Around the seventh month of my pregnancy, I overheard a conversation between my mate, Zane Andrews, and Ciara Phillips, the she-wolf I had taken in out of compassion after her family was brutally slaughtered by rogues.

In a sultry, flirtatious tone, Ciara purred, “Zane, my love, if your wife discovers that the fertilized egg I planted in her womb isn’t truly hers by blood, she’ll be devastated—perhaps to the point of despairing suicide, don’t you think?”

Zane snorted, his voice dripping with disdain at the mention of me. “It’ll work for us if she simply dies from heartbreak. Damn it. I can’t shake the worry that she might sever our bond and leave me with nothing. Let’s keep this under wraps until our child inherits all her assets. Only then will we reveal the bombshell, plunging her into darkness.”

Ciara giggled, praising Zane for his cunning.

My claws itched to lash out, but I held back, knowing the time for confrontation wasn’t yet. My heart sank as their betrayal cut deep. Years ago, I had defied my pack elders’ warnings about Ciara being a potential threat, taking her in and grooming her into our pack's doctor, funding her education out of sheer empathy.

Now, I regretted every moment of my kindness. To think that my mate, who had once begged for my protection for his fragile pack, had the audacity to betray me. If not for my support, his pathetic pack would have crumbled long ago, leaving him nursing his wounds in a dark corner, fretting over survival.

After a long moment of contemplation, I made my decision. I would feign ignorance to their schemes and play along by giving birth to Ciara’s baby.

Two decades passed. Ciara’s child grew up, bearing the name Simon Andrews. Aware of their treachery, I still transferred all my assets to him.

Once the paperwork was completed, Ciara boldly approached me in front of the entire pack, a maternity DNA test in hand. With a smug smile, she declared, “Leia Holland, look at this! I am Simon’s biological mother. Leave h

Around the seventh month of my pregnancy, I overheard a conversation between my mate, Zane Andrews, and Ciara Phillips, the she-wolf I had taken in out of compassion after her family was brutally slaughtered by rogues.

In a sultry, flirtatious tone, Ciara purred, “Zane, my love, if your wife discovers that the fertilized egg I planted in her womb isn’t truly hers by blood, she’ll be devastated—perhaps to the point of despairing suicide, don’t you think?”

Zane snorted, his voice dripping with disdain at the mention of me. “It’ll work for us if she simply dies from heartbreak. Damn it. I can’t shake the worry that she might sever our bond and leave me with nothing. Let’s keep this under wraps until our child inherits all her assets. Only then will we reveal the bombshell, plunging her into darkness.”

Ciara giggled, praising Zane for his cunning.

My claws itched to lash out, but I held back, knowing the time for confrontation wasn’t yet. My heart sank as their betrayal cut deep. Years ago, I had defied my pack elders’ warnings about Ciara being a potential threat, taking her in and grooming her into our pack's doctor, funding her education out of sheer empathy.

Now, I regretted every moment of my kindness. To think that my mate, who had once begged for my protection for his fragile pack, had the audacity to betray me. If not for my support, his pathetic pack would have crumbled long ago, leaving him nursing his wounds in a dark corner, fretting over survival.

After a long moment of contemplation, I made my decision. I would feign ignorance to their schemes and play along by giving birth to Ciara’s baby.

Two decades passed. Ciara’s child grew up, bearing the name Simon Andrews. Aware of their treachery, I still transferred all my assets to him.

Once the paperwork was completed, Ciara boldly approached me in front of the entire pack, a maternity DNA test in hand. With a smug smile, she declared, “Leia Holland, look at this! I am Simon’s biological mother. Leave him alone from this moment on and don’t disrupt my time with him.”

Without missing a beat, Simon threw divorce papers at my face, asserting, “Sever your bond with my dad this instant. You may have given birth to me and raised me, but I will transfer $200 monthly for you to live on.”

I replied with a calm smile, “Alright.”

“Honey, aren’t you supposed to be overseeing the training sessions in person? Why are you still in the study?” Zane approached with a cup of drink, his tone deceptively gentle as always.

I quickly locked my computer screen and looked up at him, forcing a smile. “Simon’s tutor mentioned he’s been coughing a lot lately. I just contacted the pack doctor to arrange a check-up for him tomorrow.”

Seemingly moved, Zane ruffled my hair with a tender smile. “Sweetheart, you’re such a devoted mother. Whenever Simon feels unwell, you worry endlessly. I’m sure he’ll rise to your expectations and lead the pack to greater heights in the future.”

With a slight smile, I gazed into Zane’s eyes and replied, “That’s just what a mother does for her child.”

Zane beamed at me. “Honey, having you as my mate lifts a great weight off my shoulders. I’m so lucky to have you by my side.”

I silently scrutinized his mock affection.

I had been with Zane for three years, and this year marked the seventh anniversary of our bond. During these ten years, he had feigned attentiveness, caring for me whenever I felt slightly unwell. Though I managed all household expenses, he still managed to surprise me with modest gifts. At that time, the worth of those gifts didn’t matter, and his thoughtful gestures meant the world to me.

During our intimate moments, Zane would hug me tightly, claiming to love me until the end of time, as if letting go would mean losing me forever. He had expressed a desire for a child, and with his sheepish confession of fertility issues, I had endured the agony of IVF.

Had I never overheard his conversation with Ciara, I would have remained blissfully unaware of his acting skills, all his facades merely a means to snatch away my assets.

Just then, Simon’s cheerful voice rang out from the living room. “Ciara, you finally made it!”

I rose from my seat and exited the study.

Ciara walked in and scooped Simon into her arms, planting a kiss on his cheek—her movements smooth and practiced. “Simon, my boy, did you miss me?”

As she spoke, Ciara finally noticed me leaning against the doorframe. Her smile faltered, and a flicker of unease crossed her eyes.

Zane quickly interjected, “Honey, there’s a training session for our son that invites parental involvement. I thought you might be too busy, so I didn’t mention it. I asked Ciara to help instead.”

At this, Ciara hastily set Simon down, her fingers fidgeting like a guilty pup caught in mischief. “Yeah… that’s it. That’s the story. Leia, I’ve been so grateful for your help that I’ve been thinking about how to repay you. When Zane called and mentioned he needed assistance, I jumped at the chance to come over.”

Her flustered demeanor triggered a memory of the day I delivered Simon. Ciara had arrived at the hospital, feigning concern while she paced the corridor alongside Zane, her anxious energy palpable as I summoned every ounce of strength to bring our son into the world.

When Simon finally entered the world, Ciara rushed over, her hands enveloping him tightly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. The nurse, raising an eyebrow, had asked, “May I know your relation to this pup? You seem more excited than his mother!”

At that time, Ciara had been momentarily speechless, her eyes darting around as if searching for an escape, a reaction mirroring her current flustered state.

Snapping back to the present, I noticed the cracks in Zane’s and Ciara’s less-than-stellar performance.

Meeting Ciara’s gaze, I let the silence stretch, and she hurriedly added, “I just find Simon so adorable that I couldn’t resist kissing him. You wouldn’t get mad at me for that, would you?”

I smiled faintly, masking my true feelings. “Of course not. I’m just busy with pack matters, and juggling work and family can be tough. I can’t thank you enough for helping with Simon.”

Zane and Ciara exchanged a sigh of relief, a subtle action they assumed went unnoticed by me.

Simon bounded over, his bright eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Mom, are you off to handle pack business, or are you joining Dad and me for the training session?”

I ruffled his hair affectionately. “And how would you like me to choose?”

Without hesitation, he replied, “You should take care of pack matters while Ciara and Dad join me for the training session!”

Wary of Simon’s words stirring any suspicion within me, Zane quickly scooped him into his arms, adding, “Honey, it seems our son is quite thoughtful, not wanting to add to your workload. He always respects your efforts in leading the pack and even asked me not to disturb your work.”

Ciara chimed in, “Exactly. Leia, you’ve done an incredible job raising such a considerate pup.”

I nodded, smiling at Simon. “Then have it your way.”

As Simon jumped with glee, tugging at Zane’s and Ciara’s hands, they rushed out the door, the picture of a happy family.

I couldn’t help but smirk at the scene. Once they were gone, I turned back into the study, my heart steadying as I prepared to finish what I had started.

Over the days, Ciara grew increasingly brazen, emboldened by the belief that I was too gullible and oblivious to their schemes.

In the past, she would only rendezvous with Zane when I was out, but now, even my presence at home didn’t deter her in the slightest.

Her excuses varied wildly—from boasting about new dishes she had learned to claiming she had discovered powerful supplements.

Eventually, she announced her grand plan to leave her role as the pack doctor to open a private hospital at the territory crossing points, revealing this ambition to me only for the sake of securing my financial support.

I was painfully aware of Ciara’s true intentions with each visit: she was there to check on Simon and to indulge in her affair with Zane.

Yet, I never turned her away. I welcomed her with warmth and offered help whenever she asked, playing the role of the oblivious wife.

Zane reveled in this dynamic, convinced that I remained unaware. Whenever Ciara stepped into our villa, he could barely contain his grin, and sometimes, perhaps caught up in the thrill of it all, he would flirt with her right in front of me, as if he no longer feared I would catch on and sever our bond, leaving him with nothing.

Simon grew fond of Ciara, interacting with her more closely than he did with me. A room was even arranged for her, a place where she could stay the night if she “accidentally” lingered too long, making the journey back to her own home seem unsafe in the dark.

Life continued in this unsettling rhythm until the day arrived for Simon’s final test after years of training. Ciara, ever the concerned figure, came to our home on the day the scores were released.

When Simon received an F, Zane’s expression darkened. “Why did you fail? What were those extra training classes for?”

Unfazed, Simon shrugged. “What’s the big deal? I don’t need to fight as long as you and Mom are around. Plus, I’m supposed to inherit your position as pack leader, right? I’ll just give orders.”

Zane cast a glance at me, gauging my reaction. At my silence, he pressed on. “Even so, fighting skills are crucial. What if someone challenges you for the Alpha role? With your current laid-back attitude, your mother wouldn’t feel comfortable letting you run the pack.”

Ciara echoed his sentiment, adding, “Exactly. Simon, while it’s true you’re destined to inherit control from your mother, you still need to master some skills. Otherwise, how will the other pack members respect your commands?”

Seeing through their charade, I smiled faintly and declared, “It’s alright. I’ll groom some Beta wolves and warriors to help Simon take charge of the pack smoothly when the time comes. It might take a few years, but the investment is worth it as long as Simon can handle pack matters effortlessly. He is my son, after all. He will be the next leader.”

At my words, all three of them flashed pleasant smiles, momentarily caught in their web of deceit.

I grinned inwardly, silently mocking their assumption that they could outwit me.

As I tutored the carefully selected Beta wolves and warriors, I always took Simon along, demonstrating how to handle various situations. His lack of interest in learning didn’t faze me. I played along, deepening his belief in my “sincere” desire to pass my assets to him one day.

One day, a conflict arose over trespassing, necessitating the Alpha’s presence to resolve the issue. Such chaos typically took longer than a few days to settle. I seized this opportunity to send Simon to test his skills, entrusting the task to him while placing my hopes entirely on the Beta wolves and warriors I had personally trained and dispatched to assist him.

Zane, visibly reluctant to part with Simon, accompanied him to the airport, refusing to let go of him. As expected, Ciara showed up to see Simon off, dragging along several hefty suitcases filled with clothes and snacks—anything but weapons or books, focused solely on ensuring his comfort during the next few months.

Together, Ciara and Zane offered Simon reminders to take care of himself, fully aware that he wouldn’t exert himself at all. As Simon boarded his flight, their eyes remained glued to the departing plane until tears welled up in their eyes, prompting a reluctant turn back.

With Simon gone, Ciara’s visits became noticeably infrequent, while Zane began to venture out more often, returning home each time with a look of exhaustion etched on his face. When I probed him about his frequent outings, he offered vague explanations about gatherings with pack members or exercising to maintain his skills.

Eventually, when Zane’s excuses ran dry—since it was clear he practically lived elsewhere—he would lament his longing for Simon, subtly accusing me of being cold for sending our son off to handle pack matters, despite being the one who had eagerly pushed for Simon’s ascension.

Often, with a dramatic sigh, he would declare that his yearning for Simon was so overwhelming that he couldn’t bear to stay idle, fearing he might do something he would regret.

I feigned ignorance of the cheap perfume lingering on him and comforted him with a smile. “It shouldn’t be long before Simon comes back. By then, it will be the family of three again.”

With a smirk, Zane replied, “Yeah, family of three.”

Four months later, the chaos was finally resolved, and Simon returned home.

Unsurprisingly, Ciara appeared at my villa, eager to join Zane and me in picking him up. The moment they laid eyes on Simon, they rushed over to embrace him tightly, overwhelmed with emotion.

Once the trio had their moment of warm reunion, Simon approached me, a proud smile on his face. “Mom, I’m back! I successfully quelled the turmoil there and proved my strength to you. When will I become the new head of the pack?”

I inwardly scoffed. Successfully? Hardly! All the heavy lifting had been done by the Beta wolves and warriors I had sent along with him.

Yet, outwardly, I smiled at Simon, masking my true feelings. “You’re eager, aren’t you? Rest assured, I’ve organized a gathering of the entire pack. I will announce you as the new head then.”