Celeste Albright, was pregnant when she found out that her mate, Alpha Leo Woodville, had impregnated his former betrothed, Violet Finckle. Again and again, Leo would choose his mistress over her, his fated mate and his own Luna. That was it.

That made Celeste realize that she could no longer stay at the Dark Night Pack.

While the realization was harsh, Celeste knew deep in her heart she deserved someone better. And that person was never Leo even if he was fated to be her mate.

“Let’s severe our mating bond for good, Alpha!” she shouted at Leo as he begged for her to come back.

From that very moment, Celeste learnt to find her one true happiness, especially when the Moon Goddess gave her a rare second chance.

——

Celeste Albright stood by the large windows in her room as she stared out into the garden that surrounded the Dark Night Pack’s territory.

Usually, the sight would calm her down when her mate, Alpha Leo Woodville, was going somewhere to someone. After all, there was something that kept her up at night. It was a cold weight settled in her chest.

The reason for the cold weight might be because she still couldn’t comprehend what she had just heard. From what she heard, there were rumors that said from the people. Unsavory rumors about the Alpha and his former betrothed, Violet Finkle.

Celeste’s wolf, Elia, told her, ‘How could he betray us when we’re fated to be mate?’

Elia had been howling in anger for days, feeling angry for the supposed betrayal. People would never say it before Celeste. Yet, she already knew about it.

Instinctively, Celeste placed a hand over her stomach as she felt the faint stir of life within.

‘My poor baby,’ she thought to herself.

What happened inside her was supposed to make her happy. After all, she was going to be a mother and Leo, her mate and mate, would be a father. But happiness was far from her reach.

Then, the door creaked open behind her that stopped her train of thought.

Before that person spoke, she already knew who it was. Her mate. The one who betrayed her the most.

“Celeste,” Leo said, his tone as cold as ever.

Celeste didn’t turn around when her mate called her again, “We need to talk.”

To be honest, she found it hard to look at him even once. The thoughts of his betrayal really broke her heart. Again and again, that man would choose Violet over her. But this was different.

Slowly but surely, she forced herself to face him as she asked him, “Yes, Leo?”

Leo looked sharply at her with his green eyes when he saw her indifferent face.

“You’re not the same. Why are you avoiding me?” he asked quietly.

Celeste almost laughed when she heard his question, so she couldn’t help but retort, “Not the same? How observant of you, Leo.”

Leo frowned when he heard her sarcastic remark.

His jaw tightened as he asked his wife, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’ve noticed some things, too,” Celeste replied to him as she lifted her chin and met her mate’s gaze with steady eyes.

“Like how you’ve been spending time with Violet again,” she continued.

When Celeste mentioned Violet’s name, Leo’s face darkened. Celeste noticed that her Alpha crossed his arms. But she knew that it was his usual gesture, defending himself when he was being accused.

“Violet and I are just … old friends,” Leo said defensively as Celeste expected.

“Old friends?” Celeste repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Without realizing it, she kept talking, “Leo, you promised me that she was in your past. But she’s here, in our present, more than I am. How am I supposed to feel?”

Leo looked away, a flicker of guilt crossing his face, but he quickly masked it as he coldly answered her, “It’s not what you think, Celeste.”

“It’s not?” she asked him again as she shook her head in disbelief while she was feeling the pain rising in her chest.

Eventually, Celeste had enough.

“Then what is it, Leo? Because it certainly looks like an affair to me.”

Leo’s gaze turned sharp when Celeste said that.

He quickly grabbed his wife’s wrist as he stepped closer and used his Alpha voice, “Watch your tone, Celeste. I’m your Alpha, not just your mate.”

The reminder stung. Despite the heavy pressure Celeste had because of the Alpha voice, she was surprised to find herself unwilling to bend to his Alpha voice. Instead, there was something inside her that felt different.

‘Is this Elia?’ she thought to herself.

“And I’m your Luna, but that doesn’t seem to mean anything to you,” she eventually said.

Then, Celeste realized that it wasn’t her wolf at all. It was her own voice. How could she do that?

After that, silence hung heavy between them. Celeste could feel her hands shaking, so she clenched them to steady herself. That was it. She was done with this.

Meanwhile, Leo just stared at his mate. But he couldn’t read her eyes as they were unreadable. Then, he took a step back. Nevertheless, Celeste could see a dismissive look crossing his face.

‘As expected, he would dismiss my feelings again,’ she told herself.

“You’re overthinking things,” Leo said, his voice colder than before.

He continued to talk, “Violet has been a part of my life since before you even joined this pack.”

“Yes, she is. But I’m your fated mate,” Celeste replied, fighting to keep her voice steady.

Then she continued, “I thought that would mean something to you.”

However, Leo scoffed as he said mockingly, “Don’t be so dramatic, Celeste. You’re acting like I’ve betrayed you.”

“If you’re not, why can’t you reassure me, Leo?” Celeste demanded despite her voice trembling as she tried to calm herelf.

“Why can’t you just say that you’ll choose me over her when your actions in fact has shown me that you will choose her over me again and again?” she asked him again.

As Celeste expected, Leo was silent. However, his silence hurt more than any words he could have said. The truth was there. And it crushed her.

“Forget it,” Celeste whispered, turning back to the window.

“Go back to Violet if that’s what you want,” she continued as she turned her head, avoiding him as she held back her tears.

“Celeste, don’t be ridiculous. I don’t have time for this. I have a pack to run,” he said, sounding frustrated.

“You’re right,” Celeste replied quietly.

She continued to talk, “You do. And I have a baby to think about.”

At her words, Leo looked surprised as he repeated, “A … a baby?”

“Yes. Our baby, Leo,” she confirmed what he just repeated, placing a protective hand over her stomach.

For a while, Leo stared at Celeste. He seemed to be stunned, but then his expression softened. When Celeste saw that, she thought for a moment that she saw a glimmer of the man she had once loved. Unfortunately, that hope faded as quickly as it came.

“A baby,” Leo repeated with a hollow voice, devoid of happiness.

However, he quickly covered it by saying, “That’s … that’s wonderful news, Celeste.”

“Is it?” Celeste asked, a bitter smile tugging at her lips.

She continued, “Because it seems like you’re more concerned with Violet than with us.”

Leo looked away, guilt flashing across his face again. Celeste knew that. Leo never said anything about it, but that silence told her everything she needed to know.

He started to talk, “Celeste, I-”

“I think it’s time for me to rest. Goodnight, Leo,” Celeste said as she cut him off.

Without waiting for his response, Celeste walked to the bed and lay down on our bed that he rarely visited. At this point, she didn’t even bother to look at the Alpha. She clearly could hear him sighing, but the man didn’t try to approach her or say anything else.

After a moment, Celeste heard the door close softly, leaving her alone with the crushing weight of his betrayal. Then, she smelled something familiar that crushed me even more. Violet’s scent.

Elia was growling inside Celeste as the wolf said, ‘How can he betray us again and again, Celeste! He doesn’t deserve to be our fated mate!’

What Elia said rang true to Celeste’s heart. She had enough. She was tired of being treated like a second fiddle when she was actually Leo’s Luna.

From that every moment, Celeste knew exactly what she had to do.

‘Let’s sever our mating bond for good, Alpha,’ she told herself before she closed her eyes.

Although everything felt overwhelming, Celeste knew that she had to carry on for the sake of the little one inside me. She dragged herself to get out of her room to see the pack doctor. But she would never expect to meet that person she wished to avoid there.

Violet.

She was standing with some pack members, laughing at something one of them had said. But when she saw Celeste, her expression shifted to one of smug satisfaction. In fact, Celeste noticed that her mate’s mistress gazed at her mockingly.

“Luna Celeste,” she greeted, dipping into a small curtsy.

“How lovely to see you this morning,” the mistress continued.

Celeste knew she couldn’t show how this woman ruined her marriage. The only thing she could do was to look at Violet calmly as she smiled politely, showing Violet that she was the Luna, not her. But … would that be enough?

“Violet, what brings you to our castle?” Celeste asked Violet calmly.

“Oh, Alpha Leo invited me, of course. He thought I might enjoy the castle for my baby,” the mistress said casually, placing her finger on her belly like me as if she was challenging Celeste.

Elia angrily shouted inside Celeste, ‘How dare she showed her face here!’

Celeste felt her patience slipping, but she held herself as she said, “I see. I hope you find them pleasant.”

Violet let out a smirk as she said, “They are. Just like old times.”

Celeste clenched her fists, feeling the anger bubbling inside her. That was it. From now on, she had to stand up for herself.

Without further ado, Celeste approached the mistress as she calmly said, “Old times should stay in the past, Violet. Leo and I have our own future to focus on now.”

The moment Celeste said it, she couldn’t help but notice Violet was insulted at what she said, but she still spoke, “Oh, of course. Though, I wonder… is Leo truly part of that future?”

“What are you trying to say?” Celeste asked as she forced herself to stay calm.

Violet just looked at Celeste as she continued mockingly, “Oh, nothing. It’s just that Leo and I have a connection that goes beyond … formalities. It’s only natural that we still share a bond.”

“You’re speaking of something that should no longer exist, Violet. Leo chose me,” Celeste told Violet as she looked at her firmly.

Violet laughed softly as she boldly showed off her still-flat belly to the Luna as she asked Celeste, “Did he, though?”

Violet’s words struck like a dagger, which made Celeste found herself stepping back. She knew that her composure was crumbling. In fact, it became clear to her.

Violet was expecting. While she said nothing, it became clear to everyone who the father was. The truth slapped Celeste hard.

Immediately, Celeste could hear her wolf, Elia, was trying to take over her body. However, she knew that would be unwise. So, she held her wolf down.

Then, Celeste let out a cold smirk as she told Violet face to face, “I see. But you must know, Violet. You may have been his past, but I am his present and his Luna. Please respect that.”

Before Violet could respond, Celeste continued, “I feel bad for the thing inside you. It must be horrible since it was made in a shameful way. What a way to show off, don’t you think?”

Violet’s face darkened. She clenched her teeth as she turned her head down and excused herself. That was it. Celeste no longer cared what Leo would say to her.

She watched the mistress walk away, but she didn’t feel that she won at all. What Violet had said to her stayed with her instead. They echoed in her mind, stirring a deep-seated fear that she could no longer ignore.

That was when Celeste realized that she needed to find a way to protect herself, her baby and her heart.

‘We really need to go, Elia,’ she told herself.