How could he do this to us? How could he abandon me in our worst moment, in our grief, for Selena—of all people?

And to hear that he didn’t even believe Alyssa was his daughter... I didn’t know who he was anymore.

I wasn’t sure if I hated him, or if I just hated myself for ever trusting him.

—

The day I buried Alyssa was cold and overcast, as if even the skies were mourning her. The turnout was small—just a few pack members, most of them older wolves who came out of respect for tradition. The others stayed away, whispering about the Alpha’s absence.

Where was Damon? That question hung in the air like a heavy fog, and I could feel the judgment in their eyes.

“He should be here,” I heard one of the elders murmur behind me.

“Too busy with Selena, I bet,” another replied in a hushed tone.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to focus on the small casket in front of me. I couldn’t afford to break down, not here. Alyssa deserved better than that.

After the ceremony, I stood by her grave long after everyone else had left. The silence was deafening, but it gave me a moment to breathe, to feel the crushing weight of it all. My baby was gone, and Damon wasn’t even there to say goodbye.

Then my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, thinking for a moment that maybe, just maybe, Damon had sent a message. Instead, it was a notification from the bank.

“A transfer of $250,000 has been made to Selena Grey’s account.”

My stomach twisted. Transfer? For her? My hands shook as I stared at the screen, the words blurring through my tears.

That night, I sat on the edge of my bed, phone in hand, staring at Damon’s contact. The transfer replayed in my mind, over and over, until I couldn’t take it anymore. I hit the call button, gripping the phone so tightly my knuckles turned white.

He picked up after the fourth ring.

“Florence.”

“Don’t you dare say my name like that!” my was voice shaking with anger. “You sent Selena $250,000? Are you serious, Damon? While I’m burying our daughter, you’re wiring her money? Our money.”

“She has no husband, Florence,” he said flatly, like it was the most logical thing in the world. “Clara is my responsibility—”

“Wait what, responsibility?” I laughed bitterly. “What about me? What about Alyssa? Don’t we matter to you at all? Or is Selena and her daughter all you care about now?”

“This isn’t about you, Florence. Selena is struggling. Clara is just a child—she doesn’t deserve to suffer because her father’s gone.”

“Do you even hear yourself? You’re prioritizing them over your own family. Alyssa is dead, Damon! And you’re acting like she never even existed!”

There was a long pause before he spoke again, his voice colder than I’d ever heard it. “I cared about Alyssa, but let’s not pretend she was my daughter.”

I froze.

“She wasn’t mine, Florence. I told you—I know about you and Selena’s husband."

My grip on the phone tightened as tears burned my eyes. “That’s a lie,” I spat. “She’s lying to you, Damon, and you’re too blind to see it!”

“I don’t have time for this,” he said, and the line went dead.

I stared at the screen, my chest heaving with rage and heartbreak. Then I opened the tracking app on my phone—the one linked to Damon’s.

The hospital. He was at the hospital.

I didn’t think. I just grabbed my keys and left, driving there on autopilot. By the time I reached the hospital, my hands were shaking so badly I could barely turn off the ignition.

I stormed through the hallways, following the tracker until I reached Selena’s room. The door was ajar, and there he was—standing by Selena’s bedside, his hand resting on her shoulder while Clara lay asleep in the corner.

“Damon,” I said, my voice low and dangerous.

He turned, startled, but didn’t move away from Selena. “Florence, what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” I repeated, stepping into the room. “Really? You're asking me that?"

Selena looked between us, her face a picture of fake innocence. “Florence, this isn’t the time—”

“Shut up bitch,” I snapped, glaring at her.

Damon moved toward me, but I raised a hand to stop him. “Don’t you dare calling Selena—”

That’s when I slapped him. Hard.

The sound echoed through the room, and for a moment, no one moved.

“How dare you,” I hissed, my voice trembling. “How dare you abandon me, abandon Alyssa, for her?” I pointed at Selena, who was now clutching her chest like she was the victim.

Damon’s jaw tightened. “Florence stop—”

“No,” I interrupted, my voice rising. “It’s exactly what I think. You’ve chosen her, Damon. You’ve chosen them over us. And for what? Lies?”

“Florence, stop or else—” he said, his voice low and warning.

But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. The rage and pain were boiling over, and I was done holding back.

“You’re not the man I married,” I said, my voice breaking. “You’re a coward, Damon. A coward who let another woman poison his mind against his own family. I hope you’re happy, because you’ve lost me.”

I turned on my heel and walked out, ignoring the way my heart screamed at me to look back.

He didn’t follow.

I sat in my car outside the pack hospital, gripping the steering wheel so hard my fingers went numb. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of anger and desperation swirling inside me. Damon’s words still rang in my head.

"She wasn’t mine, Florence."

How could he say that? How could he throw Alyssa away like she meant nothing?

I took a shaky breath and stepped out of the car, my legs weak but my resolve stronger than ever. If Damon wanted to believe Selena’s lies, then I was going to give him the truth—undeniable proof that Alyssa was his daughter.

The receptionist at the front desk, an omega named Marcie, looked up as I walked in. Her eyes softened with sympathy. “Luna Florence,” she greeted. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. “Thank you, Marcie. I need to access Alyssa’s DNA records.”

Marcie hesitated. “May I ask why?”

I clenched my fists. “Because I need to prove something.”

She didn’t ask any more questions. Instead, she led me to the archive room, where sensitive medical records were stored. My hands shook slightly as I flipped through the files until I found Alyssa’s.

There it was—her DNA sample, taken when she was born for identification purposes, something standard for all pups in the pack. I took a deep breath and turned to Marcie.

“I need a paternity test done. Compare this with Alpha Damon’s DNA.”

Marcie’s eyes widened. “You want to—”

“Yes.” I cut her off before she could say anything. “I need the results as soon as possible.”

She nodded, understanding the urgency in my voice. “I’ll put it in as a priority.”

I sat in the waiting room, staring at the clock. Each second felt like a lifetime. I replayed every moment Damon had with Alyssa—the way he used to hold her, the way she used to run to him with open arms.

And yet, he had walked away.

Three hours later, Marcie returned, holding a folder. She looked nervous. “Luna…”

I grabbed the folder and opened it, my eyes scanning the page.

99.9% match.

My breath hitched. My vision blurred.

Alyssa was his daughter. She was always his daughter.

I let out a hollow laugh, a mix of rage and heartbreak twisting inside me. Selena had poisoned his mind, fed him lies, and he had believed her without question.

I gripped the paper so tightly it crumpled in my hands. My daughter had died thinking her father loved her, when in reality, he had abandoned her.

A fresh wave of pain crashed over me.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to break something.

Instead, I stood up, my whole body trembling.

Damon would regret this.

He would regret everything.

I drove home gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white. My mind raced, my heart pounded, and the paternity results sat in the passenger seat like a cruel reminder of Damon’s betrayal.

Alyssa was his. She was always his. And he still chose to abandon her.

The moment I stepped into the house, I went straight to my bedroom and yanked open the closet. I pulled out a suitcase, throwing in clothes without even thinking. I needed to leave. I didn’t know where I was going yet, but I knew one thing—I couldn’t stay here anymore.

Shirt. Jeans. Shoes. Toiletries. Documents.

I moved like a machine, fueled by fury and grief. Damon had left me, abandoned our daughter, and now he was playing house with Selena like I never existed. I refused to stay here like some pathetic, forgotten Luna while they lived happily ever after.

I slammed the suitcase shut, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. My closet was empty, my drawers cleared. I had packed everything I needed, and yet, I still felt like I was leaving something behind.

Because I was.

I was leaving behind the life I had built. The mate I had loved. The family I had fought for.

And for what?

For a man who had chosen her over me. Over us.

I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing back the burning in my throat. No more tears. No more crying over Damon. Over that bastard.

Just as I reached for my phone to book a flight, it rang.

I flinched, my heart hammering.

I expected Damon. Maybe even one of the elders.

But when I looked at the screen, my blood ran cold.

Selena.

My fingers hovered over the “Block” button. I should block her. She wasn’t worth my time.

But something in me—maybe the part that wanted to hear just how deep her betrayal ran—made me press “Answer.”

I put the phone to my ear, silent.

And then I heard her laugh.

That sick, twisted laugh that sent rage boiling through my veins.

“Aww, poor little Florence,” she crooned, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “All alone now, huh?”

I gritted my teeth. “What the hell do you want?”

She giggled. “I just wanted to check on you. You know, after your daughter died and your husband left you.”

I saw red.

“Fuck you, Selena,” I snarled. “You’ll regret every single thing you’ve done.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” she purred. “I already won. Damon’s mine now. Clara’s his ‘responsibility’ now. And you?” She let out a dramatic sigh. “You’re just the pathetic, bitter ex-Luna who lost everything.”

I clenched the phone so hard I thought it would break. “You think you’ve won?” I hissed. “You think Damon actually loves you?” I let out a humorless laugh. “You’re just his obligation. His pity project. He’ll never love you the way he loved me.”

Her laughter cut through me again, sharp and cruel. “Oh, Florence, don’t be stupid.” She lowered her voice, like she was letting me in on a secret. “Clara wasn’t even that hurt.”

My entire body went still.

“What?”

She giggled. “You heard me. Clara barely had a scratch. We just acted like she was dying, just to see who Damon would run to first.”

The room spun around me.

“You…” My voice shook with pure, undiluted rage. “You lied?”

She hummed. “And guess what? He chose us.”

Something inside me snapped.

I let out a guttural scream and hurled my phone across the room. It shattered against the wall, pieces flying everywhere. But it wasn’t enough.

It would never be enough.

I grabbed the nearest vase and smashed it onto the floor. Then another. And another. I knocked over lamps, ripped blankets off the bed, threw anything I could get my hands on.

I wanted to destroy everything.

I wanted to burn this whole fucking house down.

My body shook as I collapsed onto my knees, sobs wracking through me.

She took everything.

My husband. My family. My daughter’s last moments.

And she had the audacity to call me just to rub it in my face.

That night, in the guest room, I made my decision. I wasn’t running. I wasn’t cowering. Damon was going to face the consequences—whether he liked it or not.

The next morning, I got up. The house felt empty without Alyssa’s laughter, without Damon’s footsteps. I made breakfast—coffee, an omelet—forcing myself to act like everything was fine.

Damon finally showed up, walking into the house like he owned it. He paused in the hallway, eyeing the mess in the master bedroom. “What happened here?” His voice was cold, no concern, just curiosity, like he didn’t know what he’d done.

I didn’t answer. Couldn’t. Instead, I focused on the eggs sizzling in the pan. The smell of coffee filled the room, grounding me. He didn’t need to see me break.

He showered. I went about my business, ignoring how his presence made my skin crawl. After a while, he came into the kitchen, freshly dressed, leaning against the counter.

“I’ll be announcing tonight,” he said. “Selena will be my second mate. You’ll have to deal with it, Florence. Whether you like it or not.”

I didn’t flinch. Didn’t even look up. I calmly took a sip of my coffee. It was the only thing that made me feel something other than fury.

He stood there, expecting me to react. I didn’t. I just ate in silence.

“You done?” I asked flatly, finally.

He didn’t respond. Just walked away, back to Selena, like I was nothing.

Tonight, everything would change.

The pack gathering was buzzing with fake smiles and whispers, but I knew the truth. They all knew about Selena. They knew how Damon had abandoned his own daughter.

I walked into the room, head held high, the DNA results clutched tightly in my hand. The room fell silent the moment I entered. I didn’t care about their stares.

I walked straight to Damon, ignoring the pack’s shocked looks. Without a word, I slammed the envelope onto the table in front of him. The contents spilled out.

“What is this?”

I crossed my arms, leaning forward. “That’s the paternity test, Damon. It proves Alyssa was your daughter. You abandoned her. And for what? That bitch? Selena? You’re seriously that stupid?”

His eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you talking about?” He stepped closer, trying to intimidate me. But I wasn’t scared anymore.

“You really believe her lies, Damon?” I said, shaking my head. “She’s been feeding you all this crap about me cheating on you with her dead husband. Telling you Alyssa’s not yours. And you just believed it, didn’t you? You’re an idiot. You’re supposed to be an alpha, but all your brain’s doing is hiding in your legs. If you even have one.”

I pointed at the DNA test again, my finger jabbing at it like it was his soul. “Take a good look, Damon. That’s your daughter’s DNA. Your blood. And you turned your back on her. You turned your back on us.”

I watched his face twist with disbelief as he slowly picked up the test, scanning the results. His fingers shook as he read it, his mouth going dry.

“Alyssa was your daughter. But you were too busy believing Selena’s twisted little story. You let her poison your mind with her lies, and now you’re standing here looking like a damn fool. This whole time, you’ve been choosing her over your own daughter. I knew you were a weak alpha, but I never thought you were this stupid.”

He reached for the table, trying to steady himself. His eyes darted around the room, like he couldn’t focus.

Damon stumbled toward me, his hands trembling. “Florence… I—”

“Save it,” I snapped, stepping back. “You had your chance to be a father. To be a mate. But you chose that lying, manipulative bitch over your own flesh and blood. You’re nothing but a joke, Damon. An alpha who couldn’t even protect his own family.”

Before Damon could respond, Selena, who had been lurking nearby, stepped forward,“Florence, this is too much. You’re being cruel.”

Without even thinking, I turned and slapped her across the face so hard that the sound echoed through the room.

Her daughter, Clara, started crying in the corner, looking up at me with wide eyes. “You’re mean! Why are you hurting my mummy?”

I didn’t care. I wasn’t sorry. I shot Selena a cold look. Then look at Damon.

“I’m done, Damon, and tonight I’m officially rejecting you.” I pulled the mate mark on my neck. It felt like a thousand needles piercing my skin, the pain burning through me, but I didn’t flinch.

“Goodbye,” I whispered, my heart breaking but resolute.

I turned on my heel and walked away. The last thing I heard was Damon’s voice, desperate and pleading, but it was too late. I didn’t look back.

I drove my car out of the pack’s territory, the roar of the engine cutting through the silence like a promise to myself. I wasn’t anyone’s second choice. Not anymore.

I was free.