Stephanie’s POV

The door to my room opened without warning.

I didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

Only one person entered my space like he owned not just the room, but the air I breathed inside it.

Alpha Cain.

I sat quietly by the window, my hands resting on my lap, my thoughts still lingering from everything that had happened earlier. The humiliation. The way he dismissed me in front of everyone. The way he chose her—again.

“Luna.”

His voice was calm. Almost casual. As if yesterday had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

I turned my head slightly to face him.

“Yes?”

He walked further into the room, his posture relaxed, his expression unreadable. There was no guilt. No hesitation. Nothing that suggested he had done anything wrong.

“Faye will be staying here for a while,” he said.

The words landed softly, but they echoed loudly in my mind.

“…Here?” I repeated.

“In the packhouse,” he clarified, as if that made it any better. “She’s the ambassador of our company’s platform now. It’s only appropriate that she stays within Foreshadow territory.”

Appropriate. Of course it was.

I stared at him for a moment, searching his face for any sign of awareness.

Any trace of shame. But there was nothing. Not even a flicker.

“You’re fine with that, aren’t you?” he added, tilting his head slightly.

It wasn’t really a question. It never was. I felt something tighten in my chest, but I forced it down.

“I see,” I said quietly. “If that’s your decision.”

His lips curved slightly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

“That’s more like it.”

He stepped closer to me, lifting his hand to cup my cheek. His touch was warm, familiar, and yet it felt so foreign now.

“I prefer it when you’re like this,” he murmured. “Not making unnecessary trouble.”

My body remained still under his touch. I didn’t lean into it. I didn’t pull away either. I simply endured it.

“Be good,” he added softly, brushing his thumb against my skin before letting his hand fall.

Then, just like that, he turned and left. As if nothing about this situation was wrong. As if bringing his mistress into our home was something I should simply accept.

The next morning, I found myself standing in front of a door I hadn’t opened in a long time.

My fingers hovered over the handle.

Hesitating.

This room… It was the one place I avoided the most. And yet, it was also the one place I cherished the most. The nursery.

I took a slow breath before pushing the door open. The familiar scent greeted me first.

My gaze softened as I stepped inside.

My chest tightened. I walked further in, my fingers brushing lightly against the edge of the crib.

“I’m here,” I whispered softly.

A habit. A foolish one, perhaps. But it was the only way I knew how to cope.

Even after a year of my miscarriage, the pain hadn’t faded. If anything, it had only settled deeper into my bones.

I closed my eyes briefly.

“Meow.”

I froze. My brows furrowed slightly.

That wasn’t...

“Meow.”

The sound came again. Louder this time.

My eyes snapped open.

“What…?”

Confusion quickly turned into unease as I moved further into the room.

And then I saw them.

Two cats. Inside the nursery.

My breath caught.

They were small, fluffy… completely out of place. One of them was perched on the crib.

My stomach dropped. There was a mess on the carpet. A foul, unmistakable mess. A poop!

“No…” I whispered, my heart beginning to pound.

I rushed forward, my eyes scanning the room.

Chaos. That was the only way to describe it. The neatly arranged clothes were scattered across the floor.

Some torn. Some crumpled. The crib’s soft lining had been scratched, threads pulled loose.

And the cats… They were wearing—

My vision blurred. Baby clothes. The clothes I had bought. The ones meant for my child.

“No—no, no, no…”

Panic surged through me.

“What is this?!” My voice rose as I turned toward the door. “Who did this?!”

My hands trembled as I pointed toward the mess.

“Who let these cats in here?! There are a lot of rooms in the packhouse! Why here?!”

Footsteps approached quickly, maids rushing in at the sound of my voice.

“Luna, we—”

“Get them out!” I snapped, my voice shaking. “Now!”

Before anyone could move… “Oh!”

A familiar voice cut through the chaos. Faye.

She stepped into the room, her eyes widening slightly as she took in the scene.

She walked closer, completely unfazed.

“They’re mine,” she said, gesturing toward the cats.

The word echoed in my head.

“I’m so sorry, Luna, ” she added quickly, though there was something off about the way she said it. “Alpha Cain told me I could let them stay here.”

I felt my ears ring.

“He said since they’re sensitive,” she continued, her hand resting lightly over her stomach. “They need their own space. And since no one was using this room…”

No one was using this room. My vision darkened slightly.

“This room is not empty,” I said, my voice low but trembling with barely contained anger.

Faye blinked, clearly taken aback.

“I—I didn’t know—”

Her eyes filled with tears almost instantly.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean any harm. They’re just animals. They didn’t know—”

“I know! But what about you? You’re their fur parent! You should have known better!” My voice rose. “They destroyed everything in here!”

“I’ll clean it—”

“What’s going on?” Alpha Cain’s voice.

I turned as he stepped into the room, his brows slightly furrowed.

Faye immediately moved toward him.

“I’m sorry, Alpha,” she said, her voice breaking as she clung lightly to his arm. “I didn’t know the room was important. My cats… they didn’t mean it…”

Alpha Cain’s gaze shifted to me. Annoyance flickered in his eyes.

“Stephanie,” he said, his tone sharp, “why are you making a scene?”

I stared at him.

“A scene?” I repeated, disbelief creeping into my voice.

He glanced around the room, taking in the mess.

“It’s just a room,” he said dismissively. “No one’s even using it.”

My hands clenched at my sides.

“This room—” My voice shook. “This room was for our child. The baby I miscarried!”

He didn’t react. Not the way I hoped he would. Not the way I needed him to.

“If you’re upset about the mess,” he continued, as if I hadn’t said anything meaningful at all, “then I’ll have it renovated. Everything can be replaced.”

Replaced. The word hit me harder than anything else.

“No,” I said, my voice trembling. “You can’t replace those.”

His brows furrowed slightly.

“They were the clothes I bought for our baby,” I continued, my chest tightening painfully. “The one I lost… the one we lost.”

“No one is going to use those anyway.”

I stopped breathing.

“The baby’s dead.”

The words were cold. Blunt. Careless.

Something inside me shattered completely. I stared at him, unable to comprehend how he could say that so easily.

So… casually. As if that child meant nothing. As if that loss was insignificant.

He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to rest on my stomach.

“This baby is more important,” he said, his tone softening slightly.

I flinched.

“Don’t worry,” he added. “I’ll buy new clothes. Plenty of them.”

My throat tightened.

“For girls,” he continued. “Let the cats have the old ones.”

I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t even think. Because in that moment, I realized something terrifying.

He never mourned that child. Not even once.

And if... If something happened to this baby…

My hand instinctively moved to my stomach. Would he care? Or would he simply move on again?

Stephanie’s POV

Today was supposed to be mine.

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the fall of my dress with careful hands. The fabric draped elegantly over my body, soft yet structured, chosen not just for appearance but for presence.

The reflection staring back at me looked composed. But I knew better. Because beneath the surface, everything was already crumbling.

I inhaled slowly, my hand drifting down to rest over my stomach.

“We’re almost there,” I whispered softly. “Just a little longer.”

Today wasn’t just the official launch of the platform. It was supposed to be the day I reclaimed something. My name. My effort.

I turned away from the mirror, reaching for my bag—

And that’s when I saw it. An envelope. Placed neatly on the bed.

My steps slowed as I approached it, a strange heaviness settling in my chest.

I already knew what it was. Still, I picked it up. Opened it. Inside were the papers. The divorce documents. And the formal notice of my resignation as Luna of the Foreshadow Pack.

My fingers traced the edge of the paper, the weight of it grounding me.

This was it. No turning back. No more hesitation.

I slid the documents back into the envelope and placed it carefully inside my bag.

Then I straightened.

“It ends today,” I murmured.

---

The company building stood tall and imposing, its glass exterior reflecting the morning light.

For a moment, I paused at the entrance.

Memories flickered through my mind.

Late nights. Endless discussions. Ideas scribbled across papers. This place… wasn’t just his. It was mine too.

Or at least—It was supposed to be.

I stepped inside. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement, employees moving quickly, preparing for the launch event. Screens displayed the platform’s interface, polished and refined.

My creation. Or what used to feel like it.

I didn’t linger. My steps carried me straight to the top floor. To his office.

I knocked once before opening the door. And there she was. Faye.

Sitting comfortably on the sofa, her phone held up as she smiled brightly at the screen.

“Oh, Luna!” she greeted cheerfully, as if we were friends. “Good morning!”

The word Luna felt almost mocking now.

Her camera tilted slightly, catching me in the frame.

“She’s here too,” she added lightly to her viewers.

Streaming. In his office. Of course she was.

I didn’t respond. My gaze shifted to Alpha Cain, who sat behind his desk, reviewing something casually.

“I need your signature,” I said, walking toward him.

He barely looked up. “What is it?”

“Just some documents,” I replied smoothly, placing the envelope in front of him. “Company-related.”

That wasn’t entirely a lie. In a way… it was.

He hummed in acknowledgment, already reaching for a pen.

“Leave it there.”

He didn’t even ask. Didn’t even check. Didn’t even glance at the contents.

That was how much he trusted me. Or maybe—That was how little he cared.

The pen moved swiftly across the paper. One signature. Then another. Then another.

Just like that. Years of marriage. My title. My place in this pack. Gone.

Signed away in less than a minute.

“There,” he said, sliding the documents back toward me. “Done.”

I picked them up carefully, my hands steady despite everything.

“Thank you.”

He finally looked at me then.

“Stay,” he said. “We’ll have lunch after this.”

Faye perked up at that, her smile widening.

“Yes, let’s eat together!” she chimed in sweetly.

I met his gaze.

For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes. Expectation. Control.

“I’m not feeling well,” I said calmly.

His brows furrowed slightly.

“Then I’ll have someone bring you medicine.”

“I’ll manage,” I replied.

And before he could say anything else, I turned and walked away.

The hallway felt quieter this time. Or maybe it was just me. I stopped near a large window, the city stretching out below.

Then my hand moved to my stomach again.

“Just a little longer,” I whispered. “I promise… I’ll give you a better life.”

I opened my bag, intending to place the documents securely inside. But my fingers brushed against something else.

The sealed letter. I had almost forgotten. Carefully, I pulled it out. This time, I opened it.

Inside was a recommendation. My name written clearly. Approval for entry into the Direwolf Pack.

A small slip of paper fell from the envelope.

A number. I stared at it for a moment before pulling out my phone.

My fingers hesitated briefly. Then I dialed. The line rang once. Twice.

Then, it connected.

“Who is this?”

The voice was deep.

“My name is Stephanie,” I said quietly.

There was a brief pause.

“I see.”

The tone shifted slightly. Recognition.

“Elder Elisse mentioned you.”

My grip tightened slightly around the phone.

“Yes.”

“Do you need someone to pick you up?” he asked directly. Straightforward.

I glanced at the time.

“Not yet,” I said. “It will be later tonight.”

Another pause.

“After the event,” I added.

“I understand,” he replied. “I’ll make the arrangements.”

Something about his voice felt… steady. Reliable.

“Thank you.”

“We’ll be waiting.”

The line went dead. I lowered the phone slowly.

The event hall was filled to capacity. Lights. Cameras. Energy. Everything felt grand. Important.

I sat in my assigned seat, my hands resting over the speech I had prepared.

Pages filled with words. Ideas. Acknowledgments. Everything I had worked for. Everything I wanted to say.

The MC stepped onto the stage, smiling brightly.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us for this monumental launch!”

Applause filled the room. My heart began to beat faster. This was it.

“At this time, we would like to invite the visionary behind the success of this new developed platform…”

I straightened slightly.

“…Alpha Cain!”

The applause grew louder. My chest tightened.

And then—

“And of course, the face of our platform…”

A pause. A smile.

“Faye!”

The world seemed to go silent. I didn’t move. As they walked onto the stage together. As if it had always been meant to be them.

Faye took the microphone first, her smile radiant.

“Thank you so much for this opportunity,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “I’m truly honored to be the face of such an incredible social media platform.”

She looked at Alpha Cain.

“And I want to thank Alpha Cain for believing in me.”

More applause. Alpha Cain stepped forward, taking the microphone.

“This platform wouldn’t be what it is today without the right exposure,” he said smoothly. “Faye’s contribution to its popularity has been… exceptional.”

The words echoed in my ears. Exceptional.

“The company will cherish her,” he continued, his gaze softening slightly as he looked at her, “for life.”

Something inside me went completely still.

My fingers slowly tightened around the papers in my hand. The speech. My speech. The words I spent nights writing. The ideas I poured my heart into.

All of it… Discarded. Just like that.

I lowered my gaze. The ink blurred slightly.

I didn’t realize I was gripping the pages too tightly until they crumpled in my hands.

Around me, whispers spread. Phones lifted. Cameras turned.

I could feel it. The pity. The judgment. The silent labeling. The cast-away Luna.

I inhaled slowly. Then exhaled.

And for the first time… It didn’t hurt as much as I expected. Because I already knew. This was never mine anymore.

The event ended in celebration. Laughter. Congratulations. Endless praise directed at them.

I remained seated until the crowd began to thin.

And then—

“Stephanie.”

I looked up. Alpha Cain stood in front of me.

“What happened?” I asked quietly. “Why wasn’t I called on stage?”

He frowned slightly, as if the question itself was unnecessary.

“What for?” The words were simple.

“You gave some ideas,” he continued. “But that’s small compared to what Faye and I did in terms of distribution and promotion.”

Small. My chest tightened.

“Don’t worry,” he added, almost dismissively. “Your earnings will still be good.”

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

“After all… you’re still my Luna.”

The words felt like mockery. Like a title stripped of all meaning.

I looked at him. Really looked at him.

And for the first time—I felt nothing at all.

“Congratulations,” I said softly.

Then I stood up. And walked away.

The night air was cool against my skin. The noise from inside faded as I stepped further away from the building.

Each step felt lighter. Freer.

Until… I stopped. Because someone was standing there.

A man. Tall. Broad-shouldered. His presence alone commanded attention. And when my eyes met his… My breath caught. He was… striking.

And yet—

There was something about him that made my wolf stir. Something instinctive. Something undeniable.

He took a step forward. His gaze steady on mine.

“Stephanie,” he said.

My name sounded different coming from him. Like it meant something.

“I’ve been waiting.”

Stephanie’s POV

The night I left the Foreshadow Pack, I didn’t look back. Not once. Because I knew that if I did, even for a second, I might hesitate.

And hesitation was something I could no longer afford.

The man standing in front of me watched me with a steady, unreadable gaze. There was no impatience in him, no unnecessary words. Just quiet certainty.

“You’re ready?” he asked.

I tightened my hold on my bag, feeling the weight of everything I carried inside it.

“Yes,” I answered.

He nodded once. “Then let’s go.”

There were no dramatic goodbyes. No lingering attachments. Just a single step forward. And then another. Until I was no longer part of the life I once knew.

The car ride was quiet. The city lights gradually faded as we drove further away, replaced by darker roads and the looming presence of the forest.

I sat beside him, my hands resting over my stomach, my thoughts tangled in a way I couldn’t quite sort through.

There was something… Strange. Not uncomfortable. Not threatening. But unfamiliar in a way that felt almost… familiar.

I frowned slightly. That didn’t make sense. Yet the feeling lingered. Like a faint pull. A quiet awareness. As if my wolf was reacting to something my mind couldn’t understand.

I shifted slightly in my seat, trying to ignore it.

This wasn’t the time to dwell on things I couldn’t explain.

“Who are you?” I asked finally, breaking the silence.

He glanced at me briefly before returning his gaze to the road.

“Dominic,” he said. “Alpha of the Direwolf Pack.”

The words settled heavily in the air. Alpha.

I studied him more carefully this time. His presence alone made it believable. There was a quiet authority in the way he carried himself. Not loud. Not overbearing. But undeniably powerful.

“You’re… the Alpha?” I repeated.

He gave a small nod. “Yes.”

That explained a lot. But it also raised more questions.

“How did Elder Elisse know you?” I asked.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened ever so slightly.

“For a long time,” he said, his voice steady, “I owed her my life.”

I blinked.

“She supported me as the alpha of my pack when I inherited my throne too early when I was a child,” he continued. “Back when she was still the Luna of the Foreshadow Pack.”

That caught my attention. I turned slightly toward him.

“What happened?”

A brief pause.

“The pack was attacked,” he said simply.

My chest tightened. “And she… helped you?”

“She did more than that,” he replied. “She protected me. Made sure I survived.”

There was something in his tone. Respect. Gratitude.

“So this…” I hesitated. “Helping me…”

“Is me repaying that debt,” he finished.

I looked down at my hands. For a moment, I didn’t know what to say.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He didn’t respond immediately. But I saw the slight shift in his expression. Almost… softer.

“You don’t have to thank me yet,” he said. “You haven’t seen where you’re going.”

When we arrived, I understood what he meant.

The Direwolf Pack was… different. That was the first thing I noticed. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t overly decorated or designed to impress.

There was no unnecessary display of power. And yet—It was powerful. I could feel it in the air. In the ground beneath my feet. In the way the wolves moved around us.

“Welcome,” Alpha Dominic said as he stepped out of the car.

I followed, my eyes taking in everything around me. The buildings were structured with purpose. Clean lines. Solid foundations. Nothing extravagant, but everything… formidable.

“This is the Direwolf Pack,” he continued.

I exhaled slowly.

“I’ve heard of it,” I admitted.

He glanced at me. “Then you know.”

I nodded. Everyone knew. Even if they didn’t talk about it openly.

The Direwolf Pack was one of the strongest packs on the continent. Some even whispered it was the strongest. Rogues avoided their territory. Bandits feared crossing their borders.

And yet, despite all that power… They remained lowkey.

“I didn’t expect it to feel like this,” I said quietly.

“Like what?”

“Calm.”

He looked at me for a moment before speaking.

“Power doesn’t always need to be loud to be real.”

Word of my arrival spread quickly. But unlike the Foreshadow Pack… There were no whispers. No pitying looks. No judgment. Just curiosity. And something else… Respect.

“She’s the one Elder Elisse sent,” I heard someone say.

“That means she’s important.”

“Treat her well.”

It was… strange. I wasn’t used to it.

Alpha Dominic led me through the pack grounds, introducing me to a few key members along the way. They greeted me politely, respectfully, without overstepping.

No one asked unnecessary questions. No one pried. It felt… safe.

“You’ll be staying here,” Dominic said, stopping in front of a modest but well-kept house.

I blinked.

“This is for me?”

“Yes.”

I turned to him. “This is too much—”

“It’s appropriate,” he interrupted calmly. “You’re under my protection.”

The words settled something inside me.

“Thank you,” I said again.

This time, he didn’t deflect it. He simply nodded.

“If you need anything,” he added, “someone will be assigned to assist you.”

“I understand.”

He hesitated for a brief moment before turning to leave.

But then he continued, “Stephanie.”

I looked at him. “Yes?”

His gaze lingered on me for a second longer than necessary. “Rest tonight.”

There was something in his tone. Something… reassuring.

“You’ve been through enough.”

My chest tightened slightly. “…I will.”

And then he was gone.

The house was quiet. I stepped inside slowly, my eyes scanning the space. It wasn’t grand. But it was warm. A place that felt… livable.

I set my bag down and exhaled softly, my shoulders finally relaxing.

For the first time in a long while… I was alone.

My hand moved instinctively to my stomach.

“We made it,” I whispered.

A small, fragile smile touched my lips.

“We’re safe.”

But as the silence settled deeper around me… Another thought crept in. What now?

I walked slowly to the window, staring out at the unfamiliar surroundings. I had left everything behind. My title. My position. My marriage.

Even my name, in a way. I was no longer Luna. No longer tied to Alpha Cain. No longer part of Foreshadow Pack. I was just… Stephanie.

And I was going to be a mother.

My fingers tightened slightly.

“I need to provide for you,” I murmured softly.

Because safety wasn’t enough. Not in the long run. I needed stability. Money. A future. For both of us.

I closed my eyes briefly. Then opened them again.

There was only one thing I truly knew how to do. One thing I was good at. Business.

I had built something once before. I could do it again. But this time—It would be mine.

A different thought surfaced. I looked down at my hands. Slowly clenching.

“Alpha Cain…”

His name felt distant now. But the memory of everything he did…

Still burned.

I wasn’t the same woman he left behind. I wasn’t the Luna who would silently endure everything.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile formed on my lips.

“I’ll make you regret it,” I whispered.