang Keep opened below.

Pack warriors straightened.

Servants bowed their heads.

Only one wolf inspired such silence.

Kael had returned.

"Bianca?"

His voice echoed through the hall.

When no answer came, he climbed the stairs.

He found me sitting alone in darkness.

Concern crossed his face.

"Bianca."

He reached toward me.

"You're close to your birthing moon. Why are you sitting on the floor?"

I stepped back before he could touch me.

Those hands had held another.

"Where were you today?"

His movements paused.

Only briefly.

Then he answered without hesitation.

"I was inspecting the northern border with Beta Rowan."

The lie came as naturally as breathing.

I met his eyes.

"Really?"

"A huntress told me she saw you walking beside Silver Lake with someone."

For a heartbeat, the color drained from his face.

Then it vanished.

"So now the Pack spies on its Alpha?"

His voice hardened.

"I cannot even walk my own lands?"

I smiled faintly.

"I only wondered whether you had gathered moonberries."

"I wanted some too."

He stared at me.

Then irritation replaced whatever guilt had briefly surfaced.

"Why must everything become a complaint?"

"I spend every day protecting this Pack."

"If you want moonberries, ask the servants."

He shook his head.

"Start acting like an Alpha's Luna."

Without another word, he turned away.

The chamber fell silent once more.

Slowly, I wrapped both arms around my swollen belly.

Tears slipped down my face.

"My little pup..."

I whispered softly.

"Your father has already abandoned us."

I closed my eyes.

"But your mother never will."

"I will protect you, even if I must stand against the entire Pack."

Dorian's crystal communicator vibrated across the carved oak nightstand.

The moment I saw the name glowing across the enchanted screen, disgust twisted inside me.

My Love.

That was how he had saved her name.

We had been bound for two years under the Moon Goddess, yet the future Alpha of the Blackthorn Pack had never even tried to hide his affair.

He never believed I would uncover the truth.

My trembling fingers unlocked the communicator.

The image on the screen stole my breath.

A healer's moon-scan.

A pregnant she-wolf.

If Seraphina hadn't already sent me the very same image, I would have believed it was my own unborn pup.

That had always been their plan.

I opened their message thread.

Dorian: Little wolf, I heard pregnant she-wolves crave sour berries. I had Elias bring some from the Southern Forest. I'll deliver them tonight.

Seraphina: Won't your Beta become suspicious?

Dorian: Suspicious of what? He'll think they're for Selene.

Seraphina: Would you really give her any? I thought I was the only one you loved.

Dorian: Of course not. She's too particular to appreciate anything I bring her. You're the only woman I've ever loved. I would've dissolved our mate bond months ago, but after she lost our first pup, the entire pack pitied her. Leaving then would've damaged your reputation, so I kept her beside me a little longer.

Seraphina: You're wonderful. But I'm lonely, and I suddenly want honey cakes.

Dorian: I'll be there soon.

Every word carved another wound into my heart.

I bit my lip until I tasted blood, fighting back the sob threatening to escape.

So that was all my pups had ever meant to him.

Not children.

Not blessings from the Moon Goddess.

Only heirs.

Only bloodlines.

Only the future of the Blackthorn Pack.

My vision blurred, but I forced myself to continue reading.

Then something unexpected caught my eye.

An attached document.

My heartbeat stopped.

I opened it.

The Moonstone Valley.

The Silver Lake hunting grounds.

The sacred herb fields.

The ancestral lands my father, Alpha of Ravenfall Pack, had entrusted to me before he died.

My entire body went numb.

Then numbness became fury.

I stared at the transfer seals in disbelief.

Every territory my parents had left me had already been transferred.

To Seraphina.

Months ago, Dorian had claimed our pack was on the verge of collapse.

The winter hunts had failed.

Food stores were shrinking.

Neighboring packs had cut off trade.

He said temporarily transferring my territories would protect the Blackthorn Pack until the crisis passed.

And I believed him.

Like a fool.

I surrendered everything because I believed mates stood together.

Because I believed he was my family.

In the end, everything my parents left me had become his lover's property.

My entire body trembled.

The pup inside my womb shifted uneasily.

A sharp kick.

As if sensing my anguish.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, pressing a shaking hand against my stomach.

Then I began gathering evidence.

One image after another.

Their messages.

The land transfer records.

Purchase ledgers.

Deliveries sent to Seraphina's woodland lodge.

The lodge built on Ravenfall territory.

White fox pelts.

Moonstone jewelry.

Rare enchanted robes.

Every luxury had been purchased with wealth that belonged to my pack.

My father's legacy.

Stolen by my own mate.

When I finished, I placed the communicator back exactly where it had been.

Then I climbed into bed.

Pulling the fur blanket over my head, I buried my face in the pillow and cried without making a sound.

He could never see me break.

A few minutes later, I heard footsteps outside.

The chamber door opened.

Dorian walked inside.

He picked up his communicator and smiled as he read Seraphina's newest message.

A smile he hadn't given me in years.

Eventually, he sat beside me.

His hand rested gently against my swollen belly.

"Little wolf," he said softly, "the elders have called a council tonight. Rogues have crossed into our western border, and I need to meet with the warriors."

The lie came as naturally as breathing.

"I won't return until tomorrow."

As he rose to leave, I reached for his wrist.

My strength was fading.

But I couldn't stop myself.

"I've been waiting for you all day."

My voice trembled.

"Can't you stay with me tonight?"

Even then, part of me still wanted to believe.

Still wanted to believe the boy who had sworn himself to me beneath the Full Moon would never betray me like this.

For our unborn pup.

For our mate bond.

For everything we had once shared.

Dorian looked down at me.

For a brief moment, guilt crossed his face.

His fingers brushed away the tears on my cheeks.

But he couldn't meet my eyes.

"I..."

He hesitated.

"What is it, Selene..."

His communicator chimed.

Everything changed instantly.

His attention shifted.

His expression softened.

His priorities became painfully clear.

Just as they always had.

"I can't place you above the pack."

His voice was calm.

"You understand that."

After a brief pause, he added,

"I'll ask your mother to stay with you."

When I said nothing, he finally looked at me again.

His expression faltered.

Because I was no longer looking at him as my mate.

I was looking at a stranger.

"Selene..."

"Go."

My voice was steady.

Too steady.

The final chance I had offered him had been thrown away without hesitation.

Just like everything else between us.

He stood motionless for a heartbeat.

Then he turned and left.

The chamber door closed quietly behind him.

Moments later, the heavy gates of the Alpha's Hall opened.

Then closed again.

Silence settled over the ancient keep.

It felt as though something had left forever.

Slowly, I forced myself to my feet.

I called for a carriage.

Old Gareth answered.

As always.

His weathered voice carried quiet warmth.

"Where to, Lady Selene?"

"The Moonstone Valley."

I swallowed hard.

"The Ravenfall estate."

When we arrived, Dorian's black carriage was already waiting outside.

From the shadows beneath the ancient pines, I watched him step down and carefully scan the surrounding forest.

Like a warrior making sure no rival pack was watching.

Then he knocked on the door.

It opened.

Seraphina ran straight into his arms.

My hands tightened around the recording crystal.

I captured everything.

The embrace.

The smiles.

The kiss.

The tenderness.

The way his hand settled naturally against the small of her back.

Exactly as it once had with me.

Tears blurred my sight.

Still, I kept recording.

Then Dorian slowly knelt before her.

With unbelievable tenderness, he pressed a kiss against her swollen belly.

Against the pup she carried.

A pup he welcomed.

A pup he cherished.

Pain twisted violently through my womb.

Sharper than before.

Yet I couldn't move.

Couldn't speak.

Couldn't even cry.

I simply sat inside the carriage, watching my mate bond shatter.

A short while later, Dorian helped Seraphina into the carriage himself.

He wrapped a warm wolf-fur cloak around her shoulders with careful hands.

Their laughter drifted through the quiet forest.

Another wave of pain struck me.

Stronger.

More urgent.

Slowly, my fingers brushed the silver mate ring on my hand.

Not to seek comfort.

To say goodbye.

Soon, the bond would be broken.

Just like us.

"Gareth."

My voice was barely audible.

"Follow them to the Moon Healers' Sanctuary."

Gareth met my eyes.

One look was enough.

Deep concern softened his expression.

Without asking another question, he guided the horses forward.

When we reached the sanctuary, he helped me down from the carriage.

"My Lady."

He spoke gently.

"Bringing a pup into this world is a blessing."

"A she-wolf deserves peace, not a mate who abandons her."

He paused.

"Please don't carry this burden alone."

My throat tightened.

This old warrior had shown me more kindness in a single evening than my own mate had in years.

I nodded.

"Thank you, Gareth."

Then I rested my hand on my belly.

A strange calm settled over me.

For the first time that night, my thoughts became clear.

I would no longer live for Dorian.

I would live for my pup.

"Don't worry."

My voice was firm.

"He means nothing to me anymore."

I lifted my eyes toward the glowing sanctuary beneath the moonlight.

For the first time, I truly believed my own words.

"Soon, both my child and I will be free."

Hidden beneath the ancient pines, I watched my mate gently support his lover as they entered the Moon Healers' Sanctuary for her prenatal examination.

Two years earlier, when I lost my first pup, the head healer had told me the truth.

It had not happened because my body was weak.

It happened because Dorian arrived too late after my labor began.

Our pup never drew its first breath.

Even after that tragedy, he never accompanied me to a single examination during this pregnancy.

There was always another excuse.

Another duty.

Another council.

Another border patrol.

I still remembered his cold voice.

"Stop behaving like a frightened pup. You are the future Luna of Blackthorn Pack. Learn to carry yourself with dignity. I have an entire pack to protect. Ask your mother to take you to the healers."

Those had been his words when I begged him to come with me.

Yet now he stood beside Seraphina, personally collecting healing herbs and protective tonics.

Only then did I understand.

He had never been too busy.

I simply had never been important enough.

He had abandoned me long ago.

The sanctuary was crowded with warriors and expecting mothers.

Dorian instinctively drew Seraphina closer.

"Little wolf, those sour berries I brought yesterday have been sitting too long. Don't eat them."

Seraphina laughed.

"They're only a day old."

"No."

His voice was full of concern.

"I won't risk anything that could harm you or our pup. Come. I'll have the kitchen prepare fresh honey milk. The mountain air is cold tonight."

She smiled playfully.

"Then you have to promise me something."

"Anything."

"When we complete our mate ceremony, I want the grandest celebration any pack has ever seen."

Dorian smiled without hesitation.

"You'll have it."

He gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Give me one more moon."

"When Selene gives birth, I'll send her back to Ravenfall under the excuse that she needs time to recover."

"Then I'll publicly claim you as my true mate."

"You'll become the most admired Luna among every allied pack."

Seraphina pouted.

"You'd better keep your promise."

Dorian chuckled before leaning down to kiss her.

I stood frozen.

It felt as though something inside my chest shattered beyond repair.

Once, we had looked at each other that way.

Once, those promises had belonged to me.

Now he was planning how to erase me from his life.

Without realizing it, I followed them.

Like a wolf still bound by a broken mate bond.

The night wind swept through the forest, carrying a bitter chill.

Dorian removed his own wolf-fur cloak and wrapped it carefully around Seraphina's shoulders.

Dark clouds gathered overhead.

Thunder rolled across the mountains.

The first drops of rain began to fall.

Dorian hurried her into the carriage before she could become wet.

Standing beneath an ancient oak, I watched through the open carriage window.

My mate gently cupped her face before kissing her.

Then Seraphina slowly opened her eyes.

She looked directly at me.

Without breaking the kiss.

Instead, she wrapped her arms around Dorian's neck and kissed him even more deeply.

She had known I was there all along.

Again and again, she glanced toward me.

Every look carried the same message.

He had never truly belonged to me.

My trembling fingers reached for my communicator.

I called Dorian.

Inside the carriage, he noticed the crystal glowing with my name.

For a single heartbeat, guilt crossed his face.

Then Seraphina whispered something into his ear as she wrapped herself around him.

His expression hardened.

He dismissed the call.

I tried again.

This time he answered.

"What is it?"

His voice was filled with irritation.

"Don't you have anything better to do than interrupt me?"

Before I could speak, the connection vanished.

Moments later, he sealed his communicator against mine.

Cold rain poured from the sky.

The carriage disappeared into the darkness.

The warriors assigned to escort their Alpha followed close behind.

Soon the sanctuary courtyard was empty.

Only I remained beneath the storm.

"I release you."

My voice was barely louder than the rain.

"Dorian."

"My life no longer belongs to you."

"And neither does my heart."

Gathering what little strength I had left, I made my way to the Ravenshield Hall.

The pack's oldest lawkeeper, Lyra Ashbourne, looked up as I entered.

One glance at my soaked clothes and pale face told her everything.

She quietly removed the parchment she had been reading and handed me a dry cloak.

No unnecessary questions.

No empty comfort.

Only silent understanding.

Perhaps she had seen too many broken mate bonds in her lifetime.

Just not one involving the future Alpha.

I placed everything before her.

The recordings.

The messages.

The land transfer records.

The evidence of betrayal.

Finally, I activated the memory crystal.

Dorian's voice echoed through the chamber.

"If she gives birth to a strong male pup and accepts Seraphina as Luna, I may allow her to remain in Blackthorn."

"If she refuses, I'll use the child to force her out of the pack."

My heart tightened as the words replayed.

Slowly, I turned the silver mate ring around my finger.

Not out of hesitation.

Out of resolve.

Lyra closed the crystal.

Her gaze remained calm.

"My Lady."

"With this evidence, I will ensure your mate bond is dissolved according to the Ancient Laws."

"You deserve a future that no longer includes Alpha Dorian."

After leaving Ravenshield Hall, my communication crystal suddenly glowed.

Mother.

I answered at once.

"Selene."

Her warm voice immediately filled the silence.

"I heard from one of the servants that you had a fever yesterday."

"Did Dorian take you to the Moon Healers?"

My throat tightened.

Tears threatened to spill.

"I'm... feeling much better now."

"Don't lie to me."

She sighed softly.

"You sound exhausted."

"Are you truly alright?"

I closed my eyes.

"Yes, Mother."

"Dorian is here."

"He bought me warm honey milk."

"He even accompanied me to my examination."

"The healers said our pup may arrive at any time."

A long pause followed.

"Good."

Although doubt still lingered in her voice.

"I've never fully forgiven him for what happened to your first pup."

"But if he's finally taking care of you, perhaps he's learned."

Another wave of cold swept through me.

"Selene."

"It's raining hard."

"Come home soon."

"I made your favorite venison stew."

I bit my lip.

"I'll be home soon."

Before she could hear me cry, I ended the call.

My legs finally gave out beneath me.

I sank onto the rain-soaked forest path.

Rain beat against the earth.

The ancient bell atop the Moon Temple echoed through the valley.

Steady.

Unchanging.

The world continued moving forward.

Even though mine had completely fallen apart.

For the first time in my life, I understood that everything I had believed in had been nothing more than a beautiful lie.