Avery's POV

The soft glow of the setting sun seeped through the curtains, painting the room in warm golden hues as I carefully adjusted the oversized bow on the gift box. My heartbeat quickened with anticipation, and for the first time in weeks, a glimmer of hope sparked within me. Tonight marked five years since Harland and I had vowed to stand together as husband and wife. This anniversary wasn’t just another milestone—it was my last chance to hold onto the fragile remnants of my life as Alpha Harland’s Luna.

Everything was set—the box, the ribbon, the Moonstone, and the small pregnancy test I gripped in my trembling fingers. Five years of longing, of silent prayers whispered into the night, and now—finally—I had been given a miracle. After all the years Harland had yearned for an heir, I was carrying his child. I envisioned his reaction: the sheer joy lighting up his features, the strength of his embrace, and the pride in his eyes when he realized our family was about to begin.

I wanted more than just the title of Luna. I wanted to be in his heart and soul. Especially now, when everything else in my world collapsed.

The sudden sound of the front door opening jolted me from my thoughts. My pulse leapt. Harland was home. Without hesitation, I climbed inside the gift box, adjusting the bow from within, ensuring everything was perfect. I bit my lip to hold back a giggle, imagining his reaction when he saw the surprise.

Then I heard his phone buzz, followed by the soft click of him putting it on speaker. I stilled, listening closely as his deep voice filled the room.

"Hey, Harland," a familiar voice greeted—it was Chad, his closest friend.

"What is it?" Harland asked, his tone indifferent.

"You won’t believe this," Chad said, amusement lacing his words. "Maureen is coming back."

I froze. Maureen?

Harland hesitated. "I know."

"Crazy, right?" Chad continued. "Turns out, she’s the real Alpha’s daughter. The one your father made you leave behind was actually the one he wanted you to marry all along."

Silence stretched between them before Harland spoke again, his voice steady but firm. "Yeah. That’s good news."

A lump formed in my throat.

"Back then, my father forced me to break up with Maureen and marry Avery because we thought she was the Alpha’s daughter," Harland admitted, bitterness creeping into his voice. "It was all about the alliance."

Chad chuckled. "Bet that was a shock."

"I’m tired of Avery," Harland muttered. "She’s dull. Always trying too hard. I put up with her because I had no choice, but now… now, I might finally have a way out."

Ice coursed through my veins.

"She’s just so... desperate," he continued, his tone filled with disdain. "Always planning these ridiculous surprises, thinking they’ll make a difference."

My fingers dug into the edge of the box, my knuckles turning white. My breath hitched, and tears burned my eyes.

"Speaking of which," Harland added with a sneer, "there’s a giant gift box sitting in the room. Probably another one of her pathetic attempts to impress me. I don’t even want to open it."

Chad laughed. "Classic Avery."

I bit down on my lip, swallowing a sob. My heart splintered into a thousand shards. Everything I had done—all the effort, all the love—had been for him. Just to see him smile, to feel even a sliver of affection. But now I realized the truth: he never saw me. Not as his Luna. Not as his partner. Not as anything.

The faint sound of running water signaled that Harland had stepped into the bathroom. I remained inside the suffocating darkness of the box, silent tears streaming down my face, struggling to process what I had just heard.

A week ago, I learned the truth: I wasn’t the Alpha’s biological daughter. A hospital mix-up had switched me with Maureen at birth. Overnight, the parents who once showered me with love turned distant. Their affection faded into indifference, their warmth replaced by empty stares. I was no longer their cherished daughter—just an outsider in a place I no longer belonged.

So, I had placed all my hope tonight. Harland was supposed to be my last refuge, the one person who wouldn’t abandon me like everyone else had.

For years, I clung to the illusion that I mattered. That I had a place. My parents’ love had vanished. My rightful position had been taken. And now, the man I had devoted myself to had shattered my final hope.

I had sacrificed everything for Harland—endured his indifference, loved him through every cold glance. But no matter what I did, I was never enough.

My hands trembled as I pressed the small button inside the box, triggering the lid to open with a soft click. I stepped out, my vision blurred by unshed tears. My gaze landed on the Moonstone in my hand, its soft glow a symbol of the devotion I had once carried for him. I had gone to great lengths to obtain it, believing it would prove my unwavering love.

But he wasn’t worthy of it.

Taking a deep breath, I let the Moonstone’s energy seep into me, absorbing its power. Its radiance faded, leaving behind a dull, lifeless stone. Just like my love for Harland—it no longer held any meaning.

Without hesitation, I tossed the stone into the trash can, followed by the discarded gift box. I wiped away my tears.

Stepping outside into the cold night air, my phone buzzed. I answered out of habit.

"Where are you?" Harland’s impatient voice barked through the line. "Get back here. We’re throwing a party for Maureen’s return."

Maureen. The real daughter. His first love.

I ended the call without replying. The world around me blurred as tears spilled down my cheeks. My life had crumbled into ruins, leaving me utterly alone.

Avery's POV

I shoved open the heavy oak doors of the packhouse, stepping into the grand foyer. The familiar scent of pine and earth filled my lungs, yet it no longer felt like home. My fingers brushed against my swollen eyes, willing away the redness before anyone could notice.

His scent was still here—strong, commanding, impossible to ignore. Even before I saw him, I heard his footsteps. And then, there he was.

Harland’s sharp gaze locked onto mine the moment he rounded the corner.

“Avery,” he said, his tone cool and clipped. “What’s wrong with your eyes?”

A part of me wanted to believe he asked because he cared. That maybe, just maybe, I still mattered. But there was no softness in his face, no concern—only impatience.

“It’s nothing,” I murmured, lowering my gaze. “Just... got something in them.”

He studied me for a brief moment, then shrugged. “We’re late. Let’s go.”

I hesitated. “I need to change first. I—”

“No,” he cut me off, his voice firm. “You don’t need to change. We don’t have time for that.”

I glanced down at my worn jeans and plain shirt, my stomach sinking. “But—”

“Enough, Avery.” His fingers wrapped around my wrist—not rough, but unyielding. “You look fine. We’re leaving.”

Fine. That’s all I ever was to him now. Just... fine.

The car ride to the gathering was silent. I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, staring out at the darkened landscape, hands clasped tightly in my lap. With each mile, my heart grew heavier. I was heading into a room full of people who barely saw me anymore—who wished I’d never existed in the first place.

By the time we arrived, the grand hall was already alive with laughter and excitement. Conversations hummed, glasses clinked, and admiration rippled through the crowd—all for her.

Maureen.

She stood at the center of it all, dressed in a shimmering diamond-studded gown that caught every light. Her long, perfect waves cascaded down her back, her radiant smile lighting up the room. A swan among sparrows.

I glanced down at myself again. My jeans suddenly felt too tight, my shirt too plain. I was an intruder here. A misplaced puzzle piece.

Then, Alpha Garry—her father—stepped onto the dais.

“Tonight, we celebrate the return of my daughter, Maureen,” he announced, his voice brimming with pride. “She has suffered greatly, but now she’s home—where she belongs. From this moment on, she will be cherished as she deserves.”

Thunderous applause filled the hall. I stood at the edge of the crowd, feeling like a ghost.

“She’s gorgeous,” someone whispered behind me.

“Poor Maureen,” another murmured. “Imagine everything she went through... while that girl took her place.”

Heat crept up my cheeks.

“She’s a fraud.”

“What a joke.”

The words dug into me like thorns. I swallowed hard, willing myself not to react.

Then, a voice—calm, sweet, yet laced with something sharper—cut through the air.

“Avery.”

I turned. Maureen stood before me, a glass of red wine in her delicate hand. Her lips curved into a smile, but her eyes gleamed with something darker.

“Enjoying the party?” she asked lightly.

I hesitated. “I—”

Her expression didn’t waver. “You must be thrilled to see everything back where it should be.”

I stiffened. “Maureen, I—”

“You stole my life,” she said softly, stepping closer. “You took my family. My home.”

“It wasn’t my choice,” I whispered.

She tilted her head, feigning curiosity. “Wasn’t it?” Her gaze flicked past me, landing on Harland Her lips curled. “Even my mate?”

“I never—”

“You did,” she murmured, her voice smooth as silk. “But don’t worry. I have everything back now.” She leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. “How does it feel to lose everything, Avery?”

Before I could respond, she turned.

And then, with a small, deliberate motion, she tipped her wineglass.

Deep red liquid splashed down the front of her gown. The glass slipped from her fingers, shattering against the marble floor.

Gasps filled the room as Maureen stumbled backward, her voice breaking into a perfect, practiced sob.

“Oh my goddess, please don’t!” she whimpered, her eyes wide with feigned terror. “Why would you do this to me?”

Silence.

Then all eyes turned to me.

“I—” My voice caught in my throat, panic surging.

“Avery!”

Harland’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and accusing. He was by Maureen’s side in an instant, his face contorted with fury.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I didn’t—” I started, my heart hammering.

“How could you?” Alpha Garry’s voice thundered. “You took a life that was never yours, and now you can’t even let your sister have her moment?”

“She’s not my sister!” The words tore from my throat before I could stop them.

A sharp crack rang through the air.

Harland’s hand met my cheek before I even saw it coming.

A sharp sting spread across my skin, the force of the slap making me stumble. I reached up, pressing trembling fingers to my burning cheek, my vision blurring with tears.

And as the room spun around me, as whispers filled the space like a suffocating fog, my hand drifted to my stomach—where no one knew yet.

Where our child—my child—was growing.

Avery's POV

The sharp crack of Harland’s palm against my cheek reverberated through the room, freezing me in place. For a moment, the world lost its shape—the murmurs of the crowd faded into nothing, and all I could process was the searing pain spreading across my skin. But the sting wasn’t just physical. It was the cold, merciless look in his eyes that cut deeper than any slap ever could. The man I had once trusted, the man for whom I had given up everything, had just struck me as if I were nothing. Not his Luna. Not his mate. Just something disposable.

Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I swallowed them down. I refused to break in front of him. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble. But the weight in my chest was unbearable—months, years of silent suffering pressing down on me, suffocating me.

“Avery!” Harland’s voice snapped through the silence like a whip, sharp and full of accusation. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

I parted my lips to speak, but nothing came out. The entire room had gone deathly quiet, all eyes locked onto me, yet their judgment paled in comparison to the pure rage burning in Harland’s gaze.

“Enough.” My father’s voice boomed across the hall, carrying all the authority of Alpha Garry. “Avery, stop making a scene. This is a celebration, and you’re ruining it. We have our beloved daughter back, and instead of welcoming her, you’re sulking and crying.”

His words struck like a dagger. Beloved daughter. As if I had never truly belonged, as if I had only been a stand-in, a mistake—one they were eager to erase now that the rightful heir had returned.

“You always bring down the mood,” my mother, Luna Kierra, scoffed, her voice thick with disdain. “Every time you’re here, it’s like a dark cloud settles over everything. Go somewhere else if you want to cry. This night is about Maureen, not you.”

A choked sob escaped before I could stop it. The walls of my chest threatened to cave in. Leave, they commanded. Disappear.

So, I did.

I didn’t plead. I didn’t fight. I didn’t waste another second trying to explain myself to people who had already decided I was unworthy. My own parents, the ones who should have loved me unconditionally, had discarded me. And Harland—the man I had built my life around—had humiliated me without hesitation. There was nothing left here for me.

As I stepped into the crisp night air, my wolf snarled inside me, its fury a wildfire raging through my veins. My body trembled with it—the urge to destroy, to unleash all the pain and betrayal clawing at my insides. I wanted to tear apart this world that had cast me aside. I wanted them to feel even a fraction of what I felt.

But then, my hand instinctively pressed against my abdomen.

The anger screeched to a halt, drowned out by a single, fragile thought. I was pregnant.

I clenched my jaw, forcing the fire back down. Not yet. My wolf growled in protest, but I knew—I knew—I couldn’t afford to lose control. Not now. Not when I carried a life inside me, innocent and undeserving of my vengeance. So, I walked. One step at a time, I left behind everything I had once known.

I drifted through the streets, aimless, my mind a tangled mess of rage and despair. I had nowhere to go, no plan—only the suffocating realization that I no longer had a place in this world. I wasn’t the Alpha’s daughter anymore. I wasn’t Harland’s mate. I was just… Avery.

Eventually, my feet carried me back to the packhouse. The home I had once believed was mine. The place where I had built my life with Harland As I pushed open the door, the quiet unease in my chest twisted into something far worse.

And then I heard it.

Soft, breathy moans.

A sound that shattered whatever fragile hope I had left.

I stood motionless, my heart lodged in my throat. The unmistakable rhythm of bodies moving together, the laughter, the whispered words—Harland and Maureen. In our bed.

A voice I had once loved spoke, casual, smug. “You’re so much better than her,” Harland murmured. “Avery’s lifeless in bed, like a damn corpse.”

A cold, bitter laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. The final piece of my shattered heart crumbled to dust.

Maureen giggled, voice dripping with satisfaction. “She was never meant to be yours, anyway. I belong here.”

My wolf howled in rage, demanding blood, demanding destruction. My nails dug into my palms as I fought the urge to let go. I couldn’t. Not yet.

I didn’t know how long they stayed tangled in my sheets, desecrating the last remnants of what I had believed was love. But eventually, Maureen left, and I turned to go, my steps heavy with the weight of finality.

The door creaked open behind me.

Harland stepped into the hallway, his expression as indifferent as ever. As if I were nothing more than an inconvenience.

“You’re here.” His tone was flat, almost bored. “I’m hungry. Go make me something.”

Something inside me snapped.

I didn’t move. I didn’t blink.

Without a word, I walked past him, gathering the framed photos that lined the shelves. Pictures of us. Memories I had once cherished. One by one, I collected them into a box.

Then, I took them outside.

The fire caught easily. Flames curled around the edges of the photographs, devouring the love I had once clung to. I watched as our past turned to ash, as every illusion I had built was reduced to nothing.

Harland stormed out, eyes narrowing. “What the hell are you doing?” His voice was sharp, commanding. “Are you deaf? I told you to cook.”

I didn’t even glance at him. His words meant nothing anymore. His voice no longer had the power to wound me.

“There’s food in the fridge,” I said, my tone eerily calm. “Help yourself.”

As the fire roared higher, I let my gaze drift to the house behind me—the place that no longer felt like home. The walls, the furniture, the very air reeked of Maureen. It wasn’t mine anymore.

I set a timer. By tomorrow, when I was far away, when nothing tied me to this place anymore, this house would burn.

A fitting end.

With one last glance at the flames, I reached for the divorce agreement. I had prepared it after they had pushed me out of the celebration. Thankfully, a friend had rushed the process for me. It was time to end this.

When I returned inside, Harland was still on the phone with Maureen, his attention nowhere near me. I placed the papers in front of him. “Sign this.”

He barely looked up. With a careless shrug, he scrawled his signature across the page and shoved them back at me. “There. Happy now? Leave me alone.”

I took the papers, fingers tightening around them. The final tie between us was severed.

As I turned to leave, I whispered under my breath, so softly he couldn’t hear—

“I will. Forever.”