Losing my hearing to a raging fever when I was just a child, I thought my life would be filled with silence and struggle. But my pack was kind, and my step-sister, Vivian, always stayed by my side. With their support, I grew up happy, hopeful, and determined to make the best of my life.

That hope only grew when I met Cassian Storm, the future Alpha of the Silverclaw Pack. He vowed to cherish me, to protect me, and to build a future together.

For five long years, I suffered through the agony of over ten miscarriages, four of them stillborn. Each loss shattered me, but I refused to give up. I endured endless treatments, desperate to give Cassian the heir he wanted, to fulfill my duty as his Luna.

And then, a miracle happened.

I recovered my hearing.

Overwhelmed with joy, I rushed to tell Cassian, eager to share not just the news of my restored hearing. I wanted to see happiness in his eyes, to hear his voice respond to mine for the first time.

As I neared where Cassian was, I heard voices inside the room.

"Yes, she's pregnant again," Cassian's voice, so calm, so indifferent. "That's why I'm giving her another dose of the herb. She won't carry this one either."

A second voice answered, one that made my blood run cold. It's my father. "Good. Vivian is finally past her first trimester. She'll need more nourishment now."

"I understand," Cassian replied, his tone unwavering, as if he weren't speaking about the life growing inside me.

My father let out a cold chuckle. "We only need one heir, Cassian. And it won't be from that useless girl."

My breath caught in my throat. And my own father, the man who had raised me with kindness, had been pretending all along.

The door suddenly creaked open. Cassian stood there, his golden wolf eyes widening as he saw me frozen in the doorway. His face twisted with guilt, shock, and then something unreadable flashed across his expression.

But in a heartbeat, he masked it, stepping forward with a forced smile.

"Anna," he signed, his voice steady. "Is something wrong?"

I blinked up at him as I gave him a small, clueless smile. I tilted my head slightly, signing to him that I am fine. My father, a subordinate Alpha of our Silverclaw Pack, stepped past Cassian, his smile warm, but his eyes sharp and calculating.

"Ah, my dear, you look pale. You should rest." He said.

My father never learned to do sign language and I thought that it may be because it is difficult for him to do so. But seeing it now...

His tone was laced with fake concern, his true nature hidden behind that practiced kindness.

"Come, Cassian. We wouldn't want to waste any more time on this one. Bring it sooner tonight." He left without looking back, his scent fading into the distance.

Cassian placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm but not unkind.

"Come home with me," he gestured with his hand, his wolf close beneath the surface, a silent warning I pretended not to notice.

Back at our packhouse, Cassian moved through the kitchen, his movements smooth and practiced. He poured a drink into a cup, the scent laced with subtle herbs, turning back to me with an unreadable expression.

"Here, drink this," he said, offering it to me.

I stared at the cup, my stomach twisting. I knew what was inside. It has a familiar scent, something I thought was like a medicine or tonic to make me healthy. It seems that I am wrong. My fingers hovered over the rim before I hesitated, then shook my head lightly with an apologetic smile. I gestured that it smelled bad, and I felt nauseous about it.

"Anna," Cassian's voice softened as he signed, his eyes searching mine. "Drink it."

I gave a small smile but still refusing. I twisted my body, knocking the cup from his grip. It clattered to the floor, the dark liquid spilling across the wooden boards.

A tense silence followed, thick and suffocating.

Cassian's golden eyes darkened, his entire frame tense with barely restrained anger. Though he said nothing, the weight of his fury pressed down on me, suffocating. My wolf whimpered inside me, sensing danger, and I instinctively shrank back, my breath shallow.

I took a step back, feigning confusion, apologetic. His anger is palpable that I could sense it without using words. However, my foot met empty air.

The ground beneath me shifted, and before I could react, I tumbled backward. My body slammed onto the lower ground, my breath stolen from my lungs. Pain exploded through my stomach.

A sharp, searing agony ripped through me, and I gasped, my fingers trembling as they reached down. Wet warmth spread beneath my hands, soaking through the fabric of my dress. The scent of blood, my blood, filled the air.

A cold, sickening realization settled in my chest.

No. No, no, no.

The weight of everything crashed over me, the overwhelming stress, the betrayal, the knowledge of what Cassian had done. The world tilted, and darkness clawed at the edges of my vision.

And then, everything went black.

When I awoke, the first thing I noticed was the absence of pain. The second was numbness, a hollow void where life had once been. My fingers twitched, moving on their own, trailing down to my abdomen. My palm rested there, hesitant, as if silently asking the question my lips refused to form.

Cassian, seated beside me, saw the movement. His golden eyes flickered, and for a brief second, something unreadable crossed his face. Then, as if on cue, he gestured with his hands and signed as he spoke.

"Anna… it didn't make it."

His voice was soft, almost tender, as if he truly cared. But I knew better.

I said nothing. I only stared, my expression blank.

"It's okay. You need to rest. I'll take you back to the family pack tomorrow. A change of scenery will do you good," Cassian gestured as he exhaled, his lips curving into a smile, forced, practiced.

I forced a small smile in return, my lips trembling slightly.

But deep inside, I knew.

I wasn't safe here.

And tomorrow, I will have to act more convincingly than ever before.

The pack house loomed before us, a grand estate nestled deep within the forest. Cassian walked ahead, his posture tense, while I followed in obedient silence. My heart pounded in my chest, but I kept my expression neutral, my lips curved in a polite smile as we stepped into the grand dining hall.

A long wooden table stretched across the center, adorned with lavish dishes and golden candelabras. Laughter and idle conversation filled the room, but it all came to a halt the moment I stepped inside. Eyes flickered toward me, some filled with amusement, others with disdain.

My father sat at the head of the table, his smile sharp as he gestured for us to take our seats.

And then, there she was.

Vivian, radiant and smug, her four-month-pregnant belly on full display as she leaned back in her chair with a knowing smirk.

"Oh, Anna," she sighed dramatically, placing a delicate hand over her swollen stomach. "I'm truly heartbroken over your loss. It must be so painful for you."

Her tone was laced with false sympathy, but the glint in her eyes betrayed her true intentions. Around the table, soft chuckles followed her words, their expressions carefully masked behind casual smiles. I could feel their mockery pressing down on me like a suffocating weight.

I forced my own smile in return, mimicking their expressions. They never learned sign language, never made an effort, thus I would often just mimic whatever they're doing. It seems that I should've learned to lip read, so I would have known all the mockery they've done to me.

But it's okay now.

They thought I couldn't hear them. They thought I was too oblivious to understand their taunts. But inside, my wolf howled with rage, and I imagined nothing more than tearing them all apart.

"Such a shame," another voice chimed in, a woman from a lesser-ranking family, her tone laced with poorly hidden glee. "To think that Cassian's wife couldn't even carry his child properly. Isn't this the tenth baby already?"

"Don't you think he would be considered barren at this point? Unable to give birth for so long, she's not really fit to be our Luna," a cousin responded. "Actually, Cassian could just bring some other females to his den to continue his lineage. Anna won't still hear them even if they do it every night."

"Now, now," a man chuckled. "Be kind. She's already deaf and useless. Give her some slack."

"Oh, I think it's rather convenient," someone else added. "She's a perfect target. A Luna who can't even stand up for herself."

Laughter rippled through the table. I also laughed, which must have made them feel more funny about my obliviousness. But my grip on my utensils tightened, my nails pressing into my palm. The air grew thick with their amusement, suffocating me with its cruelty.

Slowly, I pushed back my chair and rose to my feet, my smile never faltering. I gestured toward the hallway, pretending I needed to use the restroom. Cassian barely acknowledged me, too engrossed in whatever conversation he was having with my father.

That was fine. I wanted to be away from them all.

The restroom was dimly lit, the soft glow of the wall sconces casting eerie shadows along the marble walls. I turned the faucet on, letting the cool water run over my trembling fingers. My reflection stared back at me, hollow and numb.

Just as I exhaled, the door creaked open. My heart sank as I saw Vivian step inside, her smirk widening.

"Oh, Anna," she cooed, stepping closer. "You poor, pitiful thing. You really thought you were meant to be Cassian's Luna? How tragic."

I smiled at her, nodding slightly, as if acknowledging her fake kindness. As if I couldn't hear the malice dripping from her words.

She let out a small laugh. "You know, I was worried for a moment that you'd actually give Cassian an heir before me. But fate was on my side, wasn't it?"

She placed her hand on her belly, stroking it with slow, deliberate movements.

"Your pup was strong, Anna. So strong. It's a shame it had to go to waste… but I understand you. After all, I am also not capable of bearing a child."

Vivian smiled, looking at me in the eye with a friendly smile.

"You see, I was struggling, and someone suggested a solution. A way to make sure I could carry a child of my own. I have told you about it many times but well I guess there's nothing wrong of saying it to you again."

I had a bad premonition, sending a sharp, searing pain through me. Not physical but deep, primal, something that clawed at the very core of my being. My wolf stirred violently, thrashing against the chains I had kept so tightly wound around it.

Vivian tilted her head, her smile sickly sweet. "You see, I need nourishment for the baby to be born. I need something with a strong life force... Like your pups."

My thoughts halted, feeling the tinnitus in my ears.

Vivian places her hand on my shoulder, looking friendly and demure, but the words she spouted were full of malice and provocation.

"You should be proud, Anna. Your loss gave me life. My baby is thriving, thanks to you."

Something inside me snapped.

My wolf howled for blood, the rage within me threatening to snap the fragile leash I had kept on it. My fingers twitched, itching to strike, to tear into Vivian's throat and finally end the sick game she played. But I couldn't.

Not yet.

So, I smiled instead.

A small, breathy laugh escaped my lips as I forced my expression into one of naivety, feigning innocence like a fool who understood nothing. I tilted my head, blinking at her as if I didn't understand the venom behind her words. Let her think I was still deaf.

Vivian's brows twitched, her smirk widening. "You really are stupid, aren't you?" she mused, shaking her head. "I almost feel bad for you."

She let out a sigh, stroking her belly with exaggerated fondness before turning toward the door. I could tell she was done with me, ready to return to the others, to sit at Cassian's side and bask in the warmth of her stolen victory.

I moved before I could stop myself.

My hands struck out, shoving her hard.

Vivian yelped as she stumbled backward, her body hitting the cold marble floor with a sharp thud. The sound of her shriek split through the air like lightning, high and piercing, shaking the walls around us. For a second, I froze, my heartbeat hammering against my ribs.

Then, as if waking from a trance, I widened my eyes and let my face morph into a mask of panic.

I brought a hand to my lips, trembling as if I hadn't meant to push her at all. I stepped forward, reaching out with fake concern, my fingers hesitating midair as I watched her writhe dramatically on the floor. My breath hitched, and I cast a confused glance at the door, pretending to wonder why she was making such a fuss.

The sound of footsteps thundered through the hall, and then the door burst open.

The pack rushed in, their faces twisted with shock and horror. My father was among them, his furious gaze snapping at me before I could even pretend to explain. Before I could process what was happening, his hand struck across my face.

Pain blossomed across my cheek, the sting sinking deep into my bones. My breath hitched as I turned, my wide eyes locking onto my father's furious gaze. His expression was filled with nothing but disappointment and rage.

"You disgraceful girl," he spat, his voice like ice. "What have you done?"

My heart pounded against my ribs. I barely had a moment to process the searing pain before Cassian rushed past me. He didn't spare me a glance, didn't hesitate for even a second. Instead, he knelt beside Vivian, his arms wrapping around her protectively as he lifted her effortlessly into his embrace.

"Are you hurt?" His voice was laced with concern, his golden eyes scanning her face for any sign of injury.

Vivian whimpered, clutching her stomach as if cradling something precious.

Cassian's gaze finally snapped at mine, burning with unrestrained fury. "If anything happens to my child," he growled, not caring to sign due to his frustration, his voice a low, dangerous threat, "I swear, Anna, you will pay."

My breath caught in my throat.

His child?

My thoughts spiraled. My ears rang with the weight of that single sentence. I had known Vivian was pregnant, but I had never once considered that Cassian, MY mate, could be the father.

I felt as if the ground had been ripped from beneath me.

I forced my expression into something unreadable, letting my lips part in silent confusion. I glanced around, taking in the cold stares of the pack, the way they sneered in disgust, how their whispered words dripped with disdain.

"How could she?" someone whispered.

"She's lost all reason," another voice murmured, filled with disgust.

"She's dangerous. A Luna who would harm an unborn child? Pathetic."

"She's deaf, but she's still a threat."

"No wonder the Moon goddess won't let her have a child. She will only hurt them."

Their words sliced through me like daggers, each one carving into my already fractured soul. My hands trembled at my sides as I struggled to keep my breathing steady, to suppress the overwhelming urge to scream.

I lifted my gaze to Cassian, searching for something, anything, that could disprove what I had just heard. But there was nothing. No hesitation, no regret, no second thoughts.

Just pure, unfiltered rage and protectiveness, for Vivian. .

Cassian's grip on Vivian tightened as he turned away, his entire presence dismissing me as if I were nothing.

One by one, they all left. My father, my pack, my mate.

I was alone.

The weight of their absence pressed down on me, and I stood there, unmoving, my hands curled into tight fists. My jaw clenched, my breathing shallow as I stared at the empty doorway. Another emotion slowly crept in, eclipsing the pain.