“What do you mean by that? Your only child?” I hugged my baby tighter to my chest, unable to believe the words coming out of Cyrus’s mouth.

But Cyrus didn’t answer.

Instead, he turned to his men and pointed at me.

“Take the child from her and send it to an orphanage,” he commanded.

“What? No!” I cried out, clutching my daughter protectively. “You can’t take her away!”

I refused to let go, but the guards who stepped forward were strong. They pulled at me roughly, nearly tearing off my dress in the process. I struggled against them, every muscle in my body screaming from the effort.

“No! You’re not taking her from me!” I shouted.

And then my wolf surged forward with a furious roar that shook the air. The men faltered, taking a cautious step back. They must have forgotten, I was still the Luna. I may have just given birth, but I remained the pack’s rightful female leader. A guide strong enough to stand beside an Alpha.

An elder stepped forward, speaking to Cyrus in a low, urgent voice.

“It is unwise to separate a newborn from its mother so soon. Doing so may cause complications... even with your son’s growth and health.”

Cyrus frowned, clearly displeased. He raised his hand, signaling his men to stop. His eyes landed on me again, bloodied, disheveled, a mess in every sense of the word, but I didn’t shrink back. I held his gaze, fierce and unflinching.

“Whatever you’re planning, Alpha,” I said through gritted teeth, “dare involve my child in it, and I will burn every bond between us to the ground.”

He showed no sign of fear, only cold indifference. And then, perhaps in what he thought was mercy, he spoke.

“My heir requires full attention from the Luna. I can’t allow any distractions. I won’t have other children become a reason for my son to be neglected.”

I sneered. “Then why not let his mother care for him? She certainly seems confident enough to parade around like this in front of the entire pack.”

Calista made a soft expression, something gentle, almost tender, that might have deceived anyone watching. She looked at me as if we were dear friends and said in a sweet voice, “You are the rightful Luna. I’m only here to serve our Alpha.”

I scoffed. “Then you do understand what that means. And you still dare to do this?”

She lowered her head as if humbled, her tone quiet, submissive. “I’m only doing what’s best for the Alpha’s bloodline. He deserves a proper heir.”

I wanted to scream, to lash out and tear her mask apart. But before I could say anything, Cyrus’s presence crashed into me like a wave. His aura was suffocating. My knees nearly buckled, and I would have fallen if not for the baby in my arms.

“I’ll give you seven days,” Cyrus said flatly. “Take care of the girl as much as you want. After that, your focus will be on my son.”

Without another word, he turned his back to me and walked away with Calista in tow. He didn’t spare me a glance. Didn’t order anyone to help me. No one in the crowd moved, all too afraid of drawing their Alpha’s ire.

So, I helped myself. I pulled my torn dress over my shoulder, staggered off the platform, and nearly collapsed. I called a cab with trembling fingers and somehow managed to get to the hospital.

By the time I arrived, I was fading. But I didn’t let myself pass out until I’d made sure my baby was in safe hands.

When I finally opened my eyes, hours had passed. My daughter lay in a crib beside me, sleeping peacefully. I stared at her, overwhelmed by a feeling I couldn’t name. There was love, yes, but also sorrow. She didn’t deserve this. I had imagined her birth would be met with warmth and welcome. But Cyrus...

Cyrus had shown me otherwise.

He paraded the son he had with Calista. A son born in secret two nights ago.

They had been cheating all along.

I reached for my phone with shaking fingers. There was only one number I could think of calling. It rang just once before a deep, familiar voice answered on the other end.

“Lyra,” he said smoothly. “As expected, you called me.”

He chuckled softly, teasing. But I wasn’t in the mood for games.

“Apollo, you said you love me, right?” My voice trembled, but not from fear. “Then prove it. Take me and my child away from here… and I’ll give you my life and body in return. Deal?”

Apollo laughed mockingly at the other end of the line.

“Are you treating me like a backup plan now?”

His voice was sharp and cold, like ice cracking under pressure. That laugh echoed in my ear, threaded with sarcasm and quiet rage.

I gripped the phone so tightly my knuckles turned white. Apollo might have been powerful, rich, and dangerous... but he wasn’t the only one I could turn to.

“If you don’t want me, then don’t,” I said, my voice clipped and even. “I’m not hard to deal with.”

The air shifted on the other end. His laughter cut off abruptly, and a tense silence followed. It was so heavy, I could hear the blood pounding in my ears.

“You think you can just walk away because you decided to?” He said at last, his tone was low and calculated. “You already sold yourself to me, Lyra. There are no takebacks.”

His words sent a chill down my spine.

“Then take me,” I snapped. “You have seven days.”

A beat passed. Then came his laugh again, softer this time, amused, as if he were genuinely intrigued. Without another word, the call ended. A moment later, my phone buzzed.

Finishing business overseas. I’ll come as fast as I can.

I stared at the message, a whirlwind of thoughts crashing through my mind.

I set the phone down and drew in a slow, trembling breath, brushing a hand through my sweat-damp hair. My limbs ached. My back throbbed. I had barely recovered from the delivery, and yet there was no time to rest. No time to process the betrayal.

Then the phone rang again. The screen lit up.

It was my father.

My heart dropped. I hesitated before answering, but I knew better than ignoring him.

“Dad—” I began, barely getting the word out.

“You shameless woman!” He thundered, cutting me off. His fury struck me like a physical blow. “You dared to give birth to a female cub?!”

I recoiled at the venom in his voice, but forced myself to respond, keeping my tone calm, though my vision blurred.

“Dad, this isn’t something I could choose,” I said, my fingers trembling as I held the phone. “I didn’t plan for—”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know it was a girl!” he spat. “You should’ve aborted it the moment you found out!”

His words stabbed deep, sharper than any blade. But it wasn’t new. My father had always seen me as a pawn, a tool for his ambitions. He had arranged my marriage to Cyrus for power, and when it succeeded, he paraded me like a prize. I had been useful. Until another woman gave Cyrus a male heir.

I felt my throat tighten. “She’s your granddaughter,” I said hoarsely. “How could you say that?”

“What granddaughter?” he snapped. “She’s a disgrace! It would’ve been better if she’d died.”

Then the line went dead.

I sat frozen, unable to move, as the weight of his words settled over me like a suffocating fog. My whole body trembled from fury, despair, and exhaustion. All of it tangled so tightly I couldn’t separate one from the other.

Betrayed by my mate. Rejected by my father. Shamed before the entire pack. All because I gave birth to a daughter.

I turned slowly toward the crib, my heart cracking at the sight of her tiny form. Her chest rose and fell with gentle breaths, her lips forming the faintest pout as she dreamed.

Peaceful. Innocent. Unaware of the world that already hated her for existing.

I reached out and picked her up, cradling her gently against my chest. Her warmth grounded me. She didn’t cry. She didn’t resist. She simply nestled closer, trusting me with every breath she took.

“Hello, Athena,” I whispered, my voice shaking with emotion. “That’s your name now. You’ll grow up smart and brave. I’ll make sure of it.”

The name tasted right on my tongue.

Strong, noble, divine. A name fit for a warrior.

As if she understood, Athena let out a soft coo, and a small smile curved my lips. In the middle of this hell, she was my only light.

Then the door burst open.

I tensed instantly, my heart slamming in my chest as I turned—and saw Esmeralda, Cyrus’s mother.

“There she is,” she said coldly, her voice devoid of emotion. Her finger pointed directly at me as a group of men in dark uniforms stepped into the room behind her.

My instincts screamed. I held Athena tighter, my eyes darting between them.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded. “What are you trying to do?”

Esmeralda didn’t answer me. She turned instead to the men with her, speaking as though I wasn’t even in the room.

“The male heir has developed sudden heart complications. He needs a transplant. Take that child, use her heart for the operation.”

I couldn’t believe what I just heard.

The wolf inside me stirred instantly, hackles raised, releasing a thick wave of energy that filled the room like a threat. It wasn’t as overwhelming as Cyrus’s aura, but as a Luna, I still had the power to suppress others.

The men in black uniforms froze mid-step, caught under the weight of my dominance. But Esmeralda didn’t seem to notice. She mistook their hesitation for weakness.

“What are you waiting for?” she snapped, voice sharp. “Just take the child! How hard can it be?”

One of them tried to move forward, but before he could reach me, my wolf lashed out. He flew back, crashing against the wall with a grunt, blood streaking his face.

I didn’t flinch. I clutched Athena closer, grounding myself in the feel of her tiny body in my arms.

“Take another step,” I warned, my voice low and steady, “and I’ll rip you to pieces.”

Esmeralda looked stunned, like she couldn’t believe I was resisting. Her expression twisted with rage as she jabbed a finger at me.

“You’re seriously standing in the way of saving the heir?” she spat. “Hand over the heart of that useless child. This is your chance to prove you’re still worth something as Cyrus’s Luna.”

I let out a cold laugh. “If she’s so useless, why do you need her heart?”

Her mouth opened for a retort, but before she could speak, another figure entered the room.

It was Cyrus. He walked in with that usual quiet authority, eyes scanning the scene until they landed on Athena in my arms. Esmeralda turned to him immediately, as if reinforcements had just arrived.

“She refuses to give the child,” she said quickly. “It’s the only way she can still serve this pack, and yet she dares to disobey.”

Cyrus frowned. My heart pounded in my chest as I turned to face him.

“Are you really going to let them take your own daughter’s heart?” I asked, my voice trembling despite how hard I tried to hold it steady. I needed him to say no. Just one word.

But his face remained cold.

“Lyra,” he said, his tone emotionless, “listen to my mother. It’s just a heart. You can always have another child.”

I stared at him in disbelief. Then I laughed. Bitterly. Of course. He’d never chosen me. Why did I think he would choose her?

“If it’s just a heart,” I said sharply, “why not give yours? Isn’t that your son?”

Cyrus’s eyes narrowed. “That is our son—”

“He is not mine,” I snapped. “And I will not give my child’s heart to him.”

His gaze didn’t waver. My grief, my rage, it didn’t reach him. He was unmoved.

“If that’s your decision,” he said.

Then he raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Pain pierced my arm. I looked down in shock, a tranquilizer dart stuck out of my skin.

I gasped, my body reacting too fast. My limbs went heavy, muscles turning to jelly. I tried to fight it, to hold on tighter to Athena, but my strength was gone. My fingers slipped and Athena rolled slightly out of my grasp.

No.

I tried to reach for her, to gather one last shred of willpower, but my vision blurred. My lips moved soundlessly, mouthing her name again and again.

They pulled her from my arms.

She cried out, a raw, high-pitched scream. From the sound of it, Esmeralda had grabbed her too tightly. I wanted to shout. I wanted to claw my way across the floor, to protect her with my body but I couldn’t move.

I couldn’t even scream.

I lay there, paralyzed and useless, watching them walk away.

Cyrus said something to the man who tranquilized me. Then they all turned to leave. The door creaked shut behind them.

Athena’s last cry echoed in my ears.

Then silence. Only the sound of my heart breaking remained louder than the tears streaming down my face.