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"Claire... you were pregnant?" Liam's voice cracked. The Alpha who had always looked right through me suddenly stood there like a man who had lost everything. "Two months," the doctor said. "The fall caused a complete placental abruption. She's lucky to be alive." The same fall Breanne caused. The same day he carried her in his arms – and left me bleeding in the dirt. I didn't look at him. If I did, I might remember how much I once loved him. "Why didn't you tell me?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Would it have changed anything? You made your choice when you carried her away." His jaw clenched. "Claire..." For the first time, I met his eyes. My voice was ice-cold. "And today, I made my choice too. We're done." *** She lost his baby. He protected the wrong woman. And now he demands her blood – to save the one who took everything from her... *** I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the heck did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!” My mind was made up before he finally came to our room. This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond. This time, I was genuinely determined to leave. Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so. Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us. We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for. If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it. I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line. This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment. A promise he made was long forgotten. This was that tipping point for my patience. “Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.” "Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum." Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off. He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways. I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight. In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind. But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive. As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally. I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes. His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?" Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done. My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted her attention to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell. Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood. His pupils contracted. "What happened?" I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it. Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne. Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?" "Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through. Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes. "It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home." Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!" Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming." My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside. Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital." That single word, "too", cut like a knife. I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone." Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently. Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology." The door slammed shut. I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—attention or money. It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now. This time, his sweet talk won't work. I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating. Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally. I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed. But I hadn't. During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and the one-month cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge. Now was the time. I didn't sleep all night; I couldn’t. Instead, I spent those hours cutting up every photograph of us together. There weren’t many, I realized. My phone was filled with pictures of Liam whenever I could sneak photos when he was distracted or busy. He was honestly an Adonis of a man. But three years together, we had exactly twenty-three pictures of us together as a couple, and only thirteen of those were just Liam and me. The remaining ten were with Breanne. I snuck downstairs before anyone else woke up and went into Liam's office. There on the desk was a picture. It was of him and Breanne, hugging and smiling into the camera. They looked happy. Too happy. My inner bitter self was vomiting at the sight. On the other side of the desk was a picture of the three of us. That's right, not me and my mate. It was Breanne pressed against Liam's side, smiling up at him, and I was smiling at the camera on the other side. My arm was linked around his, and he was smiling, but for which female in the picture, your guess was as good as mine. I took the picture out of the frame, and bent it so that I was folded to the back. There, now he had two perfect couple pictures of him and Breanne. I will simply bow out of this weird three-way relationship. By dawn, I had already filed the official rejection agreement papers at the Council's registry office. Then I donated all the designer outfits Liam had bought me to charity. Afterward, I drove out of the pack grounds for a few hours to pawn every piece of jewelry he'd ever given me at the local broker's. I didn’t want it getting back to Liam, or the pack gossip mill to run rampant with their own speculations. Not yet anyway. It was a surprisingly large chunk of money in return, one thing I knew for sure about Liam. When he was grovelling for his indifferences and mistakes, he never cheaped out on the apology jewelry. The broker didn’t have the full amount on hand, so I opted to have it wired, which worked fine for me. I opened a new bank account and provided them with the necessary information. I returned to the packhouse early that afternoon. I had requested that the gardener cut down the Cherry Blossom tree in the pack’s courtyard. He was ordered to burn every branch and leaf until only ashes remained. When I agreed to mate with Liam, I had my reservations because his family didn’t support their Alpha heir accepting the bond to a wolfless orphan with average financial standings. Liam planted the tree as a token of his pledge of devotion to us and our bond. I fell for it, thinking it would make us stronger. But I was wrong. By late afternoon, I had either sold, donated or destroyed every token of Liam and his devotion to me and our bond: everything but the Eclipse stone pendant. Some legends state that the Moon Goddess herself blessed the eclipse stone to strengthen the will of the wolfless. Call me a fool, but it still served as a sliver of proof that at some point, he did care enough to seek out the stone for me. Now that everything was removed, it was time for me to step out and prepare everything for my new life after this month-long cooldown period ended, and I was no longer the unwanted mate of Alpha Liam Sterling. I knew I had to be smart and figure out my path now, as I had no family to turn to once the rejection was completed. When I was seven, my father had disappeared after a mountain climbing accident. It was speculated that rogues were involved, as they were heavy in the area at the time. My mother re-mated not long afterwards, and we became part of the Thorne family. They were the overlords, if you will, of the Crown of Thornes Pack, rivals of The Sterling Moon pack and next door neighbours to the territory. My mother left the Thorne family after accusations and rumours of her infidelity and gambling debts. I didn’t believe it, but it seemed that everyone else did. I had no idea where she even went. She certainly didn’t seek me out after she left that night, abandoning me. The only person who would even be considered family at this point was Lucien Thorne. He was my former stepbrother from my mother's second mating. However, Lucien was notorious for his short temper, and he constantly mistreated me while we lived under the same roof, so I would sooner wind up homeless than seek his help. The heat of Liam’s black card was burning a hole in my pocket, serving as a reminder of his literal words: “Buy whatever you want and consider it as an apology.” Okay! I will. I went to the bank and after the teller spoke with the branch manager to confirm my approval of using the Alpha’s account for a withdrawal, yup, that's right, I held no status, so I wasn’t even recognized with authority over our marital account; I withdrew one million dollars from his account. It was insulting and frustrating to know that Breanne can walk in here and not have as many hoops to jump through to get at my mate’s money. But that’s fine. I have already started to let go of my hold on him emotionally. My head has already done so. As I waited for the teller to return with the funds, my phone rang. Liyah Cruz. She was my closest friend before I accepted the bond with Liam. Liam didn’t like her influence on me, as he put it, so over the years, our friendship became strained. For her to be reaching out and calling me now, it had to be important. "Liyah? What's wrong?" I answered right away. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Claire, the International Equestrian Championships start in a month, but I just got injured during training." Liyah's voice was thick with disappointment. "Claire, you were the most talented rider we knew. I could think of no one else to take over. Could you compete in my place?" The memories came flooding back. Had I not mated with Liam, I might have become as renowned as Liyah in equestrian circles. But Liam had disapproved of me riding; he often called it unladylike. He'd gone as far as going behind my back and selling my beloved white stallion, Mirage, to a good owner, cutting off my last connection to the sport. The silence stretched until Liyah sighed. "I forgot your mate doesn't allow—" "I'll do it," I interrupted. "One month. I'll be ready." Liyah's excited squeal pierced through the receiver. "Really? Oh my Goddess! Everyone always said you shouldn't have given up your talent for mating! You're finally coming back to us!" My hand trembled around the phone. Yes, before mating into the Sterling Moon pack and Alpha family, I had shone so brightly. Before Liam, I used to be many things. I was the university's star student—straight A's in every subject. A gifted painter, champion rider, runway model, master chef, and award-winning debater—there was nothing I couldn't excel at. But three years of mating had eroded it all. I hadn't touched a paintbrush in years. I have forgotten how to walk a runway, and even lost my sharp tongue in arguments—forced to submit to even my mate's family and house staff. Only my cooking skills remained polished because I have cooked for Liam every single day since the beginning of our bond acceptance. Only now did I realize how much of myself I had sacrificed. But it wasn't too late. I could still start over. This was that chance to start taking my life by the reins, so to speak, and returning to the Claire that used to walk proudly with her chin held high. I met Liyah at the stables we once rode at together. “Thank you, Claire-bear. I can’t believe you are actually here.” Liyah launched herself on top of me, despite her knee brace. I thought I understood what I gave up to be with Liam, my mate, but I didn’t understand a fraction of it. This crazy woman, who used to be my world, wrapped around me. How did I let him separate us? “It’s me who should thank you, Lee-Lee. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry. No more boys between us, I promise.” I sobbed. Liyah looked up, and I saw the understanding in her eyes. We both wiped our faces and laughed at our equally blotchy faces. “Okay, later, we'll discuss everything!” She looked at me with as much conviction as her tiny body could muster. I nodded and smiled. “But now, let me introduce you to Diva, my stallion. Just a warning, he lives up to the name periodically. I think it’s an adorable quirk for him and refuse to break it out of him. You’ll love him!” Liyah leads us to the stables, where we meet the horse. Liyah was right. We matched instantly. It isn’t easy for a shifter to bond with a stallion, but I never had those worries. I was always able to click with any animal, to the point where Liyah's brother spent a year calling me freaking snow white! I hated it, but he wasn’t wrong. I galloped across the equestrian field at dawn, the stallion I rode was kicking up dew as it raced toward the rising sun. Then I saw them. Liam and Breanne shared a white mare, ambling toward my direction. Breanne was dressed in her pristine white riding jodhpurs with the matching show coat, leaned back against Liam's chest. Liam's attire was the stark contrast of black on black. I watched him bend his head low, whispering something in Breanne’s ear, causing a fit of giggles from her. I had waited for him to return all night. When I had reached out and called him to ask if he would be returning that night, I was told, by him, that since Breanna needed an emergency appendectomy, he would not leave her side until she recovered. That was when I cut up our photos, burning them to ashes. As I watch them now, a question came to my mind, causing my brow to arch. When did appendectomy patients start riding horses the next day? My grip tightened on the reins just as Breanne spotted me. “Oh! Liam, how spooky. Doesn’t that woman look just like Claire!”At her teasing words, I watched as Liam's head snapped up. There, I sat astride my stallion, the tailored navy riding jacket accentuating my hourglass figure, my gaze glacial. I knew he felt it. Dismounting, Liam approached until he could only see the sharp angle of my jaw. "Sweetheart, since when do you ride? I thought you quit that. You should've told me you were coming." The memory of his and Breanne’s intimate pose churned my stomach. I pressed a hand to my mouth to keep from being sick at the thought before answering flatly. "Would you have answered if I called?" This acidic tone only emerged when I was furious. Liam's smile turned placating. "My fault—left my phone in the car. It turned out to be a false alarm about Breanne's appendix. Since she's competing in the International Equestrian Championships next month, I was only helping her practice." Breanne urged her mare forward, pouting. "Liam, why must we explain everything to her? Come back, we have more important things to focus on. You haven't finished teaching me." "An International Championship contender needs amateur instruction? How curious. I wonder if anyone else here is getting that kind of coaching? But, Liam, if she requires coaching, I'll do it." As Liam turned, my voice froze him. Liam’s expression initially fell flat at my words, but he quickly brightened at my offer. "Exactly! Breanne, Claire won that championship years ago." 'How touching that he finally remembered I have value,' I thought bitterly. Breanne bit her lip. "But—" After years together, I knew Breanne’s games. She wasn’t as nervous on a horse as she portrayed. It was all an act for Liam. "No buts." I raised my riding crop. "Let's ride." The crop came down on Breanne's mare, which bolted forward with a whinny as Breanne shrieked. Liam paled. "Claire! She wasn't ready—" "Real trainers surprise their students." My amber eyes glinted. “Your coddling would've kept her mediocre forever.” Dust sprayed Liam's face as I galloped after Breanne, leaving him standing there, cheeks burning as if slapped. Good. This was just the beginning of my resistance. Breanne and I raced across the field. Though I was starting late, my black stallion, Diva, was not one to be outshone, and we soon overtook Breanne's white mare. For three years, Breanne had only seen the docile, obedient Claire. This commanding version, I’m sure, was unnerving. I could hear her growling, which, to be honest, was only slowing her own horse down. Her mare would not be able to focus on a race, with its rider losing its hold over herself. It was bound to spook her mare soon, and if she weren’t careful, she would get bucked. But as the saying goes, not my circus, not my monkeys. Diva and I were focused on ourselves. I could sense Breanne's determination to beat me. But, no matter how she pushed her champion mare, I remained ahead. As Diva and I passed her again, I caught a flash of movement from Breanne out of the corner of my eye. She pulled a hairpin out of her pocket and hurled it at Diva. That hairpin had been a gift from her friend at her birthday party, and she had been keeping it close to her chest just now. It was made of silver, and the sharp end drove hard into Diva's rump. Diva was instantly startled. Despite my expert handling and calming charm, which I have often used in the past to soothe a panicked horse, Diva threw me. I felt the gnash from the rock sticking out from the ground, which I hit my head on. The impact sending black spots across my vision—and a cry in absolute agony. My abdominal area pinched and screamed with a sharp and sudden pain like nothing I have ever felt before. There was blood on my hand when I touched it. I needed to get up. I needed to get back and get medical help because I knew Breanne wasn’t going to get me any. As I tried to push myself up off the ground with one hand, while the other was wrapped tightly around my stomach, still crying in sheer pain, a polished boot came forcefully down, cracking the bones in my hand. "Ah—!" The pain forced a gasp through clenched teeth.
"Claire... you were pregnant?" Liam's voice cracked. The Alpha who had always looked right through me suddenly stood there like a man who had lost everything. "Two months," the doctor said. "The fall caused a complete placental abruption. She's lucky to be alive." The same fall Breanne caused. The same day he carried her in his arms – and left me bleeding in the dirt. I didn't look at him. If I did, I might remember how much I once loved him. "Why didn't you tell me?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Would it have changed anything? You made your choice when you carried her away." His jaw clenched. "Claire..." For the first time, I met his eyes. My voice was ice-cold. "And today, I made my choice too. We're done." *** She lost his baby. He protected the wrong woman. And now he demands her blood – to save the one who took everything from her... *** I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the heck did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!” My mind was made up before he finally came to our room. This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond. This time, I was genuinely determined to leave. Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so. Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us. We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for. If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it. I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line. This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment. A promise he made was long forgotten. This was that tipping point for my patience. “Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.” "Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum." Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off. He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways. I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight. In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind. But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive. As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally. I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes. His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?" Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done. My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted her attention to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell. Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood. His pupils contracted. "What happened?" I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it. Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne. Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?" "Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through. Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes. "It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home." Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!" Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming." My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside. Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital." That single word, "too", cut like a knife. I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone." Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently. Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology." The door slammed shut. I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—attention or money. It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now. This time, his sweet talk won't work. I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating. Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally. I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed. But I hadn't. During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and the one-month cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge. Now was the time. I didn't sleep all night; I couldn’t. Instead, I spent those hours cutting up every photograph of us together. There weren’t many, I realized. My phone was filled with pictures of Liam whenever I could sneak photos when he was distracted or busy. He was honestly an Adonis of a man. But three years together, we had exactly twenty-three pictures of us together as a couple, and only thirteen of those were just Liam and me. The remaining ten were with Breanne. I snuck downstairs before anyone else woke up and went into Liam's office. There on the desk was a picture. It was of him and Breanne, hugging and smiling into the camera. They looked happy. Too happy. My inner bitter self was vomiting at the sight. On the other side of the desk was a picture of the three of us. That's right, not me and my mate. It was Breanne pressed against Liam's side, smiling up at him, and I was smiling at the camera on the other side. My arm was linked around his, and he was smiling, but for which female in the picture, your guess was as good as mine. I took the picture out of the frame, and bent it so that I was folded to the back. There, now he had two perfect couple pictures of him and Breanne. I will simply bow out of this weird three-way relationship. By dawn, I had already filed the official rejection agreement papers at the Council's registry office. Then I donated all the designer outfits Liam had bought me to charity. Afterward, I drove out of the pack grounds for a few hours to pawn every piece of jewelry he'd ever given me at the local broker's. I didn’t want it getting back to Liam, or the pack gossip mill to run rampant with their own speculations. Not yet anyway. It was a surprisingly large chunk of money in return, one thing I knew for sure about Liam. When he was grovelling for his indifferences and mistakes, he never cheaped out on the apology jewelry. The broker didn’t have the full amount on hand, so I opted to have it wired, which worked fine for me. I opened a new bank account and provided them with the necessary information. I returned to the packhouse early that afternoon. I had requested that the gardener cut down the Cherry Blossom tree in the pack’s courtyard. He was ordered to burn every branch and leaf until only ashes remained. When I agreed to mate with Liam, I had my reservations because his family didn’t support their Alpha heir accepting the bond to a wolfless orphan with average financial standings. Liam planted the tree as a token of his pledge of devotion to us and our bond. I fell for it, thinking it would make us stronger. But I was wrong. By late afternoon, I had either sold, donated or destroyed every token of Liam and his devotion to me and our bond: everything but the Eclipse stone pendant. Some legends state that the Moon Goddess herself blessed the eclipse stone to strengthen the will of the wolfless. Call me a fool, but it still served as a sliver of proof that at some point, he did care enough to seek out the stone for me. Now that everything was removed, it was time for me to step out and prepare everything for my new life after this month-long cooldown period ended, and I was no longer the unwanted mate of Alpha Liam Sterling. I knew I had to be smart and figure out my path now, as I had no family to turn to once the rejection was completed. When I was seven, my father had disappeared after a mountain climbing accident. It was speculated that rogues were involved, as they were heavy in the area at the time. My mother re-mated not long afterwards, and we became part of the Thorne family. They were the overlords, if you will, of the Crown of Thornes Pack, rivals of The Sterling Moon pack and next door neighbours to the territory. My mother left the Thorne family after accusations and rumours of her infidelity and gambling debts. I didn’t believe it, but it seemed that everyone else did. I had no idea where she even went. She certainly didn’t seek me out after she left that night, abandoning me. The only person who would even be considered family at this point was Lucien Thorne. He was my former stepbrother from my mother's second mating. However, Lucien was notorious for his short temper, and he constantly mistreated me while we lived under the same roof, so I would sooner wind up homeless than seek his help. The heat of Liam’s black card was burning a hole in my pocket, serving as a reminder of his literal words: “Buy whatever you want and consider it as an apology.” Okay! I will. I went to the bank and after the teller spoke with the branch manager to confirm my approval of using the Alpha’s account for a withdrawal, yup, that's right, I held no status, so I wasn’t even recognized with authority over our marital account; I withdrew one million dollars from his account. It was insulting and frustrating to know that Breanne can walk in here and not have as many hoops to jump through to get at my mate’s money. But that’s fine. I have already started to let go of my hold on him emotionally. My head has already done so. As I waited for the teller to return with the funds, my phone rang. Liyah Cruz. She was my closest friend before I accepted the bond with Liam. Liam didn’t like her influence on me, as he put it, so over the years, our friendship became strained. For her to be reaching out and calling me now, it had to be important. "Liyah? What's wrong?" I answered right away. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Claire, the International Equestrian Championships start in a month, but I just got injured during training." Liyah's voice was thick with disappointment. "Claire, you were the most talented rider we knew. I could think of no one else to take over. Could you compete in my place?" The memories came flooding back. Had I not mated with Liam, I might have become as renowned as Liyah in equestrian circles. But Liam had disapproved of me riding; he often called it unladylike. He'd gone as far as going behind my back and selling my beloved white stallion, Mirage, to a good owner, cutting off my last connection to the sport. The silence stretched until Liyah sighed. "I forgot your mate doesn't allow—" "I'll do it," I interrupted. "One month. I'll be ready." Liyah's excited squeal pierced through the receiver. "Really? Oh my Goddess! Everyone always said you shouldn't have given up your talent for mating! You're finally coming back to us!" My hand trembled around the phone. Yes, before mating into the Sterling Moon pack and Alpha family, I had shone so brightly. Before Liam, I used to be many things. I was the university's star student—straight A's in every subject. A gifted painter, champion rider, runway model, master chef, and award-winning debater—there was nothing I couldn't excel at. But three years of mating had eroded it all. I hadn't touched a paintbrush in years. I have forgotten how to walk a runway, and even lost my sharp tongue in arguments—forced to submit to even my mate's family and house staff. Only my cooking skills remained polished because I have cooked for Liam every single day since the beginning of our bond acceptance. Only now did I realize how much of myself I had sacrificed. But it wasn't too late. I could still start over. This was that chance to start taking my life by the reins, so to speak, and returning to the Claire that used to walk proudly with her chin held high. I met Liyah at the stables we once rode at together. “Thank you, Claire-bear. I can’t believe you are actually here.” Liyah launched herself on top of me, despite her knee brace. I thought I understood what I gave up to be with Liam, my mate, but I didn’t understand a fraction of it. This crazy woman, who used to be my world, wrapped around me. How did I let him separate us? “It’s me who should thank you, Lee-Lee. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry. No more boys between us, I promise.” I sobbed. Liyah looked up, and I saw the understanding in her eyes. We both wiped our faces and laughed at our equally blotchy faces. “Okay, later, we'll discuss everything!” She looked at me with as much conviction as her tiny body could muster. I nodded and smiled. “But now, let me introduce you to Diva, my stallion. Just a warning, he lives up to the name periodically. I think it’s an adorable quirk for him and refuse to break it out of him. You’ll love him!” Liyah leads us to the stables, where we meet the horse. Liyah was right. We matched instantly. It isn’t easy for a shifter to bond with a stallion, but I never had those worries. I was always able to click with any animal, to the point where Liyah's brother spent a year calling me freaking snow white! I hated it, but he wasn’t wrong. I galloped across the equestrian field at dawn, the stallion I rode was kicking up dew as it raced toward the rising sun. Then I saw them. Liam and Breanne shared a white mare, ambling toward my direction. Breanne was dressed in her pristine white riding jodhpurs with the matching show coat, leaned back against Liam's chest. Liam's attire was the stark contrast of black on black. I watched him bend his head low, whispering something in Breanne’s ear, causing a fit of giggles from her. I had waited for him to return all night. When I had reached out and called him to ask if he would be returning that night, I was told, by him, that since Breanna needed an emergency appendectomy, he would not leave her side until she recovered. That was when I cut up our photos, burning them to ashes. As I watch them now, a question came to my mind, causing my brow to arch. When did appendectomy patients start riding horses the next day? My grip tightened on the reins just as Breanne spotted me. “Oh! Liam, how spooky. Doesn’t that woman look just like Claire!”At her teasing words, I watched as Liam's head snapped up. There, I sat astride my stallion, the tailored navy riding jacket accentuating my hourglass figure, my gaze glacial. I knew he felt it. Dismounting, Liam approached until he could only see the sharp angle of my jaw. "Sweetheart, since when do you ride? I thought you quit that. You should've told me you were coming." The memory of his and Breanne’s intimate pose churned my stomach. I pressed a hand to my mouth to keep from being sick at the thought before answering flatly. "Would you have answered if I called?" This acidic tone only emerged when I was furious. Liam's smile turned placating. "My fault—left my phone in the car. It turned out to be a false alarm about Breanne's appendix. Since she's competing in the International Equestrian Championships next month, I was only helping her practice." Breanne urged her mare forward, pouting. "Liam, why must we explain everything to her? Come back, we have more important things to focus on. You haven't finished teaching me." "An International Championship contender needs amateur instruction? How curious. I wonder if anyone else here is getting that kind of coaching? But, Liam, if she requires coaching, I'll do it." As Liam turned, my voice froze him. Liam’s expression initially fell flat at my words, but he quickly brightened at my offer. "Exactly! Breanne, Claire won that championship years ago." 'How touching that he finally remembered I have value,' I thought bitterly. Breanne bit her lip. "But—" After years together, I knew Breanne’s games. She wasn’t as nervous on a horse as she portrayed. It was all an act for Liam. "No buts." I raised my riding crop. "Let's ride." The crop came down on Breanne's mare, which bolted forward with a whinny as Breanne shrieked. Liam paled. "Claire! She wasn't ready—" "Real trainers surprise their students." My amber eyes glinted. “Your coddling would've kept her mediocre forever.” Dust sprayed Liam's face as I galloped after Breanne, leaving him standing there, cheeks burning as if slapped. Good. This was just the beginning of my resistance. Breanne and I raced across the field. Though I was starting late, my black stallion, Diva, was not one to be outshone, and we soon overtook Breanne's white mare. For three years, Breanne had only seen the docile, obedient Claire. This commanding version, I’m sure, was unnerving. I could hear her growling, which, to be honest, was only slowing her own horse down. Her mare would not be able to focus on a race, with its rider losing its hold over herself. It was bound to spook her mare soon, and if she weren’t careful, she would get bucked. But as the saying goes, not my circus, not my monkeys. Diva and I were focused on ourselves. I could sense Breanne's determination to beat me. But, no matter how she pushed her champion mare, I remained ahead. As Diva and I passed her again, I caught a flash of movement from Breanne out of the corner of my eye. She pulled a hairpin out of her pocket and hurled it at Diva. That hairpin had been a gift from her friend at her birthday party, and she had been keeping it close to her chest just now. It was made of silver, and the sharp end drove hard into Diva's rump. Diva was instantly startled. Despite my expert handling and calming charm, which I have often used in the past to soothe a panicked horse, Diva threw me. I felt the gnash from the rock sticking out from the ground, which I hit my head on. The impact sending black spots across my vision—and a cry in absolute agony. My abdominal area pinched and screamed with a sharp and sudden pain like nothing I have ever felt before. There was blood on my hand when I touched it. I needed to get up. I needed to get back and get medical help because I knew Breanne wasn’t going to get me any. As I tried to push myself up off the ground with one hand, while the other was wrapped tightly around my stomach, still crying in sheer pain, a polished boot came forcefully down, cracking the bones in my hand. "Ah—!" The pain forced a gasp through clenched teeth.
"Claire... you were pregnant?" Liam's voice cracked. The Alpha who had always looked right through me suddenly stood there like a man who had lost everything. "Two months," the doctor said. "The fall caused a complete placental abruption. She's lucky to be alive." The same fall Breanne caused. The same day he carried her in his arms – and left me bleeding in the dirt. I didn't look at him. If I did, I might remember how much I once loved him. "Why didn't you tell me?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Would it have changed anything? You made your choice when you carried her away." His jaw clenched. "Claire..." For the first time, I met his eyes. My voice was ice-cold. "And today, I made my choice too. We're done." *** She lost his baby. He protected the wrong woman. And now he demands her blood – to save the one who took everything from her... *** I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the heck did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!” My mind was made up before he finally came to our room. This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond. This time, I was genuinely determined to leave. Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so. Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us. We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for. If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it. I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line. This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment. A promise he made was long forgotten. This was that tipping point for my patience. “Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.” "Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum." Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off. He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways. I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight. In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind. But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive. As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally. I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes. His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?" Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done. My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted her attention to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell. Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood. His pupils contracted. "What happened?" I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it. Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne. Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?" "Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through. Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes. "It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home." Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!" Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming." My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside. Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital." That single word, "too", cut like a knife. I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone." Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently. Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology." The door slammed shut. I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—attention or money. It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now. This time, his sweet talk won't work. I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating. Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally. I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed. But I hadn't. During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and the one-month cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge. Now was the time. I didn't sleep all night; I couldn’t. Instead, I spent those hours cutting up every photograph of us together. There weren’t many, I realized. My phone was filled with pictures of Liam whenever I could sneak photos when he was distracted or busy. He was honestly an Adonis of a man. But three years together, we had exactly twenty-three pictures of us together as a couple, and only thirteen of those were just Liam and me. The remaining ten were with Breanne. I snuck downstairs before anyone else woke up and went into Liam's office. There on the desk was a picture. It was of him and Breanne, hugging and smiling into the camera. They looked happy. Too happy. My inner bitter self was vomiting at the sight. On the other side of the desk was a picture of the three of us. That's right, not me and my mate. It was Breanne pressed against Liam's side, smiling up at him, and I was smiling at the camera on the other side. My arm was linked around his, and he was smiling, but for which female in the picture, your guess was as good as mine. I took the picture out of the frame, and bent it so that I was folded to the back. There, now he had two perfect couple pictures of him and Breanne. I will simply bow out of this weird three-way relationship. By dawn, I had already filed the official rejection agreement papers at the Council's registry office. Then I donated all the designer outfits Liam had bought me to charity. Afterward, I drove out of the pack grounds for a few hours to pawn every piece of jewelry he'd ever given me at the local broker's. I didn’t want it getting back to Liam, or the pack gossip mill to run rampant with their own speculations. Not yet anyway. It was a surprisingly large chunk of money in return, one thing I knew for sure about Liam. When he was grovelling for his indifferences and mistakes, he never cheaped out on the apology jewelry. The broker didn’t have the full amount on hand, so I opted to have it wired, which worked fine for me. I opened a new bank account and provided them with the necessary information. I returned to the packhouse early that afternoon. I had requested that the gardener cut down the Cherry Blossom tree in the pack’s courtyard. He was ordered to burn every branch and leaf until only ashes remained. When I agreed to mate with Liam, I had my reservations because his family didn’t support their Alpha heir accepting the bond to a wolfless orphan with average financial standings. Liam planted the tree as a token of his pledge of devotion to us and our bond. I fell for it, thinking it would make us stronger. But I was wrong. By late afternoon, I had either sold, donated or destroyed every token of Liam and his devotion to me and our bond: everything but the Eclipse stone pendant. Some legends state that the Moon Goddess herself blessed the eclipse stone to strengthen the will of the wolfless. Call me a fool, but it still served as a sliver of proof that at some point, he did care enough to seek out the stone for me. Now that everything was removed, it was time for me to step out and prepare everything for my new life after this month-long cooldown period ended, and I was no longer the unwanted mate of Alpha Liam Sterling. I knew I had to be smart and figure out my path now, as I had no family to turn to once the rejection was completed. When I was seven, my father had disappeared after a mountain climbing accident. It was speculated that rogues were involved, as they were heavy in the area at the time. My mother re-mated not long afterwards, and we became part of the Thorne family. They were the overlords, if you will, of the Crown of Thornes Pack, rivals of The Sterling Moon pack and next door neighbours to the territory. My mother left the Thorne family after accusations and rumours of her infidelity and gambling debts. I didn’t believe it, but it seemed that everyone else did. I had no idea where she even went. She certainly didn’t seek me out after she left that night, abandoning me. The only person who would even be considered family at this point was Lucien Thorne. He was my former stepbrother from my mother's second mating. However, Lucien was notorious for his short temper, and he constantly mistreated me while we lived under the same roof, so I would sooner wind up homeless than seek his help. The heat of Liam’s black card was burning a hole in my pocket, serving as a reminder of his literal words: “Buy whatever you want and consider it as an apology.” Okay! I will. I went to the bank and after the teller spoke with the branch manager to confirm my approval of using the Alpha’s account for a withdrawal, yup, that's right, I held no status, so I wasn’t even recognized with authority over our marital account; I withdrew one million dollars from his account. It was insulting and frustrating to know that Breanne can walk in here and not have as many hoops to jump through to get at my mate’s money. But that’s fine. I have already started to let go of my hold on him emotionally. My head has already done so. As I waited for the teller to return with the funds, my phone rang. Liyah Cruz. She was my closest friend before I accepted the bond with Liam. Liam didn’t like her influence on me, as he put it, so over the years, our friendship became strained. For her to be reaching out and calling me now, it had to be important. "Liyah? What's wrong?" I answered right away. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Claire, the International Equestrian Championships start in a month, but I just got injured during training." Liyah's voice was thick with disappointment. "Claire, you were the most talented rider we knew. I could think of no one else to take over. Could you compete in my place?" The memories came flooding back. Had I not mated with Liam, I might have become as renowned as Liyah in equestrian circles. But Liam had disapproved of me riding; he often called it unladylike. He'd gone as far as going behind my back and selling my beloved white stallion, Mirage, to a good owner, cutting off my last connection to the sport. The silence stretched until Liyah sighed. "I forgot your mate doesn't allow—" "I'll do it," I interrupted. "One month. I'll be ready." Liyah's excited squeal pierced through the receiver. "Really? Oh my Goddess! Everyone always said you shouldn't have given up your talent for mating! You're finally coming back to us!" My hand trembled around the phone. Yes, before mating into the Sterling Moon pack and Alpha family, I had shone so brightly. Before Liam, I used to be many things. I was the university's star student—straight A's in every subject. A gifted painter, champion rider, runway model, master chef, and award-winning debater—there was nothing I couldn't excel at. But three years of mating had eroded it all. I hadn't touched a paintbrush in years. I have forgotten how to walk a runway, and even lost my sharp tongue in arguments—forced to submit to even my mate's family and house staff. Only my cooking skills remained polished because I have cooked for Liam every single day since the beginning of our bond acceptance. Only now did I realize how much of myself I had sacrificed. But it wasn't too late. I could still start over. This was that chance to start taking my life by the reins, so to speak, and returning to the Claire that used to walk proudly with her chin held high. I met Liyah at the stables we once rode at together. “Thank you, Claire-bear. I can’t believe you are actually here.” Liyah launched herself on top of me, despite her knee brace. I thought I understood what I gave up to be with Liam, my mate, but I didn’t understand a fraction of it. This crazy woman, who used to be my world, wrapped around me. How did I let him separate us? “It’s me who should thank you, Lee-Lee. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry. No more boys between us, I promise.” I sobbed. Liyah looked up, and I saw the understanding in her eyes. We both wiped our faces and laughed at our equally blotchy faces. “Okay, later, we'll discuss everything!” She looked at me with as much conviction as her tiny body could muster. I nodded and smiled. “But now, let me introduce you to Diva, my stallion. Just a warning, he lives up to the name periodically. I think it’s an adorable quirk for him and refuse to break it out of him. You’ll love him!” Liyah leads us to the stables, where we meet the horse. Liyah was right. We matched instantly. It isn’t easy for a shifter to bond with a stallion, but I never had those worries. I was always able to click with any animal, to the point where Liyah's brother spent a year calling me freaking snow white! I hated it, but he wasn’t wrong. I galloped across the equestrian field at dawn, the stallion I rode was kicking up dew as it raced toward the rising sun. Then I saw them. Liam and Breanne shared a white mare, ambling toward my direction. Breanne was dressed in her pristine white riding jodhpurs with the matching show coat, leaned back against Liam's chest. Liam's attire was the stark contrast of black on black. I watched him bend his head low, whispering something in Breanne’s ear, causing a fit of giggles from her. I had waited for him to return all night. When I had reached out and called him to ask if he would be returning that night, I was told, by him, that since Breanna needed an emergency appendectomy, he would not leave her side until she recovered. That was when I cut up our photos, burning them to ashes. As I watch them now, a question came to my mind, causing my brow to arch. When did appendectomy patients start riding horses the next day? My grip tightened on the reins just as Breanne spotted me. “Oh! Liam, how spooky. Doesn’t that woman look just like Claire!”At her teasing words, I watched as Liam's head snapped up. There, I sat astride my stallion, the tailored navy riding jacket accentuating my hourglass figure, my gaze glacial. I knew he felt it. Dismounting, Liam approached until he could only see the sharp angle of my jaw. "Sweetheart, since when do you ride? I thought you quit that. You should've told me you were coming." The memory of his and Breanne’s intimate pose churned my stomach. I pressed a hand to my mouth to keep from being sick at the thought before answering flatly. "Would you have answered if I called?" This acidic tone only emerged when I was furious. Liam's smile turned placating. "My fault—left my phone in the car. It turned out to be a false alarm about Breanne's appendix. Since she's competing in the International Equestrian Championships next month, I was only helping her practice." Breanne urged her mare forward, pouting. "Liam, why must we explain everything to her? Come back, we have more important things to focus on. You haven't finished teaching me." "An International Championship contender needs amateur instruction? How curious. I wonder if anyone else here is getting that kind of coaching? But, Liam, if she requires coaching, I'll do it." As Liam turned, my voice froze him. Liam’s expression initially fell flat at my words, but he quickly brightened at my offer. "Exactly! Breanne, Claire won that championship years ago." 'How touching that he finally remembered I have value,' I thought bitterly. Breanne bit her lip. "But—" After years together, I knew Breanne’s games. She wasn’t as nervous on a horse as she portrayed. It was all an act for Liam. "No buts." I raised my riding crop. "Let's ride." The crop came down on Breanne's mare, which bolted forward with a whinny as Breanne shrieked. Liam paled. "Claire! She wasn't ready—" "Real trainers surprise their students." My amber eyes glinted. “Your coddling would've kept her mediocre forever.” Dust sprayed Liam's face as I galloped after Breanne, leaving him standing there, cheeks burning as if slapped. Good. This was just the beginning of my resistance. Breanne and I raced across the field. Though I was starting late, my black stallion, Diva, was not one to be outshone, and we soon overtook Breanne's white mare. For three years, Breanne had only seen the docile, obedient Claire. This commanding version, I’m sure, was unnerving. I could hear her growling, which, to be honest, was only slowing her own horse down. Her mare would not be able to focus on a race, with its rider losing its hold over herself. It was bound to spook her mare soon, and if she weren’t careful, she would get bucked. But as the saying goes, not my circus, not my monkeys. Diva and I were focused on ourselves. I could sense Breanne's determination to beat me. But, no matter how she pushed her champion mare, I remained ahead. As Diva and I passed her again, I caught a flash of movement from Breanne out of the corner of my eye. She pulled a hairpin out of her pocket and hurled it at Diva. That hairpin had been a gift from her friend at her birthday party, and she had been keeping it close to her chest just now. It was made of silver, and the sharp end drove hard into Diva's rump. Diva was instantly startled. Despite my expert handling and calming charm, which I have often used in the past to soothe a panicked horse, Diva threw me. I felt the gnash from the rock sticking out from the ground, which I hit my head on. The impact sending black spots across my vision—and a cry in absolute agony. My abdominal area pinched and screamed with a sharp and sudden pain like nothing I have ever felt before. There was blood on my hand when I touched it. I needed to get up. I needed to get back and get medical help because I knew Breanne wasn’t going to get me any. As I tried to push myself up off the ground with one hand, while the other was wrapped tightly around my stomach, still crying in sheer pain, a polished boot came forcefully down, cracking the bones in my hand. "Ah—!" The pain forced a gasp through clenched teeth.
"Claire... you were pregnant?" Liam's voice cracked. The Alpha who had always looked right through me suddenly stood there like a man who had lost everything. "Two months," the doctor said. "The fall caused a complete placental abruption. She's lucky to be alive." The same fall Breanne caused. The same day he carried her in his arms – and left me bleeding in the dirt. I didn't look at him. If I did, I might remember how much I once loved him. "Why didn't you tell me?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Would it have changed anything? You made your choice when you carried her away." His jaw clenched. "Claire..." For the first time, I met his eyes. My voice was ice-cold. "And today, I made my choice too. We're done." *** She lost his baby. He protected the wrong woman. And now he demands her blood – to save the one who took everything from her... *** I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the heck did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!” My mind was made up before he finally came to our room. This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond. This time, I was genuinely determined to leave. Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so. Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us. We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for. If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it. I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line. This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment. A promise he made was long forgotten. This was that tipping point for my patience. “Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.” "Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum." Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off. He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways. I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight. In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind. But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive. As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally. I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes. His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?" Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done. My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted her attention to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell. Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood. His pupils contracted. "What happened?" I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it. Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne. Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?" "Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through. Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes. "It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home." Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!" Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming." My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside. Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital." That single word, "too", cut like a knife. I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone." Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently. Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology." The door slammed shut. I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—attention or money. It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now. This time, his sweet talk won't work. I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating. Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally. I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed. But I hadn't. During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and the one-month cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge. Now was the time. I didn't sleep all night; I couldn’t. Instead, I spent those hours cutting up every photograph of us together. There weren’t many, I realized. My phone was filled with pictures of Liam whenever I could sneak photos when he was distracted or busy. He was honestly an Adonis of a man. But three years together, we had exactly twenty-three pictures of us together as a couple, and only thirteen of those were just Liam and me. The remaining ten were with Breanne. I snuck downstairs before anyone else woke up and went into Liam's office. There on the desk was a picture. It was of him and Breanne, hugging and smiling into the camera. They looked happy. Too happy. My inner bitter self was vomiting at the sight. On the other side of the desk was a picture of the three of us. That's right, not me and my mate. It was Breanne pressed against Liam's side, smiling up at him, and I was smiling at the camera on the other side. My arm was linked around his, and he was smiling, but for which female in the picture, your guess was as good as mine. I took the picture out of the frame, and bent it so that I was folded to the back. There, now he had two perfect couple pictures of him and Breanne. I will simply bow out of this weird three-way relationship. By dawn, I had already filed the official rejection agreement papers at the Council's registry office. Then I donated all the designer outfits Liam had bought me to charity. Afterward, I drove out of the pack grounds for a few hours to pawn every piece of jewelry he'd ever given me at the local broker's. I didn’t want it getting back to Liam, or the pack gossip mill to run rampant with their own speculations. Not yet anyway. It was a surprisingly large chunk of money in return, one thing I knew for sure about Liam. When he was grovelling for his indifferences and mistakes, he never cheaped out on the apology jewelry. The broker didn’t have the full amount on hand, so I opted to have it wired, which worked fine for me. I opened a new bank account and provided them with the necessary information. I returned to the packhouse early that afternoon. I had requested that the gardener cut down the Cherry Blossom tree in the pack’s courtyard. He was ordered to burn every branch and leaf until only ashes remained. When I agreed to mate with Liam, I had my reservations because his family didn’t support their Alpha heir accepting the bond to a wolfless orphan with average financial standings. Liam planted the tree as a token of his pledge of devotion to us and our bond. I fell for it, thinking it would make us stronger. But I was wrong. By late afternoon, I had either sold, donated or destroyed every token of Liam and his devotion to me and our bond: everything but the Eclipse stone pendant. Some legends state that the Moon Goddess herself blessed the eclipse stone to strengthen the will of the wolfless. Call me a fool, but it still served as a sliver of proof that at some point, he did care enough to seek out the stone for me. Now that everything was removed, it was time for me to step out and prepare everything for my new life after this month-long cooldown period ended, and I was no longer the unwanted mate of Alpha Liam Sterling. I knew I had to be smart and figure out my path now, as I had no family to turn to once the rejection was completed. When I was seven, my father had disappeared after a mountain climbing accident. It was speculated that rogues were involved, as they were heavy in the area at the time. My mother re-mated not long afterwards, and we became part of the Thorne family. They were the overlords, if you will, of the Crown of Thornes Pack, rivals of The Sterling Moon pack and next door neighbours to the territory. My mother left the Thorne family after accusations and rumours of her infidelity and gambling debts. I didn’t believe it, but it seemed that everyone else did. I had no idea where she even went. She certainly didn’t seek me out after she left that night, abandoning me. The only person who would even be considered family at this point was Lucien Thorne. He was my former stepbrother from my mother's second mating. However, Lucien was notorious for his short temper, and he constantly mistreated me while we lived under the same roof, so I would sooner wind up homeless than seek his help. The heat of Liam’s black card was burning a hole in my pocket, serving as a reminder of his literal words: “Buy whatever you want and consider it as an apology.” Okay! I will. I went to the bank and after the teller spoke with the branch manager to confirm my approval of using the Alpha’s account for a withdrawal, yup, that's right, I held no status, so I wasn’t even recognized with authority over our marital account; I withdrew one million dollars from his account. It was insulting and frustrating to know that Breanne can walk in here and not have as many hoops to jump through to get at my mate’s money. But that’s fine. I have already started to let go of my hold on him emotionally. My head has already done so. As I waited for the teller to return with the funds, my phone rang. Liyah Cruz. She was my closest friend before I accepted the bond with Liam. Liam didn’t like her influence on me, as he put it, so over the years, our friendship became strained. For her to be reaching out and calling me now, it had to be important. "Liyah? What's wrong?" I answered right away. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Claire, the International Equestrian Championships start in a month, but I just got injured during training." Liyah's voice was thick with disappointment. "Claire, you were the most talented rider we knew. I could think of no one else to take over. Could you compete in my place?" The memories came flooding back. Had I not mated with Liam, I might have become as renowned as Liyah in equestrian circles. But Liam had disapproved of me riding; he often called it unladylike. He'd gone as far as going behind my back and selling my beloved white stallion, Mirage, to a good owner, cutting off my last connection to the sport. The silence stretched until Liyah sighed. "I forgot your mate doesn't allow—" "I'll do it," I interrupted. "One month. I'll be ready." Liyah's excited squeal pierced through the receiver. "Really? Oh my Goddess! Everyone always said you shouldn't have given up your talent for mating! You're finally coming back to us!" My hand trembled around the phone. Yes, before mating into the Sterling Moon pack and Alpha family, I had shone so brightly. Before Liam, I used to be many things. I was the university's star student—straight A's in every subject. A gifted painter, champion rider, runway model, master chef, and award-winning debater—there was nothing I couldn't excel at. But three years of mating had eroded it all. I hadn't touched a paintbrush in years. I have forgotten how to walk a runway, and even lost my sharp tongue in arguments—forced to submit to even my mate's family and house staff. Only my cooking skills remained polished because I have cooked for Liam every single day since the beginning of our bond acceptance. Only now did I realize how much of myself I had sacrificed. But it wasn't too late. I could still start over. This was that chance to start taking my life by the reins, so to speak, and returning to the Claire that used to walk proudly with her chin held high. I met Liyah at the stables we once rode at together. “Thank you, Claire-bear. I can’t believe you are actually here.” Liyah launched herself on top of me, despite her knee brace. I thought I understood what I gave up to be with Liam, my mate, but I didn’t understand a fraction of it. This crazy woman, who used to be my world, wrapped around me. How did I let him separate us? “It’s me who should thank you, Lee-Lee. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry. No more boys between us, I promise.” I sobbed. Liyah looked up, and I saw the understanding in her eyes. We both wiped our faces and laughed at our equally blotchy faces. “Okay, later, we'll discuss everything!” She looked at me with as much conviction as her tiny body could muster. I nodded and smiled. “But now, let me introduce you to Diva, my stallion. Just a warning, he lives up to the name periodically. I think it’s an adorable quirk for him and refuse to break it out of him. You’ll love him!” Liyah leads us to the stables, where we meet the horse. Liyah was right. We matched instantly. It isn’t easy for a shifter to bond with a stallion, but I never had those worries. I was always able to click with any animal, to the point where Liyah's brother spent a year calling me freaking snow white! I hated it, but he wasn’t wrong. I galloped across the equestrian field at dawn, the stallion I rode was kicking up dew as it raced toward the rising sun. Then I saw them. Liam and Breanne shared a white mare, ambling toward my direction. Breanne was dressed in her pristine white riding jodhpurs with the matching show coat, leaned back against Liam's chest. Liam's attire was the stark contrast of black on black. I watched him bend his head low, whispering something in Breanne’s ear, causing a fit of giggles from her. I had waited for him to return all night. When I had reached out and called him to ask if he would be returning that night, I was told, by him, that since Breanna needed an emergency appendectomy, he would not leave her side until she recovered. That was when I cut up our photos, burning them to ashes. As I watch them now, a question came to my mind, causing my brow to arch. When did appendectomy patients start riding horses the next day? My grip tightened on the reins just as Breanne spotted me. “Oh! Liam, how spooky. Doesn’t that woman look just like Claire!”At her teasing words, I watched as Liam's head snapped up. There, I sat astride my stallion, the tailored navy riding jacket accentuating my hourglass figure, my gaze glacial. I knew he felt it. Dismounting, Liam approached until he could only see the sharp angle of my jaw. "Sweetheart, since when do you ride? I thought you quit that. You should've told me you were coming." The memory of his and Breanne’s intimate pose churned my stomach. I pressed a hand to my mouth to keep from being sick at the thought before answering flatly. "Would you have answered if I called?" This acidic tone only emerged when I was furious. Liam's smile turned placating. "My fault—left my phone in the car. It turned out to be a false alarm about Breanne's appendix. Since she's competing in the International Equestrian Championships next month, I was only helping her practice." Breanne urged her mare forward, pouting. "Liam, why must we explain everything to her? Come back, we have more important things to focus on. You haven't finished teaching me." "An International Championship contender needs amateur instruction? How curious. I wonder if anyone else here is getting that kind of coaching? But, Liam, if she requires coaching, I'll do it." As Liam turned, my voice froze him. Liam’s expression initially fell flat at my words, but he quickly brightened at my offer. "Exactly! Breanne, Claire won that championship years ago." 'How touching that he finally remembered I have value,' I thought bitterly. Breanne bit her lip. "But—" After years together, I knew Breanne’s games. She wasn’t as nervous on a horse as she portrayed. It was all an act for Liam. "No buts." I raised my riding crop. "Let's ride." The crop came down on Breanne's mare, which bolted forward with a whinny as Breanne shrieked. Liam paled. "Claire! She wasn't ready—" "Real trainers surprise their students." My amber eyes glinted. “Your coddling would've kept her mediocre forever.” Dust sprayed Liam's face as I galloped after Breanne, leaving him standing there, cheeks burning as if slapped. Good. This was just the beginning of my resistance. Breanne and I raced across the field. Though I was starting late, my black stallion, Diva, was not one to be outshone, and we soon overtook Breanne's white mare. For three years, Breanne had only seen the docile, obedient Claire. This commanding version, I’m sure, was unnerving. I could hear her growling, which, to be honest, was only slowing her own horse down. Her mare would not be able to focus on a race, with its rider losing its hold over herself. It was bound to spook her mare soon, and if she weren’t careful, she would get bucked. But as the saying goes, not my circus, not my monkeys. Diva and I were focused on ourselves. I could sense Breanne's determination to beat me. But, no matter how she pushed her champion mare, I remained ahead. As Diva and I passed her again, I caught a flash of movement from Breanne out of the corner of my eye. She pulled a hairpin out of her pocket and hurled it at Diva. That hairpin had been a gift from her friend at her birthday party, and she had been keeping it close to her chest just now. It was made of silver, and the sharp end drove hard into Diva's rump. Diva was instantly startled. Despite my expert handling and calming charm, which I have often used in the past to soothe a panicked horse, Diva threw me. I felt the gnash from the rock sticking out from the ground, which I hit my head on. The impact sending black spots across my vision—and a cry in absolute agony. My abdominal area pinched and screamed with a sharp and sudden pain like nothing I have ever felt before. There was blood on my hand when I touched it. I needed to get up. I needed to get back and get medical help because I knew Breanne wasn’t going to get me any. As I tried to push myself up off the ground with one hand, while the other was wrapped tightly around my stomach, still crying in sheer pain, a polished boot came forcefully down, cracking the bones in my hand. "Ah—!" The pain forced a gasp through clenched teeth.
"Claire... you were pregnant?" Liam's voice cracked. The Alpha who had always looked right through me suddenly stood there like a man who had lost everything. "Two months," the doctor said. "The fall caused a complete placental abruption. She's lucky to be alive." The same fall Breanne caused. The same day he carried her in his arms – and left me bleeding in the dirt. I didn't look at him. If I did, I might remember how much I once loved him. "Why didn't you tell me?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Would it have changed anything? You made your choice when you carried her away." His jaw clenched. "Claire..." For the first time, I met his eyes. My voice was ice-cold. "And today, I made my choice too. We're done." *** She lost his baby. He protected the wrong woman. And now he demands her blood – to save the one who took everything from her... *** I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the heck did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!” My mind was made up before he finally came to our room. This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond. This time, I was genuinely determined to leave. Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so. Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us. We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for. If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it. I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line. This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment. A promise he made was long forgotten. This was that tipping point for my patience. “Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.” "Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum." Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off. He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways. I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight. In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind. But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive. As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally. I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes. His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?" Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done. My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted her attention to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell. Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood. His pupils contracted. "What happened?" I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it. Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne. Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?" "Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through. Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes. "It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home." Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!" Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming." My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside. Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital." That single word, "too", cut like a knife. I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone." Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently. Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology." The door slammed shut. I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—attention or money. It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now. This time, his sweet talk won't work. I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating. Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally. I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed. But I hadn't. During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and the one-month cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge. Now was the time. I didn't sleep all night; I couldn’t. Instead, I spent those hours cutting up every photograph of us together. There weren’t many, I realized. My phone was filled with pictures of Liam whenever I could sneak photos when he was distracted or busy. He was honestly an Adonis of a man. But three years together, we had exactly twenty-three pictures of us together as a couple, and only thirteen of those were just Liam and me. The remaining ten were with Breanne. I snuck downstairs before anyone else woke up and went into Liam's office. There on the desk was a picture. It was of him and Breanne, hugging and smiling into the camera. They looked happy. Too happy. My inner bitter self was vomiting at the sight. On the other side of the desk was a picture of the three of us. That's right, not me and my mate. It was Breanne pressed against Liam's side, smiling up at him, and I was smiling at the camera on the other side. My arm was linked around his, and he was smiling, but for which female in the picture, your guess was as good as mine. I took the picture out of the frame, and bent it so that I was folded to the back. There, now he had two perfect couple pictures of him and Breanne. I will simply bow out of this weird three-way relationship. By dawn, I had already filed the official rejection agreement papers at the Council's registry office. Then I donated all the designer outfits Liam had bought me to charity. Afterward, I drove out of the pack grounds for a few hours to pawn every piece of jewelry he'd ever given me at the local broker's. I didn’t want it getting back to Liam, or the pack gossip mill to run rampant with their own speculations. Not yet anyway. It was a surprisingly large chunk of money in return, one thing I knew for sure about Liam. When he was grovelling for his indifferences and mistakes, he never cheaped out on the apology jewelry. The broker didn’t have the full amount on hand, so I opted to have it wired, which worked fine for me. I opened a new bank account and provided them with the necessary information. I returned to the packhouse early that afternoon. I had requested that the gardener cut down the Cherry Blossom tree in the pack’s courtyard. He was ordered to burn every branch and leaf until only ashes remained. When I agreed to mate with Liam, I had my reservations because his family didn’t support their Alpha heir accepting the bond to a wolfless orphan with average financial standings. Liam planted the tree as a token of his pledge of devotion to us and our bond. I fell for it, thinking it would make us stronger. But I was wrong. By late afternoon, I had either sold, donated or destroyed every token of Liam and his devotion to me and our bond: everything but the Eclipse stone pendant. Some legends state that the Moon Goddess herself blessed the eclipse stone to strengthen the will of the wolfless. Call me a fool, but it still served as a sliver of proof that at some point, he did care enough to seek out the stone for me. Now that everything was removed, it was time for me to step out and prepare everything for my new life after this month-long cooldown period ended, and I was no longer the unwanted mate of Alpha Liam Sterling. I knew I had to be smart and figure out my path now, as I had no family to turn to once the rejection was completed. When I was seven, my father had disappeared after a mountain climbing accident. It was speculated that rogues were involved, as they were heavy in the area at the time. My mother re-mated not long afterwards, and we became part of the Thorne family. They were the overlords, if you will, of the Crown of Thornes Pack, rivals of The Sterling Moon pack and next door neighbours to the territory. My mother left the Thorne family after accusations and rumours of her infidelity and gambling debts. I didn’t believe it, but it seemed that everyone else did. I had no idea where she even went. She certainly didn’t seek me out after she left that night, abandoning me. The only person who would even be considered family at this point was Lucien Thorne. He was my former stepbrother from my mother's second mating. However, Lucien was notorious for his short temper, and he constantly mistreated me while we lived under the same roof, so I would sooner wind up homeless than seek his help. The heat of Liam’s black card was burning a hole in my pocket, serving as a reminder of his literal words: “Buy whatever you want and consider it as an apology.” Okay! I will. I went to the bank and after the teller spoke with the branch manager to confirm my approval of using the Alpha’s account for a withdrawal, yup, that's right, I held no status, so I wasn’t even recognized with authority over our marital account; I withdrew one million dollars from his account. It was insulting and frustrating to know that Breanne can walk in here and not have as many hoops to jump through to get at my mate’s money. But that’s fine. I have already started to let go of my hold on him emotionally. My head has already done so. As I waited for the teller to return with the funds, my phone rang. Liyah Cruz. She was my closest friend before I accepted the bond with Liam. Liam didn’t like her influence on me, as he put it, so over the years, our friendship became strained. For her to be reaching out and calling me now, it had to be important. "Liyah? What's wrong?" I answered right away. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Claire, the International Equestrian Championships start in a month, but I just got injured during training." Liyah's voice was thick with disappointment. "Claire, you were the most talented rider we knew. I could think of no one else to take over. Could you compete in my place?" The memories came flooding back. Had I not mated with Liam, I might have become as renowned as Liyah in equestrian circles. But Liam had disapproved of me riding; he often called it unladylike. He'd gone as far as going behind my back and selling my beloved white stallion, Mirage, to a good owner, cutting off my last connection to the sport. The silence stretched until Liyah sighed. "I forgot your mate doesn't allow—" "I'll do it," I interrupted. "One month. I'll be ready." Liyah's excited squeal pierced through the receiver. "Really? Oh my Goddess! Everyone always said you shouldn't have given up your talent for mating! You're finally coming back to us!" My hand trembled around the phone. Yes, before mating into the Sterling Moon pack and Alpha family, I had shone so brightly. Before Liam, I used to be many things. I was the university's star student—straight A's in every subject. A gifted painter, champion rider, runway model, master chef, and award-winning debater—there was nothing I couldn't excel at. But three years of mating had eroded it all. I hadn't touched a paintbrush in years. I have forgotten how to walk a runway, and even lost my sharp tongue in arguments—forced to submit to even my mate's family and house staff. Only my cooking skills remained polished because I have cooked for Liam every single day since the beginning of our bond acceptance. Only now did I realize how much of myself I had sacrificed. But it wasn't too late. I could still start over. This was that chance to start taking my life by the reins, so to speak, and returning to the Claire that used to walk proudly with her chin held high. I met Liyah at the stables we once rode at together. “Thank you, Claire-bear. I can’t believe you are actually here.” Liyah launched herself on top of me, despite her knee brace. I thought I understood what I gave up to be with Liam, my mate, but I didn’t understand a fraction of it. This crazy woman, who used to be my world, wrapped around me. How did I let him separate us? “It’s me who should thank you, Lee-Lee. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry. No more boys between us, I promise.” I sobbed. Liyah looked up, and I saw the understanding in her eyes. We both wiped our faces and laughed at our equally blotchy faces. “Okay, later, we'll discuss everything!” She looked at me with as much conviction as her tiny body could muster. I nodded and smiled. “But now, let me introduce you to Diva, my stallion. Just a warning, he lives up to the name periodically. I think it’s an adorable quirk for him and refuse to break it out of him. You’ll love him!” Liyah leads us to the stables, where we meet the horse. Liyah was right. We matched instantly. It isn’t easy for a shifter to bond with a stallion, but I never had those worries. I was always able to click with any animal, to the point where Liyah's brother spent a year calling me freaking snow white! I hated it, but he wasn’t wrong. I galloped across the equestrian field at dawn, the stallion I rode was kicking up dew as it raced toward the rising sun. Then I saw them. Liam and Breanne shared a white mare, ambling toward my direction. Breanne was dressed in her pristine white riding jodhpurs with the matching show coat, leaned back against Liam's chest. Liam's attire was the stark contrast of black on black. I watched him bend his head low, whispering something in Breanne’s ear, causing a fit of giggles from her. I had waited for him to return all night. When I had reached out and called him to ask if he would be returning that night, I was told, by him, that since Breanna needed an emergency appendectomy, he would not leave her side until she recovered. That was when I cut up our photos, burning them to ashes. As I watch them now, a question came to my mind, causing my brow to arch. When did appendectomy patients start riding horses the next day? My grip tightened on the reins just as Breanne spotted me. “Oh! Liam, how spooky. Doesn’t that woman look just like Claire!”At her teasing words, I watched as Liam's head snapped up. There, I sat astride my stallion, the tailored navy riding jacket accentuating my hourglass figure, my gaze glacial. I knew he felt it. Dismounting, Liam approached until he could only see the sharp angle of my jaw. "Sweetheart, since when do you ride? I thought you quit that. You should've told me you were coming." The memory of his and Breanne’s intimate pose churned my stomach. I pressed a hand to my mouth to keep from being sick at the thought before answering flatly. "Would you have answered if I called?" This acidic tone only emerged when I was furious. Liam's smile turned placating. "My fault—left my phone in the car. It turned out to be a false alarm about Breanne's appendix. Since she's competing in the International Equestrian Championships next month, I was only helping her practice." Breanne urged her mare forward, pouting. "Liam, why must we explain everything to her? Come back, we have more important things to focus on. You haven't finished teaching me." "An International Championship contender needs amateur instruction? How curious. I wonder if anyone else here is getting that kind of coaching? But, Liam, if she requires coaching, I'll do it." As Liam turned, my voice froze him. Liam’s expression initially fell flat at my words, but he quickly brightened at my offer. "Exactly! Breanne, Claire won that championship years ago." 'How touching that he finally remembered I have value,' I thought bitterly. Breanne bit her lip. "But—" After years together, I knew Breanne’s games. She wasn’t as nervous on a horse as she portrayed. It was all an act for Liam. "No buts." I raised my riding crop. "Let's ride." The crop came down on Breanne's mare, which bolted forward with a whinny as Breanne shrieked. Liam paled. "Claire! She wasn't ready—" "Real trainers surprise their students." My amber eyes glinted. “Your coddling would've kept her mediocre forever.” Dust sprayed Liam's face as I galloped after Breanne, leaving him standing there, cheeks burning as if slapped. Good. This was just the beginning of my resistance. Breanne and I raced across the field. Though I was starting late, my black stallion, Diva, was not one to be outshone, and we soon overtook Breanne's white mare. For three years, Breanne had only seen the docile, obedient Claire. This commanding version, I’m sure, was unnerving. I could hear her growling, which, to be honest, was only slowing her own horse down. Her mare would not be able to focus on a race, with its rider losing its hold over herself. It was bound to spook her mare soon, and if she weren’t careful, she would get bucked. But as the saying goes, not my circus, not my monkeys. Diva and I were focused on ourselves. I could sense Breanne's determination to beat me. But, no matter how she pushed her champion mare, I remained ahead. As Diva and I passed her again, I caught a flash of movement from Breanne out of the corner of my eye. She pulled a hairpin out of her pocket and hurled it at Diva. That hairpin had been a gift from her friend at her birthday party, and she had been keeping it close to her chest just now. It was made of silver, and the sharp end drove hard into Diva's rump. Diva was instantly startled. Despite my expert handling and calming charm, which I have often used in the past to soothe a panicked horse, Diva threw me. I felt the gnash from the rock sticking out from the ground, which I hit my head on. The impact sending black spots across my vision—and a cry in absolute agony. My abdominal area pinched and screamed with a sharp and sudden pain like nothing I have ever felt before. There was blood on my hand when I touched it. I needed to get up. I needed to get back and get medical help because I knew Breanne wasn’t going to get me any. As I tried to push myself up off the ground with one hand, while the other was wrapped tightly around my stomach, still crying in sheer pain, a polished boot came forcefully down, cracking the bones in my hand. "Ah—!" The pain forced a gasp through clenched teeth.
"Claire... you were pregnant?" Liam's voice cracked. The Alpha who had always looked right through me suddenly stood there like a man who had lost everything. "Two months," the doctor said. "The fall caused a complete placental abruption. She's lucky to be alive." The same fall Breanne caused. The same day he carried her in his arms – and left me bleeding in the dirt. I didn't look at him. If I did, I might remember how much I once loved him. "Why didn't you tell me?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Would it have changed anything? You made your choice when you carried her away." His jaw clenched. "Claire..." For the first time, I met his eyes. My voice was ice-cold. "And today, I made my choice too. We're done." *** She lost his baby. He protected the wrong woman. And now he demands her blood – to save the one who took everything from her... *** I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the heck did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!” My mind was made up before he finally came to our room. This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond. This time, I was genuinely determined to leave. Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so. Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us. We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for. If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it. I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line. This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment. A promise he made was long forgotten. This was that tipping point for my patience. “Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.” "Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum." Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off. He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways. I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight. In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind. But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive. As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally. I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes. His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?" Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done. My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted her attention to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell. Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood. His pupils contracted. "What happened?" I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it. Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne. Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?" "Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through. Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes. "It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home." Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!" Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming." My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside. Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital." That single word, "too", cut like a knife. I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone." Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently. Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology." The door slammed shut. I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—attention or money. It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now. This time, his sweet talk won't work. I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating. Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally. I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed. But I hadn't. During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and the one-month cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge. Now was the time. I didn't sleep all night; I couldn’t. Instead, I spent those hours cutting up every photograph of us together. There weren’t many, I realized. My phone was filled with pictures of Liam whenever I could sneak photos when he was distracted or busy. He was honestly an Adonis of a man. But three years together, we had exactly twenty-three pictures of us together as a couple, and only thirteen of those were just Liam and me. The remaining ten were with Breanne. I snuck downstairs before anyone else woke up and went into Liam's office. There on the desk was a picture. It was of him and Breanne, hugging and smiling into the camera. They looked happy. Too happy. My inner bitter self was vomiting at the sight. On the other side of the desk was a picture of the three of us. That's right, not me and my mate. It was Breanne pressed against Liam's side, smiling up at him, and I was smiling at the camera on the other side. My arm was linked around his, and he was smiling, but for which female in the picture, your guess was as good as mine. I took the picture out of the frame, and bent it so that I was folded to the back. There, now he had two perfect couple pictures of him and Breanne. I will simply bow out of this weird three-way relationship. By dawn, I had already filed the official rejection agreement papers at the Council's registry office. Then I donated all the designer outfits Liam had bought me to charity. Afterward, I drove out of the pack grounds for a few hours to pawn every piece of jewelry he'd ever given me at the local broker's. I didn’t want it getting back to Liam, or the pack gossip mill to run rampant with their own speculations. Not yet anyway. It was a surprisingly large chunk of money in return, one thing I knew for sure about Liam. When he was grovelling for his indifferences and mistakes, he never cheaped out on the apology jewelry. The broker didn’t have the full amount on hand, so I opted to have it wired, which worked fine for me. I opened a new bank account and provided them with the necessary information. I returned to the packhouse early that afternoon. I had requested that the gardener cut down the Cherry Blossom tree in the pack’s courtyard. He was ordered to burn every branch and leaf until only ashes remained. When I agreed to mate with Liam, I had my reservations because his family didn’t support their Alpha heir accepting the bond to a wolfless orphan with average financial standings. Liam planted the tree as a token of his pledge of devotion to us and our bond. I fell for it, thinking it would make us stronger. But I was wrong. By late afternoon, I had either sold, donated or destroyed every token of Liam and his devotion to me and our bond: everything but the Eclipse stone pendant. Some legends state that the Moon Goddess herself blessed the eclipse stone to strengthen the will of the wolfless. Call me a fool, but it still served as a sliver of proof that at some point, he did care enough to seek out the stone for me. Now that everything was removed, it was time for me to step out and prepare everything for my new life after this month-long cooldown period ended, and I was no longer the unwanted mate of Alpha Liam Sterling. I knew I had to be smart and figure out my path now, as I had no family to turn to once the rejection was completed. When I was seven, my father had disappeared after a mountain climbing accident. It was speculated that rogues were involved, as they were heavy in the area at the time. My mother re-mated not long afterwards, and we became part of the Thorne family. They were the overlords, if you will, of the Crown of Thornes Pack, rivals of The Sterling Moon pack and next door neighbours to the territory. My mother left the Thorne family after accusations and rumours of her infidelity and gambling debts. I didn’t believe it, but it seemed that everyone else did. I had no idea where she even went. She certainly didn’t seek me out after she left that night, abandoning me. The only person who would even be considered family at this point was Lucien Thorne. He was my former stepbrother from my mother's second mating. However, Lucien was notorious for his short temper, and he constantly mistreated me while we lived under the same roof, so I would sooner wind up homeless than seek his help. The heat of Liam’s black card was burning a hole in my pocket, serving as a reminder of his literal words: “Buy whatever you want and consider it as an apology.” Okay! I will. I went to the bank and after the teller spoke with the branch manager to confirm my approval of using the Alpha’s account for a withdrawal, yup, that's right, I held no status, so I wasn’t even recognized with authority over our marital account; I withdrew one million dollars from his account. It was insulting and frustrating to know that Breanne can walk in here and not have as many hoops to jump through to get at my mate’s money. But that’s fine. I have already started to let go of my hold on him emotionally. My head has already done so. As I waited for the teller to return with the funds, my phone rang. Liyah Cruz. She was my closest friend before I accepted the bond with Liam. Liam didn’t like her influence on me, as he put it, so over the years, our friendship became strained. For her to be reaching out and calling me now, it had to be important. "Liyah? What's wrong?" I answered right away. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Claire, the International Equestrian Championships start in a month, but I just got injured during training." Liyah's voice was thick with disappointment. "Claire, you were the most talented rider we knew. I could think of no one else to take over. Could you compete in my place?" The memories came flooding back. Had I not mated with Liam, I might have become as renowned as Liyah in equestrian circles. But Liam had disapproved of me riding; he often called it unladylike. He'd gone as far as going behind my back and selling my beloved white stallion, Mirage, to a good owner, cutting off my last connection to the sport. The silence stretched until Liyah sighed. "I forgot your mate doesn't allow—" "I'll do it," I interrupted. "One month. I'll be ready." Liyah's excited squeal pierced through the receiver. "Really? Oh my Goddess! Everyone always said you shouldn't have given up your talent for mating! You're finally coming back to us!" My hand trembled around the phone. Yes, before mating into the Sterling Moon pack and Alpha family, I had shone so brightly. Before Liam, I used to be many things. I was the university's star student—straight A's in every subject. A gifted painter, champion rider, runway model, master chef, and award-winning debater—there was nothing I couldn't excel at. But three years of mating had eroded it all. I hadn't touched a paintbrush in years. I have forgotten how to walk a runway, and even lost my sharp tongue in arguments—forced to submit to even my mate's family and house staff. Only my cooking skills remained polished because I have cooked for Liam every single day since the beginning of our bond acceptance. Only now did I realize how much of myself I had sacrificed. But it wasn't too late. I could still start over. This was that chance to start taking my life by the reins, so to speak, and returning to the Claire that used to walk proudly with her chin held high. I met Liyah at the stables we once rode at together. “Thank you, Claire-bear. I can’t believe you are actually here.” Liyah launched herself on top of me, despite her knee brace. I thought I understood what I gave up to be with Liam, my mate, but I didn’t understand a fraction of it. This crazy woman, who used to be my world, wrapped around me. How did I let him separate us? “It’s me who should thank you, Lee-Lee. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry. No more boys between us, I promise.” I sobbed. Liyah looked up, and I saw the understanding in her eyes. We both wiped our faces and laughed at our equally blotchy faces. “Okay, later, we'll discuss everything!” She looked at me with as much conviction as her tiny body could muster. I nodded and smiled. “But now, let me introduce you to Diva, my stallion. Just a warning, he lives up to the name periodically. I think it’s an adorable quirk for him and refuse to break it out of him. You’ll love him!” Liyah leads us to the stables, where we meet the horse. Liyah was right. We matched instantly. It isn’t easy for a shifter to bond with a stallion, but I never had those worries. I was always able to click with any animal, to the point where Liyah's brother spent a year calling me freaking snow white! I hated it, but he wasn’t wrong. I galloped across the equestrian field at dawn, the stallion I rode was kicking up dew as it raced toward the rising sun. Then I saw them. Liam and Breanne shared a white mare, ambling toward my direction. Breanne was dressed in her pristine white riding jodhpurs with the matching show coat, leaned back against Liam's chest. Liam's attire was the stark contrast of black on black. I watched him bend his head low, whispering something in Breanne’s ear, causing a fit of giggles from her. I had waited for him to return all night. When I had reached out and called him to ask if he would be returning that night, I was told, by him, that since Breanna needed an emergency appendectomy, he would not leave her side until she recovered. That was when I cut up our photos, burning them to ashes. As I watch them now, a question came to my mind, causing my brow to arch. When did appendectomy patients start riding horses the next day? My grip tightened on the reins just as Breanne spotted me. “Oh! Liam, how spooky. Doesn’t that woman look just like Claire!”At her teasing words, I watched as Liam's head snapped up. There, I sat astride my stallion, the tailored navy riding jacket accentuating my hourglass figure, my gaze glacial. I knew he felt it. Dismounting, Liam approached until he could only see the sharp angle of my jaw. "Sweetheart, since when do you ride? I thought you quit that. You should've told me you were coming." The memory of his and Breanne’s intimate pose churned my stomach. I pressed a hand to my mouth to keep from being sick at the thought before answering flatly. "Would you have answered if I called?" This acidic tone only emerged when I was furious. Liam's smile turned placating. "My fault—left my phone in the car. It turned out to be a false alarm about Breanne's appendix. Since she's competing in the International Equestrian Championships next month, I was only helping her practice." Breanne urged her mare forward, pouting. "Liam, why must we explain everything to her? Come back, we have more important things to focus on. You haven't finished teaching me." "An International Championship contender needs amateur instruction? How curious. I wonder if anyone else here is getting that kind of coaching? But, Liam, if she requires coaching, I'll do it." As Liam turned, my voice froze him. Liam’s expression initially fell flat at my words, but he quickly brightened at my offer. "Exactly! Breanne, Claire won that championship years ago." 'How touching that he finally remembered I have value,' I thought bitterly. Breanne bit her lip. "But—" After years together, I knew Breanne’s games. She wasn’t as nervous on a horse as she portrayed. It was all an act for Liam. "No buts." I raised my riding crop. "Let's ride." The crop came down on Breanne's mare, which bolted forward with a whinny as Breanne shrieked. Liam paled. "Claire! She wasn't ready—" "Real trainers surprise their students." My amber eyes glinted. “Your coddling would've kept her mediocre forever.” Dust sprayed Liam's face as I galloped after Breanne, leaving him standing there, cheeks burning as if slapped. Good. This was just the beginning of my resistance. Breanne and I raced across the field. Though I was starting late, my black stallion, Diva, was not one to be outshone, and we soon overtook Breanne's white mare. For three years, Breanne had only seen the docile, obedient Claire. This commanding version, I’m sure, was unnerving. I could hear her growling, which, to be honest, was only slowing her own horse down. Her mare would not be able to focus on a race, with its rider losing its hold over herself. It was bound to spook her mare soon, and if she weren’t careful, she would get bucked. But as the saying goes, not my circus, not my monkeys. Diva and I were focused on ourselves. I could sense Breanne's determination to beat me. But, no matter how she pushed her champion mare, I remained ahead. As Diva and I passed her again, I caught a flash of movement from Breanne out of the corner of my eye. She pulled a hairpin out of her pocket and hurled it at Diva. That hairpin had been a gift from her friend at her birthday party, and she had been keeping it close to her chest just now. It was made of silver, and the sharp end drove hard into Diva's rump. Diva was instantly startled. Despite my expert handling and calming charm, which I have often used in the past to soothe a panicked horse, Diva threw me. I felt the gnash from the rock sticking out from the ground, which I hit my head on. The impact sending black spots across my vision—and a cry in absolute agony. My abdominal area pinched and screamed with a sharp and sudden pain like nothing I have ever felt before. There was blood on my hand when I touched it. I needed to get up. I needed to get back and get medical help because I knew Breanne wasn’t going to get me any. As I tried to push myself up off the ground with one hand, while the other was wrapped tightly around my stomach, still crying in sheer pain, a polished boot came forcefully down, cracking the bones in my hand. "Ah—!" The pain forced a gasp through clenched teeth.
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"Claire... you were pregnant?" Liam's voice cracked. The Alpha who had always looked right through me suddenly stood there like a man who had lost everything. "Two months," the doctor said. "The fall caused a complete placental abruption. She's lucky to be alive." The same fall Breanne caused. The same day he carried her in his arms – and left me bleeding in the dirt. I didn't look at him. If I did, I might remember how much I once loved him. "Why didn't you tell me?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Would it have changed anything? You made your choice when you carried her away." His jaw clenched. "Claire..." For the first time, I met his eyes. My voice was ice-cold. "And today, I made my choice too. We're done." *** She lost his baby. He protected the wrong woman. And now he demands her blood – to save the one who took everything from her... *** I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the heck did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!” My mind was made up before he finally came to our room. This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond. This time, I was genuinely determined to leave. Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so. Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us. We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for. If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it. I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line. This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment. A promise he made was long forgotten. This was that tipping point for my patience. “Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.” "Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum." Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off. He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways. I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight. In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind. But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive. As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally. I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes. His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?" Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done. My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted her attention to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell. Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood. His pupils contracted. "What happened?" I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it. Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne. Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?" "Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through. Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes. "It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home." Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!" Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming." My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside. Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital." That single word, "too", cut like a knife. I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone." Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently. Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology." The door slammed shut. I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—attention or money. It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now. This time, his sweet talk won't work. I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating. Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally. I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed. But I hadn't. During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and the one-month cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge. Now was the time. I didn't sleep all night; I couldn’t. Instead, I spent those hours cutting up every photograph of us together. There weren’t many, I realized. My phone was filled with pictures of Liam whenever I could sneak photos when he was distracted or busy. He was honestly an Adonis of a man. But three years together, we had exactly twenty-three pictures of us together as a couple, and only thirteen of those were just Liam and me. The remaining ten were with Breanne. I snuck downstairs before anyone else woke up and went into Liam's office. There on the desk was a picture. It was of him and Breanne, hugging and smiling into the camera. They looked happy. Too happy. My inner bitter self was vomiting at the sight. On the other side of the desk was a picture of the three of us. That's right, not me and my mate. It was Breanne pressed against Liam's side, smiling up at him, and I was smiling at the camera on the other side. My arm was linked around his, and he was smiling, but for which female in the picture, your guess was as good as mine. I took the picture out of the frame, and bent it so that I was folded to the back. There, now he had two perfect couple pictures of him and Breanne. I will simply bow out of this weird three-way relationship. By dawn, I had already filed the official rejection agreement papers at the Council's registry office. Then I donated all the designer outfits Liam had bought me to charity. Afterward, I drove out of the pack grounds for a few hours to pawn every piece of jewelry he'd ever given me at the local broker's. I didn’t want it getting back to Liam, or the pack gossip mill to run rampant with their own speculations. Not yet anyway. It was a surprisingly large chunk of money in return, one thing I knew for sure about Liam. When he was grovelling for his indifferences and mistakes, he never cheaped out on the apology jewelry. The broker didn’t have the full amount on hand, so I opted to have it wired, which worked fine for me. I opened a new bank account and provided them with the necessary information. I returned to the packhouse early that afternoon. I had requested that the gardener cut down the Cherry Blossom tree in the pack’s courtyard. He was ordered to burn every branch and leaf until only ashes remained. When I agreed to mate with Liam, I had my reservations because his family didn’t support their Alpha heir accepting the bond to a wolfless orphan with average financial standings. Liam planted the tree as a token of his pledge of devotion to us and our bond. I fell for it, thinking it would make us stronger. But I was wrong. By late afternoon, I had either sold, donated or destroyed every token of Liam and his devotion to me and our bond: everything but the Eclipse stone pendant. Some legends state that the Moon Goddess herself blessed the eclipse stone to strengthen the will of the wolfless. Call me a fool, but it still served as a sliver of proof that at some point, he did care enough to seek out the stone for me. Now that everything was removed, it was time for me to step out and prepare everything for my new life after this month-long cooldown period ended, and I was no longer the unwanted mate of Alpha Liam Sterling. I knew I had to be smart and figure out my path now, as I had no family to turn to once the rejection was completed. When I was seven, my father had disappeared after a mountain climbing accident. It was speculated that rogues were involved, as they were heavy in the area at the time. My mother re-mated not long afterwards, and we became part of the Thorne family. They were the overlords, if you will, of the Crown of Thornes Pack, rivals of The Sterling Moon pack and next door neighbours to the territory. My mother left the Thorne family after accusations and rumours of her infidelity and gambling debts. I didn’t believe it, but it seemed that everyone else did. I had no idea where she even went. She certainly didn’t seek me out after she left that night, abandoning me. The only person who would even be considered family at this point was Lucien Thorne. He was my former stepbrother from my mother's second mating. However, Lucien was notorious for his short temper, and he constantly mistreated me while we lived under the same roof, so I would sooner wind up homeless than seek his help. The heat of Liam’s black card was burning a hole in my pocket, serving as a reminder of his literal words: “Buy whatever you want and consider it as an apology.” Okay! I will. I went to the bank and after the teller spoke with the branch manager to confirm my approval of using the Alpha’s account for a withdrawal, yup, that's right, I held no status, so I wasn’t even recognized with authority over our marital account; I withdrew one million dollars from his account. It was insulting and frustrating to know that Breanne can walk in here and not have as many hoops to jump through to get at my mate’s money. But that’s fine. I have already started to let go of my hold on him emotionally. My head has already done so. As I waited for the teller to return with the funds, my phone rang. Liyah Cruz. She was my closest friend before I accepted the bond with Liam. Liam didn’t like her influence on me, as he put it, so over the years, our friendship became strained. For her to be reaching out and calling me now, it had to be important. "Liyah? What's wrong?" I answered right away. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Claire, the International Equestrian Championships start in a month, but I just got injured during training." Liyah's voice was thick with disappointment. "Claire, you were the most talented rider we knew. I could think of no one else to take over. Could you compete in my place?" The memories came flooding back. Had I not mated with Liam, I might have become as renowned as Liyah in equestrian circles. But Liam had disapproved of me riding; he often called it unladylike. He'd gone as far as going behind my back and selling my beloved white stallion, Mirage, to a good owner, cutting off my last connection to the sport. The silence stretched until Liyah sighed. "I forgot your mate doesn't allow—" "I'll do it," I interrupted. "One month. I'll be ready." Liyah's excited squeal pierced through the receiver. "Really? Oh my Goddess! Everyone always said you shouldn't have given up your talent for mating! You're finally coming back to us!" My hand trembled around the phone. Yes, before mating into the Sterling Moon pack and Alpha family, I had shone so brightly. Before Liam, I used to be many things. I was the university's star student—straight A's in every subject. A gifted painter, champion rider, runway model, master chef, and award-winning debater—there was nothing I couldn't excel at. But three years of mating had eroded it all. I hadn't touched a paintbrush in years. I have forgotten how to walk a runway, and even lost my sharp tongue in arguments—forced to submit to even my mate's family and house staff. Only my cooking skills remained polished because I have cooked for Liam every single day since the beginning of our bond acceptance. Only now did I realize how much of myself I had sacrificed. But it wasn't too late. I could still start over. This was that chance to start taking my life by the reins, so to speak, and returning to the Claire that used to walk proudly with her chin held high. I met Liyah at the stables we once rode at together. “Thank you, Claire-bear. I can’t believe you are actually here.” Liyah launched herself on top of me, despite her knee brace. I thought I understood what I gave up to be with Liam, my mate, but I didn’t understand a fraction of it. This crazy woman, who used to be my world, wrapped around me. How did I let him separate us? “It’s me who should thank you, Lee-Lee. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry. No more boys between us, I promise.” I sobbed. Liyah looked up, and I saw the understanding in her eyes. We both wiped our faces and laughed at our equally blotchy faces. “Okay, later, we'll discuss everything!” She looked at me with as much conviction as her tiny body could muster. I nodded and smiled. “But now, let me introduce you to Diva, my stallion. Just a warning, he lives up to the name periodically. I think it’s an adorable quirk for him and refuse to break it out of him. You’ll love him!” Liyah leads us to the stables, where we meet the horse. Liyah was right. We matched instantly. It isn’t easy for a shifter to bond with a stallion, but I never had those worries. I was always able to click with any animal, to the point where Liyah's brother spent a year calling me freaking snow white! I hated it, but he wasn’t wrong. I galloped across the equestrian field at dawn, the stallion I rode was kicking up dew as it raced toward the rising sun. Then I saw them. Liam and Breanne shared a white mare, ambling toward my direction. Breanne was dressed in her pristine white riding jodhpurs with the matching show coat, leaned back against Liam's chest. Liam's attire was the stark contrast of black on black. I watched him bend his head low, whispering something in Breanne’s ear, causing a fit of giggles from her. I had waited for him to return all night. When I had reached out and called him to ask if he would be returning that night, I was told, by him, that since Breanna needed an emergency appendectomy, he would not leave her side until she recovered. That was when I cut up our photos, burning them to ashes. As I watch them now, a question came to my mind, causing my brow to arch. When did appendectomy patients start riding horses the next day? My grip tightened on the reins just as Breanne spotted me. “Oh! Liam, how spooky. Doesn’t that woman look just like Claire!”At her teasing words, I watched as Liam's head snapped up. There, I sat astride my stallion, the tailored navy riding jacket accentuating my hourglass figure, my gaze glacial. I knew he felt it. Dismounting, Liam approached until he could only see the sharp angle of my jaw. "Sweetheart, since when do you ride? I thought you quit that. You should've told me you were coming." The memory of his and Breanne’s intimate pose churned my stomach. I pressed a hand to my mouth to keep from being sick at the thought before answering flatly. "Would you have answered if I called?" This acidic tone only emerged when I was furious. Liam's smile turned placating. "My fault—left my phone in the car. It turned out to be a false alarm about Breanne's appendix. Since she's competing in the International Equestrian Championships next month, I was only helping her practice." Breanne urged her mare forward, pouting. "Liam, why must we explain everything to her? Come back, we have more important things to focus on. You haven't finished teaching me." "An International Championship contender needs amateur instruction? How curious. I wonder if anyone else here is getting that kind of coaching? But, Liam, if she requires coaching, I'll do it." As Liam turned, my voice froze him. Liam’s expression initially fell flat at my words, but he quickly brightened at my offer. "Exactly! Breanne, Claire won that championship years ago." 'How touching that he finally remembered I have value,' I thought bitterly. Breanne bit her lip. "But—" After years together, I knew Breanne’s games. She wasn’t as nervous on a horse as she portrayed. It was all an act for Liam. "No buts." I raised my riding crop. "Let's ride." The crop came down on Breanne's mare, which bolted forward with a whinny as Breanne shrieked. Liam paled. "Claire! She wasn't ready—" "Real trainers surprise their students." My amber eyes glinted. “Your coddling would've kept her mediocre forever.” Dust sprayed Liam's face as I galloped after Breanne, leaving him standing there, cheeks burning as if slapped. Good. This was just the beginning of my resistance. Breanne and I raced across the field. Though I was starting late, my black stallion, Diva, was not one to be outshone, and we soon overtook Breanne's white mare. For three years, Breanne had only seen the docile, obedient Claire. This commanding version, I’m sure, was unnerving. I could hear her growling, which, to be honest, was only slowing her own horse down. Her mare would not be able to focus on a race, with its rider losing its hold over herself. It was bound to spook her mare soon, and if she weren’t careful, she would get bucked. But as the saying goes, not my circus, not my monkeys. Diva and I were focused on ourselves. I could sense Breanne's determination to beat me. But, no matter how she pushed her champion mare, I remained ahead. As Diva and I passed her again, I caught a flash of movement from Breanne out of the corner of my eye. She pulled a hairpin out of her pocket and hurled it at Diva. That hairpin had been a gift from her friend at her birthday party, and she had been keeping it close to her chest just now. It was made of silver, and the sharp end drove hard into Diva's rump. Diva was instantly startled. Despite my expert handling and calming charm, which I have often used in the past to soothe a panicked horse, Diva threw me. I felt the gnash from the rock sticking out from the ground, which I hit my head on. The impact sending black spots across my vision—and a cry in absolute agony. My abdominal area pinched and screamed with a sharp and sudden pain like nothing I have ever felt before. There was blood on my hand when I touched it. I needed to get up. I needed to get back and get medical help because I knew Breanne wasn’t going to get me any. As I tried to push myself up off the ground with one hand, while the other was wrapped tightly around my stomach, still crying in sheer pain, a polished boot came forcefully down, cracking the bones in my hand. "Ah—!" The pain forced a gasp through clenched teeth.
"Claire... you were pregnant?" Liam's voice cracked. The Alpha who had always looked right through me suddenly stood there like a man who had lost everything. "Two months," the doctor said. "The fall caused a complete placental abruption. She's lucky to be alive." The same fall Breanne caused. The same day he carried her in his arms – and left me bleeding in the dirt. I didn't look at him. If I did, I might remember how much I once loved him. "Why didn't you tell me?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Would it have changed anything? You made your choice when you carried her away." His jaw clenched. "Claire..." For the first time, I met his eyes. My voice was ice-cold. "And today, I made my choice too. We're done." *** She lost his baby. He protected the wrong woman. And now he demands her blood – to save the one who took everything from her... *** I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the heck did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!” My mind was made up before he finally came to our room. This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond. This time, I was genuinely determined to leave. Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so. Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us. We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for. If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it. I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line. This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment. A promise he made was long forgotten. This was that tipping point for my patience. “Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.” "Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum." Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off. He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways. I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight. In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind. But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive. As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally. I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes. His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?" Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done. My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted her attention to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell. Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood. His pupils contracted. "What happened?" I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it. Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne. Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?" "Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through. Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes. "It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home." Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!" Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming." My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside. Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital." That single word, "too", cut like a knife. I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone." Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently. Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology." The door slammed shut. I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—attention or money. It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now. This time, his sweet talk won't work. I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating. Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally. I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed. But I hadn't. During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and the one-month cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge. Now was the time. I didn't sleep all night; I couldn’t. Instead, I spent those hours cutting up every photograph of us together. There weren’t many, I realized. My phone was filled with pictures of Liam whenever I could sneak photos when he was distracted or busy. He was honestly an Adonis of a man. But three years together, we had exactly twenty-three pictures of us together as a couple, and only thirteen of those were just Liam and me. The remaining ten were with Breanne. I snuck downstairs before anyone else woke up and went into Liam's office. There on the desk was a picture. It was of him and Breanne, hugging and smiling into the camera. They looked happy. Too happy. My inner bitter self was vomiting at the sight. On the other side of the desk was a picture of the three of us. That's right, not me and my mate. It was Breanne pressed against Liam's side, smiling up at him, and I was smiling at the camera on the other side. My arm was linked around his, and he was smiling, but for which female in the picture, your guess was as good as mine. I took the picture out of the frame, and bent it so that I was folded to the back. There, now he had two perfect couple pictures of him and Breanne. I will simply bow out of this weird three-way relationship. By dawn, I had already filed the official rejection agreement papers at the Council's registry office. Then I donated all the designer outfits Liam had bought me to charity. Afterward, I drove out of the pack grounds for a few hours to pawn every piece of jewelry he'd ever given me at the local broker's. I didn’t want it getting back to Liam, or the pack gossip mill to run rampant with their own speculations. Not yet anyway. It was a surprisingly large chunk of money in return, one thing I knew for sure about Liam. When he was grovelling for his indifferences and mistakes, he never cheaped out on the apology jewelry. The broker didn’t have the full amount on hand, so I opted to have it wired, which worked fine for me. I opened a new bank account and provided them with the necessary information. I returned to the packhouse early that afternoon. I had requested that the gardener cut down the Cherry Blossom tree in the pack’s courtyard. He was ordered to burn every branch and leaf until only ashes remained. When I agreed to mate with Liam, I had my reservations because his family didn’t support their Alpha heir accepting the bond to a wolfless orphan with average financial standings. Liam planted the tree as a token of his pledge of devotion to us and our bond. I fell for it, thinking it would make us stronger. But I was wrong. By late afternoon, I had either sold, donated or destroyed every token of Liam and his devotion to me and our bond: everything but the Eclipse stone pendant. Some legends state that the Moon Goddess herself blessed the eclipse stone to strengthen the will of the wolfless. Call me a fool, but it still served as a sliver of proof that at some point, he did care enough to seek out the stone for me. Now that everything was removed, it was time for me to step out and prepare everything for my new life after this month-long cooldown period ended, and I was no longer the unwanted mate of Alpha Liam Sterling. I knew I had to be smart and figure out my path now, as I had no family to turn to once the rejection was completed. When I was seven, my father had disappeared after a mountain climbing accident. It was speculated that rogues were involved, as they were heavy in the area at the time. My mother re-mated not long afterwards, and we became part of the Thorne family. They were the overlords, if you will, of the Crown of Thornes Pack, rivals of The Sterling Moon pack and next door neighbours to the territory. My mother left the Thorne family after accusations and rumours of her infidelity and gambling debts. I didn’t believe it, but it seemed that everyone else did. I had no idea where she even went. She certainly didn’t seek me out after she left that night, abandoning me. The only person who would even be considered family at this point was Lucien Thorne. He was my former stepbrother from my mother's second mating. However, Lucien was notorious for his short temper, and he constantly mistreated me while we lived under the same roof, so I would sooner wind up homeless than seek his help. The heat of Liam’s black card was burning a hole in my pocket, serving as a reminder of his literal words: “Buy whatever you want and consider it as an apology.” Okay! I will. I went to the bank and after the teller spoke with the branch manager to confirm my approval of using the Alpha’s account for a withdrawal, yup, that's right, I held no status, so I wasn’t even recognized with authority over our marital account; I withdrew one million dollars from his account. It was insulting and frustrating to know that Breanne can walk in here and not have as many hoops to jump through to get at my mate’s money. But that’s fine. I have already started to let go of my hold on him emotionally. My head has already done so. As I waited for the teller to return with the funds, my phone rang. Liyah Cruz. She was my closest friend before I accepted the bond with Liam. Liam didn’t like her influence on me, as he put it, so over the years, our friendship became strained. For her to be reaching out and calling me now, it had to be important. "Liyah? What's wrong?" I answered right away. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Claire, the International Equestrian Championships start in a month, but I just got injured during training." Liyah's voice was thick with disappointment. "Claire, you were the most talented rider we knew. I could think of no one else to take over. Could you compete in my place?" The memories came flooding back. Had I not mated with Liam, I might have become as renowned as Liyah in equestrian circles. But Liam had disapproved of me riding; he often called it unladylike. He'd gone as far as going behind my back and selling my beloved white stallion, Mirage, to a good owner, cutting off my last connection to the sport. The silence stretched until Liyah sighed. "I forgot your mate doesn't allow—" "I'll do it," I interrupted. "One month. I'll be ready." Liyah's excited squeal pierced through the receiver. "Really? Oh my Goddess! Everyone always said you shouldn't have given up your talent for mating! You're finally coming back to us!" My hand trembled around the phone. Yes, before mating into the Sterling Moon pack and Alpha family, I had shone so brightly. Before Liam, I used to be many things. I was the university's star student—straight A's in every subject. A gifted painter, champion rider, runway model, master chef, and award-winning debater—there was nothing I couldn't excel at. But three years of mating had eroded it all. I hadn't touched a paintbrush in years. I have forgotten how to walk a runway, and even lost my sharp tongue in arguments—forced to submit to even my mate's family and house staff. Only my cooking skills remained polished because I have cooked for Liam every single day since the beginning of our bond acceptance. Only now did I realize how much of myself I had sacrificed. But it wasn't too late. I could still start over. This was that chance to start taking my life by the reins, so to speak, and returning to the Claire that used to walk proudly with her chin held high. I met Liyah at the stables we once rode at together. “Thank you, Claire-bear. I can’t believe you are actually here.” Liyah launched herself on top of me, despite her knee brace. I thought I understood what I gave up to be with Liam, my mate, but I didn’t understand a fraction of it. This crazy woman, who used to be my world, wrapped around me. How did I let him separate us? “It’s me who should thank you, Lee-Lee. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry. No more boys between us, I promise.” I sobbed. Liyah looked up, and I saw the understanding in her eyes. We both wiped our faces and laughed at our equally blotchy faces. “Okay, later, we'll discuss everything!” She looked at me with as much conviction as her tiny body could muster. I nodded and smiled. “But now, let me introduce you to Diva, my stallion. Just a warning, he lives up to the name periodically. I think it’s an adorable quirk for him and refuse to break it out of him. You’ll love him!” Liyah leads us to the stables, where we meet the horse. Liyah was right. We matched instantly. It isn’t easy for a shifter to bond with a stallion, but I never had those worries. I was always able to click with any animal, to the point where Liyah's brother spent a year calling me freaking snow white! I hated it, but he wasn’t wrong. I galloped across the equestrian field at dawn, the stallion I rode was kicking up dew as it raced toward the rising sun. Then I saw them. Liam and Breanne shared a white mare, ambling toward my direction. Breanne was dressed in her pristine white riding jodhpurs with the matching show coat, leaned back against Liam's chest. Liam's attire was the stark contrast of black on black. I watched him bend his head low, whispering something in Breanne’s ear, causing a fit of giggles from her. I had waited for him to return all night. When I had reached out and called him to ask if he would be returning that night, I was told, by him, that since Breanna needed an emergency appendectomy, he would not leave her side until she recovered. That was when I cut up our photos, burning them to ashes. As I watch them now, a question came to my mind, causing my brow to arch. When did appendectomy patients start riding horses the next day? My grip tightened on the reins just as Breanne spotted me. “Oh! Liam, how spooky. Doesn’t that woman look just like Claire!”At her teasing words, I watched as Liam's head snapped up. There, I sat astride my stallion, the tailored navy riding jacket accentuating my hourglass figure, my gaze glacial. I knew he felt it. Dismounting, Liam approached until he could only see the sharp angle of my jaw. "Sweetheart, since when do you ride? I thought you quit that. You should've told me you were coming." The memory of his and Breanne’s intimate pose churned my stomach. I pressed a hand to my mouth to keep from being sick at the thought before answering flatly. "Would you have answered if I called?" This acidic tone only emerged when I was furious. Liam's smile turned placating. "My fault—left my phone in the car. It turned out to be a false alarm about Breanne's appendix. Since she's competing in the International Equestrian Championships next month, I was only helping her practice." Breanne urged her mare forward, pouting. "Liam, why must we explain everything to her? Come back, we have more important things to focus on. You haven't finished teaching me." "An International Championship contender needs amateur instruction? How curious. I wonder if anyone else here is getting that kind of coaching? But, Liam, if she requires coaching, I'll do it." As Liam turned, my voice froze him. Liam’s expression initially fell flat at my words, but he quickly brightened at my offer. "Exactly! Breanne, Claire won that championship years ago." 'How touching that he finally remembered I have value,' I thought bitterly. Breanne bit her lip. "But—" After years together, I knew Breanne’s games. She wasn’t as nervous on a horse as she portrayed. It was all an act for Liam. "No buts." I raised my riding crop. "Let's ride." The crop came down on Breanne's mare, which bolted forward with a whinny as Breanne shrieked. Liam paled. "Claire! She wasn't ready—" "Real trainers surprise their students." My amber eyes glinted. “Your coddling would've kept her mediocre forever.” Dust sprayed Liam's face as I galloped after Breanne, leaving him standing there, cheeks burning as if slapped. Good. This was just the beginning of my resistance. Breanne and I raced across the field. Though I was starting late, my black stallion, Diva, was not one to be outshone, and we soon overtook Breanne's white mare. For three years, Breanne had only seen the docile, obedient Claire. This commanding version, I’m sure, was unnerving. I could hear her growling, which, to be honest, was only slowing her own horse down. Her mare would not be able to focus on a race, with its rider losing its hold over herself. It was bound to spook her mare soon, and if she weren’t careful, she would get bucked. But as the saying goes, not my circus, not my monkeys. Diva and I were focused on ourselves. I could sense Breanne's determination to beat me. But, no matter how she pushed her champion mare, I remained ahead. As Diva and I passed her again, I caught a flash of movement from Breanne out of the corner of my eye. She pulled a hairpin out of her pocket and hurled it at Diva. That hairpin had been a gift from her friend at her birthday party, and she had been keeping it close to her chest just now. It was made of silver, and the sharp end drove hard into Diva's rump. Diva was instantly startled. Despite my expert handling and calming charm, which I have often used in the past to soothe a panicked horse, Diva threw me. I felt the gnash from the rock sticking out from the ground, which I hit my head on. The impact sending black spots across my vision—and a cry in absolute agony. My abdominal area pinched and screamed with a sharp and sudden pain like nothing I have ever felt before. There was blood on my hand when I touched it. I needed to get up. I needed to get back and get medical help because I knew Breanne wasn’t going to get me any. As I tried to push myself up off the ground with one hand, while the other was wrapped tightly around my stomach, still crying in sheer pain, a polished boot came forcefully down, cracking the bones in my hand. "Ah—!" The pain forced a gasp through clenched teeth.
"Claire... you were pregnant?" Liam's voice cracked. The Alpha who had always looked right through me suddenly stood there like a man who had lost everything. "Two months," the doctor said. "The fall caused a complete placental abruption. She's lucky to be alive." The same fall Breanne caused. The same day he carried her in his arms – and left me bleeding in the dirt. I didn't look at him. If I did, I might remember how much I once loved him. "Why didn't you tell me?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Would it have changed anything? You made your choice when you carried her away." His jaw clenched. "Claire..." For the first time, I met his eyes. My voice was ice-cold. "And today, I made my choice too. We're done." *** She lost his baby. He protected the wrong woman. And now he demands her blood – to save the one who took everything from her... *** I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the heck did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!” My mind was made up before he finally came to our room. This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond. This time, I was genuinely determined to leave. Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so. Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us. We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for. If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it. I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line. This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment. A promise he made was long forgotten. This was that tipping point for my patience. “Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.” "Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum." Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off. He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways. I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight. In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind. But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive. As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally. I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes. His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?" Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done. My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted her attention to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell. Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood. His pupils contracted. "What happened?" I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it. Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne. Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?" "Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through. Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes. "It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home." Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!" Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming." My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside. Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital." That single word, "too", cut like a knife. I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone." Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently. Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology." The door slammed shut. I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—attention or money. It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now. This time, his sweet talk won't work. I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating. Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally. I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed. But I hadn't. During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and the one-month cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge. Now was the time. I didn't sleep all night; I couldn’t. Instead, I spent those hours cutting up every photograph of us together. There weren’t many, I realized. My phone was filled with pictures of Liam whenever I could sneak photos when he was distracted or busy. He was honestly an Adonis of a man. But three years together, we had exactly twenty-three pictures of us together as a couple, and only thirteen of those were just Liam and me. The remaining ten were with Breanne. I snuck downstairs before anyone else woke up and went into Liam's office. There on the desk was a picture. It was of him and Breanne, hugging and smiling into the camera. They looked happy. Too happy. My inner bitter self was vomiting at the sight. On the other side of the desk was a picture of the three of us. That's right, not me and my mate. It was Breanne pressed against Liam's side, smiling up at him, and I was smiling at the camera on the other side. My arm was linked around his, and he was smiling, but for which female in the picture, your guess was as good as mine. I took the picture out of the frame, and bent it so that I was folded to the back. There, now he had two perfect couple pictures of him and Breanne. I will simply bow out of this weird three-way relationship. By dawn, I had already filed the official rejection agreement papers at the Council's registry office. Then I donated all the designer outfits Liam had bought me to charity. Afterward, I drove out of the pack grounds for a few hours to pawn every piece of jewelry he'd ever given me at the local broker's. I didn’t want it getting back to Liam, or the pack gossip mill to run rampant with their own speculations. Not yet anyway. It was a surprisingly large chunk of money in return, one thing I knew for sure about Liam. When he was grovelling for his indifferences and mistakes, he never cheaped out on the apology jewelry. The broker didn’t have the full amount on hand, so I opted to have it wired, which worked fine for me. I opened a new bank account and provided them with the necessary information. I returned to the packhouse early that afternoon. I had requested that the gardener cut down the Cherry Blossom tree in the pack’s courtyard. He was ordered to burn every branch and leaf until only ashes remained. When I agreed to mate with Liam, I had my reservations because his family didn’t support their Alpha heir accepting the bond to a wolfless orphan with average financial standings. Liam planted the tree as a token of his pledge of devotion to us and our bond. I fell for it, thinking it would make us stronger. But I was wrong. By late afternoon, I had either sold, donated or destroyed every token of Liam and his devotion to me and our bond: everything but the Eclipse stone pendant. Some legends state that the Moon Goddess herself blessed the eclipse stone to strengthen the will of the wolfless. Call me a fool, but it still served as a sliver of proof that at some point, he did care enough to seek out the stone for me. Now that everything was removed, it was time for me to step out and prepare everything for my new life after this month-long cooldown period ended, and I was no longer the unwanted mate of Alpha Liam Sterling. I knew I had to be smart and figure out my path now, as I had no family to turn to once the rejection was completed. When I was seven, my father had disappeared after a mountain climbing accident. It was speculated that rogues were involved, as they were heavy in the area at the time. My mother re-mated not long afterwards, and we became part of the Thorne family. They were the overlords, if you will, of the Crown of Thornes Pack, rivals of The Sterling Moon pack and next door neighbours to the territory. My mother left the Thorne family after accusations and rumours of her infidelity and gambling debts. I didn’t believe it, but it seemed that everyone else did. I had no idea where she even went. She certainly didn’t seek me out after she left that night, abandoning me. The only person who would even be considered family at this point was Lucien Thorne. He was my former stepbrother from my mother's second mating. However, Lucien was notorious for his short temper, and he constantly mistreated me while we lived under the same roof, so I would sooner wind up homeless than seek his help. The heat of Liam’s black card was burning a hole in my pocket, serving as a reminder of his literal words: “Buy whatever you want and consider it as an apology.” Okay! I will. I went to the bank and after the teller spoke with the branch manager to confirm my approval of using the Alpha’s account for a withdrawal, yup, that's right, I held no status, so I wasn’t even recognized with authority over our marital account; I withdrew one million dollars from his account. It was insulting and frustrating to know that Breanne can walk in here and not have as many hoops to jump through to get at my mate’s money. But that’s fine. I have already started to let go of my hold on him emotionally. My head has already done so. As I waited for the teller to return with the funds, my phone rang. Liyah Cruz. She was my closest friend before I accepted the bond with Liam. Liam didn’t like her influence on me, as he put it, so over the years, our friendship became strained. For her to be reaching out and calling me now, it had to be important. "Liyah? What's wrong?" I answered right away. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Claire, the International Equestrian Championships start in a month, but I just got injured during training." Liyah's voice was thick with disappointment. "Claire, you were the most talented rider we knew. I could think of no one else to take over. Could you compete in my place?" The memories came flooding back. Had I not mated with Liam, I might have become as renowned as Liyah in equestrian circles. But Liam had disapproved of me riding; he often called it unladylike. He'd gone as far as going behind my back and selling my beloved white stallion, Mirage, to a good owner, cutting off my last connection to the sport. The silence stretched until Liyah sighed. "I forgot your mate doesn't allow—" "I'll do it," I interrupted. "One month. I'll be ready." Liyah's excited squeal pierced through the receiver. "Really? Oh my Goddess! Everyone always said you shouldn't have given up your talent for mating! You're finally coming back to us!" My hand trembled around the phone. Yes, before mating into the Sterling Moon pack and Alpha family, I had shone so brightly. Before Liam, I used to be many things. I was the university's star student—straight A's in every subject. A gifted painter, champion rider, runway model, master chef, and award-winning debater—there was nothing I couldn't excel at. But three years of mating had eroded it all. I hadn't touched a paintbrush in years. I have forgotten how to walk a runway, and even lost my sharp tongue in arguments—forced to submit to even my mate's family and house staff. Only my cooking skills remained polished because I have cooked for Liam every single day since the beginning of our bond acceptance. Only now did I realize how much of myself I had sacrificed. But it wasn't too late. I could still start over. This was that chance to start taking my life by the reins, so to speak, and returning to the Claire that used to walk proudly with her chin held high. I met Liyah at the stables we once rode at together. “Thank you, Claire-bear. I can’t believe you are actually here.” Liyah launched herself on top of me, despite her knee brace. I thought I understood what I gave up to be with Liam, my mate, but I didn’t understand a fraction of it. This crazy woman, who used to be my world, wrapped around me. How did I let him separate us? “It’s me who should thank you, Lee-Lee. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry. No more boys between us, I promise.” I sobbed. Liyah looked up, and I saw the understanding in her eyes. We both wiped our faces and laughed at our equally blotchy faces. “Okay, later, we'll discuss everything!” She looked at me with as much conviction as her tiny body could muster. I nodded and smiled. “But now, let me introduce you to Diva, my stallion. Just a warning, he lives up to the name periodically. I think it’s an adorable quirk for him and refuse to break it out of him. You’ll love him!” Liyah leads us to the stables, where we meet the horse. Liyah was right. We matched instantly. It isn’t easy for a shifter to bond with a stallion, but I never had those worries. I was always able to click with any animal, to the point where Liyah's brother spent a year calling me freaking snow white! I hated it, but he wasn’t wrong. I galloped across the equestrian field at dawn, the stallion I rode was kicking up dew as it raced toward the rising sun. Then I saw them. Liam and Breanne shared a white mare, ambling toward my direction. Breanne was dressed in her pristine white riding jodhpurs with the matching show coat, leaned back against Liam's chest. Liam's attire was the stark contrast of black on black. I watched him bend his head low, whispering something in Breanne’s ear, causing a fit of giggles from her. I had waited for him to return all night. When I had reached out and called him to ask if he would be returning that night, I was told, by him, that since Breanna needed an emergency appendectomy, he would not leave her side until she recovered. That was when I cut up our photos, burning them to ashes. As I watch them now, a question came to my mind, causing my brow to arch. When did appendectomy patients start riding horses the next day? My grip tightened on the reins just as Breanne spotted me. “Oh! Liam, how spooky. Doesn’t that woman look just like Claire!”At her teasing words, I watched as Liam's head snapped up. There, I sat astride my stallion, the tailored navy riding jacket accentuating my hourglass figure, my gaze glacial. I knew he felt it. Dismounting, Liam approached until he could only see the sharp angle of my jaw. "Sweetheart, since when do you ride? I thought you quit that. You should've told me you were coming." The memory of his and Breanne’s intimate pose churned my stomach. I pressed a hand to my mouth to keep from being sick at the thought before answering flatly. "Would you have answered if I called?" This acidic tone only emerged when I was furious. Liam's smile turned placating. "My fault—left my phone in the car. It turned out to be a false alarm about Breanne's appendix. Since she's competing in the International Equestrian Championships next month, I was only helping her practice." Breanne urged her mare forward, pouting. "Liam, why must we explain everything to her? Come back, we have more important things to focus on. You haven't finished teaching me." "An International Championship contender needs amateur instruction? How curious. I wonder if anyone else here is getting that kind of coaching? But, Liam, if she requires coaching, I'll do it." As Liam turned, my voice froze him. Liam’s expression initially fell flat at my words, but he quickly brightened at my offer. "Exactly! Breanne, Claire won that championship years ago." 'How touching that he finally remembered I have value,' I thought bitterly. Breanne bit her lip. "But—" After years together, I knew Breanne’s games. She wasn’t as nervous on a horse as she portrayed. It was all an act for Liam. "No buts." I raised my riding crop. "Let's ride." The crop came down on Breanne's mare, which bolted forward with a whinny as Breanne shrieked. Liam paled. "Claire! She wasn't ready—" "Real trainers surprise their students." My amber eyes glinted. “Your coddling would've kept her mediocre forever.” Dust sprayed Liam's face as I galloped after Breanne, leaving him standing there, cheeks burning as if slapped. Good. This was just the beginning of my resistance. Breanne and I raced across the field. Though I was starting late, my black stallion, Diva, was not one to be outshone, and we soon overtook Breanne's white mare. For three years, Breanne had only seen the docile, obedient Claire. This commanding version, I’m sure, was unnerving. I could hear her growling, which, to be honest, was only slowing her own horse down. Her mare would not be able to focus on a race, with its rider losing its hold over herself. It was bound to spook her mare soon, and if she weren’t careful, she would get bucked. But as the saying goes, not my circus, not my monkeys. Diva and I were focused on ourselves. I could sense Breanne's determination to beat me. But, no matter how she pushed her champion mare, I remained ahead. As Diva and I passed her again, I caught a flash of movement from Breanne out of the corner of my eye. She pulled a hairpin out of her pocket and hurled it at Diva. That hairpin had been a gift from her friend at her birthday party, and she had been keeping it close to her chest just now. It was made of silver, and the sharp end drove hard into Diva's rump. Diva was instantly startled. Despite my expert handling and calming charm, which I have often used in the past to soothe a panicked horse, Diva threw me. I felt the gnash from the rock sticking out from the ground, which I hit my head on. The impact sending black spots across my vision—and a cry in absolute agony. My abdominal area pinched and screamed with a sharp and sudden pain like nothing I have ever felt before. There was blood on my hand when I touched it. I needed to get up. I needed to get back and get medical help because I knew Breanne wasn’t going to get me any. As I tried to push myself up off the ground with one hand, while the other was wrapped tightly around my stomach, still crying in sheer pain, a polished boot came forcefully down, cracking the bones in my hand. "Ah—!" The pain forced a gasp through clenched teeth.
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
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👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
Chapter 1 Waking Up in the PastThe pain of her body giving out still haunted her when a sharp, familiar voice sliced through the fog. "Aubree, you're a total letdown!"Aubree Miller's vision cleared, and there was Emery, her fourth brother, shooting her a look that could kill.Her heart skipped. 'Am I… back? Five years ago, the day Carmen got named heir? The day my whole world crashed?'That day, Carmen played them all. She set Aubree up, making everyone think she was so jealous of Carmen's inheritance that she'd pushed her down the stairs to get rid of her.Right on cue, her second brother, Daxton, swooped in like a hero, saving Carmen from anything worse than a fright.Emery showed up next, not even listening to her side, demanding she own up.Aubree swore she was innocent—she even made a desperate vow—but they thought she was just dodging blame.In the end, they made her apologize in front of everyone and beg Carmen's forgiveness. To "fix" Carmen's scare, her parents gave Aubree's share of the family money to her.In one day, Aubree became Rithol City's biggest joke.And that was only the beginning.Carmen, with her sugary smile, would say, "I wish I was as pretty as Aubree." Next thing they knew, Aubree's face was scarred from a random "allergy."She couldn't look better than Carmen—it'd make her feel bad—so Aubree had to be ruined.Aubree's art was her everything, but Carmen wanted to "be that good too." So, every painting Aubree poured her soul into got Carmen's name on it.Aubree? Branded a faker and kicked out of school, her teachers' disappointed glares cutting deep.It didn't stop there. Carmen's weak heart meant she couldn't move much, so to keep things "fair," Aubree was starved, forced to waste away beside her.Weak, hungry, and crushed, she still got disowned and thrown out like garbage.Broke and starving, she ended up huddled under a bridge, her body shutting down, waiting to die.Aubree blinked, back in the moment. She saw Daxton cradling Carmen like she was fragile, his face all worry. Then Emery, his eyes burning with disgust.These were the brothers who'd found her, promising to make up for lost years, swearing she was family.Emery was done waiting. He grabbed her wrist, yanking her toward Carmen."Say sorry!" he barked.The sting in her wrist snapped her awake.She looked at Emery, the brother just two years older, the one who used to get her, who'd look at her with care.Now, his eyes were just cold and annoyed."Relax, Emery," Carmen said, flashing a sweet smile like she was brushing it off. "I mean, I'm a Wilson on paper, but I've got outsider blood. No surprise Aubree's mad." Her words sounded kind, but they left plenty of room for ugly assumptions.Daxton snapped. He jabbed a finger in Aubree's face. "If I'd known you'd turn out this rotten, I'd have told Mom and Dad to leave you in the streets!"Her blood ran cold. 'That is it, isn't it?'If she ever crossed Carmen, they'd rather she was dead.God, she wished the Wilsons had never found her at all.Aubree gritted her teeth, yanking her hand free as pain shot through her wrist. Her voice came out rough. "Y'all seriously think I pushed Carmen?"Carmen's eyes softened, all pity. "Oh, Aubree."She didn't need to say more—her silence hit harder than any comeback Aubree had.Emery shook his head, disappointed. He'd hoped she'd own her mistake, not dodge it."Aubree, what's happened to you?" he said.He still remembered her coming back to the Wilsons—tough, sweet, like a ray of sunshine trying to warm them all up.Daxton's glare could've burned a hole through her. "You want it straight? You're pissed Carmen's getting a cut of the family money. You think she's stealing your share, so you shoved her down the stairs. You wanted her out."He kept going. "For ten years while you were gone, Carmen held us together. Kept Mom and Dad from losing it. And when you showed up? She tiptoed around you so you wouldn't feel left out. What's your problem? That inheritance is hers, fair and square."Aubree's lips twisted into a bitter smirk. 'Huh, news to me that Carmen is such a hero.'"My bad," she muttered.Not for what they thought—she was done expecting her family to care. No more falling for that trap.Carmen played it sweet, looking pained. "Aubree, I'm not mad."Aubree gave a dry chuckle. "A mistake's a mistake. I'll fix it." Her real screw-up was coming back to the Wilsons. She'd end that herself.Carmen's eyes flickered with a smug glint—she wanted all the family's love for herself.But she waved it off, all innocent. "Aubree, relax. You said sorry. We're good."Daxton hugged Carmen close, his heart melting. 'That's so you, Carmen—always keeping it classy, even when you're hurting.'"Don't feel bad," he whispered to her. "You deserve this." He shot Aubree a cold look. "At least you've got some decency left."With that, he stormed off, Carmen in his arms, throwing Aubree a final disgusted glare.Emery glanced at her, eyes catching her swollen, red wrist. 'Did I do that?' Guilt flickered, but blame won out."You shouldn't have gone at Carmen like that. Good luck explaining this to Mom, Dad, and the boys when they're back," Emery said.He softened a bit. "Ice that wrist."Aubree stayed silent. Alone in the quiet, she doubled over, clutching her stomach as wild, unhinged laughter spilled out.Tears streamed down her face. This was their game—crush her, then toss her a crumb of hope, making her think if she played nice, things would change.Her laughter turned to choking coughs. Wiping her eyes, she stumbled to her room.Her gaze landed on the family photo album on her dresser.A happy couple with six kids—two girls, four boys. The girl in the corner looked out of place.That was her.Lost at five, found at fifteen. That first year she was gone, her mom nearly broke, almost landing in a psych ward. Her dad adopted a girl who looked a bit like her to keep her mom sane.From then on, the Wilsons poured all their guilt and love into Carmen, Rithol City's golden girl.At first, when Aubree came back, her parents and brothers tried, giving her the love they'd promised.But it faded fast."Aubree, Carmen's got a heart condition. Go easy.""Aubree, you're already taking half her attention. Don't be selfish.""Aubree, we're your family, but Carmen's got no one else. Can you get that?"Her nails dug into the desk, one snapping before she snapped out of it. None of it mattered now.She grabbed a clean white box from under her bed, opened it, and walked out the door.Chapter 2 Done Being Their PawnAubree stepped into the mansion's main hall, and all eyes were glued to Carmen, shining like a star in the spotlight.Daxton and Emery stood by her like loyal guard dogs ready to protect their queen.Aubree's arrival sparked a buzz. Whispers of pity, smirks, and shade—she felt every stare itching for her to flop.A bitter grin crossed her face. Everyone knew she was the Wilson family's punching bag, yet she'd once believed their cold hearts might warm up to her.In Rithol City, where cash flowed like water, the Wilsons were top-tier.Her dad, Ronald, went from nothing to a finance show regular, riding every market wave like a boss. Her mom, Alice Diamonde, was a fashion designer with a brand killing it abroad.And her four brothers? Straight-up legends.Bryan, the eldest, ran the family empire and was the city's prime catch.Daxton, a genius doc, had his own lab.Trevor, the third, was a movie star who could make a dead body scene go viral.Emery, once an esports champ, now owned Apex Squad, the top dog in gaming.Being their favorite? Tough to resist. But Aubree exhaled slowly. That was over.She was a senior now. One year left. She'd focus on herself—ace her exams, get into her dream college, stack some cash, and cut the Wilsons out of her life for good.Daxton's face soured at the sight of her suitcase. "What's with the bag? You pulling some crap again?" he snapped, eyebrows scrunched.Emery's lips twitched. That suitcase looked familiar."I'm here to apologize to Carmen, like you wanted," Aubree said, voice flat.Daxton's scowl eased, a rare nod coming her way. "Well, damn. About time you showed some guts."Emery grinned. "Aubree, you're finally stepping up," he said, eyes warm. "Me and Dax talked. We're giving your Rithol Art School camp spot to Carmen."Not a question. A done deal.Aubree didn't flinch. Same as her old life. Emery, desperate to keep Carmen happy, handed over the spot without asking.Carmen was artsy, sure, but to keep her smiling, Aubree—who could've crushed her classes—was forced to chase art too.Back then, Carmen, mad about losing to Aubree in school, wanted to outshine her in art. But Aubree's talent was unreal. She became her school's pride and nabbed Rithol's only art camp spot—a golden ticket.Every kid who got in made a name in the art world.Carmen gasped, hands flying up. "No way! I can't take Aubree's spot! Dax, Em, take it back!"Her fake act made Aubree's stomach turn.Aubree stood there, watching Carmen's little drama. 'Ugh, if Carmen wasn't always chasing clout, they probably wouldn't even care,' she thought to herself.In her old life, Aubree would've been crushed, wondering why her stuff always went to Carmen when she'd done nothing wrong.Now? She didn't give a damn. Let Carmen have it—she'd just crash and burn.Besides, Aubree was over the whole art scene this time.Daxton pulled Carmen into a quick hug, messing up her hair. "C'mon, kid, why not?"Aubree grinned and nodded. "Yeah, what's the problem?"She popped open the box in her hands. "A spot's cool, but how about this?"All my best stuff's in here. It's yours."The box held every gift the Wilsons had given her since she came back three years ago.Aubree was done—ready to cut every tie with them, step by step. She couldn't wait to see if Carmen could still be the family's golden girl without Aubree fixing their messes.Emery's jaw dropped. Daxton's face went blank. Those were Aubree's treasures.Emery shot up, glaring. "Put it back!"Inside was a lake-blue case with a sapphire crown he'd bought with his first big win in Koraland.He could still see sixteen-year-old Aubree, fresh to the family, tucking it into that white box, wiping it clean even though it sparkled.Her chubby cheeks glowed as she grinned. "Emery, this is my favorite treasure."Aubree tilted her head. "Didn't you guys tell me to apologize?"Emery's throat tightened. Sure, they wanted an apology, but not this.'How could she give up her prized stuff? Isn't it everything to her?' they wonderd.He stared, lost. He just didn't want Aubree going down a bad path. 'Is that wrong?'Daxton's voice was sharp. "Aubree, is this an apology or you just throwing shade?"She laughed, all bright and breezy. "Daxton, why you mad? If I'm saying sorry, I gotta go big, right? Isn't this legit?"Daxton had nothing. It was legit—too legit. Every Wilson knew those gifts were Aubree's whole world.Carmen's eyes bugged out at the box. 'What is Aubree's game? A real apology or a slick move to make their brothers feel sorry?'Either way, Carmen wanted that stuff. A pang of jealousy hit—everything was one-of-a-kind, and she had nothing like it.Biting her lip, Carmen played sweet. "Aubree, this is too much. These are from Mom, Dad, and the boys. They mean more than just stuff. I can't take it."She shook her head, all innocent.Carmen's good-girl vibe had Daxton softening. Next to her, Aubree looked like she was picking a fight.'Is she trying to guilt them?' he fumed.He smirked. "Fine, if you're giving it up, don't come crying later."He grabbed Carmen's hand, snagged something from the box, and handed it over. "It's yours now."Carmen hid her thrill, acting all torn but not saying no.Aubree shrugged. Garbage back where it belonged. She turned to bounce, not caring what they thought.Emery's heart raced. Something felt wrong—like he was losing something big. He started after her.Carmen grabbed her chest and yelped, "Ow, it hurts!"Emery stopped cold, turning to see Carmen's pale face. He scooped her up without a second thought. "Daxton, get the car!"Aubree heard the drama but didn't look back. Carmen or her? She wasn't even in the running.Once, she'd have been crushed seeing her brothers fuss over Carmen. Now, she couldn't care less.Fake or real, if Carmen tanked, Aubree would be out here cheering with popcorn.Chapter 3 Gotta Cough UpCarmen's heart attack slammed the Wilson family like a wrecking ball, turning everything to chaos.Emery wanted to have a real talk with Aubree, but that got kicked to the curb.Daxton, though, was quick to throw shade, blaming Aubree for Carmen's collapse. He was dead set that Aubree freaked Carmen out by shoving her down the stairs on purpose, then pulled a crocodile-tears apology to mess with her head, triggering the attack.In her upstairs bedroom, Aubree sprawled on the bed while Carmen got rushed to the hospital.The butler was busy shooing party guests out the door.School was starting in two days, and since Aubree wasn't going the artsy route, she needed to ping her teachers to switch back to regular classes.No way was she reliving her old life, playing doormat for Carmen's climb to fame.Last time, Carmen's grades couldn't cut it for Rithol Art School, but Aubree's win at a national art contest scored her a free ride. The Wilsons strong-armed her into being Carmen's ghostwriter, even if it meant torching her own future.By some fluke—or Carmen's dumb luck—it worked out.But that was just the start.In college, everything Aubree earned got slapped with Carmen's name. She fought back, but the Wilsons had her pinned. Step out of line, and they'd cut her cash flow, leaving her high and dry.This time, Aubree's plan was simple: stack her own money. With enough dough, she could call her own shots.She was itching to see if Carmen could still play the "world-famous genius painter" without her doing the heavy lifting.Drained, Aubree passed out. She woke to a sharp stab in her gut, face pale as a ghost, sweat dripping like rain onto the sheets.*****"Damn, this hurts." Gritting her teeth, she dragged herself up, clutching her stomach, reaching for the painkillers in the cabinet.The Wilsons barely fed her, and it had wrecked her stomach. She'd been stuck tailing Carmen all day, "protecting" her, and hadn't eaten a crumb.The family was out for dinner, and the maids? They didn't give a damn if she starved.Before she could grab the pills, the door got pounded like a drum.A maid barked that her dad wanted her at the hospital to grovel to Carmen.Hunched over, stomach screaming, Aubree slid into the car for the hospital, face white as death.'Another apology? How much more do I owe Carmen, anyway?' she thought bitterly. 'What is her game this time?'Head against the window, eyes closed, Aubree was done caring. Whatever Carmen wanted to take, let her try—she had nothing left to lose.Aubree trudged into Carmen's hospital room, barely opening the door when a sharp slap cracked across her face—no warning, no mercy."You little brat! Can't stand your sister doing okay, huh?" The guy in the fancy suit, all proper and polished, had eyes burning with rage that didn't match his vibe.It was like she wasn't his daughter—like she was his worst enemy."Ahem… Ahem…" Aubree straightened up, touching her stinging cheek. Blood's taste filled her mouth.This guy was her so-called dad, Ronald.Ronald glared, with her brother Daxton right behind, shooting her the same nasty look. "If Carmen's hurt bad, you're done!" Daxton snapped.Carmen lay in the hospital bed, half-held by Emery, giving Aubree this fake, sad stare, like she was heartbroken.Aubree let out a bitter chuckle. She saw it now—why she was here.In her old life, her dad skipped Carmen's big day for some big-deal meeting. Guilt already eating him, he came home to hear Aubree "pushed" Carmen.Without thinking, he'd beat her senseless with the family's "discipline" and gave her inheritance to Carmen.She didn't know what went down this time, but it was probably the same deal. Another excuse to make her the bad guy to baby Carmen.But really?"What'd I do?" Aubree stared down Ronald.'Did I hurt Carmen? Break her? Why are they acting like I owe them her life?' she fumed internally.Her tone set Ronald off. "What's that attitude?"He felt disrespected. And he raised his hand for another slap.Aubree's stomach was screaming, but somehow she grabbed his wrist mid-swing.She shot back,"Did I say something wrong? Did Daxton or Emery see me shove Carmen? No! You just think I did it, so that's the truth. You won't even check the freaking cameras!"She yelled, letting her anger spill.The old Aubree would've cried or begged. She'd never fought back like this. Everyone froze."You didn't watch out for Carmen, and that's on you!" Daxton barked, face red. "Then you pull out those gifts to rub it in? Trying to mess with her heart or what?"Ronald's face was ice. "Aplogize.""We talked with your brothers," he said. "Your inheritance? It's Carmen's now."Carmen, tucked in Emery's arms, made a weak show of sitting up. "No, Dad, I'm fine. It's not Aubree's fault. Just a 'sorry' is enough."'Look at her, playing the angel.' Aubree smirked. 'Say sorry? That'd be like saying I meant to mess with Carmen. No way.'"Shut up!" Aubree glared at Carmen. 'Sorry? Dream on.'"Watch out for Carmen? Am I her mom? The maid? She's grown—does she need me babysitting her? Since when's that my job?" She dropped her hand from her aching stomach, standing tall.Emery started to speak, noticing Aubree's pale face. He wanted to calm things down.Aubree didn't let him. "Even if I scared Carmen by mistake, I brought those pricey gifts to make up for it. And that's still my fault? That's nuts, right?"Why'd you even bring me back to this family?"Everyone knew they played favorites. Aubree just said it out loud, and the Wilsons' faces tightened, egos stung."Check the cameras. If I pushed Carmen, I'll do more than kneel—I'll give her my life!" she added.Carmen's eyes widened, panicked.She'd been so sure her dad and brothers would back her up. She didn't even hide it. The footage would show she threw herself down the stairs when she heard Daxton coming."No need for that!" Carmen's voice spiked.She caught herself, clutching her chest. "Dad and the boys have done enough for me. Checking cameras is too much hassle. I just tripped, okay?"Daxton melted. "Your stuff's never a hassle, Carmen."Ronald's frown deepened, eyes full of disappointment. "We didn't think you'd turn out like this, Aubree."She was sick of hearing that.Her stomach burned like fire, pain overwhelming. Sweat dripped down her face.Aubree squinted, Emery's lips moving in a blur. Her ears buzzed, vision went black, and she collapsed.Emery remembered how fiercely Aubree returned those gifts. He was about to suggest checking the footage when she passed out. His heart lurched. "Aubree!"Dropping Carmen, he scooped her up, panic hitting hard. He turned to Ronald. "Dad, we need to check those cameras."Chapter 4 Walking Away from the WilsonsAubree woke up to the sharp sting of hospital disinfectant in her nose. The ceiling lights flickered, blurry for a second, before her head cleared.'A hospital? Seriously?' she thought."Aubree, thank God you're awake!" a voice sounded.She turned and saw Emery, grinning like he'd just won the lottery. Her eyes drifted past him to Ronald, standing stiffly nearby. Over by the door, Daxton had his arm around Carmen, who kept peeking at her.A sour thought hit her. 'Bet they're bummed I'm okay.'Aubree didn't say a word. Emery's smile dimmed for a moment, but he quickly slapped on a soft, comforting one.That smile? She'd only seen it aimed at Carmen the past couple of years.'What is this? Pity because I ended up in a hospital bed? Pass,' she thought bitterly.Aubree swatted away Emery's hand as he reached for her and propped herself up. "If you're here to make me say sorry to Carmen, save it. Ain't happening."Emery blinked, his forehead creasing. 'What's her deal?'Daxton jumped in, all hot and bothered. "What's that supposed to mean?"Ronald stayed quiet, but his eyes screamed he wasn't happy."Just what I said," Aubree rasped, her throat scratchy.Her ghostly pale face shut Daxton up for a second. Emery, always the good cop, chimed in gently. "We checked the cameras while you were out. Carmen tripped on her own. Me and Dax got heated and jumped to conclusions.""Carmen freaked out and thought you pushed her," he added. "It's just a big mix-up. Dad's not gonna cut you out of the inheritance or anything."Ronald nodded. "It's nothing big, a mistake. Drop it. Rest up. We're taking Carmen home to recover."Aubree bit back a laugh. Carmen took a tumble, and they were quick to point fingers, no evidence required. When the truth spilled out? Just a clumsy slip-up.Now they were acting like handing her what was rightfully hers was some grand gesture.'Nope. Not today,' she thought."So, shouldn't Carmen say sorry to me?" Aubree asked, eyes narrow.Daxton's jaw dropped, face red. "What's your problem? Carmen was so worried, she stayed here, no sleep, waiting for you!""Daxton, chill," Carmen said, tugging his sleeve, looking all sad and fragile. "It's my fault. I should apologize."Ronald's lips went tight, his stare cold. "Enough, Aubree," he snapped, a warning in his tone.Emery jumped in. "Aubree, you just woke up. Take it easy, okay? Let's move on."'Move on?' Aubree nearly lost it.Aubree was so mad she almost laughed.She eyed them all—Daxton, quick to rip her apart, no questions asked.Ronald, acting like her wanting an apology was drama.Even Emery, playing nice but still taking sides.Carmen shot Aubree a fake-sorry look, promising to make things right but never following through.Before she was fifteen, Aubree dreamed her family would swoop in and take her home from the orphanage. They did, but all her pain since then came straight from them.With their blatant favoritism, she tiptoed around like a stray dog, sneaking peeks at the happiness others got.Her parents thought she came from the orphanage with a laundry list of bad habits, blowing every tiny mistake way out of proportion.Her oldest brother Bryan saw her as a reminder of his screw-ups, so he tried to control her life like he was doing her a favor. Push back? Then she was just "ungrateful."Daxton was sure she'd stolen Carmen's spot the second she showed up, always giving her the cold shoulder.Her third brother Trevor thought she was a nobody, a stain on his perfect life. At first, she was like a shiny new toy to him, but once the fun wore off, she was just dirt on his shiny star status, not fit to be his sister.Emery was the only one who'd ever been kind, but Carmen's sneaky tricks slowly turned him against her, too. He started buying the lies.Maybe leaving that orphanage was her biggest mistake.She took a deep breath. 'Why keep this family around for Christmas?'"We messed up," Carmen said, glancing at Daxton with big, innocent eyes. "Aubree needs rest. Let's leave her be. Hey, Daxton, tell the cook to make her favorite seafood pasta."Aubree gave her a side-eye. 'Seafood pasta?' She was allergic, and Carmen knew it.Carmen was a master at playing the saint, charming the whole Wilson family when they felt bad for her.If Aubree hadn't been through this before, she might've bought the act, maybe even thanked Carmen for "caring."Carmen's plan was clear: snag the Wilson fortune and all the love that came with it.Daxton nodded, patting Carmen's head like she was a damn angel. "You're too sweet, Carmen."Then he turned to Aubree, his face like ice. "I'll let this go, but mess with Carmen again, and you're done."Aubree didn't blink. "Won't be a next time."The fancy hospital room had everything. She grabbed a pen and paper from the nightstand and started writing.Emery peeked over, saw the first words, and went pale. "Aubree, what the hell?"She ignored him, finished, and shoved the paper at Ronald. "I've never been a real Wilson anyway. Let's make it official."Ronald glanced at it, his face twisting with shock, then rage. "You gone crazy, Aubree? You wanna cut me out as your dad?""I know what I'm doing," Aubree said, calm as ever. "You never gave me the Wilson name. I was never one of you."You all think I'm a problem. So let's just end it."Ronald crushed the paper in his hand, looking like he might explode. 'How dare she?'Carmen snuck a glance, and when she saw "Family Ties Termination" in big letters, her eyes lit up like she'd won the lottery.With Aubree gone, the Wilson empire was hers.Still, she played it up. "Aubree, you're hurting Dad's feelings."Aubree didn't even look at her, staring Ronald down. "Sign it, Mr. Wilson."Daxton laughed, cold and sharp. "What, you think this stunt's gonna make us feel sorry for you? You're just acting like a damn fool."Ronald gritted his teeth. "Fine. You want out? You got it!"As the head of the Wilson family, he was floored that his own daughter had humiliated him.'Fine, she wants to cut ties? I'll make it quick,' he thought to himself.He snatched the pen, scrawled his signature with a sharp flick, and shot her a cold stare. 'Let's see how this ungrateful kid handles life solo.'Aubree grabbed the paper like it was a winning lottery ticket, her voice almost too sincere. "Thanks a ton, Mr. Wilson."That "Mr. Wilson" stung like a slap. Ronald's chest tightened, a storm of anger and hurt brewing inside. "If you're not a Wilson anymore, you've got no business in this hospital room," he snapped.He thought Aubree was just putting on a show, that if he pushed back, she'd cave.Nope. Without missing a beat, Aubree ripped the IV from her hand, flung the blanket off, and strutted toward the door.Ronald's face turned stormy, his voice booming after her. "You think you're tough? Don't come crying back when you crash and burn!"Carmen, his adopted daughter, rushed to his side, her tone gentle. "Dad, chill, don't let her get you all worked up."Ronald looked at Carmen, so much sweeter than Aubree. His expression softened, and he said, loud enough for Aubree to hear, "Carmen, you've been dying to check out that new five-star restaurant, right? Let's go tonight. Time to celebrate."Everyone got the hint.Aubree stopped at the door, a smirk twisting her lips. "Hey, Mr. Wilson, you ever notice I'm allergic to seafood?"The room went dead silent, everyone frozen.Chapter 5 Starting OverAubree was done with the Wilsons. No way was she sticking around their swanky mansion anymore.She took a cab back to their place—empty, quiet as a graveyard. In her room, she dragged an old, beat-up suitcase from the corner and stuffed it with everything she'd brought from the orphanage.Under her bed, she found a bank card.One grand sat on that card, a goodbye gift from some guy named "Mr. Quinn" when she left the orphanage. She'd told him she didn't need his help, but he never asked for it back. Now, that money was her way out.Aubree swapped her Wilson clothes for an old orphanage outfit. Good thing years of barely eating kept her small enough to fit.With a bitter chuckle, she grabbed her suitcase and headed out, running smack into Wendy Carter, the housekeeper.Wendy's gut twisted. 'That suitcase? Aubree is bolting?'ID and luggage in hand, Aubree caught a bus to Rithol City's rough edges. The city was pricey as hell—only the sketchy suburbs had rentals she could afford. Three hundred bucks got her a tiny room.Small, but it had the basics. Cozy, even.Back at the Wilson house, the mood was worlds apart.Carmen swept in like a queen, her usual posse hyping her up.Wendy hesitated, then spilled. "Mr. Wilson, Aubree came by. Grabbed a bag and split. Hasn't been back.""What?!" Mr. Wilson's face went red, his mind racing. 'Is she serious?'Daxton smirked, arms crossed. "Oh, please. First, she 'cuts us off,' now she's pulling this runaway stunt? Thinks we'll beg her to come back? Lame. Bet she's back in three days, crying.""She'll regret this," Ronald snapped. "When she drags her sorry butt back, I'll deal with her."Carmen played sweet, batting her eyes. "Should we look for her? What if she's in trouble?"Her fake concern made the Wilsons roll their eyes at Aubree even harder. They told Carmen to chill—Aubree wouldn't die out there.But Emery's fists tightened, worry clouding his eyes. 'No cash, no plan—where could Aubree go?'In her new place, Aubree was settling in. She grabbed some cheap sheets, made the bed, and felt a spark of something new: freedom.This cramped room was nothing like the Wilsons' palace, but it was hers. No more tiptoeing or stressing about getting the boot.Next up: school, money, health.SATs were a year away, and senior year would start with a review of old material.Aubree knew she could self-study and keep up. She was ready.Her health, though? Total mess. The Wilsons fussed over Carmen's heart condition, so they stuck Aubree on a strict diet—tiny meals to keep her weak, so she wouldn't "stress" Carmen.Just enough to scrape by, never enough to feel full.Did they check if she got those meals? Nope. The staff even blocked her from sneaking snacks.The worst part? Aubree used to spend hours cooking stomach-soothing meals for Daxton, who'd skip food for his experiments. She kept his stomach happy while hers was shot.Daxton's fine now, thanks to her. But no one cared about Aubree."I'm done with the Wilsons for good. If I can stack some cash, I've got the old-school herbal tricks from my old life to get back in shape," she muttered.Aubree stared at her reflection in the dingy mirror. She was skin and bones—thinner than her orphanage days. Her chin was sharp as a knife, and her height? Stuck at 5'3" for years."Need a hustle that won't tank my grades." Aubree mumbled, frowning. Then it hit her. One killer idea.In her old life, esports went huge. Games made it to the Olympics, and pro gaming was the place to be. Betting on a team was like hitting the jackpot.Took Emery's Apex Squad. They rode that wave, turning into an esports dynasty. Later, they cashed in on their star players, jumping into livestreaming and ruling short-form videos.Aubree's plan? Beat them to it. The internet was always a safe bet, no matter the era.Right now, LOL was in its fall finals. Emery's Apex Squad was up against GOD's Fury, a scrappy rookie team of five.But GOD's Fury's mid-laner was out with a hand injury, and they were hunting for a sub.This was Aubree's shot.Win the tournament cash and invest it. Player to team owner? Hell yeah, she could do that.Fueled by the idea, Aubree dove in.For two days, she scoped out her new neighborhood. Her routine was tight: mornings at the market for fresh food to fix her health, nights at the internet café grinding LOL, and the rest of the time hitting the books for school.The night before the semester started, Aubree crashed early, ready to crush her first day.She had no clue the school's online forum was buzzing about her.A wild post about the Wilson family's "real vs. fake heiress" drama—fighting over inheritance—blew up. Bored teens hyped it to the top.Jealousy, pushing someone down stairs, getting kicked out—the juicier the story, the faster it spread.Overnight, Aubree's name was the talk of Rithol High.*****Aubree took the bus to school and went straight to her old art class to get her name off the roster.The art class was chill, especially with the new semester just kicking off. As she climbed the stairs, the loud chatter inside was hard to miss."No way! Carmen, you're going to Rithol Art School for the rest of the year? You actually scored that spot?""Come on, it's Carmen we're talking about. A Rithol Art School slot isn't just handed out.""Guys, ease up on the praise. I just got lucky," Carmen said. Aubree didn't need to see her to know she was eating up the attention, probably smirking while playing the humble card.'Such a fake,' Aubree thought.The room was full of Carmen's fan club, tossing in a few digs at Aubree.She ignored them and pushed open the door. The place went dead quiet.Papers in hand, Aubree walked up to the teacher. "Hey, can you sign this?""You sure about switching to regular classes?" the teacher asked."Yeah."The teacher signed without a fuss and crossed Aubree's name off the list. That quick exchange got everyone whispering again."Is Aubree losing it? Getting kicked out of the Wilson family really hit her hard, huh? Dropping art for regular classes? That's a weird way to give up," someone muttered."Probably can't handle being around Carmen anymore. Easier to quit than look bad."The gossip didn't faze Aubree one bit.As she turned to leave, Carmen grabbed her arm. "Aubree, stop being dumb. You can't just switch to regular classes to get Mom, Dad, and the boys to care. Don't tank your future like this."Carmen's face was all "I'm so let down."Her words had everyone nodding like it clicked. 'So, that's it—Aubree's just chasing pity!'Chapter 6 The Spot I Gave UpAubree clicked her tongue. "You're burning my retinas."Carmen blinked, clueless. "What?""That saintly glow of yours," Aubree said, her voice dripping with shade. She was totally calling out Carmen's busybody act.Carmen's eyes got all teary, and she stood there, looking like a kicked puppy.Cue the rescue squad. Some dude jumped in, all fired up. "Aubree, don't act too big for your boots!"Carmen's just being nice, worrying about you. You're not even close to her level!"Aubree brushed Carmen's hand off, smirking. "Oh, really? That fancy art program Carmen's in? That was my spot. I gave it to her."If one got picked for Rithol Art School's elite art camp and didn't want it, they could pass it to someone else. But no one even did that.Her words hit like a grenade. The guy froze, jaw dropped, disbelief all over his face.Carmen was the Wilson family's golden girl. To keep it that way, Aubree had to stay in the shadows. Some of Carmen's "masterpiece" paintings? Yeah, those were Aubree's.But Aubree was tired of hiding. She wanted her shot to shine.She'd secretly signed up for the Rithol Art School exam, hoping to surprise everyone. But, as always, the Wilsons only saw Carmen as the one who deserved the spotlight.The room buzzed with gasps.'If Aubree's giving up her spot, is she, like, way more talented than Carmen?' they wondered. "The teacher didn't shut it down, so… maybe it's true? And now she's switching to regular classes? Is she nuts?'All eyes flicked to Carmen, laced with doubt. The Wilson family's "real heiress vs. fake heiress" drama had everyone guessing what was legit.Carmen's perfect smile slipped for a split second, showing a flash of raw jealousy.'How dare Aubree spill that tea?' she fumed to herself. 'Isn't she scared of pissing me off and getting chewed out by the family?'Carmen figured Aubree should be groveling for their approval, playing the sad sidekick to make her look like the perfect, big-hearted Wilson heiress.Outside the open classroom door, two figures—one tall, one short—watched it all go down.Bowen Turner raised an eyebrow. He was just dropping off his nephew and checking out his investment in the school. He didn't expect to see her again.And she wasn't the Aubree he'd pictured."Is that Aubree?" Bowen squinted at the skinny girl in the classroom. She looked frailer than in those old photos from three years ago. Hadn't grown an inch.'And those shoes…' he mused. 'The ones from her fifteenth birthday? How'd she come back looking this rough?'Alvin Tuener shot his uncle a curious look. His uncle had been in Odionland for three years, hustling for the family business. No way he'd know the Wilson family's lost-and-found heiress."You know her, Uncle Bowen?" he asked."Heard some talk," Bowen said, all casual, like he was just asking about a random name. "She's a Wilson, right? Doesn't look it."Alvin shrugged. "Yeah, the Wilsons treat her like garbage. Worse than their help. Rumor is, she fought with them and split."Bowen nodded, dropping it. "Get to class, kid. I gotta chat with your principal. Later."He didn't go near the classroom. As he walked off, he texted his assistant.When Kelvin Malone saw the message—his boss wanting dirt on a high school girl—he nearly choked.'He finally crushing on someone?' Kelvin thought.He'd been with Bowen since college, and the guy never gave women a second glance.Still, Kelvin's stomach flipped. 'She's gotta be eighteen, right? He's not that dumb…'Bowen had no idea his assistant was freaking out.Alvin watched his uncle leave, scratching his head. "What's his deal? Old guy having a midlife meltdown already?"He shrugged, strolled into class, tossed his bag on a chair, and zoned out for a nap. The weird vibe in the room? Didn't care.The second he walked in, Aubree saw Carmen tense up. She didn't check who it was—didn't matter.Shoving past some guy in her way, Aubree ditched art class without a glance back.She was late. By the time she hit Class 13, the teacher was already talking.Thanks to her homeroom teacher's heads-up, the teacher just waved her in to grab a seat.After class, during the break, Class 13—usually a nerdy, quiet senior class—was whispering like crazy.Aubree felt eyes on her and frowned. 'If Carmen's why everyone in art class was gawking, what's the deal now?' she thought to herself.She wasn't stupid. Something was up."You Aubree?" her desk mate asked, a girl with a short, spiky wolf-tail haircut, eyeing her like she was trouble."Yup," Aubree said, keeping it short."Name's Matilda Diaz. Bet you haven't seen the school forum yet, huh?"Matilda's hint was enough. Aubree grabbed her phone and checked the forum. Total mess—posts tearing her apart, some telling her to drop dead.They called her a snake, said she tried to kill someone.At the top, a pinned post screamed she'd pushed her foster sister down the stairs at some fancy party, getting her kicked out of the Wilson family.No surprise. Carmen's work, obviously.To Carmen, step one was getting Aubree tossed from the Wilsons—check. Step two? Making school hell for her, too.Aubree's face didn't show a hint of worry or anger."You're not pissed?" Matilda asked, head tilted, totally confused.Aubree flicked through her phone, barely looking up. "Pissed? Over this? It's nothing." The half-baked lies and garbage posted about her on the school forum? Just Carmen's weak attempt to drag her down.In her old life with the Wilson family, she'd faced way worse—stuff that made this look like a bad prank.Carmen wasn't trying to wreck her in one go. Nah, she was playing the long game, planting seeds to make people see Aubree in a certain light. So when something else popped off, folks would just shrug and say, "Yup, that's Aubree. Figures."That was exactly how the Wilsons had cornered her, step by slimy step, until she was nothing but a caricature to them.A sly grin tugged at her lips. She'd survived that mess once. If she hadn't learned her lesson by now, there was no point of a second shot.She pulled up a video on her phone and posted it to the forum, using her real name.It was security footage from the Wilson estate, grabbed from the control room before she ditched that life. She'd been ready for Carmen's cheap shots.Matilda, sitting next to her, peeked at the video and gave Aubree a look, like she wanted to say something but held back.Aubree just shrugged, like it was no big deal, and didn't bother checking the forum again.Across campus, a few school higher-ups trailed Bowen, kissing up while giving him the VIP tour."Mr. Turner, we can't thank you enough for your investment. The kids at Rithol High are so lucky to have this amazing school," the principal said, his bald head gleaming under the sun, two stray hairs flapping as he yammered on."Totally!" another official chimed in. "Our students are top-notch, future superstars!""Superstars, huh?" Bowen's tone had a sharp edge nobody could quite place.He let out a quiet scoff, glancing at his phone. His assistant, Kelvin, had sent a report, including the whole forum drama."So, your 'top-notch' kids spend their time ganging up on someone online for kicks?" he said, raising an eyebrow. The principal's proud hairs seemed to wilt.It was a muggy September day in Rithol City, and the principal mopped sweat off his brow. "Mr. Turner—""Take a look," Bowen said, handing over his phone. Kelvin, quick as ever, had pinned down the worst culprits—the ones fanning the flames online.The principal's face went pale as he scrolled. The school's biggest investor was here for the first time, and despite all his planning, this mess had blown up in his face. "We'll sort this out, I promise!" he stammered.Bowen pocketed his phone, his voice cold as ice. "Didn't you say this place pumps out the best? No room for bad apples, right?"His polite smile didn't touch his eyes. Nobody was dumb enough to think he was happy.The principal, practically trembling, tested the waters. "So… expel them?""Your school, your rules," Bowen said with a sharp nod, but his eyes were hard as steel.'How could she just take that crap?' he thought, his mind spinning.He clenched his jaw, his gaze dark and stormy.
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
Chapter 1 Waking Up in the PastThe pain of her body giving out still haunted her when a sharp, familiar voice sliced through the fog. "Aubree, you're a total letdown!"Aubree Miller's vision cleared, and there was Emery, her fourth brother, shooting her a look that could kill.Her heart skipped. 'Am I… back? Five years ago, the day Carmen got named heir? The day my whole world crashed?'That day, Carmen played them all. She set Aubree up, making everyone think she was so jealous of Carmen's inheritance that she'd pushed her down the stairs to get rid of her.Right on cue, her second brother, Daxton, swooped in like a hero, saving Carmen from anything worse than a fright.Emery showed up next, not even listening to her side, demanding she own up.Aubree swore she was innocent—she even made a desperate vow—but they thought she was just dodging blame.In the end, they made her apologize in front of everyone and beg Carmen's forgiveness. To "fix" Carmen's scare, her parents gave Aubree's share of the family money to her.In one day, Aubree became Rithol City's biggest joke.And that was only the beginning.Carmen, with her sugary smile, would say, "I wish I was as pretty as Aubree." Next thing they knew, Aubree's face was scarred from a random "allergy."She couldn't look better than Carmen—it'd make her feel bad—so Aubree had to be ruined.Aubree's art was her everything, but Carmen wanted to "be that good too." So, every painting Aubree poured her soul into got Carmen's name on it.Aubree? Branded a faker and kicked out of school, her teachers' disappointed glares cutting deep.It didn't stop there. Carmen's weak heart meant she couldn't move much, so to keep things "fair," Aubree was starved, forced to waste away beside her.Weak, hungry, and crushed, she still got disowned and thrown out like garbage.Broke and starving, she ended up huddled under a bridge, her body shutting down, waiting to die.Aubree blinked, back in the moment. She saw Daxton cradling Carmen like she was fragile, his face all worry. Then Emery, his eyes burning with disgust.These were the brothers who'd found her, promising to make up for lost years, swearing she was family.Emery was done waiting. He grabbed her wrist, yanking her toward Carmen."Say sorry!" he barked.The sting in her wrist snapped her awake.She looked at Emery, the brother just two years older, the one who used to get her, who'd look at her with care.Now, his eyes were just cold and annoyed."Relax, Emery," Carmen said, flashing a sweet smile like she was brushing it off. "I mean, I'm a Wilson on paper, but I've got outsider blood. No surprise Aubree's mad." Her words sounded kind, but they left plenty of room for ugly assumptions.Daxton snapped. He jabbed a finger in Aubree's face. "If I'd known you'd turn out this rotten, I'd have told Mom and Dad to leave you in the streets!"Her blood ran cold. 'That is it, isn't it?'If she ever crossed Carmen, they'd rather she was dead.God, she wished the Wilsons had never found her at all.Aubree gritted her teeth, yanking her hand free as pain shot through her wrist. Her voice came out rough. "Y'all seriously think I pushed Carmen?"Carmen's eyes softened, all pity. "Oh, Aubree."She didn't need to say more—her silence hit harder than any comeback Aubree had.Emery shook his head, disappointed. He'd hoped she'd own her mistake, not dodge it."Aubree, what's happened to you?" he said.He still remembered her coming back to the Wilsons—tough, sweet, like a ray of sunshine trying to warm them all up.Daxton's glare could've burned a hole through her. "You want it straight? You're pissed Carmen's getting a cut of the family money. You think she's stealing your share, so you shoved her down the stairs. You wanted her out."He kept going. "For ten years while you were gone, Carmen held us together. Kept Mom and Dad from losing it. And when you showed up? She tiptoed around you so you wouldn't feel left out. What's your problem? That inheritance is hers, fair and square."Aubree's lips twisted into a bitter smirk. 'Huh, news to me that Carmen is such a hero.'"My bad," she muttered.Not for what they thought—she was done expecting her family to care. No more falling for that trap.Carmen played it sweet, looking pained. "Aubree, I'm not mad."Aubree gave a dry chuckle. "A mistake's a mistake. I'll fix it." Her real screw-up was coming back to the Wilsons. She'd end that herself.Carmen's eyes flickered with a smug glint—she wanted all the family's love for herself.But she waved it off, all innocent. "Aubree, relax. You said sorry. We're good."Daxton hugged Carmen close, his heart melting. 'That's so you, Carmen—always keeping it classy, even when you're hurting.'"Don't feel bad," he whispered to her. "You deserve this." He shot Aubree a cold look. "At least you've got some decency left."With that, he stormed off, Carmen in his arms, throwing Aubree a final disgusted glare.Emery glanced at her, eyes catching her swollen, red wrist. 'Did I do that?' Guilt flickered, but blame won out."You shouldn't have gone at Carmen like that. Good luck explaining this to Mom, Dad, and the boys when they're back," Emery said.He softened a bit. "Ice that wrist."Aubree stayed silent. Alone in the quiet, she doubled over, clutching her stomach as wild, unhinged laughter spilled out.Tears streamed down her face. This was their game—crush her, then toss her a crumb of hope, making her think if she played nice, things would change.Her laughter turned to choking coughs. Wiping her eyes, she stumbled to her room.Her gaze landed on the family photo album on her dresser.A happy couple with six kids—two girls, four boys. The girl in the corner looked out of place.That was her.Lost at five, found at fifteen. That first year she was gone, her mom nearly broke, almost landing in a psych ward. Her dad adopted a girl who looked a bit like her to keep her mom sane.From then on, the Wilsons poured all their guilt and love into Carmen, Rithol City's golden girl.At first, when Aubree came back, her parents and brothers tried, giving her the love they'd promised.But it faded fast."Aubree, Carmen's got a heart condition. Go easy.""Aubree, you're already taking half her attention. Don't be selfish.""Aubree, we're your family, but Carmen's got no one else. Can you get that?"Her nails dug into the desk, one snapping before she snapped out of it. None of it mattered now.She grabbed a clean white box from under her bed, opened it, and walked out the door.Chapter 2 Done Being Their PawnAubree stepped into the mansion's main hall, and all eyes were glued to Carmen, shining like a star in the spotlight.Daxton and Emery stood by her like loyal guard dogs ready to protect their queen.Aubree's arrival sparked a buzz. Whispers of pity, smirks, and shade—she felt every stare itching for her to flop.A bitter grin crossed her face. Everyone knew she was the Wilson family's punching bag, yet she'd once believed their cold hearts might warm up to her.In Rithol City, where cash flowed like water, the Wilsons were top-tier.Her dad, Ronald, went from nothing to a finance show regular, riding every market wave like a boss. Her mom, Alice Diamonde, was a fashion designer with a brand killing it abroad.And her four brothers? Straight-up legends.Bryan, the eldest, ran the family empire and was the city's prime catch.Daxton, a genius doc, had his own lab.Trevor, the third, was a movie star who could make a dead body scene go viral.Emery, once an esports champ, now owned Apex Squad, the top dog in gaming.Being their favorite? Tough to resist. But Aubree exhaled slowly. That was over.She was a senior now. One year left. She'd focus on herself—ace her exams, get into her dream college, stack some cash, and cut the Wilsons out of her life for good.Daxton's face soured at the sight of her suitcase. "What's with the bag? You pulling some crap again?" he snapped, eyebrows scrunched.Emery's lips twitched. That suitcase looked familiar."I'm here to apologize to Carmen, like you wanted," Aubree said, voice flat.Daxton's scowl eased, a rare nod coming her way. "Well, damn. About time you showed some guts."Emery grinned. "Aubree, you're finally stepping up," he said, eyes warm. "Me and Dax talked. We're giving your Rithol Art School camp spot to Carmen."Not a question. A done deal.Aubree didn't flinch. Same as her old life. Emery, desperate to keep Carmen happy, handed over the spot without asking.Carmen was artsy, sure, but to keep her smiling, Aubree—who could've crushed her classes—was forced to chase art too.Back then, Carmen, mad about losing to Aubree in school, wanted to outshine her in art. But Aubree's talent was unreal. She became her school's pride and nabbed Rithol's only art camp spot—a golden ticket.Every kid who got in made a name in the art world.Carmen gasped, hands flying up. "No way! I can't take Aubree's spot! Dax, Em, take it back!"Her fake act made Aubree's stomach turn.Aubree stood there, watching Carmen's little drama. 'Ugh, if Carmen wasn't always chasing clout, they probably wouldn't even care,' she thought to herself.In her old life, Aubree would've been crushed, wondering why her stuff always went to Carmen when she'd done nothing wrong.Now? She didn't give a damn. Let Carmen have it—she'd just crash and burn.Besides, Aubree was over the whole art scene this time.Daxton pulled Carmen into a quick hug, messing up her hair. "C'mon, kid, why not?"Aubree grinned and nodded. "Yeah, what's the problem?"She popped open the box in her hands. "A spot's cool, but how about this?"All my best stuff's in here. It's yours."The box held every gift the Wilsons had given her since she came back three years ago.Aubree was done—ready to cut every tie with them, step by step. She couldn't wait to see if Carmen could still be the family's golden girl without Aubree fixing their messes.Emery's jaw dropped. Daxton's face went blank. Those were Aubree's treasures.Emery shot up, glaring. "Put it back!"Inside was a lake-blue case with a sapphire crown he'd bought with his first big win in Koraland.He could still see sixteen-year-old Aubree, fresh to the family, tucking it into that white box, wiping it clean even though it sparkled.Her chubby cheeks glowed as she grinned. "Emery, this is my favorite treasure."Aubree tilted her head. "Didn't you guys tell me to apologize?"Emery's throat tightened. Sure, they wanted an apology, but not this.'How could she give up her prized stuff? Isn't it everything to her?' they wonderd.He stared, lost. He just didn't want Aubree going down a bad path. 'Is that wrong?'Daxton's voice was sharp. "Aubree, is this an apology or you just throwing shade?"She laughed, all bright and breezy. "Daxton, why you mad? If I'm saying sorry, I gotta go big, right? Isn't this legit?"Daxton had nothing. It was legit—too legit. Every Wilson knew those gifts were Aubree's whole world.Carmen's eyes bugged out at the box. 'What is Aubree's game? A real apology or a slick move to make their brothers feel sorry?'Either way, Carmen wanted that stuff. A pang of jealousy hit—everything was one-of-a-kind, and she had nothing like it.Biting her lip, Carmen played sweet. "Aubree, this is too much. These are from Mom, Dad, and the boys. They mean more than just stuff. I can't take it."She shook her head, all innocent.Carmen's good-girl vibe had Daxton softening. Next to her, Aubree looked like she was picking a fight.'Is she trying to guilt them?' he fumed.He smirked. "Fine, if you're giving it up, don't come crying later."He grabbed Carmen's hand, snagged something from the box, and handed it over. "It's yours now."Carmen hid her thrill, acting all torn but not saying no.Aubree shrugged. Garbage back where it belonged. She turned to bounce, not caring what they thought.Emery's heart raced. Something felt wrong—like he was losing something big. He started after her.Carmen grabbed her chest and yelped, "Ow, it hurts!"Emery stopped cold, turning to see Carmen's pale face. He scooped her up without a second thought. "Daxton, get the car!"Aubree heard the drama but didn't look back. Carmen or her? She wasn't even in the running.Once, she'd have been crushed seeing her brothers fuss over Carmen. Now, she couldn't care less.Fake or real, if Carmen tanked, Aubree would be out here cheering with popcorn.Chapter 3 Gotta Cough UpCarmen's heart attack slammed the Wilson family like a wrecking ball, turning everything to chaos.Emery wanted to have a real talk with Aubree, but that got kicked to the curb.Daxton, though, was quick to throw shade, blaming Aubree for Carmen's collapse. He was dead set that Aubree freaked Carmen out by shoving her down the stairs on purpose, then pulled a crocodile-tears apology to mess with her head, triggering the attack.In her upstairs bedroom, Aubree sprawled on the bed while Carmen got rushed to the hospital.The butler was busy shooing party guests out the door.School was starting in two days, and since Aubree wasn't going the artsy route, she needed to ping her teachers to switch back to regular classes.No way was she reliving her old life, playing doormat for Carmen's climb to fame.Last time, Carmen's grades couldn't cut it for Rithol Art School, but Aubree's win at a national art contest scored her a free ride. The Wilsons strong-armed her into being Carmen's ghostwriter, even if it meant torching her own future.By some fluke—or Carmen's dumb luck—it worked out.But that was just the start.In college, everything Aubree earned got slapped with Carmen's name. She fought back, but the Wilsons had her pinned. Step out of line, and they'd cut her cash flow, leaving her high and dry.This time, Aubree's plan was simple: stack her own money. With enough dough, she could call her own shots.She was itching to see if Carmen could still play the "world-famous genius painter" without her doing the heavy lifting.Drained, Aubree passed out. She woke to a sharp stab in her gut, face pale as a ghost, sweat dripping like rain onto the sheets.*****"Damn, this hurts." Gritting her teeth, she dragged herself up, clutching her stomach, reaching for the painkillers in the cabinet.The Wilsons barely fed her, and it had wrecked her stomach. She'd been stuck tailing Carmen all day, "protecting" her, and hadn't eaten a crumb.The family was out for dinner, and the maids? They didn't give a damn if she starved.Before she could grab the pills, the door got pounded like a drum.A maid barked that her dad wanted her at the hospital to grovel to Carmen.Hunched over, stomach screaming, Aubree slid into the car for the hospital, face white as death.'Another apology? How much more do I owe Carmen, anyway?' she thought bitterly. 'What is her game this time?'Head against the window, eyes closed, Aubree was done caring. Whatever Carmen wanted to take, let her try—she had nothing left to lose.Aubree trudged into Carmen's hospital room, barely opening the door when a sharp slap cracked across her face—no warning, no mercy."You little brat! Can't stand your sister doing okay, huh?" The guy in the fancy suit, all proper and polished, had eyes burning with rage that didn't match his vibe.It was like she wasn't his daughter—like she was his worst enemy."Ahem… Ahem…" Aubree straightened up, touching her stinging cheek. Blood's taste filled her mouth.This guy was her so-called dad, Ronald.Ronald glared, with her brother Daxton right behind, shooting her the same nasty look. "If Carmen's hurt bad, you're done!" Daxton snapped.Carmen lay in the hospital bed, half-held by Emery, giving Aubree this fake, sad stare, like she was heartbroken.Aubree let out a bitter chuckle. She saw it now—why she was here.In her old life, her dad skipped Carmen's big day for some big-deal meeting. Guilt already eating him, he came home to hear Aubree "pushed" Carmen.Without thinking, he'd beat her senseless with the family's "discipline" and gave her inheritance to Carmen.She didn't know what went down this time, but it was probably the same deal. Another excuse to make her the bad guy to baby Carmen.But really?"What'd I do?" Aubree stared down Ronald.'Did I hurt Carmen? Break her? Why are they acting like I owe them her life?' she fumed internally.Her tone set Ronald off. "What's that attitude?"He felt disrespected. And he raised his hand for another slap.Aubree's stomach was screaming, but somehow she grabbed his wrist mid-swing.She shot back,"Did I say something wrong? Did Daxton or Emery see me shove Carmen? No! You just think I did it, so that's the truth. You won't even check the freaking cameras!"She yelled, letting her anger spill.The old Aubree would've cried or begged. She'd never fought back like this. Everyone froze."You didn't watch out for Carmen, and that's on you!" Daxton barked, face red. "Then you pull out those gifts to rub it in? Trying to mess with her heart or what?"Ronald's face was ice. "Aplogize.""We talked with your brothers," he said. "Your inheritance? It's Carmen's now."Carmen, tucked in Emery's arms, made a weak show of sitting up. "No, Dad, I'm fine. It's not Aubree's fault. Just a 'sorry' is enough."'Look at her, playing the angel.' Aubree smirked. 'Say sorry? That'd be like saying I meant to mess with Carmen. No way.'"Shut up!" Aubree glared at Carmen. 'Sorry? Dream on.'"Watch out for Carmen? Am I her mom? The maid? She's grown—does she need me babysitting her? Since when's that my job?" She dropped her hand from her aching stomach, standing tall.Emery started to speak, noticing Aubree's pale face. He wanted to calm things down.Aubree didn't let him. "Even if I scared Carmen by mistake, I brought those pricey gifts to make up for it. And that's still my fault? That's nuts, right?"Why'd you even bring me back to this family?"Everyone knew they played favorites. Aubree just said it out loud, and the Wilsons' faces tightened, egos stung."Check the cameras. If I pushed Carmen, I'll do more than kneel—I'll give her my life!" she added.Carmen's eyes widened, panicked.She'd been so sure her dad and brothers would back her up. She didn't even hide it. The footage would show she threw herself down the stairs when she heard Daxton coming."No need for that!" Carmen's voice spiked.She caught herself, clutching her chest. "Dad and the boys have done enough for me. Checking cameras is too much hassle. I just tripped, okay?"Daxton melted. "Your stuff's never a hassle, Carmen."Ronald's frown deepened, eyes full of disappointment. "We didn't think you'd turn out like this, Aubree."She was sick of hearing that.Her stomach burned like fire, pain overwhelming. Sweat dripped down her face.Aubree squinted, Emery's lips moving in a blur. Her ears buzzed, vision went black, and she collapsed.Emery remembered how fiercely Aubree returned those gifts. He was about to suggest checking the footage when she passed out. His heart lurched. "Aubree!"Dropping Carmen, he scooped her up, panic hitting hard. He turned to Ronald. "Dad, we need to check those cameras."Chapter 4 Walking Away from the WilsonsAubree woke up to the sharp sting of hospital disinfectant in her nose. The ceiling lights flickered, blurry for a second, before her head cleared.'A hospital? Seriously?' she thought."Aubree, thank God you're awake!" a voice sounded.She turned and saw Emery, grinning like he'd just won the lottery. Her eyes drifted past him to Ronald, standing stiffly nearby. Over by the door, Daxton had his arm around Carmen, who kept peeking at her.A sour thought hit her. 'Bet they're bummed I'm okay.'Aubree didn't say a word. Emery's smile dimmed for a moment, but he quickly slapped on a soft, comforting one.That smile? She'd only seen it aimed at Carmen the past couple of years.'What is this? Pity because I ended up in a hospital bed? Pass,' she thought bitterly.Aubree swatted away Emery's hand as he reached for her and propped herself up. "If you're here to make me say sorry to Carmen, save it. Ain't happening."Emery blinked, his forehead creasing. 'What's her deal?'Daxton jumped in, all hot and bothered. "What's that supposed to mean?"Ronald stayed quiet, but his eyes screamed he wasn't happy."Just what I said," Aubree rasped, her throat scratchy.Her ghostly pale face shut Daxton up for a second. Emery, always the good cop, chimed in gently. "We checked the cameras while you were out. Carmen tripped on her own. Me and Dax got heated and jumped to conclusions.""Carmen freaked out and thought you pushed her," he added. "It's just a big mix-up. Dad's not gonna cut you out of the inheritance or anything."Ronald nodded. "It's nothing big, a mistake. Drop it. Rest up. We're taking Carmen home to recover."Aubree bit back a laugh. Carmen took a tumble, and they were quick to point fingers, no evidence required. When the truth spilled out? Just a clumsy slip-up.Now they were acting like handing her what was rightfully hers was some grand gesture.'Nope. Not today,' she thought."So, shouldn't Carmen say sorry to me?" Aubree asked, eyes narrow.Daxton's jaw dropped, face red. "What's your problem? Carmen was so worried, she stayed here, no sleep, waiting for you!""Daxton, chill," Carmen said, tugging his sleeve, looking all sad and fragile. "It's my fault. I should apologize."Ronald's lips went tight, his stare cold. "Enough, Aubree," he snapped, a warning in his tone.Emery jumped in. "Aubree, you just woke up. Take it easy, okay? Let's move on."'Move on?' Aubree nearly lost it.Aubree was so mad she almost laughed.She eyed them all—Daxton, quick to rip her apart, no questions asked.Ronald, acting like her wanting an apology was drama.Even Emery, playing nice but still taking sides.Carmen shot Aubree a fake-sorry look, promising to make things right but never following through.Before she was fifteen, Aubree dreamed her family would swoop in and take her home from the orphanage. They did, but all her pain since then came straight from them.With their blatant favoritism, she tiptoed around like a stray dog, sneaking peeks at the happiness others got.Her parents thought she came from the orphanage with a laundry list of bad habits, blowing every tiny mistake way out of proportion.Her oldest brother Bryan saw her as a reminder of his screw-ups, so he tried to control her life like he was doing her a favor. Push back? Then she was just "ungrateful."Daxton was sure she'd stolen Carmen's spot the second she showed up, always giving her the cold shoulder.Her third brother Trevor thought she was a nobody, a stain on his perfect life. At first, she was like a shiny new toy to him, but once the fun wore off, she was just dirt on his shiny star status, not fit to be his sister.Emery was the only one who'd ever been kind, but Carmen's sneaky tricks slowly turned him against her, too. He started buying the lies.Maybe leaving that orphanage was her biggest mistake.She took a deep breath. 'Why keep this family around for Christmas?'"We messed up," Carmen said, glancing at Daxton with big, innocent eyes. "Aubree needs rest. Let's leave her be. Hey, Daxton, tell the cook to make her favorite seafood pasta."Aubree gave her a side-eye. 'Seafood pasta?' She was allergic, and Carmen knew it.Carmen was a master at playing the saint, charming the whole Wilson family when they felt bad for her.If Aubree hadn't been through this before, she might've bought the act, maybe even thanked Carmen for "caring."Carmen's plan was clear: snag the Wilson fortune and all the love that came with it.Daxton nodded, patting Carmen's head like she was a damn angel. "You're too sweet, Carmen."Then he turned to Aubree, his face like ice. "I'll let this go, but mess with Carmen again, and you're done."Aubree didn't blink. "Won't be a next time."The fancy hospital room had everything. She grabbed a pen and paper from the nightstand and started writing.Emery peeked over, saw the first words, and went pale. "Aubree, what the hell?"She ignored him, finished, and shoved the paper at Ronald. "I've never been a real Wilson anyway. Let's make it official."Ronald glanced at it, his face twisting with shock, then rage. "You gone crazy, Aubree? You wanna cut me out as your dad?""I know what I'm doing," Aubree said, calm as ever. "You never gave me the Wilson name. I was never one of you."You all think I'm a problem. So let's just end it."Ronald crushed the paper in his hand, looking like he might explode. 'How dare she?'Carmen snuck a glance, and when she saw "Family Ties Termination" in big letters, her eyes lit up like she'd won the lottery.With Aubree gone, the Wilson empire was hers.Still, she played it up. "Aubree, you're hurting Dad's feelings."Aubree didn't even look at her, staring Ronald down. "Sign it, Mr. Wilson."Daxton laughed, cold and sharp. "What, you think this stunt's gonna make us feel sorry for you? You're just acting like a damn fool."Ronald gritted his teeth. "Fine. You want out? You got it!"As the head of the Wilson family, he was floored that his own daughter had humiliated him.'Fine, she wants to cut ties? I'll make it quick,' he thought to himself.He snatched the pen, scrawled his signature with a sharp flick, and shot her a cold stare. 'Let's see how this ungrateful kid handles life solo.'Aubree grabbed the paper like it was a winning lottery ticket, her voice almost too sincere. "Thanks a ton, Mr. Wilson."That "Mr. Wilson" stung like a slap. Ronald's chest tightened, a storm of anger and hurt brewing inside. "If you're not a Wilson anymore, you've got no business in this hospital room," he snapped.He thought Aubree was just putting on a show, that if he pushed back, she'd cave.Nope. Without missing a beat, Aubree ripped the IV from her hand, flung the blanket off, and strutted toward the door.Ronald's face turned stormy, his voice booming after her. "You think you're tough? Don't come crying back when you crash and burn!"Carmen, his adopted daughter, rushed to his side, her tone gentle. "Dad, chill, don't let her get you all worked up."Ronald looked at Carmen, so much sweeter than Aubree. His expression softened, and he said, loud enough for Aubree to hear, "Carmen, you've been dying to check out that new five-star restaurant, right? Let's go tonight. Time to celebrate."Everyone got the hint.Aubree stopped at the door, a smirk twisting her lips. "Hey, Mr. Wilson, you ever notice I'm allergic to seafood?"The room went dead silent, everyone frozen.Chapter 5 Starting OverAubree was done with the Wilsons. No way was she sticking around their swanky mansion anymore.She took a cab back to their place—empty, quiet as a graveyard. In her room, she dragged an old, beat-up suitcase from the corner and stuffed it with everything she'd brought from the orphanage.Under her bed, she found a bank card.One grand sat on that card, a goodbye gift from some guy named "Mr. Quinn" when she left the orphanage. She'd told him she didn't need his help, but he never asked for it back. Now, that money was her way out.Aubree swapped her Wilson clothes for an old orphanage outfit. Good thing years of barely eating kept her small enough to fit.With a bitter chuckle, she grabbed her suitcase and headed out, running smack into Wendy Carter, the housekeeper.Wendy's gut twisted. 'That suitcase? Aubree is bolting?'ID and luggage in hand, Aubree caught a bus to Rithol City's rough edges. The city was pricey as hell—only the sketchy suburbs had rentals she could afford. Three hundred bucks got her a tiny room.Small, but it had the basics. Cozy, even.Back at the Wilson house, the mood was worlds apart.Carmen swept in like a queen, her usual posse hyping her up.Wendy hesitated, then spilled. "Mr. Wilson, Aubree came by. Grabbed a bag and split. Hasn't been back.""What?!" Mr. Wilson's face went red, his mind racing. 'Is she serious?'Daxton smirked, arms crossed. "Oh, please. First, she 'cuts us off,' now she's pulling this runaway stunt? Thinks we'll beg her to come back? Lame. Bet she's back in three days, crying.""She'll regret this," Ronald snapped. "When she drags her sorry butt back, I'll deal with her."Carmen played sweet, batting her eyes. "Should we look for her? What if she's in trouble?"Her fake concern made the Wilsons roll their eyes at Aubree even harder. They told Carmen to chill—Aubree wouldn't die out there.But Emery's fists tightened, worry clouding his eyes. 'No cash, no plan—where could Aubree go?'In her new place, Aubree was settling in. She grabbed some cheap sheets, made the bed, and felt a spark of something new: freedom.This cramped room was nothing like the Wilsons' palace, but it was hers. No more tiptoeing or stressing about getting the boot.Next up: school, money, health.SATs were a year away, and senior year would start with a review of old material.Aubree knew she could self-study and keep up. She was ready.Her health, though? Total mess. The Wilsons fussed over Carmen's heart condition, so they stuck Aubree on a strict diet—tiny meals to keep her weak, so she wouldn't "stress" Carmen.Just enough to scrape by, never enough to feel full.Did they check if she got those meals? Nope. The staff even blocked her from sneaking snacks.The worst part? Aubree used to spend hours cooking stomach-soothing meals for Daxton, who'd skip food for his experiments. She kept his stomach happy while hers was shot.Daxton's fine now, thanks to her. But no one cared about Aubree."I'm done with the Wilsons for good. If I can stack some cash, I've got the old-school herbal tricks from my old life to get back in shape," she muttered.Aubree stared at her reflection in the dingy mirror. She was skin and bones—thinner than her orphanage days. Her chin was sharp as a knife, and her height? Stuck at 5'3" for years."Need a hustle that won't tank my grades." Aubree mumbled, frowning. Then it hit her. One killer idea.In her old life, esports went huge. Games made it to the Olympics, and pro gaming was the place to be. Betting on a team was like hitting the jackpot.Took Emery's Apex Squad. They rode that wave, turning into an esports dynasty. Later, they cashed in on their star players, jumping into livestreaming and ruling short-form videos.Aubree's plan? Beat them to it. The internet was always a safe bet, no matter the era.Right now, LOL was in its fall finals. Emery's Apex Squad was up against GOD's Fury, a scrappy rookie team of five.But GOD's Fury's mid-laner was out with a hand injury, and they were hunting for a sub.This was Aubree's shot.Win the tournament cash and invest it. Player to team owner? Hell yeah, she could do that.Fueled by the idea, Aubree dove in.For two days, she scoped out her new neighborhood. Her routine was tight: mornings at the market for fresh food to fix her health, nights at the internet café grinding LOL, and the rest of the time hitting the books for school.The night before the semester started, Aubree crashed early, ready to crush her first day.She had no clue the school's online forum was buzzing about her.A wild post about the Wilson family's "real vs. fake heiress" drama—fighting over inheritance—blew up. Bored teens hyped it to the top.Jealousy, pushing someone down stairs, getting kicked out—the juicier the story, the faster it spread.Overnight, Aubree's name was the talk of Rithol High.*****Aubree took the bus to school and went straight to her old art class to get her name off the roster.The art class was chill, especially with the new semester just kicking off. As she climbed the stairs, the loud chatter inside was hard to miss."No way! Carmen, you're going to Rithol Art School for the rest of the year? You actually scored that spot?""Come on, it's Carmen we're talking about. A Rithol Art School slot isn't just handed out.""Guys, ease up on the praise. I just got lucky," Carmen said. Aubree didn't need to see her to know she was eating up the attention, probably smirking while playing the humble card.'Such a fake,' Aubree thought.The room was full of Carmen's fan club, tossing in a few digs at Aubree.She ignored them and pushed open the door. The place went dead quiet.Papers in hand, Aubree walked up to the teacher. "Hey, can you sign this?""You sure about switching to regular classes?" the teacher asked."Yeah."The teacher signed without a fuss and crossed Aubree's name off the list. That quick exchange got everyone whispering again."Is Aubree losing it? Getting kicked out of the Wilson family really hit her hard, huh? Dropping art for regular classes? That's a weird way to give up," someone muttered."Probably can't handle being around Carmen anymore. Easier to quit than look bad."The gossip didn't faze Aubree one bit.As she turned to leave, Carmen grabbed her arm. "Aubree, stop being dumb. You can't just switch to regular classes to get Mom, Dad, and the boys to care. Don't tank your future like this."Carmen's face was all "I'm so let down."Her words had everyone nodding like it clicked. 'So, that's it—Aubree's just chasing pity!'Chapter 6 The Spot I Gave UpAubree clicked her tongue. "You're burning my retinas."Carmen blinked, clueless. "What?""That saintly glow of yours," Aubree said, her voice dripping with shade. She was totally calling out Carmen's busybody act.Carmen's eyes got all teary, and she stood there, looking like a kicked puppy.Cue the rescue squad. Some dude jumped in, all fired up. "Aubree, don't act too big for your boots!"Carmen's just being nice, worrying about you. You're not even close to her level!"Aubree brushed Carmen's hand off, smirking. "Oh, really? That fancy art program Carmen's in? That was my spot. I gave it to her."If one got picked for Rithol Art School's elite art camp and didn't want it, they could pass it to someone else. But no one even did that.Her words hit like a grenade. The guy froze, jaw dropped, disbelief all over his face.Carmen was the Wilson family's golden girl. To keep it that way, Aubree had to stay in the shadows. Some of Carmen's "masterpiece" paintings? Yeah, those were Aubree's.But Aubree was tired of hiding. She wanted her shot to shine.She'd secretly signed up for the Rithol Art School exam, hoping to surprise everyone. But, as always, the Wilsons only saw Carmen as the one who deserved the spotlight.The room buzzed with gasps.'If Aubree's giving up her spot, is she, like, way more talented than Carmen?' they wondered. "The teacher didn't shut it down, so… maybe it's true? And now she's switching to regular classes? Is she nuts?'All eyes flicked to Carmen, laced with doubt. The Wilson family's "real heiress vs. fake heiress" drama had everyone guessing what was legit.Carmen's perfect smile slipped for a split second, showing a flash of raw jealousy.'How dare Aubree spill that tea?' she fumed to herself. 'Isn't she scared of pissing me off and getting chewed out by the family?'Carmen figured Aubree should be groveling for their approval, playing the sad sidekick to make her look like the perfect, big-hearted Wilson heiress.Outside the open classroom door, two figures—one tall, one short—watched it all go down.Bowen Turner raised an eyebrow. He was just dropping off his nephew and checking out his investment in the school. He didn't expect to see her again.And she wasn't the Aubree he'd pictured."Is that Aubree?" Bowen squinted at the skinny girl in the classroom. She looked frailer than in those old photos from three years ago. Hadn't grown an inch.'And those shoes…' he mused. 'The ones from her fifteenth birthday? How'd she come back looking this rough?'Alvin Tuener shot his uncle a curious look. His uncle had been in Odionland for three years, hustling for the family business. No way he'd know the Wilson family's lost-and-found heiress."You know her, Uncle Bowen?" he asked."Heard some talk," Bowen said, all casual, like he was just asking about a random name. "She's a Wilson, right? Doesn't look it."Alvin shrugged. "Yeah, the Wilsons treat her like garbage. Worse than their help. Rumor is, she fought with them and split."Bowen nodded, dropping it. "Get to class, kid. I gotta chat with your principal. Later."He didn't go near the classroom. As he walked off, he texted his assistant.When Kelvin Malone saw the message—his boss wanting dirt on a high school girl—he nearly choked.'He finally crushing on someone?' Kelvin thought.He'd been with Bowen since college, and the guy never gave women a second glance.Still, Kelvin's stomach flipped. 'She's gotta be eighteen, right? He's not that dumb…'Bowen had no idea his assistant was freaking out.Alvin watched his uncle leave, scratching his head. "What's his deal? Old guy having a midlife meltdown already?"He shrugged, strolled into class, tossed his bag on a chair, and zoned out for a nap. The weird vibe in the room? Didn't care.The second he walked in, Aubree saw Carmen tense up. She didn't check who it was—didn't matter.Shoving past some guy in her way, Aubree ditched art class without a glance back.She was late. By the time she hit Class 13, the teacher was already talking.Thanks to her homeroom teacher's heads-up, the teacher just waved her in to grab a seat.After class, during the break, Class 13—usually a nerdy, quiet senior class—was whispering like crazy.Aubree felt eyes on her and frowned. 'If Carmen's why everyone in art class was gawking, what's the deal now?' she thought to herself.She wasn't stupid. Something was up."You Aubree?" her desk mate asked, a girl with a short, spiky wolf-tail haircut, eyeing her like she was trouble."Yup," Aubree said, keeping it short."Name's Matilda Diaz. Bet you haven't seen the school forum yet, huh?"Matilda's hint was enough. Aubree grabbed her phone and checked the forum. Total mess—posts tearing her apart, some telling her to drop dead.They called her a snake, said she tried to kill someone.At the top, a pinned post screamed she'd pushed her foster sister down the stairs at some fancy party, getting her kicked out of the Wilson family.No surprise. Carmen's work, obviously.To Carmen, step one was getting Aubree tossed from the Wilsons—check. Step two? Making school hell for her, too.Aubree's face didn't show a hint of worry or anger."You're not pissed?" Matilda asked, head tilted, totally confused.Aubree flicked through her phone, barely looking up. "Pissed? Over this? It's nothing." The half-baked lies and garbage posted about her on the school forum? Just Carmen's weak attempt to drag her down.In her old life with the Wilson family, she'd faced way worse—stuff that made this look like a bad prank.Carmen wasn't trying to wreck her in one go. Nah, she was playing the long game, planting seeds to make people see Aubree in a certain light. So when something else popped off, folks would just shrug and say, "Yup, that's Aubree. Figures."That was exactly how the Wilsons had cornered her, step by slimy step, until she was nothing but a caricature to them.A sly grin tugged at her lips. She'd survived that mess once. If she hadn't learned her lesson by now, there was no point of a second shot.She pulled up a video on her phone and posted it to the forum, using her real name.It was security footage from the Wilson estate, grabbed from the control room before she ditched that life. She'd been ready for Carmen's cheap shots.Matilda, sitting next to her, peeked at the video and gave Aubree a look, like she wanted to say something but held back.Aubree just shrugged, like it was no big deal, and didn't bother checking the forum again.Across campus, a few school higher-ups trailed Bowen, kissing up while giving him the VIP tour."Mr. Turner, we can't thank you enough for your investment. The kids at Rithol High are so lucky to have this amazing school," the principal said, his bald head gleaming under the sun, two stray hairs flapping as he yammered on."Totally!" another official chimed in. "Our students are top-notch, future superstars!""Superstars, huh?" Bowen's tone had a sharp edge nobody could quite place.He let out a quiet scoff, glancing at his phone. His assistant, Kelvin, had sent a report, including the whole forum drama."So, your 'top-notch' kids spend their time ganging up on someone online for kicks?" he said, raising an eyebrow. The principal's proud hairs seemed to wilt.It was a muggy September day in Rithol City, and the principal mopped sweat off his brow. "Mr. Turner—""Take a look," Bowen said, handing over his phone. Kelvin, quick as ever, had pinned down the worst culprits—the ones fanning the flames online.The principal's face went pale as he scrolled. The school's biggest investor was here for the first time, and despite all his planning, this mess had blown up in his face. "We'll sort this out, I promise!" he stammered.Bowen pocketed his phone, his voice cold as ice. "Didn't you say this place pumps out the best? No room for bad apples, right?"His polite smile didn't touch his eyes. Nobody was dumb enough to think he was happy.The principal, practically trembling, tested the waters. "So… expel them?""Your school, your rules," Bowen said with a sharp nod, but his eyes were hard as steel.'How could she just take that crap?' he thought, his mind spinning.He clenched his jaw, his gaze dark and stormy.
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
👩 As a full-time mom, my entire life revolved around her. I made her the foods she loved — fried cutlets, snacks, sugary drinks — and told myself it was just part of childhood. But slowly, her body began to change. She became heavier, quieter… and more tired. One day, as she was walking up the stairs, she stopped halfway and softly said: “Mom… I’m tired.” That moment has stayed with me forever. Not because she couldn’t keep going — but because I realized I had let things get this far. I knew something had to change. But she didn’t like sports, and a strict diet would only push her further away from me. I didn’t want her to feel ashamed — I just wanted her to be healthy again. So, I took her to a doctor at the Mаyo CIinic for help. The doctor calmly said: “At this age, extreme measures aren’t necessary. It’s better to choose something that fits easily into daily life.” She recommended a simple solution: a pair of sweаt-inducing shоrts to support the body’s daily balance. I bought three pairs, so we could change them daily. When we got home, I quietly made a promise to myself: We would stay consistent — for her. Every day, she wore the sweаt shоrts for 30 minutes. No pressure. No arguments. Just support. After two weeks, I started noticing small changes. She no longer constantly asked for snacks. She had more energy. She looked… lighter. After a month, her clothes started fitting better. Two months later, the change was clear — not just in her body, but in her confidence. One day, she ran up to me smiIing… and gave me a big hug. This time, I easily picked her up. And in that moment, I understood: It was never just about weight. It was about helping my child feel strong, healthy, and happy again. Sometimes, the most important thing a parent can do… is not wait too long. ❤️👇 Learn more
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
The pregnancy test showed two lines, Kade Blackwell's mistress was wearing my Luna necklace at the pack banquet, and I had exactly three minutes before my speech—so I chose that moment to announce my rejection. "I, Selene Ashford, reject you, Alpha Kade Blackwell, as my mate." The words ripped through the grand hall like a blade through silk. Seven hundred wolves went silent. Glasses froze mid-air. The string quartet screeched to a halt. Kade's jaw tightened, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as if I'd spoken in a language he didn't understand. Beside him, Mira Lawson—his Delta, his secretary, his *whatever*—clutched the Luna pendant around her neck, her perfectly glossed lips parting in shock. That necklace. My necklace. The one Kade's dying grandmother had placed in my hands three years ago, whispering, *"Take care of him, Selene. He's broken, but you can fix him."* I'd spent three years trying. Three years of running his pack while he ran through other women. Three years of sleeping in an empty bed, attending galas alone, and smiling through every humiliation. Three years of being the perfect Luna while my mate treated me like furniture. No more. "Selene." Kade's voice was low, dangerous, his Alpha aura pressing against the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Something I should've done the day you gave my necklace to your whore," I said, loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Mira flinched, her hand flying to the pendant. Kade's beta, Roman, choked on his champagne. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the divorce papers—already signed on my end, notarized, sealed. I'd been carrying them for two weeks, waiting for the perfect moment. And watching Mira prance around tonight in *my* Luna pendant, laughing on *my* mate's arm, at *my* pack's annual banquet? Perfect moment found. I slapped the papers against Kade's chest. He caught them reflexively, his expression shifting from fury to confusion as he glanced down. "Divorce papers?" He almost laughed. "You're joking." "Do I look like I'm joking, Alpha?" His eyes scanned the first page, then the second. His smirk died. "You're asking for *nothing*? No money, no property, no—" "I don't want a single thing that's yours," I said. "I never did." That was the truth that Kade had never believed. The orphan girl taken in by the Blackwell Pack's charity fund, raised alongside the future Alpha, trained as his Beta—everyone assumed I'd schemed my way into the Luna position. Everyone, including Kade. "Then why did you mate me?" he asked, his voice dropping, almost vulnerable for a fraction of a second before his walls slammed back up. I leaned in close, letting only him hear my next words. "Because your grandmother asked me to give you a chance. That chance expired tonight." I stepped back, smoothing my dress. The crowd parted as I walked toward the exit, my heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched my heartbeat—steady, deliberate, *free*. "Selene!" Kade's Alpha command thundered through the hall, the force of it hitting my spine like a freight train. My wolf buckled, whimpering, but I gritted my teeth and kept walking. I would not turn around. Not this time. Not ever again. The night air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. Behind me, I heard Mira's sugary voice: *"Kade, just let her go..."* My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Two lines on the test. A secret I would carry alone. Because if Kade Blackwell didn't want me, he sure as hell didn't deserve to know about his heir. Chapter 2 By sunrise, I was gone. No note. No forwarding address. No tearful goodbye to the packhouse staff who'd watched me hold Kade's empire together for three years while he couldn't even remember our anniversary. I'd packed one suitcase. Everything else—the designer clothes Kade never noticed, the jewelry he'd never picked out himself, the Luna wardrobe curated for public appearances—stayed in the closet. Let Mira have it. Let her play dress-up in my life. She'd learn soon enough that being Kade Blackwell's woman was a full-time job with no benefits. My phone rang seventeen times before I boarded the flight to Savannah. Kade. Kade. Kade. Roman. Kade. An unknown number—probably Mira, gloating. Kade again. I powered it off and ordered a ginger ale. The nausea was already starting. Savannah was my mother's hometown, a place I hadn't visited since her funeral fifteen years ago. She and my father had died in a factory collapse—the same factory owned by a subsidiary of the Blackwell Pack's business empire. The irony had never been lost on me, though I'd buried it deep, choosing gratitude over bitterness when the Blackwell Charity Fund took me in. Gratitude. What a leash that word had been. The taxi dropped me at a modest rental house I'd secured under a fake name. Two bedrooms, a porch, a garden overrun with weeds. It wasn't the Blackwell estate, but it was *mine*. No Alpha aura saturating the walls. No lingering perfume from Kade's latest conquest. No ghosts. I set my suitcase down and sat on the porch steps, letting the humid Georgia air wrap around me. For the first time in three years, no one needed me. No pack meetings, no alliance negotiations, no crisis management for a mate who created more problems than he solved. My phone buzzed the moment I turned it back on. Not Kade—a text from Dr. Yuen at the pack clinic. *Luna Blackwell, your blood work results are in. Please schedule a follow-up at your earliest convenience. It's important.* I stared at the message. I already knew what the "important" part was. The pregnancy test had confirmed it, but Dr. Yuen's bloodwork would reveal something else—something I'd suspected since my wolf started behaving strangely two months ago. I typed back: *I'm no longer Luna Blackwell. Please send the results to my personal email.* The reply came within minutes—a PDF attachment. I opened it with trembling fingers. My breath caught. The hormone levels confirmed the pregnancy. But there was an additional note, flagged in red: *Anomalous markers detected. Bloodline analysis indicates dormant Alpha-class lineage. Recommend genetic consultation.* Alpha-class lineage. I was an orphan. A nobody. The charity case the Blackwell Pack had reluctantly raised. How could I carry Alpha-class blood? My wolf stirred—not with her usual quiet submission, but with something fiercer. A growl. Low, primal, *powerful*. She'd been different lately. Stronger. Less willing to bow. I closed the email and pressed my hand to my stomach. "Looks like we both have secrets," I murmured. The weeds in the garden swayed in the breeze, wild and untamed. Like me. Like whatever was waking up inside me. My phone rang again. Kade. I blocked his number and went inside to make tea. Chapter 3 Three weeks into my new life, and I was finally starting to breathe. Savannah moved at a different pace—slower, warmer, unconcerned with pack politics and Alpha egos. I found a local healer, a retired wolf named Dr. Tessa Crane, who ran a quiet practice out of her cottage. She was seventy, sharp as a blade, and completely unimpressed by the Blackwell name. "Alpha-class bloodline, dormant but activating," she said, peering at my charts over her reading glasses. "Pregnancy can trigger latent genes. It's rare, but not unheard of." "What does that mean for me?" I asked, gripping the armrest. "It means your wolf is evolving. You'll be stronger, faster, more perceptive. Your aura will shift." She looked at me pointedly. "It also means someone in your family tree was a very powerful Alpha. Have you ever looked into your parents' lineage?" I shook my head. My parents had been factory workers—low-ranking wolves in a small pack that dissolved after the collapse. No one had ever suggested there was anything remarkable about my bloodline. Dr. Crane handed me a referral. "There's a genealogist in Charleston who specializes in wolf ancestry. Might be worth a visit." I tucked the paper into my bag, my mind spinning. My whole life, I'd been told I was ordinary—an orphan, a charity case, someone who should be *grateful* for every scrap thrown her way. Kade had certainly reinforced that narrative. *"You're nothing without this pack, Selene."* *"Don't forget where you came from."* *"You should be thanking me every day for this bond."* His words echoed in my mind, but for the first time, they didn't sting. They just sounded... pathetic. Back at my rental house, I'd started a small routine. Morning walks, prenatal vitamins, reading on the porch. Magdalena Chen, a human neighbor in her sixties, had taken to bringing me casseroles and unsolicited life advice. "You eat like a bird," she scolded, watching me pick at her lasagna. "That baby needs fuel." "How did you—" "Honey, I've had four kids. I can spot a pregnant woman from across a parking lot." I laughed—a real, unguarded laugh. When was the last time I'd done that? Magdalena became my unexpected anchor. She didn't know about wolves or packs or Alpha bonds, and I didn't tell her. To her, I was just Selene—a young woman starting over after a bad marriage. The simplicity of it was healing. Meanwhile, the Blackwell Pack was apparently in chaos. Roman, Kade's Beta, had been texting me from burner phones—clever enough to get around my blocks. *The pack's falling apart without you. Kade's losing alliances left and right.* *Three packs pulled out of the Northern Treaty. The one YOU negotiated.* *Mira tried to chair the council meeting. It was a disaster.* I read each message with detached amusement. For three years, I'd held that pack together with both hands while Kade took all the credit. Now the scaffolding was gone, and the building was swaying. Not my problem anymore. But Roman's last message gave me pause: *Kade's looking for you. He's hired trackers. Be careful, Selene.* I stared at the screen, a chill running down my spine despite the Georgia heat. Kade didn't want me back because he loved me. He wanted me back because without his Luna—without his *Beta*—his pack was crumbling, and his reputation with it. I deleted the message and pulled up the genealogist's number. If Kade Blackwell wanted to find me, he'd better be ready for the woman he'd find. Because she wouldn't be the quiet, obedient Luna he'd discarded. She'd be something else entirely.
💔Ten years of secretly loving Luca Moretti, lingering beside him like a shadow. Until last night, when I heard him going at it with my roommate in the next room. "Enough." I turned and knocked on the door of his rival—Julian Vance. Westbridge College's hockey king leaned against the frame, his grey-blue eyes dragging over my soaked shirt, voice low: "Sure you want to move in?" I gripped the suitcase handle and nodded. The next second, the door locked behind us—and he pinned me hard against it. "Move in, and you play by my rules." In the darkness, his knee forced my thighs apart, his scorching breath burning my earlobe. "Tonight, you sleep in my room." ============== Chapter 1 Aria’s pov. The moans slipped through the wall, again. Luca, my best friend, my secret crush for years, was having sex with my roommate on the other side of the wall. The sounds were louder than usual tonight, a sharp, rhythmic thudding against the drywall that felt like it was happening inside my own head. It felt deliberate, like Serena wanted to make sure I heard every single gasp, every single second of her winning. It was a shitty way to end a twelve-hour double shift at the coffee shop. I lay on my bed, my eyes burning from the caffeine and the fluorescent lights I’d been under all day. I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t. Serena’s moans were reckless. I looked at the small, framed photo on the corner of my desk—my parents and my older brother, Anthony, smiling in the sun. They’ve been gone for five years now. The car accident that took them when I was fifteen shattered my entire world in a single afternoon. Luca was the only one who didn't let me drown in the silence of that empty house. He held me while I cried until I had no tears left. He stayed when everyone else eventually went back to their lives. He was my anchor, my only piece of home left in the world. That’s why I followed him here to Westbridge University. I gave up a full ride at my dream school just so I wouldn't have to face a single day without him nearby. What a massive, pathetic fool I was. Now I was just the scholarship girl working two jobs while he lived the life of a rich playboy. I’d watched him date dozens of girls over the years. I used to just sit back and wait for them to vanish, which they usually did after a month or two. I told myself they were just distractions, toys he used because he wasn't ready for something real. But Serena felt different. She didn't feel like a distraction, she felt like a permanent replacement. The noise from the next room spiked again, a loud moan that made my skin crawl with a mix of nausea and rage. The lack of sleep and the physical ache in my back from standing all day finally made something inside me snap. I pushed myself up from the bed so fast it felt like the world jolted with me. I stormed into the hallway of our suite and hammered my fist against Serena’s door with everything I had. "Keep it the fuck down, you two!" I yelled. My voice sounded raw, cracking under the weight of the frustration I’d been bottling up for weeks. "Some of us actually have to work for a living in the fucking morning!" The noise stopped instantly. It was replaced by a silence so heavy I could feel it pressing against my eardrums. I didn't wait for a response. I turned around, went back into my room, and shut my door hard enough to make the walls tremble. I fell onto my bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to force my heart to stop racing. A few minutes later, there was a sharp, aggressive knock on my door. I thought it was Luca coming to apologize, but when I opened it, Serena was leaning against the frame. She wore one of Luca’s oversized t-shirts, looking like she’d stepped out of a magazine. She had a smirk on her face that made me want to slap the look right off her. "You're very grumpy tonight, Aria," She said, pushing past me into my room. "I'm tired, Serena. I just want to sleep. Get out," I said, my voice flat and exhausted. She leaned against my dresser, looking at me with this fake, sugary pity that made my stomach turn. "Is it really the noise that's bothering you? Or is it the person making me scream?" she asked. I felt a flush of heat creep up my neck, my face burning with a humiliation I couldn't hide. "I don't know what you're talking about," I lied. "Oh come on. I'm not blind. Just admit it. You’re in love with him," she said, her voice dropping to a sharp whisper. "Every time he touches me, you feel like you're dying inside, don't you?" she asked. I couldn't breathe. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. I looked past her and saw Luca standing in the hallway. He was frozen there, his hair messy, his shirt unbuttoned. He had heard everything. He looked confused and deeply uncomfortable, like he was looking at a car wreck he didn't want to be involved in. He didn't defend me. He didn't tell her she was being cruel. He just stood there, avoiding my gaze, letting the silence confirm everything Serena said. "Get out," I told her. My voice was trembling now, and I hated myself for it. "Both of you. Get the fuck out of my room," I said. Serena let out a soft, mean laugh and walked back into the hall. Luca stayed for a second longer, his mouth opening as if he wanted to say something, but he eventually just followed her back into her room. I locked the door and stayed awake for a while, too embarrassed to stop thinking, replaying the look on his face, everything I should have said, everything I didn’t. I didn’t even notice when I fell asleep. ★ The next morning was beyond awkward. I tried to stay in my room as long as possible, but I eventually had to go to the kitchen for coffee. I ran right into Luca. He looked perfectly fine, looking like he’d slept for ten hours, while I looked like a ghost. The eye bags were heavy under my eyes and my stare was probably enough to frighten the dead. "Hey, Ri," he said. He was acting like the fight last night didn't even happen. "My mom called today," he said, pouring himself some juice. "She wants to host a dinner for Serena this weekend. She wants to officially meet her," he continued. I felt a sharp, icy pain in my chest that made it hard to swallow. Luca had never brought a girl home to his parents before. Not once in all the years I’d known him. Only me. I was the only girl who had ever met his family, and I had secretly convinced myself it would stay that way until it was my turn for real. "That's nice," I said, keeping my voice as dead as I felt inside. "I want you to come with us," he said. He beamed at me, like he was doing me a favor. "It’ll be less awkward if you’re there you know. You can even study in the library at my house while we do the dinner," he added. He was serious. He really expected me to sit at his family’s table and watch him play house with the girl who had just destroyed me. He didn't care about my feelings. He didn't even care that Serena had humiliated me right in front of him. To him, I was just a fixture. A doll that came along for the ride. At that moment, I realized the truth. He was serious about her. And I was officially being replaced. "I can't go, Luca. I'm busy," I said. "Busy with what? You always come home with me on weekends," he argued. "Not anymore. I have plans," I said, my voice coming out harsher than I intended. I don’t owe you any explanation for how I choose to live my life. I walked away before he could say another word. I went back into my room and pulled up my banking app. I stared at the balance, calculating every penny from my scholarship and my shifts. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get me a deposit on a tiny room somewhere else. I looked at the thin dorm walls and realized I couldn’t stay here another night. I was done being the backup friend. Tonight, I’m leaving.