The sterile scent of disinfectant couldn't mask the betrayal that hung thick in the air as I stepped into the pack hospital. I'd come to check on our medical supplies—a routine Luna duty that Porter had been too busy to handle lately. Now I understood why.

Through the partially open door of room 314, I saw them. My mate, Alpha Porter Hamilton, sat beside Sloan Dixon's hospital bed with a tenderness I hadn't witnessed in years. His large hands cradled a bowl of soup, carefully bringing each spoonful to her lips as if she were made of precious glass. When she smiled weakly at him, he brushed a strand of auburn hair from her forehead, his fingers lingering against her skin.

My wolf, Luna, whimpered in my chest. *That should be us,* she whispered, her pain echoing through our bond.

I gripped the doorframe, my knuckles white. Eight years. Eight years of marriage, and he'd never once fed me when I was sick. Never stroked my hair with such reverence. The memory of last month's flu, when I'd lain in our bed burning with fever while he attended pack meetings, felt like a fresh wound.

"Porter." My voice cut through their intimate moment like a blade.

He jerked away from Sloan as if caught stealing, the spoon clattering against the bowl. Sloan's green eyes widened with mock surprise, though I caught the satisfied gleam beneath her feigned innocence.

"Alexis." Porter's tone held no warmth, no guilt—only irritation at being interrupted. "What are you doing here?"

"Checking on hospital supplies. My Luna duties, remember?" I stepped into the room, my gaze shifting between them. "Though I see you're quite... occupied. How is your mother, by the way? She's been asking for you. Room 201, if you've forgotten."

Porter's jaw tightened. "Mother is fine. Sloan needed—"

"What Sloan needs," I interrupted, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, "is to remember her place in this pack."

Sloan's hand fluttered to her throat, a gesture I'd seen her use countless times to appear vulnerable. "Luna Alexis, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to trouble the Alpha, but I've been feeling so weak lately, and—"

"Save it." I turned my attention back to Porter, whose dark eyes had hardened. "Your mother's condition is deteriorating. The doctors say she needs family support, but I suppose pack members take priority now."

Porter stood abruptly, his six-foot frame towering over me. "Don't you dare question my priorities. You have no idea what responsibilities I'm managing."

"Responsibilities?" A bitter laugh escaped me. "Is that what we're calling this?"

Before Porter could respond, the soft whir of wheelchair wheels announced another presence. Luna Mother appeared in the doorway, her steel-gray hair perfectly coiffed despite her hospital stay. Her sharp blue eyes took in the scene with calculating precision.

"Alexis." Her voice carried the authority of her former Luna status. "How dare you harass your Alpha and a sick pack member? Have you no shame?"

The accusation hit me like a physical blow. "Shame? I'm checking on my husband's welfare, and—"

"Your husband is tending to pack business," Luna Mother snapped, maneuvering her wheelchair closer to Sloan's bed. "Something you've failed to understand in eight years of marriage. A true Luna supports her Alpha's decisions, especially when it comes to ensuring the pack's future."

The emphasis on 'future' wasn't lost on me. My hand unconsciously moved to my flat stomach, the familiar ache of inadequacy settling in my chest. Eight years of trying, eight years of monthly disappointments, eight years of whispered accusations that I was barren.

"Mother," Porter's voice held a warning, but his eyes remained cold when they met mine.

"No, Porter. She needs to hear this." Luna Mother's gaze never left my face. "Sloan has been nothing but respectful and helpful to this pack. Unlike some people, she understands her duties."

Sloan's lips curved in the faintest smile, quickly hidden behind a cough. "Please, Luna Mother, don't upset yourself on my account. I'm sure Luna Alexis is just... concerned."

The false sweetness in her voice made my skin crawl. This wasn't coincidence—this was orchestrated. The way she positioned herself in the bed, the timing of Luna Mother's arrival, even Porter's defensive stance. They'd been planning this.

"You're right, Mother," Porter said finally, his Alpha aura pressing against me like a suffocating blanket. "Alexis, you're clearly overwrought. Perhaps you should return to the pack house and rest."

Dismissal. In front of a pack member and his mother, he was dismissing me like a child having a tantrum.

Luna stirred restlessly in my chest, her golden eyes flashing behind mine. *We are Luna,* she growled. *We bow to no one.*

I straightened my spine, letting my own aura unfurl—not the gentle, nurturing presence of a traditional Luna, but something sharper, more dangerous. Something that reminded everyone present that I carried Alpha blood in my veins.

"How thoughtful of you to be so... attentive to pack members, husband." The word dripped with venom. "I'll be sure to mention your dedication at tonight's pack dinner. I'm certain everyone will be interested to hear about your hands-on approach to pack welfare."

Porter's face darkened, but before he could respond, I turned on my heel and walked away, my head held high despite the trembling in my hands.

Behind me, I heard Luna Mother's voice, sharp with satisfaction: "Finally, someone who appreciates proper pack hierarchy."

The words followed me down the corridor like poison, but I didn't look back. I couldn't. Because if I did, they'd see the tears threatening to fall, and I refused to give them that satisfaction.

Not yet.

The silence in our bedroom felt suffocating as I stared at Porter's back. He'd barely spoken since we returned from the hospital, his shoulders rigid with unspoken anger. Luna paced restlessly in my chest, her golden eyes blazing with indignation.

*Tell him,* she urged. *Tell him what we really think.*

I took a shuddering breath and opened the pack mind-link, letting my thoughts flow to every member of our pack. The mental connection hummed with sudden attention as dozens of wolves tuned in to their Luna's voice.

*I will find my true mate and leave this toxic bond,* I declared, my mental voice ringing with conviction. *The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes, but sometimes we do.*

The pack mind-link exploded with shocked gasps and whispered conversations. I felt Porter's fury slam into me through our mate bond like a physical blow, but I didn't flinch. Not this time.

He spun around, his dark eyes blazing with Alpha rage. "How dare you—"

"How dare I what?" I stood my ground, letting my own Alpha bloodline flare to life. "Speak the truth? Your pack deserves to know their Luna won't tolerate being treated like a discarded toy."

Porter's hands clenched into fists. "You've lost your mind. Sloan was sick, and I was—"

"Feeding her like a devoted mate while your actual mate's mother-in-law deteriorates alone." My voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "Tell me, Porter, when was the last time you showed me half the tenderness you gave her today?"

His jaw worked silently, and I knew he couldn't answer. Because the truth was never.

The pack mind-link buzzed with confusion and concern. I felt Beta Marcus trying to calm the younger wolves, while Gamma Thompson demanded explanations. But underneath it all, I sensed something else—doubt. About Porter. About our leadership.

"That's enough." Porter's Alpha command crashed over me, but I was ready for it this time. My own bloodline rose to meet his, creating a barrier that made his power slide off me like water.

"No, it's not nearly enough." I smiled coldly. "You want to play Alpha games? Fine. As of tonight, I'm stripping myself of all ceremonial Luna duties. Give them to your precious Sloan since she's so dedicated to pack affairs."

Porter's face went white. "You can't—"

"I can, and I am." I moved toward the door, my hand on the handle. "Consider it a trial run for when I'm gone permanently."

I left him standing there, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. The pack mind-link churned with chaos, but I closed my connection and headed for my private study.

My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I'd memorized but never had the courage to use. Marcus Stone, rogue investigator. His reputation for uncovering pack secrets was legendary, and right now, I needed every weapon I could find.

"Stone here."

"This is Luna Alexis Reynolds of Silvermoon Pack. I need your services."

A pause. "What kind of services, Luna?"

"The kind that expose cheating Alphas and their mistresses."

"Interesting. My rate is five thousand, plus expenses."

"Done. How soon can you start?"

"I'm already starting. I'll be in touch."

The line went dead. My heart hammered as I scrolled through my contacts, stopping at a name I hadn't called in years. Rylan Wright, Beta attorney from Moonstone Pack. My childhood friend. The boy who'd looked at me with such intensity during our coming-of-age ceremony that I'd wondered...

But I'd chosen Porter. I'd been so sure the Moon Goddess had blessed our bond.

What a fool I'd been.

Rylan answered on the second ring. "Alexis?" His voice was deeper now, more confident than the shy Omega boy I remembered.

"Rylan." My voice cracked. "I need help. Legal help."

"Where are you? Are you safe?"

The concern in his voice nearly broke me. When was the last time anyone had asked if I was safe?

"I'm at the pack house, but I don't know for how long. Porter's having an affair, and I think... I think I need to reject our mate bond."

Silence stretched between us. Then, quietly: "I'll be there in an hour. Don't do anything until I arrive."

"Rylan, wait." I closed my eyes, gathering courage. "There's something I need to know. At our coming-of-age ceremony, when you looked at me like that... did you feel it too?"

Another pause, longer this time. When he spoke, his voice was rough with emotion.

"Alexis, I've known you were my true mate since the moment we turned eighteen. But you chose him, and I respected that choice. I've been waiting eight years for you to realize what I've always known."

The phone slipped from my numb fingers, clattering to the floor. Luna howled in my chest, a sound of pure recognition and longing.

*Our true mate,* she whispered. *He's been waiting for us.*

Outside my study, I heard Porter's voice raised in anger, probably addressing the pack about my "temporary emotional instability." Let him spin it however he wanted. Soon, everyone would know the truth.

I picked up my phone with trembling hands. "Rylan? I'll be waiting."

The nausea hit me like a rogue wave during morning training, forcing me to stumble behind the equipment shed before emptying my stomach into the bushes. Luna whimpered in my chest, her confusion mirroring my own as I pressed my back against the rough wooden wall, waiting for the world to stop spinning.

*Something's different,* she whispered, her voice tinged with hope I didn't dare feel.

I'd been here before—the phantom symptoms, the desperate hope, the crushing disappointment when my monthly cycle arrived like clockwork. But this felt different. Stronger. More certain.

With trembling hands, I drove to the human pharmacy two towns over, purchasing three different pregnancy tests like a woman possessed. Back in my private bathroom, I lined them up on the marble counter, my heart hammering as I waited for the results.

Positive. All three.

Luna howled with joy in my chest, her elation flooding through our bond. *Our pup,* she sang. *Finally, our pup.*

For a moment, I allowed myself to dream. Maybe this would change everything. Maybe Porter would remember why he'd chosen me as his mate. Maybe the pack would finally see me as more than the barren Luna who'd failed in her most basic duty.

I found Porter in his office, reviewing patrol schedules with Beta Marcus. When Marcus left, I closed the door behind him, my hand instinctively moving to my still-flat stomach.

"Porter," I began, my voice soft with wonder. "I have news."

He looked up from his papers, his expression mildly interested. "What is it?"

"I'm pregnant." The words fell between us like stones in still water.

Porter blinked, his pen freezing mid-signature. "Are you certain?"

"Three tests. All positive."

He set down his pen, leaning back in his chair. "Well. That's... good news." His tone was flat, businesslike, as if I'd just reported successful inventory numbers.

My heart cracked. Where was the joy? The pride? The overwhelming Alpha possessiveness that should have flooded our mate bond? Instead, he looked almost... inconvenienced.

"Good news?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. "Porter, we're having a baby. Your heir."

"Yes, I heard you." He picked up his pen again, already returning to his paperwork. "We'll need to schedule a doctor's appointment. Make sure everything is... progressing normally."

The clinical detachment in his voice made Luna recoil. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This wasn't how a mate should react to news of his first pup.

I left his office with my joy curdling into something bitter and familiar. Hope, it seemed, was just another form of self-torture.

Two days later, I was walking past the common room when voices drifted through the partially open door. Pack members clustered around the couches, their animated chatter stopping abruptly when they noticed me.

"Luna Alexis," Sarah, one of the younger wolves, stammered. "We were just—"

"Discussing Sloan's wonderful news," finished Elena, her eyes bright with excitement. "Isn't it amazing? Two pregnancies in the pack at the same time."

The floor seemed to tilt beneath my feet. "Sloan's... pregnant?"

"Oh yes," Sarah gushed, apparently forgetting the awkwardness of the situation. "She announced it yesterday. Alpha Porter was so excited, he could barely contain himself. Said it was a sign of the pack's strength and fertility."

Luna snarled in my chest, her golden eyes blazing with betrayal. *He celebrated her pregnancy but not ours?*

I managed to excuse myself before the tears started, fleeing to my study where I could process this fresh hell in private. Sloan wasn't just Porter's mistress—she was carrying his child. And from the pack's reaction, he'd made no secret of his joy about her condition.

The next evening, Porter called a mandatory pack meeting. I sat in my designated chair beside his, watching as he addressed our wolves with the commanding presence of a true Alpha. Until he mentioned Sloan.

"Our pack has been blessed," he announced, his voice ringing with pride I'd never heard when discussing our own pregnancy. "Sloan Dixon carries new life, a testament to our pack's vitality and future strength."

The applause was thunderous. Pack members cheered and howled their approval while I sat frozen in my chair, watching my mate beam with paternal pride over another woman's pregnancy.

Luna Mother wheeled closer to Porter's podium, her voice carrying clearly through the room. "Such wonderful news deserves celebration. I propose a pack run tomorrow night, under the full moon. Let us test the strength of our pregnant females and ensure our future generation is born of the strongest bloodlines."

My blood turned to ice. A pack run during the full moon, when wolves were most aggressive and territorial. When accidents happened. When pregnancies could be... lost.

"Excellent idea, Mother," Porter agreed immediately. "All pack members will participate. It's time we separated the strong from the weak."

His eyes found mine across the room, and I saw the challenge there. The test. The trap.

"Of course," Luna Mother added with false concern, "Sloan will remain at the pack house. Her delicate condition requires special care during these crucial early weeks."

The message was crystal clear. I was expendable. My pregnancy was disposable. But Sloan—Sloan was precious cargo to be protected at all costs.

Luna raged in my chest, her fury matching my own. *They want to kill our pup,* she snarled. *They want to eliminate the competition.*

I stood slowly, every eye in the room tracking my movement. "What a thoughtful suggestion, Luna Mother. I look forward to tomorrow's... test of strength."

My smile was sharp enough to cut glass, and I saw Porter's confident expression falter slightly. Good. Let him wonder what I was planning.

Because if they thought I'd roll over and let them destroy my child, they were about to learn exactly what kind of wolf they'd been underestimating all these years.