The next morning,when I arrived at the Hamilton Pack Council Hall,the air felt sharper—colder—than usual.

“Lavina.”

Alpha Alexander’s commanding tone rolled from inside our shared glass chamber,clipped and distant—as if he were addressing a subordinate,not his mate.

When I stepped inside,he didn’t glance up from the scroll he was reading.

“Close the door.”

Only then did his ice-blue eyes lift to meet mine.The chill in them could have frozen fire.

“Lavina,I’ll keep this brief,”he said,standing tall,his Alpha aura pressing down on the room.“Rumors are spreading,and I can’t afford to have my reputation dragged through the mud because of you.As of now,you’re relieved of your duties as my Beta assistant.Starting tomorrow,you’ll report to another division—far from this territory.”

He paused,eyes glinting with distant authority.

“Stephanie will take over your position.”

The words sliced through me like silver through flesh.

This was the Pack Administration I had helped Alexander build from nothing—his empire,his pride.

When the Elders had mocked his proposal for independence,I had spent a year serving under their command to earn him another hearing.I ran errands for them like a servant,even knelt before their council chambers through one freezing night,begging for a second chance for his dream.

I had never asked for acknowledgment.Never claimed any shares of the success when the Hamilton Pack rose to power.For three years,I worked without rest—even when fever burned through me,I still handled his correspondence,all to lessen his burdens.

And yet,he cast me aside as though I were no more than a broken tool.

For a long time,I believed he kept our bond secret to protect me from jealous packs and gossiping wolves.But now I understood—Alexander never loved me.His heart had always belonged to Stephanie Winslet.

“Lavina…you have enough experience to serve anywhere.But think of your sister.Stephanie’s mate just died.She’s fragile,she needs comfort.In return,I will—”

“Alright.”

The word fell softly,cutting off his rehearsed reasoning.

He blinked,surprised.“That’s all?Aren’t you angry?”

His hand tightened around the velvet box he had prepared—a trinket meant to ease guilt.A silver pendant engraved with our initials,like tossing a bone to a loyal wolf.

“If that’s all,Alpha,I’ll take my leave.”

“Lavina,what do you mean?Aren’t you going to ask me anything?”

He had expected tears.Rage.Pleading.But my silence unnerved him.

Just then,the door burst open.

“Alex!I sorted your reports,do you need me to—oh!Sister Lavina?”

Stephanie’s voice dripped with false sweetness as she stepped inside,clutching a delicate satchel of moonlit silk.

CRASH.

A small music orb that rested on my desk fell,shattering against the stone floor.A faint melody bled into the silence before dying altogether.

My heart seized.It was the porcelain wolf figurine Alexander and I had shaped together at the Luna’s crafting festival—after I lost our pup.It held a secret compartment with the tiny sonogram crystal of the child we never met.

“Sister,I’m so sorry,”Stephanie gasped,her eyes shimmering with feigned tears.“It was an accident—please don’t be mad—”

“Why would she be mad at all?”Alexander cut in sharply.“Lavina,why do you keep useless trinkets like that lying around?What if Stephanie got hurt?”

Useless trinkets.

The last memory I had of my unborn child—dismissed like nothing.

My knees weakened.I crouched,hands trembling,to gather the shattered pieces.A jagged shard sliced deep into my finger,crimson drops staining the floor.

Alexander didn’t even notice.

“Steph,you’re bleeding,”he murmured,lifting her hand to inspect a small scratch.“Come,let’s get you cleaned up.”

He guided her out,hand at her back,protective and gentle—the way he used to touch me once.The door clicked shut behind them,and I was left in silence.

I sat there on the cold marble floor,the broken orb pressed to my chest,my blood mixing with the dust.Then slowly,methodically,I packed away everything.

The old flight parchment to the Southern Isles,where he first said I love you—ripped in half.

The timepiece I gifted him during our first winter solstice—left behind.

Every trace of warmth—gone.

When Alexander returned fifteen minutes later,the chamber was hollow.

No faint scent of my perfume.No scattered notes across the desk.

Even the little cactus he used to tease me about had vanished.

Only one thing remained:a smear of blood near the leg of his desk.

He stared at it,silent.Something flickered—briefly—in his expression,then died.

As he turned to leave,I opened the door again to retrieve the last document.

“Lavina,wait!”

I stopped,glancing back.

“This is temporary,”he said.“When the rumors fade,I’ll bring you back.”

I smiled faintly.“I waited long enough.It doesn’t matter anymore.”

To my parents,Stephanie was their cherished daughter.

To Alexander,she was his destiny.

No matter how I fought,I was always the replacement.

I turned to go,but his voice halted me once more.

“Lavina—there’s an Alpha gathering tonight.I was invited.”

“I’m not—”

“You’re still under my command,”he cut in sharply.“I can’t appear without my Beta.”

The pressure in his tone left no room for refusal.

I thought of the message from Alpha Damien Stone the night before.

A month from now,I would no longer belong here.

“Of course,”I said calmly,my voice empty.“One last task.”

The Moon Auction Hall gleamed beneath gilded chandeliers carved from enchanted crystal.

As the Beta in charge of logistics,I had arrived an hour early to register the“rare relics”the Hamilton Pack would offer in tonight’s charity auction for orphaned pups.

But as I neared the curtained section marked“High Alpha Access Only,”familiar voices drifted from the crack in the door.

Alexander—and his old pack brothers.

The same wolves I once welcomed into our den,poured wine for,laughed with.

Now their laughter echoed through the chamber,sharp and predatory.

“Now that Stephanie’s back in your life,you’re finally free,Alexander,”one of them drawled.

Another snorted.“What about Lavina?She’s decent,sure,but come on.Between her and Stephanie?One’s the Winslet Pack’s prized daughter—and the other…”He chuckled.“Just a no-name she-wolf from a forgotten valley who got lucky.”

The words hit harder than claws.

I remembered that night years ago,when Alexander had introduced me to them as‘a humble wolf from the outer territories’,saying his friends disliked arrogance.

But now I saw the truth.

He wasn’t protecting me.

He was hiding me—so that Stephanie could shine.

“And infertile too,isn’t she?”someone added,laughing cruelly.“Didn’t she miscarry once?I heard she failed her Healer’s treatments four times.You’d be a fool to bet your legacy on a barren female.”

A chilling silence followed.

Then Alexander spoke.

“It’s not Lavina’s fault,”he said evenly.“She’s been a good placeholder.But that’s all she’ll ever be.I can’t let a substitute carry my bloodline.”

My breath caught.

“The first pregnancy was a mistake,”he continued,voice low and cruelly steady.“When she lost it,I felt bad,sure—but I never meant for her to bear my pup.After that,I made sure she couldn’t.I’ve been giving her suppressants in her tonics for years.She never noticed.”

My world fractured.

The bitter tablets I used to choke down—the ones he claimed would“stabilize my wolf energy.”

Every failed fertility ritual,every moon I wept believing I was broken—

It had all been his doing.

‘We’ll try again when you’re stronger,’he’d said each time,arms around me while his lies dripped like poison.

“Spirits,Alexander,”one of the men muttered.“Your mother despised Lavina enough already.Making her suffer through false hope just for Stephanie’s sake?That’s cold—even for you.”

“I only married Lavina because my grandfather insisted,”Alexander said with a low,bitter laugh.“He liked her purity.I didn’t have a choice.”

He paused,and his tone softened into longing.

“Stephanie is everything I’ve ever wanted.”

That was it.

That was the moment I stopped breathing.

I turned and fled down the corridor.The world blurred into streaks of gold and shadow.My hand pressed against my mouth to stifle the sob threatening to break free.

When my communicator buzzed,I glanced down.

[ALEXANDER:Where are you?Get back here.Now.]

A bitter smile touched my lips.

Even now,he summoned me like an obedient wolf on a leash.

I called the steward of the Hamilton estate.

“Bring me everything from my vault.Now.”

Then,I wiped my tears and straightened my back before reentering the hall—masking the ruin inside with calm precision.

The Grand Auction was filled with Alphas and Betas from every major pack.Flashing orbs of press crystals lit the hall when Alexander appeared—with Stephanie clinging to his arm.

“Lavina,there you are.”

I turned toward them silently as the press surged forward.

“Alpha Hamilton!”a reporter shouted from behind the velvet rope.“Is it true you dismissed your Beta assistant today?”

“Alpha,are the rumors about your assistant being your secret mate true?”

Questions flew like arrows.

Stephanie’s grip tightened around his arm,her eyes blazing with false innocence.

Before Alexander could speak,I stepped forward.

“There has been a misunderstanding,”I said evenly,my voice slicing through the chaos like a blade.“There is absolutely no personal bond between Alpha Hamilton and me.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

“Alpha Hamilton is the leader of this pack,”I continued,tone composed.“And I was merely a subordinate wolf serving under his command.Nothing more,nothing less.I have already accepted an offer from another Alpha to transfer packs.”

The words hit like thunder.Alexander froze,his jaw tightening.

But he couldn’t refute me—not without confirming the truth.

A bold journalist stepped forward,holding up a photo crystal displaying matching rings forged by a Parisian mage.

“Are you saying there’s no secret bond?Because the pair of rings you both wear were enchanted as mating tokens—the male version is still seen on Alpha Hamilton’s hand—”

I raised my hand calmly.My finger was bare.

“No ring,”I said softly.

The silence that followed was absolute.

Alexander stared at me,shock flickering in his eyes.He remembered my vow beneath the Blood Moon—that I would never remove the ring sealing our bond.

I reached into my bag,withdrew a sealed scroll,and handed it to the nearest reporter.

“Here’s a certified record from the Council of Elders.No mating bond ever registered between Lavina and Alpha Hamilton.In fact,”I said,letting my eyes meet Alexander’s,“I am already promised to another Alpha.”

The crowd erupted in stunned whispers.

Alexander took a step forward,lips parting—but before he could speak,the great bronze bell tolled three times.

The auction had begun.

Perfect timing.

The grand hall of the Lunar Auction Gala shimmered beneath golden chandeliers shaped like crescent moons.

When the master of ceremony took the stage,the murmurs stilled instantly.

“Ladies and gentlemen,”he announced proudly,“we begin tonight’s event with a priceless relic donated by the Hamilton Pack.”

Under the spotlight,a velvet box opened.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Inside lay an emerald pendant,deep green and alive—like the heart of an ancient forest after rain.Its glow caught the silver in every wolf’s eyes.

Alexander’s expression faltered.He recognized it instantly.

He had chosen those gems himself,saying they matched my eyes—eyes that once looked at him as if he were the whole world.

Now they reflected nothing but cold light under the moon.

Stephanie leaned closer to him eagerly.“It’s stunning!Who owned it,Alex?I want it.”

Before he could reply,she raised her bidding paddle,her voice dripping with entitlement.

Sold.

Next came the second relic:a diamond wristband,a limited Alpha-edition model.I had gifted it to him on his thirtieth name-moon—the first year he forgot mine.I’d smiled through the ache and clasped it on his wrist anyway.

Sold.

Then came the third.

A vintage brooch inlaid with blood-rubies—a gift from his grandmother when I became his Luna.

The only heirloom I’d ever been given.

Sold.

Each memory-laden piece,stripped and auctioned as though it were scrap.

I stood beside him—composed,silent,exactly as he’d trained me to be.

Alexander turned suddenly,ignoring the murmurs,the stares,the flashing crystals.

“Lavina…”His voice cracked with disbelief.“That necklace was your favorite—you cried when it got scratched once.How could you just give it away?Don’t you remember?It was my gift to you…on our mating night.”

His voice trembled as the pendant was clasped around Stephanie’s throat.

He had given her rarer treasures before,but this—this single token—looked wrong on her skin.

“All I did,”I said quietly,“was strengthen your public image.Kept your reputation spotless,without costing you a single coin.Isn’t that what you always wanted,Alpha Hamilton?”

I reached for a glass of red wine,lifted it high.

“To Alpha Hamilton.”

The crowd echoed the toast in polite applause.

Alexander didn’t move.His eyes stayed locked on mine—haunted,uncertain.

Then he turned away,swallowed by a tide of powerful Alphas and hollow laughter.

I drained the glass in one sharp gulp and walked out,the applause behind me echoing like distant mockery.

The corridor was dim.

And then—she appeared.

Stephanie.

Her lips curled into the same cruel smile she’d worn as a child—

the one she had when she pushed me into the pond till I nearly drowned,

when she framed me for theft before the Winslet elders.

Then came the shove.

I stumbled backward,crashing into a cold-storage chamber.The iron door slammed shut.

“Tonight was mine!”she hissed,voice dripping venom.“You stole my spotlight,sister?Then enjoy your moment—alone,in the dark—while I toast champagne with our Alpha.”

“Stephanie,you’re insane!”I shouted,pounding the door.“Let me out!”

“No one’s coming,bitch.You thought selling off those trinkets would make Alex pity you?Feel guilty?”

“I don’t care about Alexander!You can have him!”

“Oh,I will,”she purred.“But really—thank you.While I was moaning beneath silk sheets in Paris territory,you were busy playing housemaid,polishing his boots and building his empire.”

“You vile serpent!You were the mistress—nothing more!”

“Mistress?”she laughed,the sound slicing through the air.“I was his first,Lavina.His everything.When you were miscarrying,I told him I was ill.He left you bleeding in the healers’ward to hold me in his arms.”

My body went still.Tears burned behind my eyes,but none fell.

She smirked,turning away.

“Enjoy the cold,sis.”

The door clanged shut,sealing me in darkness.

Later that night,when the auction ended,Alexander seethed.

“Alex,”Stephanie said,feigning guilt,“your sister was upset.I didn’t mean to—”

“You didn’t mean to?She’s throwing a tantrum because I dismissed her.Let her!Let’s see how long she lasts without me!”

And with that,he left with her—arm around her waist.

I fumbled for my communicator—no signal.

The air grew thin.My limbs went numb.The world tilted.

Just before my vision went black,I heard a crash.

The door burst open.

“Make way!Move!”

Strong hands wrapped a cloak around me.Deep voices issued crisp orders as medics swarmed.

“Miss Winslet,stay awake!You’re safe!”

Then darkness.

When I woke again,a healer stood beside my bed,my wrist connected to an IV of shimmering moon-infused serum.

It was the same healer who had overseen my fertility treatments for years.

“Miss Lavina,”she said gently,“you’re incredibly lucky.Lord Damien was gravely ill last night,but when you didn’t answer his calls,he forced us to halt his treatment and ordered a search party.Another hour and both your lives could’ve been lost.”

My lips trembled.“Both…?”

The healer smiled softly.

“Yes.You and your pup.Congratulations,Luna—your conception ritual finally succeeded.You’re five moons along.”