Celene’s POV

I spent the entire night packing away my pup's belongings.

By the time the first light of dawn shone through the windows of the Alpha Manor,I was so exhausted that I finally fell asleep.

When I woke again,another day had already begun.

I went downstairs to find something to eat.

"Celene."

Lucian walked toward me.His eyes followed me for a long moment before he reached out,intending to brush my hair aside.

I stepped away before he could touch me.

His hand froze in midair.

"That room was always prepared for a pup.You'll still be his mother.We'll remain mates forever.No one can ever take your place."

A soft laugh escaped me.

"Alright."

Lucian blinked.

For two days,he had been trying to ease the tension between us,yet my attitude had never changed.

A trace of impatience entered his voice.

"Think carefully about this!"

Just then,the manor bell rang.

My brother,Rhydan,had arrived.

He entered with a frown and walked directly toward Lucian.

"I told you not to bring Rionna and the pup here."

Then his gaze landed on me.His eyes were sharp and guarded.

"You haven't been making things difficult for Rionna and the pup,have you?"

Before I could answer,Lucian immediately shook his head.

"As long as I'm here,no one will harm Rionna or the pup."

Hearing the voices,Rionna came downstairs and rushed straight into Rhydan's arms.

The coldness on his face disappeared instantly.

"If anyone treats you badly,tell me right away.Mother,Father,and I will always stand with you,Rionna."

Rionna lowered her head and shook it gently.

"It's alright.Celene has never really liked me.I'm used to it."

I looked at the three of them.Disbelief and mockery filled my chest.

So my parents and brother had known all along that Rionna had given birth to Lucian's pup?

Yeah…every single one of them must had known.

I was the only fool left in the dark.

A dry laugh escaped my lips.

"The Greymoss Clan truly raised an impressive daughter.She stole eighteen winters of my life,bullied me the moment I returned to the territory,seduced my mate,gave birth to his heir,and then moved straight into my den like she belongs here."

Rhydan's expression darkened.His voice cracked through the room like thunder.

"Watch your words,Celene.If you hadn't suddenly appeared,Rionna would never have felt so insecure.Everything she did came from fear that you would take our love away from her."

His icy eyes fixed on me.

"Even if she made mistakes,you forced her into it.And honestly,Alpha Lucian should have chosen her as his mate from the beginning."

I laughed.The sound was rough and bitter.

Rionna had framed me,lied about me,and slandered me more times than I could remember.

Every time,my parents knew the truth.Yet all they ever said was:"You're the older sister.Let her have her way."

Whenever gifts were bought or rewards were given,Rhydan always let Rionna choose first.

"Rionna only has us,"he would say.

Many nights,I hid alone in my room and cried.

At that moment,Lucian had been the only one who comforted me.He wiped away my tears.He gave me the best of everything.He told me again and again that he loved me.

He held me as if I were the most precious person in the world.

Yet in the end,the mate I trusted most betrayed me.

And the family I had longed to belong to never truly accepted me.

Lucian frowned at Rhydan's words.He wanted to argue,but remained silent.

He still believed I was the one he loved and Rionna had been a mistake.

But hearing me attack her made anger appear in his eyes anyway.

His face turned cold.

"Celene,I've already explained everything.Rionna was given a heat potion.Was I supposed to stand there and watch rogue wolves violate her?If you had been in her place,I would have helped you too."

If I had been in her place,he would have helped me too?

Helped me into his bed?To have his pup?Then moved into this Alpha manor?

Right on cue,tears gathered in Rionna's eyes.Her body trembled pitifully.

"I'm sorry,Luna Celene..."

Rhydan immediately pulled her into his embrace.

"You have nothing to apologize for,Rionna.Stop crying.We'll take you to your favorite restaurant."

As they prepared to leave,Rhydan threw one final icy look at me.

"Celene,if you keep causing trouble and targeting Rionna,I'll send you back to the territory where you came from.You can return to struggling for survival."

A cold smile touched my lips.

They all believed I had grown up in some poor and forgotten pack.They thought I would have nothing without the Greymoss Clan.

What they did not know was that my adoptive family,the Evercrest Pack,ruled one of the strongest territories in Silvercrest Territory.

When I insisted on returning to my family,my parents,Alpha Cassiel Evercrest and Luna Ashara,had held back tears and told me,"Celene,if they ever treat you badly,come home.Our territory will always welcome you."

But I had chosen blood ties over the people who truly loved me.

I pushed them away,believing sincerity would be returned with sincerity.

What a foolish mistake.

Rionna left surrounded by everyone's attention and protection.

At the manor entrance,she suddenly stopped and glanced back.Victory sparkled in her eyes.

Her lips moved silently.‘You lost again,Celene.’

I met her gaze.

Then slowly,I smiled.

Celene’s POV

The next morning,I went to the pack headquarters.It would be the last time I ever stepped into that place.

First,I needed to clear out my belongings.

Second,I was taking my projects with me.

Every alliance and trade agreement had been built by my own efforts.The partners trusted me,not anyone else.

Lucian pushed open the office door and noticed the files in my hands.

His brow furrowed.

"You're still recovering from losing your pup.You shouldn't be working this hard.Give those files to Rionna and let her handle them."

I looked at him,almost unable to believe what I had heard.

Those projects had cost me countless sleepless nights.

I had written every proposal myself.I had revised them over and over.I had personally attended every negotiation.

And he thought he could hand everything to Rionna with a single sentence?

When Lucian saw I had not moved,his expression darkened.

"I'm thinking about your health.Besides,these alliances can't be delayed.Rionna needs an achievement to establish herself and silence the pack."

How amusing.

When I first joined the Hawthorne Pack's business division,Lucian had claimed he did not want others to think I relied on my status as his mate.

So he made me start from the lowest position.

During scorching summer hunts,I ran everywhere searching for opportunities.

During freezing winters,I met allies alone in distant territories.

Back then,helping me had never crossed his mind.

A quiet laugh escaped my lips.

I handed him the files.

"Fine."

I genuinely hoped Rionna could manage them.

Then I turned to leave.

At the doorway,I nearly bumped into Lucian's assistant,Yorlan,who was carrying a stack of documents.

Yorlan froze when she saw me.

"Luna Hawthorne,are you lea—"

"I recently lost my pup.My body hasn't recovered yet.I'm only here to hand over some work."

I interrupted her before she could finish.

Lucian's eyes narrowed.He had caught the beginning of her question and seemed ready to ask more.

Yorlan looked embarrassed.

"Then you should rest properly,Luna.Alpha Hawthorne cares so much about you.He's always worried you'll overwork yourself."

I smiled faintly.

"He does."

Lucian watched me carefully.

Only after finding nothing unusual did he finally relax.

I walked away without looking back.

When I returned to the Alpha Manor,Rionna was sitting on the couch eating moonberries.

The moment she saw me,she slowly walked over with a smug smile.

"You see,Celene?Lucian is willing to give me anything I ask for.And do you really think what happened last winter was an accident?"

"I mixed the heat potion myself.Those rogue wolves were hired by me.I wanted Lucian to save me.I wanted to become his."

"Why should he care so much about you?Why should he hate me for your sake?I won't allow anyone to love you.Everything you have will become mine.Mother and Father's love,Rhydan's love,and Lucian too.So what if you're the Greymoss Pack's true daughter?"

She laughed cruelly.Her smile was full of mockery.

"Do you know something?"

"After your miscarriage,Lucian thought you were filthy.Damaged.He couldn't even bear touching you."

"But with me,he couldn't stay away.He kept me in his bed for three days straight..."

Smack!

I finally lost control.

My hand struck her face hard enough to make my palm go numb.

Pain shot through my entire arm.

"As long as Lucian and I remain mated,you'll always be the outsider.The she wolf everyone looks down on!"

Rionna held her cheek in shock.

For a moment,she stood frozen.Then something vicious flashed through her eyes.

She raised her hand to hit me back.

At that exact moment,Lucian and Rhydan walked through the front door.

Rionna's expression changed instantly.Tears poured from her eyes.

She dropped to her knees before me and repeatedly slammed her forehead against the floor.

"Please forgive me!I know I was wrong!"

"Please don't tell anyone about me and Lucian.I'm begging you.I don't want my reputation destroyed."

"I won't compete for Mother and Father's love anymore.Or Rhydan's either.The pup belongs to you.You're the Greymoss Pack's true daughter."

"I'll leave.I'll disappear..."

Lucian's eyes widened.

He shoved me aside and roared,"Celene,why won't you let this go?"

"Apologize to Rionna right now.Tell her she isn't an outsider."

The force of the shove sent me stumbling backward.My lower back slammed into the edge of a table.Pain exploded through my body.Tears instantly blurred my vision.

I stared at him.My voice trembled.

"Why should I apologize?Isn't that exactly what she is?"

Lucian saw my pale face.

For a brief moment,hesitation flickered across his eyes.The words he wanted to say never came out.

Rhydan rushed over and helped Rionna to her feet.

Then he turned toward me.

"Just because you can't have pups anymore,you want to destroy Rionna and her pup?How can you be this cruel?"

I lifted my chin and laughed.The sound was cold and empty.

Seeing that I refused to give in,Lucian looked at Rionna's swollen eyes.His face darkened completely.Rage filled every line of his expression.

"Since you refuse to admit your mistake,you can spend time in the storage chamber and reflect.No one is allowed to release you without my permission."

"No food.No water."

He motioned to the pack guards.Soon,those guards grabbed my arms and dragged me away.

The heavy door slammed shut behind me.

The lock clicked into place.

Darkness and cold immediately surrounded me.

I leaned against the freezing stone wall.

Once upon a time,Lucian would panic over a small scratch on my skin.

Now,only weeks after I lost our pup,while my body was still weak,he locked me inside a chamber so cold I could see my own breath.

No one released me until the following evening.

Every muscle in my body had stiffened.My thoughts drifted in and out.

I dragged myself down the hallway toward my room.

As I passed the Alpha's bedroom,the door was slightly open.The sounds coming from inside were unmistakable.

Breathless moans.Soft gasps.Each sound pierced my ears like a blade.

I wiped away the tears gathering in my eyes.A bitter laugh escaped me.

Then I staggered into my room.

The moment I reached the bed,I collapsed.Darkness swallowed me.

I had no idea how long I slept.

Suddenly,fingers wrapped around my throat and yanked me awake.

I opened my eyes,finding Lucian stood above me.

His eyes were bloodshot and his face was twisted with panic.

He shouted,"Where is the pup?What did you do to the pup?!"