Edeline

After breakfast, the walls of the Packhouse felt like they were closing in on me. Darius must have sensed it, because he led me out toward the river. The morning sun danced on the water’s surface, and the steady, rhythmic rush of the stream usually would have calmed me. We talked about mindless things—patrol schedules and pack gossip—and for a little while, the weight in my chest felt a fraction lighter.

We reached a break in the treeline where the cliffs loomed over our territory, a view that usually took my breath away. Darius stopped, checking his watch.

"I have to get to training," he said, looking at me with those protective blue eyes. "I'll be finished in about two hours. Stay here, clear your head, or shift if you feel the urge. Just... don't go back and lock yourself in your room, okay? We’ll go for that run when I’m back. I promise."

He gave my hair a messy ruffle and a small smile before jogging back the way we came. I watched him go, feeling grateful for the silence. I sat by the water’s edge, dipping my fingers into the icy current, trying to let the peace of the woods drown out the noise in my head.

The sun was warm on my skin, and I closed my eyes, listening to the rustle of the leaves. For a moment, I almost felt whole.

Then, the air shifted.

The back of my neck prickled. That heavy, suffocating sensation of being watched settled over me, sharp as a physical touch. My eyes snapped open. The woods looked still, but the feeling was undeniable.

I scanned the brush where Darius had disappeared. There, in the shadows, a pair of eyes stared back at me. My heart gave a single, hard thud against my ribs.

A massive white wolf exploded from the undergrowth.

He moved with a terrifying, fluid speed, charging straight for me. I didn't run. I didn't even flinch. A strange, cold numbness washed over me as I sat there, simply watching him approach.

The wolf stopped just feet away, his gaze burning into mine. Then, the sickening sound of shifting began—the wet crack of bone and the slide of muscle. In seconds, the wolf was gone, replaced by Percival.

He stood over me, completely naked and unashamed, his powerful body tensed as if he were ready to strike or flee. His eyes were wide, filled with a desperate, frantic longing that made my stomach turn.

Before I could breathe, he lunged forward, pinning me with his shadow. He leaned in, his lips inches from mine. I could feel the heat of his skin, the jagged edge of his breath, and the sheer urgency radiating off him. Just as he leaned in to close the gap, I slammed my hands against his chest and shoved him back.

"What is wrong with you, Percival?" I snapped, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and fear. "Why are you following me? Why are you even here?"

His face twisted, a flash of raw agony crossing his features. "We need to talk, Edeline."

"Talk?" I let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "How did you even find me?"

His gaze softened, though the intensity remained. "I can find your scent anywhere. It’s all I can think about. My wolf... he’s losing his mind trying to get to you. It's impossible to control anything when it comes to you."

I looked at him blankly, my heart turning to stone. "We have nothing to say to each other. Go back to your future Luna. She's waiting for you."

I turned to walk away, but his hand shot out, his fingers bruising my arm as he pulled me back. "Please," he croaked, his voice thick with a pleading desperation. "Just listen."

I turned back, and the sight of him almost broke me. His blue eyes were glassy, swimming with unshed tears, and his face was etched with a deep, haunting shame. He looked like he was drowning. I could feel his struggle, and despite the hole he’d ripped in my heart, I felt a traitorous spark of empathy.

"I want you to know the truth of what happened," he said, his voice shaking.

"I don't want to hear it," I said, my voice cold and flat. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"It does matter!" he insisted, his jaw tightening with a sudden, fierce determination. "I need you to understand."

I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the river, silent. He took the silence as an invitation.

"Edeline, the camp... it wasn't like home. The men there are constantly at each other's throats, fighting for dominance. The women were the only ones who were halfway decent, but they don't treat the mate bond the same way we do."

"Neither do you, apparently," I whispered.

He flinched as if I'd struck him, hanging his head. "I do. I always have. Tatiana was just a friend—someone I could talk to when everyone else was trying to take my head off. We were never alone, not until... two weeks before I was supposed to come home. She went into heat."

I felt a fresh wave of nausea. This was the nightmare I’d been trying to outrun, and now he was forcing me to look at it.

He looked down at the ground, his eyes avoiding mine. "It hit her without warning. We were up late, everyone else was asleep, and suddenly... it was just there. I should have seen it. I should have smelled it coming, but I didn't! I don't understand why I didn't see the signs!"

He slammed his fists into the dirt, the sound of his frustration echoing through the clearing. I watched him, my mind racing. A female’s heat isn't a surprise. You can smell it for weeks; the signs are unmistakable to any male, especially an Alpha-blood. It didn't make sense for her to be caught off guard.

"Once it started... a male can't fight that, Edeline. You know that. The instinct takes over."

I knew he was right. An unmated male is a slave to a female in heat; it’s a primal, unstoppable pull. A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek. I kept my eyes on the grass, feeling the heat of his stare burning into my skin.

"But, Edeline..." He reached out, though he didn't touch me. "I won't mark her. I refuse."

I lifted my head, searching his eyes for a lie, for a hint of the man who had betrayed me. I found nothing but a haunting sincerity.

He really wouldn't mark her. He was choosing me, even now, in the middle of the wreckage.

Edeline

"You... you really won’t?"

The words were barely a whisper, but they carried a treacherous spark of hope that I wasn't ready to handle. I watched him in the sunlight; the way the light played off his skin was a cruel distraction, making my heart ache with a want that felt like a betrayal. I couldn't do this—not if there was another woman between us.

He shook his head slowly, his voice heavy with the weight of his choices. “She isn’t with me, Edeline. She’s staying at the Oracle’s cabin with my parents. I’ve moved into that empty house across the lake.” He looked away, his jaw tight. “I didn’t want her wolf near mine, and my father thought it was best if I kept my distance from you for now. Being on the other side of the water... it’s the only way to keep your scent from drowning me.”

I stared at him, stunned. I had pictured them together in the Packhouse, playing house, building the life that was supposed to be mine.

“So you’re hiding?” I asked, a bitter eyebrow arching. “Staying away so our wolves don't force a marking while we’re vulnerable?”

It was a mercy, but it felt like a cage. My wolf was snarling at the distance he’d put between us, even as my human heart felt a twisted sense of relief. I didn't want to see them together, but I hated that he had to run from me to keep his control.

He gave a small, defeated nod. I stayed silent, letting the rush of the river fill the gap between us until he spoke again.

“Tatiana’s father is Alpha Conor of the Celestial Moon pack. The second he found out I didn't have a mate, he demanded I claim her. He sees it as a political win—uniting our bloodlines to rule both packs one day.” He finally looked me in the eye, his gaze piercing. “But the moment I saw you... the moment I caught your scent and realized who you were to me, everything changed. I told her I couldn't do it. She’s terrified of the scandal, of losing her status, and she begged me to just give in. But I won’t. I can’t do that to myself, and I refuse to do it to you.”

He reached out, his hand hovering near mine, and I felt a sudden, sharp gasp leave my throat. He was calling to my wolf without saying a word, pulling at the invisible thread that tied our souls together.

“You are the only gift I ever wanted,” he whispered, his voice thick with a raw, desperate hope. “I know you probably hate me right now. I know I’ve lost the right to ask for anything. But I’m still holding on, Edeline. I want to mark you more than I want my next breath, but I’ll never force you to accept a man who carries this kind of baggage. My only tie to her is the child. I’ll see her through the pregnancy, but I won’t let that baby go back to Celestial Moon alone.”

The pain in my chest doubled. He was caught in an impossible vice. He hadn't marked her—which meant Tatiana’s father would be out for blood. For a high-ranking female, being an unwed mother without a mate’s mark was a death sentence for her reputation. She couldn't lead her pack alone; she needed an Alpha to consolidate power.

I looked at him, my vision blurring with fresh tears. “So what then? You bring her into our pack? You raise the child together while I watch from the sidelines?” My voice cracked, a sob escaping as I struggled to keep my composure. “Her father will never allow her to just be a pack member. He’ll want your head if you don't claim her.”

It was a mess. It’s a rare, fragile thing for a wolf to carry a child that isn't their mate’s. Without that soul-bond to protect the pregnancy, the risks were terrifying. There was every chance the Moon Goddess would reclaim that life before it even drew breath.

A dark, selfish thought flickered in my mind—if the baby didn't survive, would we have a chance? I immediately felt sick. I didn't want him to suffer that kind of loss, no matter how much it hurt to see him bound to her.

Percival sighed, a sound of pure exhaustion. “She can’t just join the pack. Her father expects me to take over his territory through her. But you know the truth, Edeline... babies born outside of the bond... it’s a gamble. It almost never works.”

He was right. The Goddess usually only allowed such things for those who had lost their mates or were truly alone. But for a man who had a fated mate standing right in front of him? A mate he hadn't even marked yet? The odds were abysmal.

Percival stepped closer and placed a single finger under my chin, tilting my face up. The contact was electric. A jolt of pure fire shot through me, making my breath hitch and my insides tighten. It was just one finger, but it felt like he was reaching into my very soul.

I looked into his hooded blue eyes, drowning in the desire and the sorrow there. Then, as quickly as he’d touched me, he pulled away. He closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, catching my scent as if he were trying to memorize it. The sudden cold where his hand had been made me want to scream. I wanted to lean into him, to beg for that heat again, but I held my ground.

“My wolf is screaming at me to take what's mine,” he said, shaking his head as if to clear it. “And I’d only hate myself more if I let him win before I earned you back. She’s miserable, Edeline. She’s terrified that the pregnancy won’t last, and she hates you because she knows you have the only thing she actually wants—my heart. I don't care about her. That night was a mistake I’ll regret for the rest of my life. I haven't touched her since, and I never will again.”

A wave of relief washed over my wolf, though I kept my expression guarded. I was grateful to hear the truth, grateful that the images in my head weren't reality. But it didn't fix the broken pieces. I wasn't going to be a consolation prize or a secret kept in the shadows while he dealt with his "mistake."

I wasn't anyone's backup plan.

Edeline

The guilt was a heavy, suffocating weight in my chest. I couldn’t stop thinking about that baby—a tiny, innocent life caught in the middle of this disaster. What would happen to it? The uncertainty gnawed at me, tangling with my own heartbreak until I felt like I was drowning.

"Percival... what happens when the child is born?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice from cracking.

He didn't have an answer, not really. He let out a long breath that fanned across my skin, leaving a trail of heat. In the dappled sunlight, he looked so young, his blue eyes clouded with a exhaustion that made him look years older than he was.

"She’ll raise the baby while it’s young," he said, his voice flat and defeated as he raked a hand through his messy hair. "I haven't worked out the details yet, but it’s the only way to do what's right."

"Where?" I pressed.

"I’m not sure. But my place is here—I’m the next Alpha. She’ll never be my Luna, Edeline. Never." He looked toward the trees, his jaw tightening. "Since she’s an only child, our son would eventually inherit her father’s lands. I’ll make sure that happens. He’ll be an Alpha's son, so it will be a boy. By the time he’s ten, he’ll be ready for the training in the Celestial Moon pack. He can live with her then, and spend his summers here with me. That’s the plan. Maybe by then, she’ll find her own fated match and understand why this had to happen. I know it kills you that my firstborn isn't yours. It kills me, too. But you're my mate. I can't turn my back on that."

I looked away, rolling my eyes. A plan? He was treating me like a backup, a prize he could put on a shelf until his mess was sorted out. Did he really think I was just going to sit around and wait for the stars to align? I had a life to live, too.

"I won't ask you to wait for me, because I know it isn't fair," he added quietly. "But I want you to know I’m not marking her. She isn’t the one. Whatever happens with us... you at least deserve to know that."

I sniffled, a stray tear finally escaping. We both knew the grim reality. Without the soul-bond, that pregnancy was a fragile thing. He wanted me, and I wanted him, but the shadow of that child stood between us. Yet, I felt a flicker of gratitude for his honesty. He was trying to protect my dignity, even if he couldn't fix my heart.

His hand slid over mine. The warmth of his skin seeped into me, a cruel reminder of the connection I craved.

'I want him to be mine,' my wolf whispered, her voice a low, desperate vibration in my mind.

Suddenly, the sweet, heavy scent of gardenias cut through the air. Percival froze. Then, the sound of a muffled, broken sob broke the silence.

We turned to see Tatiana standing twenty feet away. She looked like a ghost, one hand pressed to her mouth and the other protective over her still-flat stomach. Mascara ran in dark, ugly streaks down her cheeks, ruining her perfectly applied makeup. Her blonde curls were pristine, making the raw agony on her face look even more out of place.

She looked at him with a shattered expression, then turned her tear-filled brown eyes on me, as if I were a thief stealing her life.

"Tatiana... I..." Percival’s voice failed him.

I stared at her, but I couldn't find it in myself to feel pity. Every she-wolf knows when her heat is approaching. The signs are there for weeks. I couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding a much darker truth about that night.

She began to shake, her hand dropping from her face as she wiped her eyes with a frantic, aggressive motion.

"Aren't you going to claim me, Percival?" she cried out, her voice rising in a sharp, hysterical peak. "I’m the mother of your child!" She pointed a trembling finger at me. "Her? You’d pick her? She’s nothing but a child!"

I saw the kindness in him then—the reason he’d fed her and cared for her. But it wasn't love.

Percival bowed his head, his voice turning cold and sharp. "She is my mate, Tatiana. My fated mate. You... you are just carrying a baby. It was a one-night mistake that should have never happened—" He cut himself off, his eyes narrowing as they locked onto hers with a sudden, piercing suspicion.

He was trying to hurt her, to push her back with words that stung like a lash. He hated the way she spoke about me, and he was making her pay for it.

She stepped forward, glaring at me with pure venom. I didn't move. This was my territory, my forest. I didn't feel like her heart was actually breaking—it felt like her pride had been wounded. Wolves don't fall in love in a single night of lust; we long for the soul the Moon Goddess chose for us.

"You’d honestly choose a girl over me and your own blood?" she demanded, a low, territorial growl vibrating in her chest.

Percival’s expression turned lethal. He let out a thunderous Alpha growl that echoed through the trees, silencing her instantly. I instinctively bowed my head at the sheer power of it. That was the command of a king.

He stood up, his gaze boring into her until she took several hurried steps back.

"You and I both know the statistics, Tatiana," he said, his voice like ice. "There is a fifty-percent chance that pregnancy won't even make it to term. And now that I have found my true mate, those chances are even slimmer. You have a mate out there, too—you just haven't found him because you're too busy trying to trap me."

The words were brutal. They were meant to devastate her. But for me? They were a lifeline.

If the pregnancy failed, she would be gone. The obstacle would vanish. It was a heartless thought, and it made me feel like a monster, but I couldn't stop it. If she wasn't in the picture, could we be happy? I didn't know, but I knew I wanted the chance to find out.

Tatiana’s face hardened, her sorrow replaced by a chilling, icy mask. "We’ll see what my father has to say about your 'statistics.'" She turned on her heel, a small, triumphant smirk playing on her lips.

Percival’s fury was palpable, and I felt a strange rush of adrenaline. My wolf purred, her hackles rising as she imagined tearing into the woman who dared threaten our mate.

He glanced at me, his eyes full of regret. "Edeline, I’m so sorry. Now you know it all... please, just think about what I’ve told you."

I didn't say a word. I just watched him. He leaned down, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to the top of my head, and then he was gone. He leaped into the air, his body blurring and expanding as he shifted mid-flight. His massive white wolf hit the ground running, a powerful howl ripping through the air as he gave chase to Tatiana, making sure she knew exactly who ruled these woods.

Watching him, I felt a cold realization settle over me. If that baby survived, I couldn't stay. I wouldn't spend my life being reminded of his betrayal every time I looked at a child's face. I would have to walk away, even if it destroyed me.

Am I really meant to be his Luna? Or am I just a girl whose story ended before it truly began? I needed to find out who I was without him. But my wolf... she was already decided. She wanted her mate, and she wanted Tatiana gone.

'Should I do it?' I wondered, the darkness in my heart growing. 'Should I be the one to end this?'