I recently joined an online parenting group for werewolf mothers and came across a post that caught my attention:

“Hello everyone, I’m the other woman, and I’ve had a pup with my mate. I don’t want to raise him. What should I do?”

A response quickly followed:

“If his Luna hasn’t had any pups, have your mate claim the pup was found in a rogue orphanage and let her raise him.”

“You two can enjoy your lives together freely for a few years. Once the pup grows up, he can reject her.”

“In the end, you’ll be the one who comes out on top.”

My frown deepened as I read this, my fingers tightening around my phone. That evening, my mate Porter, a Delta of the Silver Moon Pack, returned home from his duties.

I was just about to share the news of my pregnancy when he spoke up first, his voice tense.

“We’ve been mated all these years without pups. Maybe we should consider adopting one?”

My heart skipped a beat, the memory of the post flashing in my mind. I hesitated before responding, wanting to probe further.

“Why don’t we give it another try? I saw the healer today, and there’s still hope…”

“No need!” he cut me off, his tone sharp with frustration.

“We’ve been trying for years with no success; why would things change now?”

“And besides, my mother’s not getting any younger. She’s been dreaming of a grandpup forever, and you, as her daughter-in-law, don’t seem to care!”

I remained silent, my wolf stirring uneasily in the back of my mind. He slammed his fork down on the table, the sound echoing in the quiet room.

“What’s with the attitude? If you could have a pup, we wouldn’t even be discussing adoption!”

“At every pack gathering, they’re all fathers, and I’m the odd one out. It’s embarrassing.”

“I’m going away on a pack assignment soon, so we need to adopt this pup right away!”

I inwardly scoffed. If I hadn’t known he already had a pup with someone else, I might have believed him.

Seeing his desperation, everything started to make sense.

Before he could continue, I nodded calmly, masking the turmoil inside me.

“Okay, whatever you think is best.”

His stance relaxed slightly at my agreement, his shoulders dropping as if a weight had been lifted.

“Good to see you’re being sensible. I’ll bring the pup home tomorrow.”

On a typical day, Porter would have been out of the shower in a flash, but tonight he lingered far longer than usual. It wasn’t until I’d already settled into bed that he finally emerged, his damp hair clinging to his forehead and his broad shoulders glistening under the dim light of our bedroom. Once he was asleep, I reopened the parenting group’s messages, my fingers trembling slightly as I scrolled.

The woman claiming to be his mistress was updating everyone with the latest news.

“Ladies, my mate has finally settled things with his nagging wife. Once we dump the pup on her, we’re going to stage our deaths and disappear abroad for a romantic life together. We’ll come back in a few years and live the good life once the pup is older. Haha!”

She even shared screenshots of their conversations. I glanced at the image with the half-obscured profile picture. Sure enough, it was Porter.

The group was full of people applauding her scheming. Unable to hold back, I sent a message from my anonymous account.

“Aren’t you worried about being exposed for plotting against someone’s mate?”

The mistress was quick to reply.

“Exposed? That nagging wife should be grateful to have a pup to care for since she couldn’t have any of her own. I’m thrilled to have found a free nanny for my son!”

Reading those shameless comments, I became so furious that I closed the chat window. Lying beside me, Porter was in a deep sleep, oblivious to everything. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I kicked him hard out of bed.

He woke up with a start, bewildered and disoriented. I pretended I’d been woken up by his commotion, rubbing my eyes.

“What happened, darling? Did your sleepwalking act up again?”

He rubbed the spot where I’d kicked him, wincing in pain. Grumbling under his breath, he climbed back into bed. Within seconds, he was snoring again.

I touched my stomach, silently clenching my fist. They were the ones who brought the pup to me. It won’t be so easy for them to have their perfect family reunion in the future.

The next morning, Porter brought the pup home bright and early. Katherine, standing nearby, couldn’t help but feel a little concerned.

“Porter, you and the Luna are still young. Is there really a need to rush into this?”

Porter looked uneasy. “I’m swamped with pack duties. I’ll be traveling abroad for business soon. I just can’t handle it.”

“Haven’t you always wanted a grandpup? Look at how well-behaved this little one is.”

He handed the pup to Katherine. I glanced over. The baby, just a few months old, did bear a slight resemblance to Porter upon closer inspection.

Katherine looked at me, her eyes filled with sympathy. I smiled slightly, indicating that it was okay.

That evening, the mistress boasted in the group again.

“The pup is with the nagging mate now. We’re off to live the jet-set life abroad!”

She posted photos of two plane tickets. Soon, Porter’s luggage was packed and ready.

“Mother, the pack is sending me abroad for a while.”

“Luna, I’m leaving the house in your care, and you must take good care of the pup!”

As he was leaving, he unusually gave me a hug. He could hardly suppress the grin on his face.

“Luna, wait for me to come back.”

I waved goodbye, putting on a show of reluctance. Back in the room, I discovered he had taken the credit card from the drawer. It held the $40,000 I had saved for the pack over the years.

I was so angry I wanted to call and scream at him but decided against it. Instead, I turned to open the safe under the bed. Inside were a few gold bars and several bank cards. My little nest egg. From our mate bond until now, the savings amounted to about $400,000.

Mates can be unreliable. Having some assets in hand is the only real security.

After Porter left, the only change at home was the addition of a pup. Everything else remained the same.

The mistress’s last message in the group was at the end of the month.

“Ladies, life as a couple is just too wonderful!”

She posted a photo of them kissing against the sunset. She even shared their location—the address clearly showing they were abroad.