Six years ago, Alpha Bryce and I were inseparable. His commanding presence and warm, protective nature were all I could ask for. But now, as I stare at the pile of laundry he just tossed at my feet, I feel like nothing more than a ghost of who I used to be.

“Carsen, stop standing there and staring like an idiot,” Bryce said, his tone sharp. He barely spared me a glance as he walked past me, his Alpha presence as suffocating as ever. “Dorothy needs something nice for her upcoming birthday. Go out and get it. And I have to go for work.”

Dorothy. The bane of my existence for the past two years. She had shown up out of nowhere, claiming to be Bryce’s step-sister. I hadn’t known Bryce had a step-sister, but the way he welcomed her into our home and doted on her made me feel like an outsider. And the way she looked at me—with her sly smiles and veiled insults—made it clear she relished that.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to nod. “Yes, Bryce.”

The words tasted bitter. It had been two years since I stopped being his equal and became something closer to his maid. My family had no idea. If they did, they’d drag me out of here kicking and screaming, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell them. Not yet.

An hour later, I picked up the laundry and made my way to the washing machine, my movements robotic. As I sorted through Bryce’s clothes, something caught my eye—a faint red mark on the collar of his white polo. My stomach twisted. Lipstick.

I leaned closer, and my senses were assaulted by the sweet, floral perfume clinging to the fabric. It wasn’t mine. My heart dropped into my stomach.

He’s cheating!

The realization hit me like a slap. I’d suspected something was wrong for a while now, but this... this was proof. My hands trembled as I gripped the shirt, my wolf stirring restlessly beneath my skin. I wanted to lash out, to demand answers, but I pushed her down. Not now.

“Carsen!” Dorothy’s voice floated down from upstairs, sickly sweet and full of authority. “Come up here!”

I clenched my jaw, my nails biting into my palms as I forced myself to respond. “Coming!”

I made my way upstairs, my mind racing. When I reached her room, Dorothy was lounging on the bed, scrolling through her phone like a queen on her throne.

“I’m starving,” she said without looking up. “Go get me something from that restaurant I like. You know the one.”

I nodded, though the knot in my stomach tightened. As I turned to leave, I hesitated. Maybe she knew something. Maybe she could confirm my suspicions.

“Dorothy,” I began, my voice careful. “Do you...do you think Bryce has been seeing someone else?”

Her laughter was sharp and cruel, like glass breaking. She finally looked up at me, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “You’re delusional,” she said, her lips curling into a smirk. “Seriously, Carsen, you’re embarrassing yourself. Just stick to your chores and stop making up stories.”

The way she said it—so dismissive, so smug—made my wolf bristle. She knows something, I thought, my heart pounding. She knows.

But I couldn’t confront her. Not yet. Not without more proof. So, I nodded again, swallowing my pride, and left the room.

It took me an two hour to get her food. The traffic was unbearable, and my frustration only grew with each passing minute. By the time I got home, I was exhausted and frazzled. But as I stepped inside, something felt off.

Bryce’s shoes were by the door. He’s home early.

Confused, I made my way upstairs. That’s when I heard it—the low murmur of voices coming from Dorothy’s room.

I froze.

“Dorothy, how much longer do I have to keep up this act?” Bryce’s voice was sharp but quiet, like he didn’t want to be overheard.

My heart stopped.

“Soon,” Dorothy replied, her tone playful. “But for now, we need her. She works for free, remember? Why ruin a good thing?”

My hands began to shake. I leaned closer, my wolf urging me to burst in, but I couldn’t move.

Dorothy laughed, her voice dripping with venom. “Besides, Carsen is so stupid. She actually thinks I’m your step-sister. Can you believe that?”

“Let her think whatever she wants,” Bryce said. “As long as she keeps doing what we need her to.”

The world spun around me. My knees felt weak, and my breath came in short, shallow gasps.

“And once we’re done with her,” Dorothy continued, “I’ll finally take my place as your wife. The rightful Luna.”

The bag of food slipped from my hands, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

The sound must have startled them, because the room went silent.

I stood there, trembling, as the truth crashed over me. The man I had loved for six years had been lying to me. Betraying me. Using me.

And the woman I had been forced to serve wasn’t his step-sister. She was my replacement.

The days since I learned the truth about Bryce and Dorothy had blurred into one monotonous nightmare. I had become a shell of the woman I used to be, cold and robotic, following their orders without question.

Tonight, I was preparing for Dorothy’s birthday party—a grand spectacle Bryce had planned with no expense spared. It was a Friday evening, pack members and Bryce’s friends filled the space. The scent of expensive champagne, laughter, and the clinking of glasses filled the air.

The sound of my phone vibrating pulled me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen. Hannah. My sister.

I hesitated before answering. I hadn’t told her anything about my situation with Bryce. She thought we were still the picture-perfect couple.

“Hello?” I stepped out of my room, walking down the quiet hallway to avoid being overheard.

“Carsen, thank the Moon Goddess you picked up! There’s an emergency.”

My chest tightened. “What happened?”

“It’s Mom and Dad. The company’s gone bankrupt.”

“What?” My voice cracked, and I leaned against the wall, my head spinning.

“The tension between the packs has ruined their business,” Hannah continued, “They’re desperate, Carsen. They’re planning an arranged marriage for you.”

“What?” I repeated, my mind unable to keep up.

“Alpha Tyrell James,” she said. “He’s wealthy, powerful, and willing to merge packs with ours. They think this is the only way to save everything.”

I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. “Hannah, I can’t—”

“You have to, Carsen,” she cut me off. “This thing with Bryce… it’s going nowhere. Seven years, Carsen. Seven years, and he hasn’t even proposed. Do you think he’ll ever make you his Luna?”

I swallowed hard, my throat burning. “It’s not that simple.”

“It is,” Hannah insisted. “You deserve better. Break up with him. End it before it destroys you.”

After the call, I stayed in the hallway for a long time, staring at the floor. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion. What was I supposed to do? My family had no idea about the hell I was living in, and now they wanted me to marry someone else.

As if things couldn’t get worse, I had another secret weighing on me—a secret I hadn’t even told Hannah.

I was pregnant.

The realization still felt surreal. I hadn’t dared to think about it too much, too afraid of what it would mean. But now, with my family’s demands and Bryce’s betrayal looming over me, I felt like I was suffocating.

I forced myself to go back downstairs. The party was in full swing, the living room alive with chatter and laughter. My gaze was drawn to Bryce, who was standing in the center of it all, a glass of champagne in hand. Dorothy stood beside him, glowing with delight as he presented her with the diamond necklace, a gift so extravagant that it made my stomach churn. I couldn’t help but compare it to the cheap trinkets he had given me over the years.

“It’s stunning,” she gushed, running her fingers over the sparkling stones.

“Only the best for you,” Bryce said, his voice warm and adoring in a way he hadn’t spoken to me in years.

My chest tightened, jealousy and rage warring within me. I thought about all the times I’d been happy with a simple bracelet or a bouquet of flowers. Now I realized it wasn’t because Bryce couldn’t afford more—it was because he never thought I was worth it.

I couldn’t stay in this place. Not anymore.

The next morning, I met with Hannah at a small café outside of town. As soon as I sat down, the floodgates opened, and I told her everything.

Bryce. Dorothy. The lies. The humiliation.

Hannah’s face turned red with fury. “I can’t believe this! That bastard!”

“Keep your voice down,” I hissed, glancing around nervously.

“Why should I?” she shot back. “Carsen, this is insane. You can’t keep letting them treat you like this.”

“I don’t want to cause a scandal,” I said weakly.

“A scandal?” she repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. “Carsen, you’re pregnant with his child! Do you think he’ll care? Do you think he’ll suddenly step up and be the mate you deserve?”

Her words hit me like a slap.

“You need to fight for your freedom,” she continued, her tone fierce. “And your dignity. You’re not some toy for Bryce to use and toss aside. You’re better than this.”

Tears stung my eyes. “What should I do, Hannah? I can’t just leave.”

“Yes, you can.” She leaned forward, her expression hardening. “I’ll help you. We’ll make him regret everything he’s done to you. You and that baby deserve a fresh start—and some payback.”

For the first time in weeks, a spark of hope flared in my chest.

That evening, I returned to Bryce’s house, determined to play my part one last time. They didn’t know I was leaving soon, didn’t know that Hannah and I were already making plans.

Bryce had packed a bag for a business trip and left without much ceremony, but not before warning me, “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone. And keep an eye on Dorothy.” As if she needed a babysitter.

After he left, Dorothy cornered me in the kitchen, her smile as sharp as ever.

“Don’t think for a second that Bryce will ever choose you,” she said, her eyes raking over me with disdain. “A man like him needs someone better, not…” She gestured vaguely at me. “not a trash.”

Her words stung, but I kept my face blank. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me break.

Two days had passed since Bryce left for his business trip, and I was still stuck in the house with Dorothy. She had turned her insufferable attitude into an art form, her commands never-ending. But something inside me had shifted.

I wasn’t the same Carsen anymore.

The morning sun streamed through the windows as Dorothy’s shrill voice pierced the quiet. “Carsen! Where’s my breakfast? I’ve been waiting for ages!”

I didn’t move from the sink where I was washing dishes. My wolf stirred inside me, her presence stronger now that I had finally started listening to her.

Dorothy stormed down the stairs, her silk robe fluttering around her. “Are you deaf? I said I’m hungry! Make my breakfast!”

I turned to face her, my hands dripping with soapy water. “You have two hands, Dorothy. Make it yourself.”

Her jaw dropped, disbelief flashing across her face. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” I said, my voice calm but firm. “I’m not your puppet anymore.”

For a moment, she looked genuinely stunned. Then her expression twisted into fury. “How dare you talk to me like that? I’ll call Bryce right now and tell him you’re disobeying orders!”

I shrugged, drying my hands on a towel. “Go ahead. Tell him whatever you want. I don’t care.”

Her face turned red with rage. “You think you can get away with this?” she sneered, stepping closer. “You’re nothing, Carsen. Nothing but a pathetic little maid he keeps around because you’re too weak to leave.”

I clenched my fists, my wolf urging me to stand my ground. “I’m done, Dorothy. Do your worst, but I’m not playing your games anymore.”

Her laugh was sharp and mocking. “Oh, you’re done? Let’s see about that.”

She lunged at me, grabbing a fistful of my hair. Pain shot through my scalp, and instinct took over. I shoved her away, my strength fueled by weeks of pent-up frustration.

We struggled, grappling and shouting, until the fight took us dangerously close to the staircase.

“Let go of me, you psycho!” Dorothy screeched, clawing at me.

“Stay away from me!” I snapped, pushing her back.

Her foot slipped.

Time seemed to slow as she tumbled backward, her scream echoing through the house. I stood frozen, my heart pounding as she hit the floor at the bottom of the stairs, lying still.

“Dorothy?” I whispered, my voice shaking.

She didn’t move.

I barely remembered calling for an ambulance or the frantic ride to the hospital. All I knew was that when Bryce arrived, his fury was a storm that hit me like a hurricane.

The moment he saw me in the waiting room, his hand came down hard across my face. Pain exploded in my cheek, and I stumbled back.

“You hurt her!” he shouted, his eyes blazing with rage. “If anything happens to Dorothy, I’ll kill you, Carsen. Do you hear me? I’ll kill you!”

I clutched my stinging cheek, tears welling in my eyes. “It was an accident,” I tried to say, but my voice cracked.

“An accident?” he roared. “You expect me to believe that? You’ve been nothing but trouble, Carsen! I should’ve gotten rid of you years ago!”

His words cut deeper than the slap.

“I want you gone,” he said, his voice cold now. “Pack your things and leave. We’re done.”

I packed in a daze, stuffing my belongings into a single suitcase. The house that had once been my home now felt like a prison I was finally escaping.

By the time the cab arrived, I was shaking, my emotions a tangled mess. As the car drove me away, I couldn’t hold back the tears. Everything I had built with Bryce, every dream I had clung to, was gone.

When I reached my sister's home, Hannah was waiting for me at the door. The moment I stepped out of the cab, she wrapped her arms around me.

“Carsen,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

The dam broke. I sobbed into her shoulder, years of pain and heartbreak spilling out. “I can’t do this anymore, Hannah,” I choked out.

“You don’t have to,” she said firmly. “You’re home now. We’ll figure this out together.”

The next day, my phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Bryce’s name flashed on the screen over and over, but I ignored every call. I didn’t owe him anything.

Then a text came through.

[Dorothy needs a blood transfusion. You’re a match. Please, Carsen, help her.]

I stared at the message, my stomach twisting. Did he think I would rush to save the woman who had made my life hell? The audacity was almost laughable.

Another call came in, and this time my thumb slipped, accidentally answering it. I didn’t say a word, holding the phone to my ear as Bryce’s voice came through.

“Carsen,” he said, desperation thick in his tone. “Please. Dorothy needs you. She won’t make it without your blood.”

I stayed silent, my heart pounding.

“Carsen, are you there?” he asked, his voice rising.

In the background, I heard another voice—his Beta.

“Alpha, I heard Miss Carsen is going to be married to Alpha Tyrell James,” the Beta said. “And… she’s pregnant with your child.”

My breath caught, my grip on the phone tightening.

“What?” Bryce’s voice was a growl now, pure fury. “What the hell are you talking about? She’s pregnant?”

“Yes, Alpha. With your child,” the Beta confirmed.

Bryce’s roar was loud enough to make me flinch. “This is not acceptable! She’s carrying my child! She’s mine!”

I quickly ended the call, my hands trembling.

He knew. And I wasn’t sure what he would do next.