On the day of my daughter Xiomara’s full moon ceremony, Gregory Morris, my mate and the Alpha of the prestigious Silver Moon Pack, walked into our mansion with his chosen mate, Fatima Armstrong, and their twins, Drew and Anaya.

“Fatima and I grew up together,” Gregory said, his voice cold and detached. “If it weren’t for the Moon Goddess’s decree, she would have been my mate.”

“She’s been by my side for years, bearing me twins, a sign of prosperity for our pack.”

“Today, on Xiomara’s special day, I’ve decided to make Fatima my official mate.”

His mother, Greta Vasquez, held the twins lovingly, her face glowing with pride.

Fatima knelt before me, holding a cup of tea, her expression soft and pleading. “Luna, please accept this.”

I couldn’t help but sneer. An Alpha taking a second mate? He must have lost his mind.

…

Fatima knelt there, her pale face framed by the soft fabric of her gown, her hands trembling as she offered the tea. “Luna, please.”

In my arms, Xiomara squirmed and cried, as if sensing my turmoil.

Gregory frowned at my hesitation. “Had it not been for the Moon Goddess’s decree, I would have chosen Fatima. We were meant to be together. You’re the one who took her place.”

“Fatima’s been through so much, bearing my children without recognition. Now that you’re a mother, you should understand her struggles.”

“I’ve decided to make her my mate. She’s willing to call you ‘Luna.’ Isn’t that enough?”

I stared at Gregory, this man who’d risen to power through my family’s influence. For five years, he’d had countless chances to tell me about Fatima and their children. Yet, he chose today, in front of all the pack’s elite, to humiliate me, knowing I wouldn’t risk a scene.

Clutching Xiomara tightly, I whispered, “You swore to me, ‘till death do us part.’ Was five years all you meant?”

Gregory faltered, his lips pressing into a thin line.

Fatima’s face turned pale, tears welling in her eyes. “Don’t blame Gregory. It’s all my fault. I should never have returned.”

“But fate brought us back together. He saved me when I was ill, stayed by my side for days. I swore I’d never leave him.”

“I don’t need a title. Just let me stay by his side, even as an Omega.”

“Please, give Drew and Anaya a place in this pack. They deserve a father’s protection.”

Her tears fell like rain, and the twins, sensing their mother’s distress, rushed to her side.

Drew, the boy, glared at me. “You’re a bad woman! Don’t hurt my mother!”

Anaya clung to Fatima, sobbing. “Daddy, protect Mommy!”

Before anyone could react, Drew lunged at me, his small fists striking Xiomara’s fragile form. My daughter cried even louder.

“Daddy said everything here will be mine! You can’t have a son, so it’s all mine!”

“If you hurt my mother, I’ll make sure you’re kicked out!”

Gregory’s face darkened. “Drew, enough!”

But Drew shoved Xiomara’s swaddle, his voice sharp and defiant. “I don’t like her! I don’t want her here! She’s taking what’s mine!”

Jream Rose, my loyal servant, grabbed Drew’s arm. “Stop that!”

Fatima screamed, the tea spilling as she threw herself between us. “Luna, he’s just protecting me. Please, don’t hurt him.”

She kowtowed, her forehead scraping against the floor, leaving a mark. Anaya wailed, “Mommy’s hurt!”

The three of them huddled together, crying as if the world had ended.

…

Gregory grabbed my arm, his grip painfully tight. “When did you become so cruel? He’s just a child!”

Greta rushed in, pulling the twins into her embrace. “My poor darlings, don’t cry. Let Grandma see.”

“How could anyone want to take you away? It’s like tearing my heart out!”

The three generations wept dramatically, their sobs filling the room.

The guests, however, were stunned.

“The Alpha has a chosen mate and children?”

“How could he do this?”

“Twins, no wonder the grandmother’s so attached.”

Gregory looked at me, his voice dripping with disdain. “You’ve only given me a daughter. Fatima’s given me a son. She’s done you a favor, sparing you the pain of childbirth. What more do you want?”

“If we’re being honest, you should be calling her ‘Luna.’ I’m making her my mate, yet she’s willing to defer to you. Isn’t that enough?”

I stared at his cold, heartless face and laughed bitterly. Handing Xiomara to her nurse, I stood and walked up to him, slapping him hard across the face.

“Gregory Morris, have you forgotten whose house this is? You may be the Alpha, but this is my mansion. You’re nothing more than a mate to the Lycan Princess.”

“An Alpha taking a second mate? Are you asking for your pack to be destroyed?”

Gregory had risen to prominence after our mating, his status bolstered by my family’s influence. At the Moon Goddess’s decree, we’d been paired, and he’d sworn his loyalty to me.

But now, it was all a lie.

I remembered the ceremony where we’d first met, the Moon Goddess’s decree binding us together. Gregory had been the perfect mate, or so I’d thought.

But today, that illusion shattered.

“You’ve forgotten your place,” I said, my voice icy. “This ends now.”

Gregory’s face paled, but I turned away, my heart hardening as I held Xiomara close. This wasn’t just about me anymore. It was about my daughter, her future, and the legacy I’d protect at all costs.

My hand struck Gregory’s face with a sharp crack, and Greta, his mother, let out a shrill scream. “Heavens! The Princess has struck him!”

“Even if you are a Princess, you are now part of the Morris family! As a mate, how dare you defy your mate? I will go to the Lycan Queen and lodge a complaint! I will have my son reject you as his mate!”

I remained silent, my expression cold. The Morris pack was nothing more than a fallen pack, yet she acted as though they still held power.

Jream, my trusted servant, stepped forward with a disdainful snort. “Part of the Morris family? Open your eyes, Madam. This is the Duncan mansion. Gregory is the Alpha by mating, a consort to the royal family. There is no such thing as rejection in this arrangement.”

Greta bristled. “What consort? A mate has always followed her mate’s lead. Even if she’s a Princess, she must submit to her mate!”

Fatima, standing beside Greta, wiped her tears and spoke softly. “Madam, please, don’t upset yourself. It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for Drew and Anaya, I would never have come here to cause trouble…”

Gregory finally recovered from the shock, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at me. “Miriam, even if you are a Princess, you are my mate. How dare you raise your hand against me?”

“Because you’re a Princess, you think you can disregard the laws, disrespect your mate, and dishonor your mother-in-law? Even if this is brought before the Lycan King, he cannot condone this!”

“If you had just agreed, I would have given you the respect due to my Luna. She wouldn’t have interfered with your life. Wouldn’t that have been better?”

I looked at him coldly, unwilling to waste another word. I picked up Xiomara and ordered the servants, “Prepare the car. We’re going to the pack house.”

Gregory flung his sleeve, his face twisted with anger. “To the pack house again? Every time you’re unhappy, you run to the pack house to complain. Miriam, is that all you know how to do?”

“Have you ever been a proper mate? Gentle and obedient? Have you done even one thing right?”

“You haven’t given me heirs, nor have you shown respect to my mother. What gives you the right to act so high and mighty?”

“Today, I won’t let you leave this mansion.” With a wave of his hand, his warriors surrounded me.

I held Xiomara tightly, closing my eyes as I stepped closer to the warriors. Not one of them dared to raise a hand against me.

Gregory was stunned, his tone softening. “Even if you want to reject me, Xiomara is still my blood. By tradition, she stays with me. Could you really bear to leave her behind?”

I clenched my teeth, holding Xiomara even tighter. I had never expected this from him. Today was supposed to be a joyful celebration of her first month, and I hadn’t even allowed warriors into the inner courtyard. Yet here I was, trapped.

Even if I wanted to reject him, I had to think of Xiomara’s future. I needed to plan carefully.

My expression softened as I looked at him. “Aren’t you planning to take Fatima as your chosen mate? If I don’t go to the pack house, how will you manage that? Do you think the Morris pack can decide such a matter on its own?”

“Without the Lycan King’s decree, your negligence as a mate is punishable. How many heads does the Morris pack have to spare?”

His anger turned to relief. “So you’re going to the pack house to ask for the decree? I knew you wouldn’t let me be without heirs.”

He stepped closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Fatima is gentle and well-mannered. She will respect you as the Luna. And the children will call you mother, won’t they?”

“Let’s keep the family together and make the best of it.”

I took a step forward, out of his reach, and smiled coldly. “You’d better focus on how to welcome your new mate.”

In the car, I held Xiomara close, tears streaming down my face.

Jream tried to comfort me. “Princess, you’ve just recovered from childbirth. Don’t cry. It’s not good for your health.”

Xiomara seemed to feel my pain and began to cry as well.

Jream wiped her own tears. “The Morris pack is a pack of ungrateful wolves. When you mated into their family, they were already on the verge of collapse. Now they’ve risen thanks to the royal family’s influence, and they’ve forgotten their place!”

I gently patted Xiomara, whispering, “It’s alright. If he’s forgotten, I’ll make him remember.”

The news of Gregory taking a chosen mate had spread like wildfire. By the time I reached the pack house, even the Lycan Queen had heard of it. She reached out to me. “My dear Miriam, have you been wronged?”

I threw myself into her arms. “Mother, I want to reject Gregory!”

“Enough!” The Lycan King walked in, his expression stern.

He looked at me and sighed. “Gregory has indeed overstepped by taking a chosen mate.”

“But Miriam, it’s common for males to have chosen mates. His actions are presumptuous, but you shouldn’t be so quick to reject him. If this escalates to the council, it will only invite criticism.”

“And that woman has already given him twins. If you insist on this path, it will only fuel the rumors…”

“Instead, let me reprimand him. I’ll force him to apologize and kneel before you. I’ll allow him to take her as his chosen mate, but as a lowly Omega. She’ll be under your control.”