The next morning, the moment I unlocked my phone, a trending topic on the forum popped up in front of me.

Two photos had gone viral. The first showed Christopher holding Scarlett by the waist as they entered a hotel together. The second showed Christopher spending a fortune at an auction to buy Scarlett a priceless Moonlight Necklace, just to make her happy.

The comments below varied. Some were envious of Scarlett, thrilled that an Alpha would spend so lavishly on her. Others were speaking up for me, defending me from the injustice.

"Christopher already has a Luna, yet he keeps things ambiguous with Scarlett. He's complete scum."

"When he asked the Alpha King for Luna's hand, it shook the entire pack. Has he forgotten the vow he made to love only her for a lifetime now?"

A lifetime loving me? Was his behavior back then driven by ambition, or was it genuine?

As the Alpha King's daughter, whoever I wed becomes the pack's Alpha.

At that time, Christopher was just a lowly illegitimate son of an Alpha, disliked within the pack and constantly bullied by Luna's kin.

He kneeled outside my mansion for a whole day and night. "I'll only ever love Rebecca. I swear to the holy Moon Goddess to give her happiness and never be unfaithful. If I betray this vow, may I never know true love in my lifetime."

That day, the rain poured down relentlessly, yet it couldn't wash away the sincerity in his heart.

The vow from back then seemed to echo in my ears, but now it sounded painfully ironic.

I broke the silence. "Let's go to the auction. I want to see what kind of beauty that she-wolf possesses to make Christopher go this far for her."

I drove to the auction with my bestie. Among the crowd, I saw a she-wolf in a haute couture gown move gracefully, radiating joy.

Scarlett was indeed beautiful. Her fitted dress revealed no hint of pregnancy.

Christopher stayed by her side, blocking anyone from offering her a drink.

Everyone praised Christopher for being so lucky to have such a stunning secretary.

Christopher grinned from ear to ear. He reached into his pocket and placed a blue moonstone ring on Scarlett's finger. "This ring once belonged to the Luna Queen. It's a genuine treasure. I'm giving it to you now."

At his words, the entire room fell silent in shock.

The ring belonged to the Luna Queen, yet Scarlett was merely a secretary. For Christopher to hand such a priceless item to her was outrageous.

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails pierced my palms. In fact, that ring was my mother's heirloom.

On her deathbed, she placed it in my hand and said, "This ring has been treasured by our family for generations. I'll give it to you now. Seeing it should remind you of me, and it will bring you safety, peace and joy."

It wasn't just a treasure. It was my only connection to my mother, and Christopher had casually given it to another she-wolf.

My bestie was about to rush forward and grab the ring, but I held her back. "He won't get away with this forever. One day, he'll pay the price."

With that, I turned away and left the banquet silently.

On the way home, I pulled out my phone and called the top number in my contacts.

Christopher didn't return until midnight. Seeing me sitting on the couch instead of sleeping, he asked with concern, "Why are you still up so late? What if you harm yourself? You're carrying a pup now. You should put the pup first."

While speaking, he pulled a small plastic toy from his pocket and held it out to me. "I saw someone selling toys by the roadside on my way home, so I bought this specially for our pup. What do you think? It's cute, isn't it?"

Looking at the cheap toy he had bought from a stall and thinking of the ring he gave Scarlett just to make her smile, I felt nothing but bitter irony.

I lifted my gaze to him and smiled faintly. "I appreciate the thought. But if it's for my pup, it has to be the best.

"I've made up my mind. The ring my mom left me carries blessings for safety and peace. When the day comes, I'll give it to my pup. With her protection, we're sure to come through safely."

Christopher's smile froze, and he stuttered as he spoke. "That ring... It's your mom's heirloom. It's far too precious. When you deliver the pup, there will be so many eyes watching. What if someone with bad intentions tries to take it?"

I gave a meaningful smile.

He knew it was my mother's heirloom and how much it meant to me. Yet, without a second thought, he had given it to another she-wolf just to make her happy.

Seeing that I remained silent, Christopher grew more uneasy. "Tomorrow, we'll visit the Moon Goddess's altar and pray for a moonstone, so our pup can grow up safe and healthy."

I smiled faintly and nodded. "Alright."

When we arrived at the altar, we knelt before the Moon Goddess's statue, praying for a moonstone to bless our pup with safety and health.

"Rebecca, you must be tired. I'll have someone take you home first. I have some official matters nearby to handle, so I need to deal with them. I'll come back later to be with you," said Christopher.

He arranged everything thoughtfully, seeming very considerate.

I was indeed a little tired, but I didn't get in the car. Instead, I walked along the edge of Moon Lake and rested on the far side of the altar for a while.

Just then, I heard a man and a woman murmuring behind the tree, and the man's voice was one I recognized instantly.

He said, "Scarlett, you're still weak. Be careful."

"Christopher, you have no idea how much I missed you while you were away. But now, it seems Rebecca has completely taken my place in your mind," Scarlett replied.

The altar of the Moon Goddess represented pure love, yet there they were, meeting in secret. It was an utter desecration.

Christopher held Scarlett gently in his arms. His voice was soft and indulgent. "What nonsense are you talking about?

"I came to see you, didn't I? Look, this is the moonstone I specially prayed for the two of you. It'll surely bless our pup with a safe birth."

Scarlett accepted the moonstone and nestled into Christopher's embrace. "It's beautiful, but what if Rebecca finds out?"

"Don't worry. I'll just trick her with some random blue stone. She's easy to fool," Christopher replied.

I thought Christopher's conscience might have stirred, but I hadn't realized he never meant it for the pup in my womb.

Scarlett was still full of concern. "Christopher, you gave me all of Luna's authority and duties. She's the Alpha King's daughter and has never endured this kind of slight. What if she grows jealous and bullies me after delivering the pup?"

Christopher chuckled lightly. "You're overthinking it. Your womb carries the future Alpha of our pack. Once our pup is born, I'll give it the position of Alpha heir. By then, even Luna will have to follow your lead."

He paused for a moment and continued with an icy voice, "But knowing Rebecca's temperament, she won't accept it right away. When the time comes, I'll have the elders put pressure on her.

"For her daughter's sake, she won't dare stop me from choosing the Alpha heir. You'll be the mother of the next Alpha."

I crouched behind the tree, trembling uncontrollably.

He wasn't just having an affair with Scarlett. He was even trying to force me to give up Luna's authority, making me the laughingstock of the entire pack.

It was utterly ridiculous. I walked away silently.

Christopher must have forgotten the reason he ever rose to the Alpha throne.

If I hadn't chosen him back then, he would still be that outcast bastard son. His brother would've taken the Alpha title and likely cast him out of the pack as a Rogue.

But instead of showing the slightest gratitude, he repaid me by trying to topple me.

Hearing their triumphant laughter from across the way, I clenched my fists, forcing back my tears.

I wouldn't shed another tear for Christopher. He wasn't worth it.

My delivery date was drawing near.

Christopher kept claiming he was too busy with pack affairs to come home and be with me. Yet word reached me that he had recently bought a villa in the suburbs for Scarlett.

On the day I went into labor, while I was suffering in the hospital, he was hosting a grand promotion ceremony for Scarlett in the pack's most sacred altar. He even invited the leaders from the surrounding packs.

Christopher showed up in an impeccably tailored suit. On his way to the altar, he passed by the hospital and came to take a look at me.

When he saw how pale and weak I was, a flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. "Rebecca, don't be afraid. The best healers in the pack are here. You're going to be fine."

My gaze landed on the dazzling outfit he was wearing, and I frowned. "Why are you dressed up like this?"

A hint of anxiety flashed across Christopher's face, but he quickly came up with an excuse. "I happen to have an important banquet to attend.

"It may concern the future of the pack. You know that as the Alpha King, I have to put the bigger picture first. You'll just have to manage on your own here."

After a brief pause, he added, "As the tribe's Luna, you understand me, don't you?"

Just then, Christopher's phone rang.

I recognized that ringtone immediately. It was the one he had set exclusively for Scarlett.

Christopher glanced at the screen and grumbled, "See? They're already urging me. But as the Alpha King, I can't skip a banquet like this. Don't worry, I'll definitely come back to see our pup."

His tone was annoyed, yet the smile on his face gave him away.

Before I could even react, he pulled his hand from mine and strode off without another word.

Watching him walk away coldly, I forced a bitter smile.

My bestie stormed in furiously. "Christopher is throwing a promotion ceremony for Scarlett at the pack's altar, and he's making such a big show of it that the nearby packs already know."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. A sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen.

Seeing that, my bestie immediately panicked and didn't dare say another word.

I'm not sure how long I fought through the pain before a sudden, overwhelming sense of relief washed over me.

A newborn's cry echoed through the hospital. My pup was born. She was an adorable little she-wolf.

No one was pleased about my pup's birth except for me and my bestie. Even Christopher didn't bother to come take a look.

I watched the livestream of Scarlett's promotion ceremony on my phone.

Christopher, all smiles, called Scarlett onto the stage. "In recognition of Scarlett's exceptional work, I'm granting her the position of Beta."

As he spoke, he took out a necklace from behind him.

All the wolves present were stunned.

Only the Luna of each generation was allowed to wear that necklace, yet Christopher openly presented it to Scarlett in front of everyone.

As the wolves stood frozen in disbelief, the doors to the banquet were kicked open, and my father, the Alpha King, appeared before them all.