The scent of rosemary and vanilla filled our bedroom as I arranged the last candle on the dining table. Five years of marriage, and tonight would change everything. My hand instinctively moved to my still-flat stomach, where our pup grew in secret. I couldn't wait to see Jayson's face when I told him.

"Perfect timing," I whispered to myself, adjusting the silverware one final time. "He'll be home any minute."

I'd spent hours preparing this dinner. The Obsidian Moon Pack's Alpha—my mate—deserved nothing less. Jayson had been working tirelessly on territorial negotiations, and I wanted to surprise him with good news that would make all his stress worthwhile.

Kira, my inner wolf, purred with anticipation. *Our pup will make him happy. He'll finally see how much we love him.*

I smiled, reaching for Jayson's phone to silence it before our romantic evening began. He'd left it on the nightstand, unlocked—unusual for someone so private about his digital life.

"Just one second," I murmured, picking it up.

That's when it happened. My elbow knocked against the table, sending Jayson's phone tumbling to the floor. As I bent to retrieve it, the screen lit up with an app I'd never seen before—a digital diary, left open to today's entry.

My finger hovered over the screen, a strange unease settling in my chest. *Don't look*, I told myself. *This is private.*

But Kira growled. *Something wrong. Look.*

I opened the app, my heart pounding as I scrolled through months of entries. Then years.

"Today Elle suggested we start trying for pups," read an entry from three months ago. "The thought makes me sick. What kind of mother would she be? Francesca would have been perfect—strong, beautiful, from the right bloodline."

My breath caught. Francesca? The she-wolf who'd rejected Jayson before his wolf finally emerged?

Another entry, from our third anniversary: "Elle thinks tonight is special. She's wearing that ridiculous necklace I bought her to shut her up about wanting a real gift. If only she knew I was with Francesca in my mind the entire time we made love."

The candles flickered as my hands began to shake. Entry after entry revealed the truth—Jayson had never loved me. He'd used me, the devoted Luna who'd helped him reclaim his Alpha status, as a placeholder while he obsessed over the woman who'd once called him defective.

"The pack respects Elle because she plays her role well," another entry read. "She's the perfect PR tool—everyone sees how devoted she is to the late-bloomer Alpha. No one suspects I'm dying inside, waiting for the day I can finally have Francesca."

Kira howled in agony, clawing at my insides. *Betrayal! Pain!*

"Shut up," I whispered, tears streaming down my face as I continued reading. Five years of lies distilled into thousands of words. Every tender moment we'd shared mocked in his private thoughts.

The final entry was dated today: "Elle's been acting strange lately. Probably suspects something. Need to be more careful. Francesca's return is imminent—just need to keep Elle in line until I can make my move."

The phone slipped from my fingers, clattering to the floor as a sob tore from my throat. Pregnant with his pup, and he was planning to leave me for her.

*Reject him!* Kira snarled. *Now!*

I stumbled to our closet, pulling out my suitcase with trembling hands. I had to get out—tonight. Before he came home. Before I lost my nerve.

"I won't raise our child in this lie," I whispered, throwing clothes into the bag. "I won't be your convenient Luna anymore, Jayson."

Kira's fury gave me strength as I packed essentials—clothes, documents, the small emergency fund I'd kept hidden from his controlling grasp. My hands moved mechanically, tears blurring my vision.

*Hurry,* Kira urged. *He coming.*

As if summoned by her warning, the door to our suite swung open. Jayson stood there, his imposing frame filling the doorway, his silver eyes narrowing at the sight of my packed suitcase.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, his voice dangerously low.

I straightened, clutching his phone in my hand like a weapon. "I know everything."

His expression didn't change—no shock, no guilt. Just cold calculation as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

"You went through my phone." It wasn't a question.

"You wrote about how much you hate me," I said, my voice surprisingly steady despite the hurricane of emotions inside me. "About how you've been waiting for Francesca to come back."

Something shifted in his eyes—not remorse, but panic. Not for hurting me, but for being caught.

"You don't understand," he began, but I cut him off.

"I understand perfectly." I lifted my chin, one hand protectively covering my stomach. "I'm leaving, Jayson. We're done."

His face transformed, the mask of civility dropping away to reveal something primal and possessive underneath.

"No," he growled, his Alpha aura filling the room like a physical force. "You're not going anywhere."

The pressure of his dominance crushed against me, making my knees buckle. Kira fought against it, but I was pregnant, vulnerable.

"Stop," I gasped, clutching the edge of the bed for support.

"As your Alpha and mate, I command you to stay," Jayson said, his voice resonating with power that no wolf could resist. "You will not leave this territory. You will not speak of what you've read."

My body betrayed me, dropping to my knees as his Alpha command took hold. The mate bond—the very thing I'd cherished—now became my prison.

"Please," I whispered, hating the weakness in my voice.

Jayson knelt before me, gripping my chin with bruising force. "You are mine, Elle. My Luna. My possession. And you will never leave me."

Kira howled in rage and despair as darkness closed in around us both.

Morning light filtered through the curtains as Jayson's hand gripped my waist, his fingers digging into my flesh with possessive force. The pack gathering outside our bedroom door waited for their Alpha and Luna to lead the morning run—a tradition I'd once cherished.

"Smile," Jayson whispered, his breath hot against my ear. "Everyone's watching."

I forced my lips upward, though Kira snarled violently inside me. *Don't touch us!*

"My Luna is still tired from last night," Jayson announced to the gathered wolves, his voice carrying that false tenderness that now made my stomach turn. "But she insisted on joining us today."

The pack members nodded approvingly, oblivious to the truth. I caught Rebecca's concerned glance—she'd been my assistant long enough to read the tension in my shoulders.

"Let's run," Jayson commanded, releasing me only to grab my hand as we shifted.

The transformation was agony. Kira fought against Jayson's dominance with every fiber of her being, causing pain to radiate through my body as we changed forms. My silver-white fur gleamed in the morning light, but inside, I was screaming.

*He's hurting us,* Kira growled. *The pup...*

*I know,* I responded through our link. *We need to be smart.*

Jayson's massive black wolf pressed against my side, his Alpha aura pulsing with each stride. Whenever he brushed against me—a calculated move to show unity—Kira rebelled, sending shocks of pain through my body.

"Run with your Alpha," he commanded through the pack mind-link, his voice echoing in everyone's heads.

I followed mechanically, but as we circled the territory, I reached out through the link to one wolf alone.

*Former Alpha Wayne,* I called silently. *I need to speak with you. Privately.*

There was a moment of surprise before his response came. *Is everything alright, Luna?*

*No,* I answered simply. *I need your help.*

---

Wayne's study smelled of leather and old books, a sanctuary from the chaos of my life. I sat across from him, my hands trembling as I placed Jayson's phone on his desk.

"I found this last night," I said, my voice breaking. "And I'm pregnant."

Wayne's weathered face hardened as he scrolled through the diary entries. His eyes flashed with disgust as he read Jayson's cruel words.

"Margaret would have torn him apart for this," he said quietly, referring to his late mate—Jayson's mother. "A true Alpha protects his Luna and pup."

"He's not a true Alpha," I whispered. "He's a fraud I helped create."

Wayne's hand covered mine, warm and steady. "What do you need from me, daughter?"

The word 'daughter' broke something inside me. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I explained my plan.

"I need to secure my future—and my pup's future—away from him."

Wayne nodded, already opening his laptop. "Tell me what you've been working on."

For the next hour, we transferred my secret investments into accounts Jayson couldn't touch. The tech startups I'd backed were thriving, my business acumen something Jayson had always dismissed.

"This will be enough," Wayne said finally. "Enough for you and the pup to start over somewhere he can't find you."

---

The formal dinner that evening was torture. I sat beside Jayson at the head table, wearing a dress that hid my slightly rounded stomach. Each time he placed his hand on my shoulder or leaned in to kiss my cheek for the benefit of visiting pack members, Kira fought back with increasing violence.

"Smile wider," he murmured as the Beta's mate complimented our "perfect bond."

I was just beginning to think I might survive the evening when the pack guards burst through the dining hall doors.

"Alpha," the lead guard announced, "there's a she-wolf at our borders requesting sanctuary."

Jayson stood, his posture shifting with interest. "Who?"

"Francesca Simpson," the guard replied.

The room fell silent. My blood turned to ice as Jayson's entire demeanor changed—his eyes brightened with an intensity I'd never seen directed at me.

"Bring her in," he commanded, not bothering to consult me.

Kira's fury rose like a tidal wave inside me. *She's here. She's actually here.*

Minutes later, Francesca Simpson glided into the dining hall like she owned it. Her golden hair cascaded over one shoulder, her designer dress clinging to curves that had clearly been enhanced since I'd last seen her years ago.

"Alpha Ross," she purred, her voice carrying a practiced tremor. "I've come seeking protection from the European Alpha who's been... abusing me."

The scent hit me then—heavy French perfume masking her natural smell. But underneath it all, Kira caught something else. Something that made my wolf rear up in protective rage.

*She's lying,* Kira snarled. *And she's here for our mate.*

I looked up to see Jayson's expression—hungry, possessive, and filled with a desire he'd never shown for me. In that moment, I knew my prison had just become infinitely smaller.

The pack laws were clear. Sanctuary requests required Luna approval. But Jayson didn't even glance my way as he waved the guards forward.

"Bring her to the main house immediately," he commanded, his voice vibrating with an excitement I'd never heard before. "She'll be staying in the east wing guest suite."

My stomach dropped. The east wing was adjacent to our private quarters—the most prestigious guest accommodation in the pack house.

"Jayson," I said quietly, trying to maintain my composure. "We need to discuss this first. Protocol requires—"

"Protocol?" He cut me off with a sharp look. "Francesca is a vulnerable she-wolf seeking protection. My duty as Alpha is clear."

Kira snarled inside me. *He's never cared about protocol before.*

"I'm your Luna," I reminded him, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands. "All sanctuary requests go through me first."

Jayson's eyes narrowed, his Alpha aura flaring as he stepped closer. "Are you questioning my decision?"

The dining hall had fallen silent. Every pack member watched our exchange, their expressions ranging from confusion to pity.

"Former Alpha Wayne," I called out, turning to the one person who might support me. "What does pack law state about sanctuary requests?"

Wayne rose slowly from his seat, his weathered face unreadable. "The Luna must approve all sanctuary requests within pack territory."

"See?" I turned back to Jayson.

But Jayson's expression had hardened into something cold and unyielding. "This is an exceptional circumstance. Francesca requires immediate protection."

"Then the omega quarters would be appropriate," I countered. "Not our private wing."

"You're being paranoid," he dismissed, loud enough for everyone to hear. "This is my final decision."

---

The next morning, I descended the stairs to find Francesca already at breakfast. She wore one of Jayson's oversized black shirts that hung to her mid-thigh, her long legs bare and flawless.

"Good morning," she chirped, her voice honey-sweet as she leaned against the counter. "I hope you don't mind that I borrowed one of Jayson's shirts. Mine were... damaged during my escape."

I froze at the threshold, my nose picking up the unmistakable scent of her French perfume mingled with Jayson's earthy aroma. They'd been in close contact—too close.

"Where is Jayson?" I asked, keeping my voice neutral.

"Showering," she replied with a small smile. "He was so concerned about me last night. Stayed up for hours making sure I was comfortable."

As if summoned by her words, Jayson appeared at the top of the stairs, his hair damp and tousled. His eyes immediately found Francesca, softening in a way they never did for me.

"Morning," he said, his voice warm as he descended. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a baby," Francesca purred, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from his forehead—a gesture so intimate I felt Kira rear up in rage.

I stepped forward. "Francesca, I need to establish boundaries. You're a guest in this house, but—"

"She's hormonal," Jayson interrupted, cutting his eyes to the omega servants who were trying to blend into the walls. "Ignore her."

Heat rushed to my cheeks as the servants exchanged glances. One of them—Rebecca—looked at me with undisguised sympathy.

"Jayson," I warned, my voice low. "You're undermining me in front of the staff."

"Only stating facts," he replied coldly, before turning to Francesca with a smile. "Let's get you something to eat."

---

The training grounds echoed with the sounds of sparring wolves. I watched from the sidelines as Jayson demonstrated combat techniques to the pack's elite warriors. For a moment, I could almost forget the turmoil of the past twenty-four hours.

Then Francesca appeared at the edge of the field, her face contorted in what looked like distress.

"Jayson!" she cried out, her voice trembling. "I—I can't breathe!"

The training session halted immediately. Jayson abandoned his sparring partner mid-strike, rushing to her side.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, his hands gripping her shoulders.

"Panic attack," she gasped, collapsing against his chest. "Ever since... what he did to me..."

I stood perfectly still as Jayson wrapped his arms around her, cradling her against his body in full view of the entire pack elite.

"I've got you," he murmured, his voice carrying across the now-silent training ground. "You're safe now."

The warriors exchanged uncomfortable glances. Some looked at me with pity, others with confusion. My authority as Luna was being systematically dismantled before their eyes.

I felt Wayne's presence beside me before I saw him.

"This is calculated," he whispered. "She's undermining your position."

I nodded slightly, not trusting myself to speak. Instead, I pulled out my phone and opened the banking app, confirming that the final transfer had gone through.

"Are you ready?" Wayne asked quietly.

I watched as Jayson continued to hold Francesca, whispering reassurances into her hair while the pack's elite warriors stood awkwardly around them.

"Yes," I replied, my finger hovering over the confirmation button for one final transaction. "I'm ready."

Kira's voice rose within me, no longer howling in pain but growling with determination. *Soon,* she promised. *Soon we'll be free.*