On our fifth anniversary as mates, I decided to surprise Alpha Cristian with a special dinner. I returned to the Silver Moon Pack’s estate early, eager to celebrate, only to walk in on him tangled up with Kyra, a Delta warrior, in our bedroom.

Her voice carried over, dripping with anticipation. "When will you make her uterus mine?"

His response was icy. "Tomorrow, I’ll have her go for a medical check-up. I’ll arrange for the Healer to tell her she needs surgery for cancer, and we’ll take it then. But if anything happens to her, you won’t get away with it!"

I couldn’t grasp how the man who once claimed to cherish me could plot against me like this. Yet he wasn’t aware that I was already carrying his pups.

"Don’t fret. I know you care about her. But don’t you want to have a pup with me?" Kyra lay with her head on Cristian’s lap, trying to soothe him.

"Cut it out! I just want you to have a child for her sake. Stay in your lane!" Cristian snapped, gripping her with renewed intensity. The room was thick with an unbearable tension.

Kyra noticed me standing motionless at the door, and a smug grin crept onto her face. I felt my blood turn cold. I glanced at the mating mark on my neck, recalling Cristian’s vows during our marking ceremony: "I, Cristian Hall, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, claim Skylar Bailey as my mate and Luna, bound by the Moon Goddess’s will. May the bond never break."

Watching him in a tangled embrace with Kyra, the irony burned. This was the man who’d made solemn promises to me. Five years of being his Luna had been overshadowed by a fleeting affair with a Delta warrior.

Suddenly, Cristian checked the time. "Sky’s leaving work soon; you should go before she catches on!" Kyra smirked, "Next time, Alpha, I want to try it beside her when she’s asleep."

He swallowed hard, then remembered me and suppressed his desires, muttering under his breath, "Troublemaker!" I knew then he had agreed.

After they left, tears streamed down my face. Fighting through the pain, I called Elizabeth Myers, the pack’s Healer and my mentor.

"Hello, Healer Myers. I’d like to apply for the Arctic research program," I said.

"Are you sure, Skylar? This project is confidential. You won’t be able to contact the pack. Do you think Alpha Cristian, who treasures you, will allow this?"

Joining the research would ensure Cristian couldn’t find me. I paused before responding firmly, "I’ve decided. Alpha Cristian’s opinions don’t matter."

Hanging up, I took the pregnancy test result from my bag, crumpled it, and tossed it in the trash. Cristian had wanted pups desperately, but after five years as his mate, I was only now pregnant. I had planned to surprise him today, but it was pointless now.

I scheduled a termination procedure on my phone and began packing my bags. Shortly after, I heard the door open.

Cristian entered, eyes red and voice frantic. "Are you really joining the Arctic research team? Why are you leaving me? What did I do to upset you?"

He reached out to hold me, but I subtly moved away, replying calmly, "Don’t overthink it, Alpha. I just want to focus on my academic research."

The worry in his eyes seemed genuine. It puzzled me further—how could he appear to love me yet plot against me with a Delta warrior? Tears slipped down my cheeks.

Cristian panicked, pulling me into an embrace. "Don’t cry, my Luna. It breaks my heart. Please, don’t go. You can always count on me to be with you. Without you, I’d lose my mind."

I thought bitterly that without my uterus, he’d lose it. I spoke in a detached tone, "I just need a break."

Cristian finally let out a sigh of relief. "Then there’s no need for the Arctic. I’ve been so occupied with pack duties that I’ve neglected you. It’s unforgivable. Once your health check clears, how about a trip abroad? Today is our anniversary. Whatever you wish for, I’ll make it happen."

His words didn’t bring the usual joy. Instead, they left a sour taste, proving that guilt made him overcompensate. Through the pain and disappointment, I finally uttered the words, "Alpha Cristian, I want to reject our mate bond."

His hand shook, eyes wide with disbelief. "Skylar, you can’t be serious. You know how much I love you. Saying such a thing is like asking me to die."

Love? My heart ached with irony. "I think it’s time we part ways."

"Why? What did I do wrong? Please, just tell me. Don’t mess with me."

The phone rang, interrupting his plea. The caller ID read: "Kyra."

Cristian tried to hide his panic, glancing at me cautiously before speaking. "It’s pack-related. I’ll just take this call."

He stepped onto the balcony, but the look on his face was filled with the same desire he had when with Kyra. How could it be pack-related? In the past, I might have confronted him, but now, as I prepared to leave, there was no need to expose his lies.

After a while, Cristian returned, wearing a somber expression. "Skylar, there’s an urgent issue with the pack that needs my attention. Let’s postpone our anniversary celebration to tomorrow, okay?"

The following day, I went to the pack headquarters to finalize my resignation. The Silver Moon Pack’s compound was bustling with activity, as usual, but the air felt heavier today. The whispers that followed me as I walked through the halls were impossible to ignore.

"Did you see Alpha Cristian’s post last night? He was spotted carrying Delta Kyra into the infirmary. He even stayed with her until dawn. It’s like something out of a mate bond ceremony."

"Right? This morning, he brought her back to the compound in his car. He carried her from the passenger seat all the way to the training grounds. It’s so romantic."

An older pack member, a Gamma, quickly silenced them.

"Enough. Alpha Cristian is already mated to Skylar. Kyra just… resembles her a little."

The Gamma noticed me approaching and abruptly stopped talking, bowing her head slightly in respect.

I kept my expression neutral, walking past without a glance. Behind me, I heard a hushed sigh of relief.

"Thank the Moon Goddess she didn’t hear… But honestly, she carries herself with so much more grace than Kyra. It’s hard to believe Alpha Cristian would stray when he has someone like her as his mate."

When I reached the administrative office, Lennox, the Gamma in charge of pack logistics, was visibly surprised by my resignation application. He hesitated before advising me to seek Alpha Cristian’s direct approval.

With no other choice, I made my way to Alpha Cristian’s office. The door was slightly ajar, and what I saw inside made my stomach churn. Alpha Cristian was leaning against his desk, a smirk playing on his lips, while Kyra knelt before him, her expression coy.

Spotting me, Alpha Cristian quickly pushed Kyra aside and straightened his posture, adjusting his jacket.

"Skylar," he said, his voice smooth but tinged with guilt. "Kyra was just helping me with my belt. It came loose during training."

I wasn’t fooled. The tension in the room was palpable, and I knew exactly what had transpired. But now wasn’t the time to confront him. I just wanted to get this over with.

"Alpha Cristian," I said, placing the resignation form on his desk. "Sign this."

He glanced at the document, his eyebrows furrowing as he flipped through the pages.

"What is this?"

My heart raced. I’d initiated the mate rejection ritual yesterday, and now this resignation. He would undoubtedly realize something was wrong.

But before he could react further, Kyra took his hand, guiding it under her skirt.

"Alpha Cristian," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness, "just sign it. Don’t keep Skylar waiting. We have more important matters to attend to."

Alpha Cristian froze, his face flushing with guilt as he pulled his hand away. He quickly signed the form, avoiding my gaze, and left the office with Kyra trailing behind him.

After finalizing the resignation process, I returned to the packhouse. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions, but I focused on my next steps. I needed to wait a few days for my research application approval, but staying in this place was unbearable.

I left the mate rejection papers in Alpha Cristian’s study, grabbed my suitcase, and planned to first visit the pack infirmary before heading directly to the airport.

The infirmary was crowded, and I stood in line with the confirmation email for my appointment. Unexpectedly, I saw Alpha Cristian nearby.

He approached me with his usual charm, taking my hand in his. But what caught my eye was the fresh mark on his neck—a clear sign of his infidelity.

"Skylar," he said, his voice soft but laced with concern, "you’ve seemed off these past few days. Since we’re both here, let’s get you checked out."

I frowned and pulled my hand away.

"No."

I searched his eyes for any hint of sincerity but found none.

Alpha Cristian’s grip tightened, his tone firm.

"No, I can’t just let it go. You need to be checked."

Panic surged through me as I struggled, but his strength was overwhelming. He forced me into his car, his expression unreadable.

"Alpha Cristian," I said, my voice trembling, "what are you trying to do?"

I couldn’t maintain my composure any longer. My voice broke as I confronted him.

"Don’t think I don’t know about you and Kyra! I am your mate! How can you even think of giving my womb to her?"

Alpha Cristian was visibly shocked that I had discovered the truth. But he quickly masked it, wiping my tears gently.

"Skylar," he said, his voice soothing, "your health isn’t great. We’ve been mated for five years with no pups. I thought Kyra could carry one for us, and then we’d raise the pup together. Doesn’t that sound good?"

"Besides, pregnancy and birth are painful and can change your body. I can’t bear to let my precious Luna go through that."

All lies.

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head frantically.

"But I’m already pregnant…"

Alpha Cristian’s grip tightened, and there was a mocking glint in his eyes.

"Skylar," he said, his voice cold, "don’t joke about a pup."

"The healer said it’s hard for you to conceive. After five years of being mated, now you suddenly have a pup?"

He silenced me with a cloth pressed against my face. A strange scent filled the air, and my awareness began to fade.

His voice was a gentle murmur in my ear.

"It won’t hurt, Skylar. Just take a little nap."

I grew weaker, unable even to cry, forcing myself to hold onto the last thread of consciousness.