I'd been with Alpha Adrian Grant for eight years, but he never once allowed me to go public with our relationship.

On the eve of my birthday, I learned he'd bid on a priceless moonstone ring at auction. I could barely contain my excitement—I thought he was finally going to claim me openly.

But on my birthday, I saw the photos on the news. Adrian, kissing another she-wolf. And on Vivian's hand—the one wrapped around his neck—was the very moonstone ring I'd been dreaming about.

It hit me like a bolt of lightning. I drove toward Moonlight Forest, but halfway there, a pack of rogues ambushed me. Desperate, I reached through the mate bond, trying to connect with Adrian. Every single time, he shut me out.

Just when I'd given up hope, a passerby drove the rogues off and rushed me to the hospital. My pup was gone—lost in the attack. I called Adrian through my tears, over and over. On the twenty-fifth try, the call finally connected. But the voice I heard wasn't his.

"Ugh, so annoying. You promised you'd spend today with me—just me. Why are you taking calls from other she-wolves?"

Adrian immediately set me aside, his tone turning honey-sweet as he soothed the woman in his arms. "I know, I know. I'll ignore her. She's just some orphan with no family—how could she possibly compare to you?"

Their smug laughter pierced through the phone like a knife to the chest.

But what they didn't know was this: I was the true daughter of the Oceanridge Pack Alpha—his only heir. Vivian Blake was nothing more than a girl my family had taken in out of pity.

I opened the mind-link to my father. "Dad, I'm coming home. And that arranged mating you mentioned—I agree. But I have two conditions. First, remove Vivian from the pack. Second, cut all ties with Crescent Moon Pack and pull every cent of funding we've ever given them."

Ten years ago, my family tried to arrange a mating alliance for me. Furious, I ran away and didn't contact them for over a decade. My father used every resource the pack had to track me down, and when he found me, he let me be—afraid I was still angry, he humored me and let me stay where I was. He even funded Adrian's pack behind the scenes, worried I might struggle in a small pack. Half the projects in Crescent Moon Pack ran on my family's money.

So when my father finally received my message, he barely had time to feel happy before the anger set in. His voice was sharp with fury.

"Consider it done. I'll handle this personally."

"If it weren't for you being in that pack, I wouldn't give that small pack a second thought. I can't believe that Adrian had the nerve to treat you like this. Don't worry—I'll make sure he pays."

"As for Vivian—I only took her in because I felt sorry for her. Turns out a stray dog would've been more loyal."

Hearing my father's voice after all these years broke something inside me, and the tears came pouring out. He felt my anguish through our bond and softened immediately.

"Don't cry, sweetheart. If you don't want the arranged mating, your mother and I will respect that. We'll take care of you for the rest of your life if that's what you need."

I wiped my eyes and choked out the words. "No, Dad. I've made up my mind. This isn't some impulse—I've thought it through."

He was quiet for a moment. "If you're sure, then we won't push you. The pack celebration is in a few days. I'll throw a banquet in your honor and let the whole world know who my real daughter is."

I nodded and closed the link.

The pain from the miscarriage still twisted through my body, but it was nothing compared to the agony of being betrayed by the man I loved and losing our child. That was when I overheard the healers whispering outside my door.

"Who's in that room? She had a miscarriage and hemorrhaged, and her mate hasn't even shown up."

"I heard someone caught a glimpse of her phone. The man on her lock screen looks like the Alpha."

"Don't go spreading that around. The Alpha's mate is Vivian—I just saw her announcement on social media. They look perfect together."

I opened my phone and saw the post. Vivian in a silk negligee, draped against Adrian's shoulder, her neck and chest covered in marks that left nothing to the imagination. Her caption read: One promise. You waited eight years for me, and today I finally get to be with you.

The post was timestamped to the exact moment the rogues attacked me.

My heart clenched. Breathing hurt.

Then a text arrived from an unknown number: Not dead yet? Lucky you. But if you keep throwing yourself at Adrian, next time you won't be so fortunate.

So the rogue attack was no accident. Vivian had planned the whole thing. She'd killed my pup—a baby that hadn't even fully formed yet.

My nails dug deep into my palms. Grief turned to fury. My eyes went cold. I screenshotted Vivian's message and sent it to my father, asking him to track down those rogues.

After checking out of the hospital, I buried my unborn pup on a hillside with a beautiful view. The grief was constant, relentless.

Standing before the little mound I'd built with my own hands, I made a silent vow. Vivian had killed my child. I would make her pay.

That night, Adrian still hadn't come home. But Vivian's social media was updating in real time—a video of friends laughing and celebrating together.

"Adrian, congrats! Eight years of waiting and you finally got your girl."

"Didn't I tell you not to throw away that moonstone ring? You wouldn't listen. Had to buy it back at auction for a fortune."

"That moonstone—Adrian spent three days and nights searching Moonlight Forest to find it for Vivian's proposal. When she left, he tossed it in a fit of rage. Finding it again at auction eight years later? That's fate."

After that, I couldn't hear them anymore. Couldn't see. Tears blurred my vision, and the only sound was my own sobbing.

Eight years together, and he'd never once introduced me to his friends. In public, he always kept his distance. Whenever I questioned him, it was always the same excuse.

"I'm the Alpha. Everything I do becomes tabloid fodder. I know you hate being in the spotlight—I'm protecting you."

I'd actually believed him. I was touched, even grateful. But now I saw the truth: he simply didn't love me.

Late that night, I was already asleep when I felt a large hand pulling at my nightgown.

I jolted awake to find Adrian pinning me down, reeking of alcohol, his lips smearing sloppily across my face. The stench of perfume clung to him, and there was a lipstick stain on his collar he hadn't bothered to wipe away—constant reminders that he'd been with someone else.

The thought of that mouth on another she-wolf made my stomach turn. Before I could stop myself, I slapped him across the face.

The slap sobered him halfway. He stared at me, bewildered. "Serena, it's me!"

Then, like a magician, he produced a bouquet of crystal roses from behind his back. "I'm sorry—the project meeting ran late. That's why I'm home so late. Here, these are for you. And cake."

A dainty little cake appeared before me.

Once upon a time, I might have cried with gratitude. Now all I wanted to ask was, Was your meeting in a bedroom?

But I held back, keeping my voice neutral. "Then stay out for the night. Don’t bother coming home just for me."

He pushed the cake toward me, his tone gentle. "I can't do that. I heard you were hurt and I was worried sick. Thank goodness it wasn't serious, or I'd never forgive myself."

"I need you to understand—as the Alpha, the pack has to come first."

He made himself sound so selfless, as if I were the petty one. But he didn't know I'd heard everything. His phone hadn't disconnected—every word he'd whispered to Vivian had come through crystal clear. I just hadn't seen the point in confronting him. His affair with Vivian was all over the internet; there was no way I didn't know. He saw my expression and assumed I was upset about the tabloids, so he pulled me into his arms with a laugh.

"The media will say anything for clicks. It's nothing like what they're reporting. I'm only using her family's connections to close a major deal."

"You're my only mate. Vivian's pack is hosting a celebration next week—all the major Alphas will be there. This is my one shot at turning our pack into a real power. I can't pass it up."

When I stayed silent, he played the Luna card. "You're about to become Luna. You need to think about what's best for the pack. Once I close this deal, I'll cut things off with her immediately. Can you just wait a little longer?"

Every time we argued, he pulled out the Luna lecture. I used to think he was doing it because he truly saw me as his Luna. But now? Whoever wanted that title could have it.

"Fine," I said. "I understand."

Adrian smiled and lit the candles on the cake. "Come on, make a wish."

The evening breeze slipped through an open window, making the candle flames dance and flicker across my face. This was the eighth birthday he'd spent with me. Every year, I'd wished for the same thing—a grand mating ceremony with Adrian, followed by forever.

Now the very thought disgusted me.

I closed my eyes and pressed my palms together: I wish that from now on, Serena Blake will have the courage to live for herself and never be anyone's puppet again.

I opened my eyes and blew out the candles, then looked up to find Adrian glued to his phone, typing furiously, brow furrowed like something urgent had come up. Suddenly he leaped to his feet and started throwing on clothes.

"Serena, I'm sorry—I can't stay for the cake. Something's come up with a project. I have to go."

He was out the door before I could respond. Some project. I'd seen the message—it was from Vivian, saying she was attacked by rogues in an alley and needed him immediately.

Same scenario—rogues—and his reaction couldn't have been more different. Who he truly loved was painfully obvious.

I looked at the wilting crystal roses and laughed coldly, then tossed them in the trash along with the cake.

The next morning, I went to the pack administration office to file for separation from the pack. The first thing I saw when I walked in was a wall of oil portraits—every Alpha and Luna in the pack's history. Three years ago, when Adrian took over as Alpha, he'd brought me here and pointed to a blank spot on the wall.

"Someday our portrait will hang right there. I'll have your name written in the pack's history books so you'll be remembered forever."

But I'd never wanted to be remembered. I'd only ever wanted to spend my life with the man I loved. That promised spot on the wall—I'd given up waiting.

The clerk at the desk looked startled when she saw my application. "Serena, you're the pack's Beta. You handle practically everything around here. If you leave, who's going to manage all of this?"

I smiled. "There are plenty of capable people in the pack. They'll do fine without me. Besides—I'm going home for my mating ceremony."

She studied the form, sighed, and finally relented. "I'll submit this to the Alpha. But I have to say—you're the best Beta I've ever seen. The Alpha values you deeply. Are you really giving up your career like this?"

Values me? Maybe. He felt nothing for me, yet went to such lengths to act deeply devoted in front of me—all just so I would help him run the pack, I suppose. In his eyes, that was probably all I was worth.

The sharp click of heels cut through my thoughts. Vivian swept in wearing a red bodycon dress, her waves bouncing as she marched up to the clerk. Before anyone could ask what she needed, she scanned the office with open disdain.

"This place is so drab. Get me the pack's top interior designer—I want it completely redone."

The clerk swallowed her irritation and explained patiently, "I'm sorry, this is the pack administration office. You don't work here, so the décor really isn't your concern."

Vivian lifted her chin with an air of superiority. She pulled a document from her bag and slapped it on the desk. "Who says I don't work here? From now on, I'm in charge. When I say renovate, you renovate."

It was an appointment letter, clear as day—the Beta position was being transferred to Vivian. Adrian's signature in the bottom corner was sharp and unmistakable.

I'd told myself I was past caring. I'd already decided to leave. But seeing it in writing still felt like a fist closing around my heart.

Vivian spotted me and feigned surprise. "Oh! Serena, you're here too? I didn't even see you."

"I'm so sorry about taking your position. I honestly didn't expect the Alpha to trust me with something so important. I'm a little overwhelmed, to be honest."

Her words said one thing; the smirk on her face said another.

Familiar footsteps sounded behind me. Adrian appeared, looking slightly taken aback to see me. "What are you doing here?"

Perfect timing. I held out my pack separation form. "I need you to sign—"

But he didn't even glance at me. He brushed past, heading straight for Vivian. Instantly, her whole demeanor shifted—the arrogance vanished, replaced by a warm, soft smile. Adrian put his arm around her in front of everyone and announced:

"Serena was injured recently. To give her time to recover, Vivian will take over as acting Beta."

As if he was doing me a favor. Everyone in the room could see through it.

He was only looking for an excuse to remove me from my position.

Vivian tucked a loose strand of hair behind her forehead and bowed deeply to the crowd.

"Thank you all for your support. "

The once arrogant Vivian was now humble and polite, her attitude doing a complete one-eighty.

Vivian clung to his arm. "I'm new here and still finding my way around. Could you show me the place?"

Adrian's eyes went so tender they could have melted ice. "Of course. Let's go."

As they passed me, he casually took my separation form, signed it without reading a single word, and handed it back. "From now on, all documents will be signed by Vivian. Her will is my will."

Then he walked away without looking back. As if we were nothing more than coworkers.

Vivian paused in front of the portrait wall, lingering before the blank space. Adrian came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist—right there in front of everyone—and murmured in her ear, just loud enough for the room to hear:

"You like it? I'll have the pack's best artist paint our portrait."

The meaning was clear: Vivian would be Luna.

The sycophants circled immediately. "Vivian and the Alpha are a match made in heaven—no one in the whole pack is more perfect together."

"Is that a moonstone on her hand? Those are incredibly rare. Money can't even buy them."

"Forget the ring—if Vivian wanted the stars, the Alpha would pull them from the sky."

Every word was a needle in my chest. But there were a few voices of dissent:

"Serena's been Beta for years. The pack wouldn't be where it is without her. How can they just strip her title like that? It's not right."

"Keep it down. Do you know who Vivian's father is? His pack is one of the most powerful in the whole wolf world. If the Alpha mates with her, we'd have a permanent alliance. Serena's contributions are nothing compared to that."

I clutched the signed form in my hand and walked out without looking back, their laughter fading behind me.