Back Again, My Mate Was Cheating On Me

The morning sunlight streamed through the gossamer curtains of my chamber, casting a golden glow across the polished wooden floor. I stood before the ornate mirror, my fingers gently caressing the slight swell of my belly—the first visible sign of the heir growing within me. My reflection smiled back at me, eyes bright with hope and anticipation.

"Sarah, you look radiant," came a soft voice from the doorway. My sister Melissa stood there, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "The pack's future Luna and mother-to-be."

"Thank you, Melissa," I replied warmly, turning to face her. "I'm so excited. In just a few months, I'll be holding my little one."

She crossed the room and placed her hands on my shoulders, her touch lingering a moment too long. "Ryan must be so proud. The perfect Alpha with the perfect Luna and the perfect heir."

Something in her tone made me pause, but I dismissed it as sibling envy. Melissa had always been sensitive about living in my shadow.

"I should check on the preparations for tonight's ceremony," I said, moving toward the door. "The elders expect the Luna to oversee the blessing ritual."

As I passed her, I caught a whiff of something familiar—Ryan's distinctive cedar-and-sage scent clinging to her clothes. My steps faltered for just a moment.

"Is everything alright, Sarah?" Melissa asked, her voice dripping with false concern.

"Yes, of course," I replied, forcing a smile. "Just thinking about all I need to do before the ceremony."

I made my way through the pack house, nodding at the warriors and pack members who bowed their heads respectfully as I passed. The weight of my position as Luna sat comfortably on my shoulders. I had been raised for this role, daughter of Corbin Vance, the pack's most celebrated warrior.

My father had taught me everything about honor and duty, about serving the pack with unwavering loyalty. When Ryan had chosen me as his Luna three years ago, Father had been proud. "You'll make a fine leader at his side," he had said.

I paused at the doorway of Ryan's study, intending to discuss the ceremony with him. Voices drifted through the partially open door—Ryan's low murmur and a feminine laugh I instantly recognized.

"You're sure she suspects nothing?" Ryan's voice was tense.

"Completely oblivious," Melissa replied. "She's too busy planning nursery colors to notice what's happening right under her nose."

I froze, my hand halfway raised to knock.

"After the birth, it will be simple," Ryan continued. "A tragic accident during her recovery. The pack will mourn, but they'll accept you as the new Luna quickly enough."

"And our child?" Melissa asked, her voice soft with anticipation.

"Will be raised as the heir," Ryan confirmed. "No one will question it."

The world tilted beneath my feet. My knees threatened to buckle as I backed away from the door, one hand pressed against my mouth to stifle any sound.

Somehow, I made it back to my chambers without collapsing. Once inside, I locked the door and sank to the floor, my entire body shaking.

"My sister," I whispered, the words tasting like poison on my tongue. "My husband."

I don't know how long I sat there before a sharp knock at the door jolted me back to reality.

"Luna Sarah?" It was Aris, the pack doctor. "Alpha Ryan requested I check on you. He said you seemed unwell at breakfast."

Of course he had noticed. Ryan missed nothing.

"I'm fine," I called, forcing steadiness into my voice. "Just a little tired from the preparations."

The lie came easily to my lips, and in that moment, something shifted inside me. I would not confront them—not yet. I needed to understand the full extent of their betrayal.

Over the next weeks, I played the role of the devoted Luna perfectly. I smiled at Ryan across the dinner table, I sought Melissa's advice on baby names, I planned pack gatherings with meticulous care.

All while gathering evidence of their treachery.

I discovered Ryan's journal, hidden in a secret compartment in his desk. Inside were detailed plans—not just for my death, but for my father's as well. Corbin Vance was too powerful, too respected. Ryan needed him gone before he could truly consolidate his power.

"Father will be on border patrol tomorrow," I read, my blood turning to ice. "The rogues will be in position. It will look like an ambush."

That night, I slipped into Ryan's study again, this time with a small vial of wolfsbane I'd taken from the pack's medicine stores. I replaced it with a harmless herbal mixture, ensuring my father would not be poisoned before the "ambush."

I thought I was being clever, protecting those I loved while planning my escape.

I was wrong.

Three months later, I lay on our bed, my pregnancy now visibly advanced. Ryan entered with two of his most trusted warriors.

"Sarah," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "I think it's time we discussed your future."

Before I could react, the warriors seized my arms. I struggled against them, but Ryan produced a syringe filled with a dark liquid.

"This is wolfsbane," he said calmly. "A concentrated dose. It won't kill you immediately—just enough to weaken you for what comes next."

The needle plunged into my arm. Fire spread through my veins.

"Melissa!" I screamed as my sister entered the room. "Help me!"

She smiled, that same smile I'd seen so many times growing up. Only now I recognized the cruelty behind it.

"Hello, sister," she said softly. "I'm here to help—just not in the way you think."

Ryan nodded to the warriors, who held me down as a doctor I didn't recognize approached with a surgical kit.

"Since you're so eager to meet your child," Ryan said, "we've decided to accommodate you. A little early, but I think you'll understand the urgency."

The doctor's hands were cold on my belly. I screamed as the knife cut through my flesh without anesthesia.

"Please," I begged, tears streaming down my face. "Ryan, please—"

But his eyes were empty of mercy.

Through a haze of pain, I heard my baby's first cry. A healthy boy.

"Perfect timing," Melissa cooed, taking the infant from the doctor's hands. "He's beautiful, Ryan. Our son."

"Give him to me," I gasped, reaching out with bloodied hands.

Ryan's foot pressed down on my chest. "I think you've done enough, Sarah. Your job is finished."

They left me there, bleeding on the bed. Hours later, barely conscious, I felt rough hands dragging me across the forest floor.

"The old burial grounds," one of the warriors muttered. "Alpha's orders."

I was thrown onto a pile of decomposing bodies, my blood attracting scavengers even before I had fully expired.

As darkness closed in around me, a figure appeared through the trees. Leo, the pack's Gamma, his face twisted with anguish.

"Sarah," he whispered, kneeling beside me. "I'm sorry. I came as soon as I heard."

I tried to speak, but only blood bubbled from my lips.

"I should have protected you," he continued, his voice breaking. "I've always loved you—from the first moment I saw you."

Wild animals circled closer, drawn by the scent of blood.

"If there's a next life," Leo vowed, his eyes burning with tears and rage, "I won't be too late again. I'll find you, and I'll protect you with my life."

The last thing I saw was his face, etched with a promise I would never hear fulfilled—until I did.