“I don’t want it,” I said quietly. “I don’t feel well.”

Every second near him made my chest hurt more.

He frowned immediately, stepping closer again.

“What do you mean you don’t feel well?” His voice dropped, full of concern. “Did something happen? Clara, look at me.”

I didn’t.

“I’ll call the doctors,” he said quickly, already turning. “You shouldn’t ignore this. You’ve been weak since…”

He stopped, but I knew what he meant.

Since our daughter died.

“Jonas!” he called sharply.

His Beta appeared almost instantly.

“Get the best pack doctors here. Now. And bring the supplements I told you about.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Everything moved fast after that.

Doctors came. They checked me. They said I was fine.

Samuel didn’t believe them.

He kept asking, kept watching me like I might disappear if he looked away for even a second.

He brought me warm milk himself and pressed the glass into my hands.

“Drink,” he said softly. “Please. Just a little. You need strength.”

I didn’t want to.

But I drank it anyway.

That night, I fell asleep from pure exhaustion, my body too tired to fight anything anymore.

But sometime later, I woke up.

My throat was dry. Burning.

The room felt too quiet.

I pushed the blanket aside and stepped out, moving slowly through the hallway. I just needed water. That’s all.

But then I stopped.

The door across the hall was open.

Moonlight spilled inside, pale and cold. And there…

On the bed… Two bodies tangled together.

Ivy’s voice drifted through the quiet, soft but clear enough to cut through me.

“That necklace you gave Clara… it’s worth a fortune, right?” she said, her tone turning a little sharp. “I asked you for one before, remember? You didn’t even bother. But she doesn’t say a word and you give her something so precious.”

I stood there, unmoving.

Waiting.

Samuel shifted on the bed. I could hear the rustle of sheets.

“I already told you,” he said, lighting a cigarette. “It’s not the time yet. Clara and I will separate soon. I do love her… but for now, we keep this hidden. If she finds out, everything gets complicated.”

Complicated.

Is that all I am now… a complication?

Ivy moved closer to him. I didn’t have to see to know it.

“I know,” she whispered, “I just, I love you too, Samuel. I can’t stop myself from feeling jealous.”

There was a pause.

Then a drawer sliding open.

Samuel let out a quiet breath and said, “You’re really troublesome.”

I heard something small being placed in his hand.

“Here. Stop making that face,” he added. “I got you one too.”

My chest tightened.

A necklace.

The same design as mine. Just a different stone.

“Wear it when you’re alone,” he continued, voice lower now. “Don’t let Clara see it. If she does… we’re finished.”

Finished.

I bit down on my lip so hard I tasted blood.

Ivy’s voice lit up, bright and happy.

“Really? You got me one too?” she said, almost laughing. “Thank you! I love it. I love you.”

There was the sound of movement, soft and close.

Then she asked, quieter this time, almost curious.

“Samuel… why are you so afraid she’ll leave you?”

For a second, everything went still.

Then he answered.

Fast. Steady. No hesitation.

“I’m not that afraid,” he said. “I have you, don’t I? But Clara, my grandmother favors her. Once I take over the pack and inherit everything… then I’ll deal with her properly. I’ll reject her and make you my Luna.”

My legs almost gave out.

So that’s it…

That’s all I am to you…?

Just something you have to get through first…?

The bed shifted again. The sounds that followed were low, muffled, careless.

I pressed my hand against the wall, trying to stay quiet, trying to breathe.

My eyes lifted without meaning to.

Our wedding photo was hanging there.

Right across the hall.

Samuel in that picture was smiling so gently, holding me like I was the only thing in his world.

I stared at it until my vision blurred.

“Thirteen days…” I whispered, my voice shaking.

“Just thirteen days, Samuel.”

“I’ll be gone.”

“Let’s see what you do when I’m really not there anymore.”

...

I stepped outside for air.

The morning was still cold, the kind that should have felt calm. It didn’t.

A child’s voice cut through the quiet.

“Why doesn’t Mama sleep in your room anymore?” he asked, louder this time, voice shaking. “Did you choose another she-wolf? Is that why?”

I stopped. Just ahead, near the small house by the path, a man stood stiff, his back to the door.

He didn’t answer. Then a woman stepped out, fixing her clothes, her fingers still on his shirt like she belonged there.

“No! That’s Mama’s place!”

The man finally moved. “This isn’t your business, young boy!”

“I’m your son!” the boy shouted, voice breaking. “How is it not my business?!”

Before the man could answer, another voice cut in.

“Because he’s a coward.”

The real mate. She was already there, standing a few steps away. I didn’t even see when she arrived. Her eyes were red, but her spine was straight.

She walked forward slowly, stopping right in front of the other woman. “You couldn’t even wait?” she asked, her voice shaking but loud. “Not even until he told his son?”

The mistress lifted her chin. “Watch your tone.”

The mate snapped. Her hand flew before anyone could stop her.

“You think you can walk into my home,” the mate said, voice rising now, raw and shaking, “wear my place, touch my mate, and tell me to watch my tone?!”

The man grabbed her wrist.

“Enough!”

She yanked free.

“Don’t touch me!”

The child started crying louder, full sobs now.

“Mama… stop… please stop…”

No one listened.

“You said it was nothing,” she shouted at the man. “You said she meant nothing!”

“It is nothing,” he snapped, anger flashing now. “You’re the one making a scene!”

“A scene?” she laughed, broken, hysterical. “You bring another woman into our home and I’m the problem?!”

The mistress recovered, stepping forward again.

“If you couldn’t keep him, that’s on you.”

Another slap.

Harder this time.

Then suddenly, a hand covered my ear from behind.

Warm. Familiar.

“Don’t listen to that nonsense, Clara,” Samuel murmured close to me.

My body went stiff.

I didn’t turn around.

I couldn’t.

“Samuel…” I said quietly, my voice barely steady, “tell me the truth. Do all men end up betraying their mates?”

He went silent for a second.

Then he gently turned me to face him.

His eyes locked on mine, deep and steady, like he had never lied to me before.

“I can’t speak for other men,” he said softly. “But me… I won’t. I only want you. Always you.”

Always.

The word almost made me laugh.

I searched his face.

Perfect. Calm. Sincere.

How many times has he practiced this…?

“You’ll only love me for a lifetime?” I asked, my voice trembling just a little. “A lifetime is really long, Samuel.”

He pulled me into his arms without hesitation.

“It is,” he whispered against my hair. “That’s why I want to spend all of it with you. There’s no one else I want.”

I let out a small laugh.

It sounded wrong.

“What if you betray me?” I asked.

He didn’t even pause.

“If I ever do,” he said firmly, “may the Moon Goddess strike me down where I stand.”

My fingers curled slowly.

Because I already knew.

His scent… it wasn’t clean. It carried traces of someone else. Faint, but there.

Every time he came back to me, he still held me, still spoke gently, still acted like I was his whole world.

“How are you not afraid?” I whispered. “What if that promise comes true?”

He looked straight at me.

“No one understands how much I love you, Clara,” he said. “If words aren’t enough, I’ll prove it. I’d give you my life if that’s what it takes.”

I lowered my eyes.

If you can give me your life…

Then why can’t you stop hurting me…?

Before I could say anything else, a voice suddenly came from the doorway.

“What are you two doing here?”

We both turned.

Ivy was leaning against the doorway, wearing a tight racing outfit that clung to every curve. The fabric was thin, cut high on her thighs, lace barely hidden underneath when she shifted.

She looked relaxed. Confident… like she knew exactly what she was doing.

“It’s not the weekend. Why are you dressed like that? Where are you going? Who's with you? What time you get homem”

I blinked. That didn’t sound like a step-brother asking. That sounded different.

Ivy noticed too. Of course she did.

Her lips curved slowly.

“There’s a motor race today, brother,” she said, tilting her head. “Big crowd. Big energy.”

She glanced down at herself, then back at him.

“Might meet someone there. Maybe I’ll finally find myself a boyfriend. Hmm, what do you think?.”

Her voice softened, almost teasing.

“So don’t wait for me, okay?”

Samuel’s jaw tightened. I felt it before I saw it.

Something dark flickered in his eyes.

But Ivy only smiled wider, then shifted her gaze to me.

“What about you, Clara?” she asked sweetly. “Any plans today?”

I opened my mouth, but Samuel spoke first.

His fingers slipped into mine, holding on like it meant something.

“Clara’s coming with me,” he said. “We’re going back to the main pack house.”

Ivy’s eyes flickered for a second, something unreadable passing through them.

“Alright. Have a good day, both of you. Send my hi to my mum there!”

She walked past us, her scent lingering in the air.

And Samuel… he still didn’t let go of my hand.

Why are you holding me like this…?

Half an hour later, we were already on the road. Samuel drove in silence, one hand on the wheel, the other still wrapped around mine.

I stared out the window. I hated going there. The main pack house.

His parents never liked me. Only his grandmother ever treated me kindly. She used to hold my hand and tell me I was strong, that I belonged here.

And the rest of them… they look at me like I brought ruin into their bloodline.

I gave birth to twins. A boy and a girl. They were supposed to be everything this pack wanted.

But they died. Both of them.

And somehow it became my fault.

Every visit after that felt worse. Their eyes… their whispers… their silence… it all pressed down on me until I could barely breathe.

Samuel knew that. That’s why he usually avoided bringing me. But this time his mother wasn’t well. So here we were.

When we stepped inside, his parents were already in the living room. They were smiling, talking softly to each other. Warm. Peaceful.

But the moment they saw me… everything changed. Their faces went cold.

Just like that.

My chest tightened. I lowered my head, pretending I didn’t notice.

But Samuel noticed. His grip on my hand tightened.

“If you keep treating my Luna like this,” he said, his voice turning sharp, “then don’t expect us to come back here again.”

The room fell silent. Then his father slammed his hand on the table. The sound made me flinch.

“Watch your tone,” he snapped. “Are you really saying you’d turn your back on your own family for her?”

I tried to pull my hand away, but Samuel held on, his fingers locking with mine.

“Father,” he said, steady but firm, “I’ve told you this before. Clara is my mate. She’s the woman I love. I won’t even raise my voice at her, so why do you keep hurting her every time she comes here?”

His grip tightened.

“If this happens again, I won’t just leave this house. I’ll walk away from this family completely.”

His words hit the room hard. The Alpha everyone feared… the one who could command wolves with a single word… now stood there defending me.

Anyone watching would think I was the luckiest woman alive.

But I knew better.

Pathetic… you think I don’t know what you’ve been doing behind my back?

Before anyone could speak again, another voice cut in.

“Of course he’d choose her. He’s been blind for years.”

Sandra.

Samuel’s younger sister stood at the stairs, arms crossed, eyes full of disgust as she looked at me.

“Brother, are you serious right now?” she continued, walking down slowly. “You’re threatening our parents because of her? After everything that happened? After those two pups died? Ivy is much better than her.”

Her words pierced straight through me. I felt my fingers go cold.

Sandra didn’t stop.

“Maybe if she was stronger, maybe if she was a better Luna… they’d still be alive.”

“Enough, Sandra.”

Samuel’s voice dropped, dangerous this time.

But she only scoffed.

“What? I’m just saying the truth,” she shot back. “Everyone in the pack knows it. She brought bad luck into this family.”

I kept my head down. I didn’t fight back.

What’s the point…?

Samuel stepped slightly in front of me, his body shielding mine.

“Say one more word about Clara,” he warned quietly, “and I won’t treat you as my sister anymore.”

Sandra froze. For a second, something flickered in her eyes. Then she turned away with a sharp laugh.

“Fine. Protect her all you want,” she muttered. “Let’s see how long that lasts.”

Silence filled the room again. Heavy. Suffocating.

Samuel still held my hand, standing there like he was protecting me from all of them.

But I didn’t feel safe.

I just felt… tired.

Mrs. Willoughby finally let out a long breath.

“Enough,” she said coldly. “Let’s eat first.”

…

At the table, no one talked much. Just the quiet clink of utensils, stiff and uncomfortable.

Mrs. Willoughby kept making small annoyed sounds, and my fingers slowly tightened around my fork. I knew it was coming. It always comes, doesn’t it?

She suddenly set her fork down harder than needed. “It’s been nine months,” she said coldly. “That’s enough grieving. You lost your pups, fine. But you can’t stay like this forever. The pack needs an heir. You need to give us a grandson.”

My chest tightened.

Her husband looked at me next, his eyes even colder. “That happened because you didn’t take care of them properly,” he said flatly. “A small illness, and both of them died in the healer’s den. Stop acting pitiful, Clara. If you conceive again, then do it right this time.”

My ears rang. Both of them. My son. My daughter.

Before I could even breathe properly, Samuel set his fork down.

“I’ve already said this,” he said calmly, but there was something sharp underneath. “Clara is afraid of going through that pain again. I won’t force her. Even if we don’t have pups, that’s fine with me.”

The room went heavy. His parents looked at him with disappointment.

Sandra scoffed from the side. “Of course. You’d rather protect her feelings than think about the pack.” Then louder, “Brother, are you serious? No heir? What are we supposed to do, just wait forever while she hides behind excuses? You know what, bro? Just go mate with our stepsister, Ivy. I like her more than Clara. You used to have a crush on Ivy before she went abroad to study fashion.”

"Enough Sandra!" Samuel roared.

My fingers trembled slightly on the table.

I finally spoke. “You’ll have a grandchild soon.”

The whole table froze. Three pairs of eyes turned to me at once.

Samuel’s hand tightened around mine, his face softening. “Clara… you don’t have to push yourself for me,” he said gently. “I told you, I’ll protect you from all this.”

Protect me? I almost laughed. You can’t even stay away from her, how are you protecting me?

I smiled anyway. “You all want a grandson so much,” I said softly. “Then I’ll give you one.”

Mrs. Willoughby’s expression eased instantly. Her husband nodded, satisfied. Sandra just watched me, eyes narrowed, but said nothing.

Only Samuel looked uneasy. Like something felt off.

Then his phone buzzed. I glanced down.

Ivy.

A message flashed.

“Samuel… there’s someone here bothering me. Asking me for a quickie. I don’t like it. Can you come?”

I counted quietly. One. Two. Three.

He stood up right on cue.

“Clara,” he said, already grabbing his jacket, “something came up at the office. I need to handle it. You stay here and finish dinner, okay? I’ll come back for you after.”

He didn’t wait for my answer. The door closed behind him.

And just like that, everything changed.

Mrs. Willoughby’s face turned cold again. “We’ll give you less than a month,” she said bluntly. “If you’re not carrying his heir by then, don’t come back here. Do you understand?”

Her husband added, “You came from nothing. No pack lineage, no status. Both your parents are gone. Without Samuel, you are nothing. Don’t think this pack will keep accepting you forever.”

Each word landed harder than the last.

I sat there quietly, letting them speak. What else can I do…?

Samuel never came back so I returned to the pack house alone.

…

The moment I stepped inside, I stopped.

Ivy was already there, lying on the sofa in a silk night slip, eating chips like she had always belonged in this house.

“You said you were going to the motor race,” I said quietly. “You said you weren’t coming back tonight.”

She looked at me and smiled, soft and careless.

“Oh, Clara… I forgot to tell you,” she said. “I went. I just didn’t stay for the race.”

She tilted her head, fingers tracing the neckline of her slip. Marks. Fresh mate marks.

“I ran into my mate in the garage,” she continued lightly. “He saw me near the bike line. Lost control.”

My chest tightened.

“He claimed me there,” she said, almost laughing. “On his car. I could barely walk after. I love it!”

My fingers curled. I kept my face still.

“When did you even get a mate?” I asked. “You never mentioned him.”

She shrugged. “Around nine months ago,” she said. “Right after I came back from abroad. I studied fashion overseas, remember? When I returned, I didn’t want the main pack house. I missed my step brother Samuel too much, so I stayed here.” She smiled sweetly. “That’s when Samuel introduced me to him.”

My breathing turned uneven. So it started the moment she entered this house…?

Before I could think further, I felt it.

Samuel’s hands on my shoulders.

“Sweetheart,” he said gently, “you look tired. You’ve had a long day. Let me run your bath.”

Like nothing was wrong. Like I didn’t just hear everything.

He guided me toward the bathroom. I didn’t resist. I didn’t have strength for it.

I went inside, closed the door, and started undressing slowly.

Then I realized… I forgot clean clothes.

I hesitated, then opened the door slightly.

And everything stopped.

Not far from me, Samuel had Ivy pressed against wall. His hand gripped her waist, his mouth at her neck.

Her slip was half undone, breathing uneven.

She let out a soft sound. “Slow down…” she whispered. “Clara’s still inside. Didn’t you already mark me enough in the garage? Your cum was still inside me.”

My heart dropped.

Samuel’s voice came low, rough. “Don’t say her name,” he said sharply. “And don’t let any other male wolves near you. If I find out someone else touched you… I won’t forgive it.”

She smiled faintly, pleased. Then her eyes shifted. Straight to me.

“Oh… alright,” she murmured. “I won’t. You’re the only one I belong to. Claim me now, brother. Fuck me.”

I couldn’t breathe.

That was enough.

I grabbed my clothes, shut the door, and locked it. My hands were shaking.

The bath was already running. I stepped in, letting the heat swallow me.

But it didn’t help.

Nothing helped.

Because my mind kept going back.

Five years ago. Our mating ceremony on the island.

I only looked once. Just once. At another male wolf passing by during the gathering.

Samuel lost control.

He kept me inside our room for a week. Didn’t let me leave. Didn’t let me look at any other male. Not even through the window.

When I couldn’t even stand, he held me close and whispered, “Clara… you don’t need anyone else. I’m enough. Just promise me you won’t look at another male wolf again.”

And I did. I promised. Over and over.

After that, I never even dared to look.

But now…

He’s the one who couldn’t stay loyal.

Just not to me.

To her.

I sank deeper into the water and let out a shaky breath. What did I do wrong…?

When I finally stepped out, everything was quiet.

Ivy was gone. Only Samuel was there, sitting calmly like nothing happened.

On the table, there was sliced fruit and a cup of ginger tea, still warm. My chest tightened.

He stood and handed me the cup. “I know your heat cycle is coming,” he said gently. “Drink this. It’ll help.”

I took it.

The warmth spread through my hands.

But inside… I felt nothing but cold.

How can he act like this…?

Just moments ago, he was claiming her.

And now… he’s standing here like my perfect Alpha again.

…

I didn’t sleep much that night. My thoughts kept looping like a broken mate bond, circling the same question without mercy. How many faces does my Alpha even have…?

Sometime before dawn, I finally drifted off.

“Clara!”

I jolted awake.

Samuel shot up beside me, his wolf already stirring under his skin. His hands found me in the dark instantly, gripping me like instinct, like a bond snapping tight. He pulled me against his chest so hard I could hear his heartbeat thundering.

“Don’t leave,” he said, voice rough and shaking. “Please… don’t leave me, Clara. I can’t… I can’t lose you.”

I froze in his arms.

“What’s wrong with you?”

His breath was uneven, eyes red like he hadn’t blinked all night.

“I saw it,” he said. “In my dream, you broke the bond and walked away from me. I called you, I reached for you, but you were gone.” His grip tightened again. “Then I woke up and you were still here. Still in my arms. I thought I lost you.”

My throat tightened. I should’ve said it then, should’ve let the truth slip into the cracks of his fear.

It will happen soon, Samuel.