On the day of my marking ceremony, I don't receive flowers or a mate's embrace. Instead, I receive news that my boyfriend, Liam Hagerty, was caught in a snowstorm and his body was never found.

I lose the man I love, and the pup in my belly loses its father.

The grief nearly destroys me, but everyone keeps saying, "Aurora, stay strong—at least for the pup."

On the day of the funeral, Liam's twin brother, Jasper Hagerty, returns from the border patrol with his mate.

Every time I see Jasper's face—the exact same face as Liam's—my heart aches all over again.

Then one night, I accidentally overhear a conversation between my mother-in-law—the old Luna—and Jasper.

"Liam, you have to go through with this. Your brother died saving you, and your sister-in-law's been through so much. Let her give birth and have something to rely on. Then, you can host your marking ceremony with Aurora."

Silence follows. Then "Jasper" speaks. "But what about Aurora? She's carrying my pup..."

His mother sighs. "Aurora is strong and considerate. She'll understand."

Jasper says in resignation, "Alright, Mom. I'll do as you say."

That's when I realize Liam never died. The man I thought was my brother-in-law, Jasper, is just Liam putting on an act.

Heartbroken beyond words, I call my older brother, Axel Maddox. "Axel, I want to come home. Liam is already dead, so there's no reason for me to stay here anymore."

I broke down completely the moment the call connected, and I heard my brother Axel Maddox's voice. Tears poured down my face, and I pressed a hand over my mouth to stifle any noise.

He knew right away something was off.

"What's wrong, Aurora? Did something happen?" Axel asked, his voice tense.

I shook my head but couldn't force out a single word, letting the silence stretch as tears kept falling.

After a pause, Axel said quietly, "Don't be scared, Aurora. I'm here. Whatever it is, I'll fix it. Just hang on for two more days. I'll send a car for you the day after tomorrow and sort everything out."

His words sent a rush of warmth through me.

I nodded, steadied myself, and finally ended the call. That was when someone knocked at the door.

Liam Hagerty—or rather, the man pretending to be Jasper Hagerty—stood outside holding some milk, his voice tender. "Aurora, are you asleep? I warmed some milk for you. Drink it and get some rest."

I drew a deep breath and wiped my tears.

The instant the door opened, Liam stiffened. His gaze fixed on my puffy, red-rimmed eyes.

"Why are you sitting on the floor, Aurora? Are you feeling sick?" he asked, worried.

I kept my head down, saying nothing.

Liam sighed, placed the milk on the table, and reached to help me up. "I know you still miss Liam, but he's gone. You need to look after yourself for the pup you're carrying."

His hollow words filled me with pain and anger, and my hands balled into fists. I looked up and saw his face, and my chest hurt so bad I could barely catch my breath.

"I'm fine. It's just some mild stomach cramps," I said.

Liam paused, his expression softening with concern. "Do you want me to get a doctor?"

I shook my head, fighting back tears. "No, I just need to rest. I'll be okay."

He helped me to the bed, but his gesture was a little too affectionate for a "brother-in-law".

Once I was seated, his eyes drifted to my still-flat stomach, and he gave a quiet laugh. "This pup's already giving its mother trouble before it's even born. Just wait till it gets here. I'll set it straight as its uncle. Aurora, you've got to stay strong for the pup and Liam."

Liam's voice was full of concern, but every word cut deep. I bit my lip, my eyes welling up with tears I wouldn't let spill.

Finally, I looked up at him, my voice trembling. "Liam…"

Liam froze, his eyes reddening slightly. He reached out as if to pull me into a hug, but his hands stopped midair as if he'd suddenly remembered the role he was playing.

After a brief pause, he pulled himself together and chuckled. "Aurora, you miss Liam so much that you're seeing him in me. But it's okay. I'll look after you and your pup in his place."

His voice was full of concern, but what he didn't know was that I didn't want Jasper looking after me—I wanted him to care for me as Liam himself.

I lowered my eyes, my fists tightening as I held back the urge to ask who he really was. But I knew no matter how hard I pushed, he wouldn't tell me the truth.

It'd only make things strained between us, or worse, make him suspicious and ruin my chances of getting away. So, I kept quiet.

Liam didn't seem to notice anything unusual about me. He gave my shoulder a light pat and spoke softly. "You should get some rest. Just say the word if you need anything."

With that, he turned and left, easing the door shut behind him.

I listened as his footsteps disappeared down the hallway, and another wave of tears spilled over. I drew my knees up, folding into myself, and pressed my face into the crook of my arm to muffle the sound of my crying.

A memory from five years ago popped into my head. It was back when I was dancing on stage at the university's anniversary celebration. That was the night Liam fell for me at first sight.

Even though he knew I was an Omega without a wolf, it didn't stop him from trying to win me over.

Liam had made me a promise before the marking ceremony. "Aurora, don't worry. Once I'm back from the border, I'll give you the biggest ceremony this pack has ever seen."

I'd believed every word back then. The thought that I'd actually be waiting for betrayal never even crossed my mind.

…

The next morning, Liam was up early to drive me to my prenatal checkup. However, we had barely reached the front door when we saw Freya Keating.

She was clutching her stomach, her face pale.

"Jasper, my head hurts so bad…" she whimpered.

Liam instantly let go of my arm and hurriedly picked Freya up instead. "What's wrong? Did the wind make you sick? Come on, let's get you back to your room so you can rest."

He only remembered I was still there when he reached the staircase. "Aurora, go to the hospital on your own. The driver's already at the door. Everything's set. Just follow him."

Without so much as a glance back, he rushed up the stairs with Freya in his arms. It broke my heart to see him hurry off like that.

Freya turned toward me, a flicker of triumph flashing across her face. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to keep my emotions under control.

Later, the driver took me to the hospital, where I sat through the prenatal checkup alone.

While staring at the grainy ultrasound image of the tiny fetus, I was overwhelmed by a storm of conflicting emotions. The pain in my chest twisted deeper whenever I thought of Liam and Freya together.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Not wanting Liam to find out my next move, I dismissed the driver and went to a different hospital alone.

I sat in the hallway, waiting for my turn. I clutched the test results tightly, my stomach twisting with hesitation and dread.

Walking into that operating room meant I'd lose this pup, and along with it, the last connection I had to Liam. But then I'd think about what he did, and the pain would hit me all over again.

Could I really keep it together if I had to face our pup?

I was unsure what to do when my phone buzzed out of nowhere, and a message from Freya popped up on the screen.

I opened it and saw a video packed with hundreds of pictures of Liam and Freya. They held hands, ate together, rode the Ferris wheel, and did all the usual things couples do.

My whole body shook as I watched. They looked so perfect together, so right, while I felt like the other woman. I pressed my hand to my mouth, tears pouring down my face.

Freya was taunting me so openly, sending me those photos.

Was she aware of Liam's real identity? Did everyone else know the truth about him while I was the only one left in the dark?

I felt like such an idiot.

Then the doctor called my name. "Ms. Maddox? They're ready for you in the operating room."

Tears filled my eyes again. The pain hit me so hard that my legs gave out, and I crumpled to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

A nurse hurried over and patted my shoulder. "Miss, are you okay? We can always do this another day if you're not ready."

I pressed my hands over my ears, my cheeks slick with tears.

There was no denying the truth—I still loved Liam. He'd lied to me and hurt me, but I still couldn't stop thinking about him.

My heart felt like it was being torn apart, the agony so raw I could hardly breathe.

My hand shook as I pressed it to my stomach, remembering the steady thump of the pup's heartbeat from the monitor at the prenatal appointment. The sound filled me with something soft and fragile.

I owed Liam another chance, even if it was just for the pup. I had to try. I wiped my tears and picked up my phone, dialing Liam.

His voice sounded from the other end of the line. "Hey, Aurora? What's up? I'm in the middle of something—"

"Liam, I need to talk to you. Can you—"

Before I could finish, Freya's voice cut in from the background. "Sweetheart, can you tie the back of my dress?"

And just like that, whatever hope I'd been clinging to slipped away.

"Aurora, what's wrong?" Liam asked gently on the other end.

"Nothing."

My body shook as I ended it. Tears blurred my vision again, and I bit my lip hard to keep from making a sound. That was when I lost every last bit of hope.

I got up and turned to the nurse. "I'll have the surgery."

She took in my bloodshot, puffy eyes, her voice worried. "Are you absolutely sure?"

I forced a faint smile and nodded. "Yes. I'm sure."

…

The procedure was quick and smooth. Afterward, when they rolled me out of the operating room, my body felt hollow, like even my tears had run dry.

I got home, but Liam and Freya weren't there.

I lay there on the bed by myself, eyes fixed on the ceiling with my thoughts a hollow drift. I had no idea how to move forward or deal with a world that felt so full of betrayal and hurt.

Later that night, Liam came back.

He saw me lying there, pale and still, and his voice softened with concern. "Aurora, what was it you wanted to tell me at the hospital today? Your eyes are really red… have you been thinking about Liam again?"

I stared at his face—so familiar yet now so distant—and felt a swirl of emotions rise in my chest.

Part of me wanted to hate him and erase him from my memory. But no matter how hard I tried, that stubborn love deep inside wouldn't let me cut him out for good.

I couldn't take it anymore. I closed my eyes and turned away.

Liam sighed, pulled the blanket over me, and quietly left the room.

That night, I dreamed of the past.

Suddenly, I was 18 again, standing at my shifting ceremony. Liam stood before me, gazing at me with tenderness. "Aurora, I've been in love with you since the moment we met."

Back then, his eyes held nothing but honesty, and his smile was so warm it could've melted the coldest heart.

I was totally caught up in the dream's sweetness, but the moment I woke up, all its beauty was gone. I lay there, staring at the overcast sky through the window, a dull weight settling in my chest.

Then, suddenly, the door swung open and Freya walked in.

She gave me an almost challenging look. "Aurora, you've been seeing Jasper every single day. Don't you know who he really is by now?"