Lily’s POV

“I’ve run several tests,” the doctor said, her voice cautious yet firm. “I’ll contact you as soon as the results come in. But… based on the symptoms you’ve described, I don’t believe they’re related to your pregnancy. Let’s hope for the best, but prepare for more than one possibility.”

I nodded stiffly, the knot in my throat refusing to loosen. The sterile scent of the infirmary clawed at my senses, as if even the air was warning me something was terribly wrong. My heart thudded louder than it should have. Not from the baby. From everything else.

I stepped out into the hospital hall slowly, the chill from the tiles seeping through my slippers. Nine moons along, and yet the ache in my chest burned fiercer than the weight of my growing pup.

Alpha Hudson should’ve been here.

But once again, my mate—my Alpha—had made himself unavailable. He said he had duties to attend to. Said the patrols were shifting. Said the outer border reports needed reviewing.

All lies.

Because through the faint opening of a nearby hospital room, I heard his voice—warm, familiar, soft in a way he hadn’t spoken to me in moons.

“You don’t have to blame yourself, Abi,” he murmured. “What happened with your old mate… that’s not your fault. I’m here now, and I’ll make sure you and the pup are safe. Always.”

Abigail’s voice trembled like she’d rehearsed it a hundred times. “Alpha, I never meant to come between you and Luna Lily. If only my bond hadn’t shattered back then… I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be taking up your time.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Hudson said gently. “You’re not a burden. You need support. I promised I’d look after you, didn’t I?”

I gripped the edge of the hallway wall, claws slowly extending out of instinct. My wolf stirred restlessly within me, sensing the betrayal even before I let myself feel it.

He was supposed to be mine.

Not because I owned him, but because the Moon Goddess said so. We were mates—fated, bound, chosen. And yet here he was… whispering sweet words to another she-wolf who already had her chance.

But who am I really? They were childhood sweethearts. They were so in love back then before Abigail left with her fated mate and I entered Hudson’s life.

Years later, Abigail came back. She was welcomed to the territory of River Valley Pack like she always belonged there. And… I just found out she was pregnant too. But so was I. The only difference? He actually cared about her child.

I tried to calm my breathing, tried to will myself away—but the door creaked open, and a doctor entered the room.

“Oh, Alpha! Good to see you again,” she greeted brightly. Then she turned to Abigail and smiled. “Luna, you and your pup look to be in excellent health.”

Abigail giggled, falsely modest. “Oh, I’m not the Luna.”

The doctor blinked, then blushed. “I-I’m so sorry. I just assumed, since the Alpha always brings you in personally—he must care a lot.”

My stomach twisted. I didn’t wait to hear Hudson’s response. I walked away, one hand bracing my belly, the other trembling at my side.

The memory hits harder than I expect—the night I vomited blood and begged Hudson to come with me to the infirmary. He told me he couldn’t. “Abigail has muscle soreness,” he said. “She can’t move well. I need to check on her.”

I nearly collapsed on the cold floor, clutching my belly while he held another wolf in his arms.

That was the night I knew something inside me had broken.

I left the hospital without saying a word, forcing myself to keep my head high as I walked through the pack territory. The whispers followed me, of course. They always did.

I reached our shared quarters and stopped in front of the door. Our home. Or what used to be. The scent of Hudson still lingered, wrapped in pinewood and wild musk. But now it was tainted—marked by the scent of another she-wolf I didn’t invite in.

I sat on the edge of the bed and took a shaky breath. Then I pulled out my phone and called the only Alpha I trusted anymore.

“Dad…” My voice cracked the moment I heard his.

“Lily?” My father’s voice was stern but filled with concern. “Is there something wrong?”

I told him everything. The hospital. The way Alpha Hudson acted. Abigail. And the slow death of a bond that had once felt eternal.

“I want to come home, Dad,” I finished. “To Rosebud Pack. I want to raise my pup somewhere safe. Somewhere away from Hudson and Abigail. I’m ending the mateship.”

There was a long pause. Then his response came like a steady heartbeat.

“Then come home. You and your pup don’t need Rain Valley. And you damn sure don’t need Alpha Hudson.”

Tears slid down my cheeks, quiet and cleansing. I didn’t even try to wipe them away.

“I’ll book a flight. Just give me a week,” I said.

“You have a pack waiting for you, Lily. You’re not alone.”

As the call ended, I pressed a hand over my belly. My pup kicked softly in return. It was as if he knew.

“I’ll get us out of here, little one,” I whispered. “I promise you, we’ll be free.”

And this time… I’d keep my word.

Lily’s POV

The doctor’s assistant handed me the envelope as soon as I walked into the doctor’s office the day after. “Luna Lily,” she said gently, “your test results are in. You’ll need to speak with Doctor for the treatments and medical procedures.”

My hand trembled slightly as I took the envelope. I could barely hear her as she added, “She said your symptoms is not pregnancy-related at all. You’ll know once you open the results… let’s hope for the best, alright?”

Hope. That fragile word kept coming up lately, as if people could smell how much I needed it. I clutched the envelope tightly against my chest, afraid that opening it would shatter whatever illusions I still clung to.

It had been days since my last meal stayed down. My skin felt like it was stretched too tightly over my bones. I was constantly fatigued, dizzy, and plagued with back pain that no one could quite explain. Even my wolf, usually restless and protective during late pregnancy, was subdued—quiet, like she was hiding something from me.

I sank down on the bench outside the clinic, too drained to open the results just yet. My eyes wandered toward the glass doors of the next wing—and that’s when I saw him.

Alpha Hudson.

He was walking down the hospital hallway beside Abigail again, a hand gently placed on her lower back as if guiding her protectively. His head tilted toward her, voice low, soft. He looked calm. Attentive.

I hadn’t seen that look on his face for so long. Certainly not around me.

They stopped by the records desk, and Hudson stepped into another doctor’s office alone—probably to pick up her medical report. Abigail lingered by the door, touching her bump dramatically with a self-satisfied air.

I forced myself to look away, tears threatening. The paper in my hand burned like fire. My stomach twisted violently, but I swallowed the nausea and stood. I wouldn’t cry. Not here.

But then Abigail noticed me.

She cocked her head with a mocking smile and walked right over, her eyes gleaming with the thrill of a confrontation.

“Luna,” she said sweetly, “you should be careful lurking around like this. It’s not a good look—clinging to a dying bond.”

I stared at her, unmoving. “It’s funny hearing that from someone who clung so hard to a failed mateship, she had to sneak into mine.”

Her smile faltered. “I had Hudson first. You’re just the replacement. A temporary Luna. And now that I’m carrying his child, maybe it’s time you step aside.”

The words hit harder than I expected. My wolf growled low inside me. I gripped the envelope tighter.

“You’re disgusting,” I spat. “If your mate rejected you, go back to him. Don’t ruin another’s bond just because you can’t handle your own failure.”

Abigail’s eyes flashed. “You poor thing. Still pretending Hudson wants you? That baby you’re carrying… I wouldn’t be surprised if he forgets all about it once mine is born. I mean, why raise two pups when you can raise one with the woman he actually loves?”

A breath hitched in my throat. No. He told me Abigail’s child wasn’t his. He looked me in the eye and swore he was only helping her as an old friend. I begged for the truth, and he promised me—

But why did her words feel so real now?

My hand moved instinctively to my bump. My wolf whimpered inside me, but I held my ground.

“Back off,” I warned. “You don’t want to start something you’ll regret.”

Abigail’s eyes dropped to the envelope in my hand. “What’s that?” she asked, reaching forward before I could stop her.

“Give that back!”

Too late.

She tore the top open and scanned the first page. Her lips curled into a wicked grin. “Oh. Oh my Goddess… You have cancer?”

I froze.

She laughed. Laughed.

“Moon above, this is rich. The Luna—dying? Maybe the Goddess is on my side after all. You and your pup… you might die together.”

Something inside me snapped.

My palm flew before I could stop it, striking her sharply across the face.

Abigail stumbled dramatically, then yelped as she fell backward—right into a small wooden side table. A glass vase shattered beneath her, and her wail echoed through the corridor. She didn’t hesitate—she thrust her hand into the broken glass, cutting her palm deliberately.

Blood gushed.

“Help!” she screamed. “The Luna—she attacked me!”

The office door flew open.

Hudson charged out, eyes landing on Abigail first. He didn’t even look at me before rushing to her side.

“What the hell did you do, Lily?!” he barked, pushing me roughly. I staggered back, clutching my belly.

“I didn’t push her—she staged it!” I cried. “Hudson, listen to me—”

“Alpha,” Abigail whimpered, playing weak, “please don’t fight with her… She’s just upset. I understand. I’m sorry if I made things worse.”

“She needs to apologize!” Hudson snarled, turning to me.

I held out the blood-smeared paper. “Please, just read this. I have cance—”

He slapped it from my hands.

The paper fell to the tiled floor, sliding into a pool of Abigail’s blood. The ink blurred. Unreadable.

“I don’t have time for your drama,” he snapped. “I’m done walking on eggshells around you.”

My heart cracked open. “You’re really choosing her. Even now.”

“If you apologize to Abigail,” he said coldly, “I’ll come with you to your next check-up. Apologize. First.”

I stared at him—this male I once called my mate. The same Alpha who promised to protect me with his life. He now stood before me, demanding I bow to the she-wolf who took everything from me.

I looked down at the ruined paper. Then back at him.

“No.”

“Lily—”

“No,” I repeated, louder this time. “You’ve disappointed me in ways I can never put into words.”

My baby stirred. A small kick.

“I won’t apologize for telling the truth. And I won’t beg for scraps of your attention anymore.”

Then I turned around, refusing to look back.

Lily’s POV

The moment I turned my back and walked away from the hospital, the world around me dulled. My wolf whimpered low in my chest, wounded but silent, like she didn’t even have the strength to snarl anymore. I should’ve shifted, let her take the reins, maybe run until my paws bled—but I was too tired. Too hollow.

I had cancer.

I hadn’t even processed it fully. The words on that damn report blurred in my mind like smoke. And Hudson… the father of my unborn pup, my mate—my Alpha—he had shoved me aside like I was nothing. No, worse than nothing. He picked up the woman who ruined us, carried her in his arms, and called me emotional like I was just being dramatic.

I was carrying his child, for the Moon Goddess’ sake.

And he still chose Abigail.

Every step back to the River Valley Packhouse felt heavier than the last. The wind was colder, the leaves didn’t whisper—they stared. The whole world seemed to watch me break apart in silence.

When I stepped into our home, I paused. The scent of cedarwood and honey—his scent—was fading, already replaced with something else. Lavender and lilac. Abigail. Her scent was here, clinging to the corners, soaked into the furniture like a stain I couldn’t scrub out.

My eyes landed on the large framed photo from our mateship ceremony. Hudson had been smiling that day. Really smiling. Holding my waist, his forehead pressed to mine, like nothing else existed but us. I reached for it slowly and pulled it down from the wall.

The frame cracked as it hit the bottom of the trash bin.

I didn’t flinch.

I moved through the room in silence, packing piece by piece. I didn’t have much energy left, but I had enough to get out. My body felt like it was shutting down, my joints aching, stomach twisting, head heavy and clouded. I could already feel the cancer dragging at me like a curse woven into my bones.

The pup stirred in my womb as if sensing my pain.

“I’m sorry, baby,” I whispered, resting both palms over my belly. “We’ll leave soon. We’ll be safe soon.”

After a long bath, trying to soothe the fire under my skin, I wrapped myself in a thick robe and called for the pack’s medical team. I didn’t have much time left. If I was going to make it through this pregnancy, I needed the healers’ guidance. Even if I didn’t survive, I had to make sure my pup did.

When I padded down the stairs, the scent of wolfsbane tea and eucalyptus hit me first. The healers were already here, gathered respectfully in the living room, their heads bowed in greeting. Elder Matteo was among them, a wise and steady healer. I trusted him more than most.

“Luna Lily,” he greeted with soft concern. “We came as requested.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, voice thinner than I wanted it to be. “Please… let’s talk.”

The front door creaked open.

Hudson stepped inside, carrying Abigail in his arms like some kind of wounded treasure. My eyes narrowed.

“I told you not to bring her here,” I said, standing between them and the living room.

Hudson’s gaze hardened immediately. “She’s unwell. Because of what you did.”

“What I did?” I scoffed. “She threw herself on a vase and bled on purpose! You think I can’t scent her lies?”

Abigail whimpered, her eyes glistening. “I only came because I didn’t know where else to go… I’m just here for the baby’s sake, Luna. Please…”

My jaw clenched so tightly I thought I might crack a fang.

“You’re not welcome here.”

Abigail lowered her eyes, her lip trembling. Then, she reached for Hudson’s hand and placed it on her barely-there belly bump.

“I guess me and the baby will leave then, Alpha… even though I’m feeling so faint. But if Luna Lily wants us gone, I’ll respect that.”

Manipulative she-wolf.

Hudson’s voice turned sharp. “What is wrong with you? Where is your compassion? She’s carrying a pup!”

“So am I!” I snapped, feeling my control slipping. “Or have you forgotten that I’m your Luna and the mother of your firstborn?”

Hudson stared at me like I was a stranger. “If it’s such a problem, Lily… maybe you should leave.”

He didn’t.

He didn’t just say that in front of the healers, did he?

All heads turned toward me. Some looked away quickly, ashamed. Others, like Elder Matteo, met my gaze with silent fury—but said nothing.

My lips parted, but no sound came. Not even a cry.

I took a breath. Then another.

“Fine,” I whispered, barely audible. “Do what you want.”

I turned around, ready to walk away, when Abigail’s voice cooed behind me.

“Alpha, did she trash your mateship photo? That’s such a shame… I always thought that picture looked so lovely on the wall.”

My feet paused for a second.

But I didn’t turn around.

“She’s just being dramatic,” Hudson muttered. “She’ll crawl back when she cools down.”

I walked out without a word. A tear slipped down my cheek.

But it was the last one I would ever shed for Alpha Hudson.