Silas told me he would be leaving for a summit with the Northern Council, a routine exchange between packs that the Alphas called diplomacy.

“Three days,” he said as he ran a hand through my hair in that practiced, gentle way. “I’ll call every night.”

He kissed my forehead and I smiled back, performing the role I had perfected.

I watched the convoy drive through the pack gates with its tinted windows and uniformed guards, and when the last vehicle disappeared I turned away and headed straight for the security wing of the Alpha residence.

I had been watching him for weeks, noticing the small habits he never thought mattered.

He tapped his thumb twice before entering a code, he forgot to switch camera feeds when he rushed, and people always stepped aside because no one wanted to test an Alpha’s domain.

Those gaps were all I needed.

The workstation in his office was still logged in when I arrived, his profile active on the screen as if he had only stepped out for a moment.

I sat in his chair, inhaled to steady myself, and opened the internal network. The medical archives were where they always were.

My mother’s file appeared immediately.

The diagnosis made my stomach drop: Critical organ failure.

The resolution line showed that the transplant had been approved through Alpha authorization.

Beneath it the recipient’s name was listed. Lyria Stone, Elara’s sister.

I sat with my hands on the desk until the truth settled. I did not break down in tears. Instead, something inside me narrowed until it was all focused.

My mother had not simply died of illness, her body had been taken to save someone else. Although her condition was terminal, she should still be able to live a few more months to a year.

If Silas didn't take her organs out, my mother won't die prematurely.

I leaned back in Silas’s leather chair and looked around the office that had once felt like the center of my life.

I clenched my fist and thought of how my mother had always treated Silas like a son. Silas had said Elara’s family had helped him when he was at his lowest, but he did not know that it had been my mother working behind the scenes.

She had done it quietly and without wanting recognition because kindness had been who she was.

But I was not my mother. I would not be kind in return.

A life for a life was the rule I would follow. He would regret what he had done.

I began collecting evidence immediately. I took screenshots, saved files, exported logs, and stored everything on a secure drive that could not be traced back to me.

I made multiple backups, organized the documents, and hid them where no one would look unless they already suspected betrayal.

When I finished, I logged out and restored the workspace exactly as it had been, leaving no sign that anyone had been there.

My first stop after that was a well-known law firm. The attorney looked up in surprise when I walked in without an appointment.

“You did not schedule—” he started.

“I need separation papers drafted and provisional custody,” I interrupted, placing the drive on his desk. “Everything you need is here.”

He hesitated. “Ma’am, this could provoke the Alpha.”

“It should,” I said. My eyes were red from holding in what I had learned but I did not let them water. “Draft it and hold it. Do not file until I give the order.”

He took the drive, plugged it in, and his face went serious as he scrolled.

“This is substantial. Financial manipulation, unauthorized medical authorization, misuse of pack resources.” He nodded when I repeated my instruction. “I will hold the documents until you say go.”

I left without small talk and went to the clinic on the edge of the Outlier Quarters. The clinic was small and discreet, the kind of place that did favors for wolves who fell through the cracks.

Doctor Riven, an old friend from college who had chosen to work where the city met the wild, waited outside smoking. He looked up when I approached and did not hide his surprise.

“You are really doing this?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

He crushed the cigarette under his heel and shifted his weight.

“You sure? Once the bond is severed, you cannot form it with that same mate again. For the child, the bond matters.”

“I am sure,” I said. I handed him the plan and the evidence I carried. “I need a clean break. I want them to believe I am gone.”

He studied my face for a long moment and then led me inside to a sterile examination room. He worked quietly at the base of my neck where the mate bond could be released with a controlled procedure.

Before he began, he asked softly, “Are you certain? This is permanent.”

“My mother helped him in silence,” I said, meeting his eyes. “He repaid her with betrayal. I am not my mother. He will regret it.”

I sat in the waiting room with one hand resting on my lap, the other slowly rubbing my stomach.

The clinic was quiet except for the soft beeping of machines and the television playing softly in the corner. I was not paying attention to it at first, until I heard a familiar name.

“Silas Cross of the Silvercrest Pack and model Elara Stone spotted at an exclusive auction,” the anchor said.

I looked up. The screen showed Silas and Elara standing close together, quite intimate.

Elara's hand rested lightly on Silas' arm, while Silas looked at her the way a man looked at his wife, full of affection and longing.

They looked like a married couple.

“They look so good together,” I overheard someone beside me say. “They’re the perfect pair!”

“That’s true. I heard they’re secretly married.”

“Really? Gosh, that’s so sweet!”

I kept my eyes on the screen, then lowered my head. I sneered.

Silas had told me this was a business trip. But nothing about what I was seeing looked like business. It looked like two people preparing to walk down the aisle.

I inhaled slowly. I wouldn’t let this matter affect me and my baby.

A nurse stepped out from the hallway. “Ms. Lavender? The doctor is ready for you.”

I stood and followed her inside. The doctor greeted me with a soft smile.

“Any pain or discomfort since your last visit?” she asked.

“No,” I answered. I kept my voice steady. “Just a bit more tired.”

“That is normal,” she nodded. “Let’s check on the baby.”

The gel felt cold against my skin, but I stayed still. The monitor lit up, and I saw the tiny form I had memorized from earlier visits. Then the heartbeat filled the room.

It was steady, strong, and alive.

The doctor nodded. “Everything looks perfect. Your baby is growing well.”

Relief eased the tightness in my chest. I didn’t grow emotional, but something inside me settled. The doctor handed me the printed ultrasound picture. I held it carefully.

This was what mattered now.

After leaving the clinic, I drove straight to Silverstone Enterprises. Seeing the name, I realized Silas had combined his with Elara’s.

No wonder he would rather work than spend time with me.

The lobby was busy. People moved quickly, talking quietly. When the receptionist saw me, her expression shifted.

“Mrs. Cross,” she said carefully. “I’m sorry, but you can’t go in right now.”

“Why not?” I asked, keeping my voice calm even as my pulse quickened.

She hesitated. “Mr. Cross has an important visitor. He requested not to be disturbed.”

I blinked. I didn’t even know Silas was back from his trip.

“I am his wife. Surely he wouldn’t mind,” I said.

She looked uneasy. “I know, ma’am. But he left strict instructions.”

I looked at her, and seeing that she wouldn’t hesitate to block me, I turned away.

But I did not leave.

I walked down the hallway to the hidden staircase that led directly to his office floor. It didn’t take me long to get there.

His office was empty. But from the private room beside it, I heard muffled sounds.

The door was slightly open. I stopped and looked inside.

Silas stood near the bed. Elara was in his arms. They were kissing, slow and familiar. His hand rested on her waist.

She smiled against his mouth.

"The baby is growing well. Can you feel it move?" She asked.

Silas touched her belly and chuckled. "How could it already move if it's only a few weeks old?"

Something inside me went silent.

I lifted my phone. My hands did not shake. I took a picture. Then another.

I placed my resignation letter on his desk and walked out.

In the car, I opened a dummy account and sent the photos to Elara’s husband.

I typed, “Is this your wife?”

My ex-fiancé, Lawrence, had cheated on me and chosen Elara. Now Elara was here to take my husband again.

But I wasn’t letting her have him this time.

At home, I gathered everything Silas had ever given me and placed them in a pile on the living room floor.

I lit a match. The flames spread slowly, then grew, swallowing every trace of him. All the memories we shared, the love I thought would last forever, were now being reduced to ashes.

As I watched the fire climb, my phone chimed. A notification.

Silas and Elara were at a bar now. Lights. Drinks. Bodies pressed close. Elara had posted the photos, captioned:

“The best night with the best man.”

I chuckled and liked it. I hearted every picture and tagged Silas openly. I felt no fear. No hesitation.

Minutes later, Silas called.

“Eris, it’s not what you’re thinking,” he said.

The background was noisy, and I heard Elara’s voice calling for him.

“Really? Then what is that? A friendly picture?” I asked, watching the flames climb higher.

“It was just a dare between friends. It didn’t mean anything. You know that.”

“Of course,” I replied calmly, walking out of the house as it burned.

“I knew you’d understand. I’ll come home tonight. I heard you went to the hospital. Are you si—”

I ended the call and threw the phone into the fire, letting it burn to ash.

Outside, the sky was darkening. Sirens were beginning to scream in the distance.

I placed my hand on my stomach.

And then—

I felt the first sharp pain.

Silas leaned against the counter with a drink in his hand, staring at his phone where the call with me had abruptly ended.

His brows were drawn together, his thumb hovering just above the screen as if he intended to call again.

“I didn’t think she’d just hang up,” he muttered.

Before he could place the call, Elara slid her hand around his arm with a practiced, gentle smile.

“She’s probably just tired. You said she’s always bothered if you have been out for so long. If she’s upset, I can talk to her. I can even bring a gift to make peace.”

Silas let out a short laugh, and some of the tension left his face. “You really are sweet, Elara. If only Eris were as understanding as you.”

“She is probably just overwhelmed,” Elara replied, resting her hand against her stomach. “Besides, she will be happy once she has my baby.”

Silas sighed and gave her hand a light squeeze. “You are kind, Elara. You sacrificed getting pregnant just to give me an heir. I just wish things were simpler.”

Her expression softened, warm and reassuring. “I just want to help you. I know you both are having a hard time creating one. Besides, I only want you to relax tonight. You deserve a break.”

They returned to the crowd, drinking and dancing as the music grew louder and the night blurred around them.

Cody stood off to the side, watching with a tense jaw. His phone kept lighting up with notifications, and he tried several times to get close enough to speak to Silas, but Silas was too absorbed to notice.

When it was well past midnight, Cody finally stepped forward.

“Alpha, we should head back. There have been several messages from home. I believe they are from the Madam,” he said carefully.

Silas waved him off with a grimace of irritation, the alcohol sharpening his tone. “I am in the middle of something here. I will deal with whatever it is in the morning.”

“But sir, the calls have been insistent. There could be some problem…”

“Did you not hear me?” Silas snapped. “Answer it yourself if you are so concerned.”

Cody paused, clearly unsettled, but Silas had already turned away again.

Elara spoke gently, feigning concern. “Maybe you should at least check. Maybe Eris is just distressed.”

“No. Do not worry about it. It is nothing urgent,” Silas said. “You know Eris likes to cause trouble whenever she wants. Let her wait.”

He ignored the constant ringing of his phone, choosing instead to stay with Elara. Hours passed before they finally stepped outside into the cool night air. As they exited, a figure hurried toward them.

At first, they brushed it off, but Silas stopped when he recognized his personal secretary. She was pale and out of breath, and the sight instantly sobered him.

“Alpha,” she said, struggling to steady her voice. “A lawyer came to the company. He delivered documents.”

Silas frowned. “Then give them to me tomorrow morning. You didn’t have to drive here and disturb my rest.”

“But sir, it was urgent. The lawyer said that with or without you, the divorce papers will take effect. You weren’t answering your phone, so I came here.”

Silas froze in place. His voice came out low and sharp.

“Divorce? Who would file something like that at this hour? Let me see.”

The secretary handed him the envelope. Silas ripped it open and scanned the pages, only to see my name and my signature clearly printed and sealed.

The room around him seemed to thicken. Anger erupted in his eyes. He immediately dialed my number.

Once, twice, repeatedly, but I did not answer.

“She is asking for divorce because of a few pictures?” his voice rose, cracking. “She didn’t even want to speak to me first?”

At that moment, Cody rushed forward, gripping Silas’ arm in a way that would normally be unacceptable for a subordinate. His face showed real fear.

“Alpha, there is a serious problem,” he said, breathing unsteadily.

Silas looked at him, and the expression on Cody’s face made everything inside him go still.

“The fire department called,” Cody continued. “Those messages from home were from security. Not from her.”

Silas stopped breathing. A sudden tightness seized his chest. It was painful, crushing, as if something inside him had been violently severed.

“What are you saying?” his voice came out louder, anger blending with something far more fragile. “Fire department? Security? Explain to me why they’re calling!”

Cody swallowed hard, the words heavy. “The fire department said there was a fire at your house. It burned down completely. And Madam, your wife, was inside when it happened.”

Silas’ heart skipped, stuttered, fractured.

“And what happened to her?” he asked, voice barely audible.

Cody lowered his gaze. “Sir… There were no survivors. Mrs. Eris died in the fire.”