I know this marriage is nothing but a contract.

After I give him an heir, I'm supposed to leave this place behind.

Good. At least before a year passes, I will have found somewhere to hide, somewhere Alpha Aaron will never find me.

The only safe place I have now is here, in Alpha Edward's pack. For now, I am protected. I tell myself Aaron must believe I am already dead. The thought brings me no comfort. My throat feels tight, and I swallow hard, balling my fists in anger.

How dare he?

How dare he try to end me like that?

If Alpha Edward hadn't shown up when he did, I would be lying in a grave right now.

My chest aches, a dull throb I can't silence. What did I ever do to deserve such cruelty? I gave Aaron my love, my trust, everything I had, and yet he betrayed me. Not just with any woman, but with my own friend.

A sharp sting burns behind my eyes, tears threatening to spill. I wipe them away fiercely. I refuse to cry for him again. My hand drifts to my stomach, resting gently against the small life growing inside me.

One day...

I will make them pay.

I want revenge on him, on her, on everyone who laughed at my pain. I want to strip away everything they took from me. Everything he robbed from my heart, my soul, my future.

The door creaks open. I quickly straighten, my expression hardening. Two maids enter, their heads bowed, carrying a silver tray. They set it down in front of me, the aroma of warm food filling the room.

"Thank you," I murmur, already waiting for them to leave. But they don't. They just stand there, unmoving, their gazes glued to the floor.

I frown. "You can leave now."

One of them shifts nervously, her voice soft. "No, Luna Kora. We cannot. Alpha Edward instructed us to stay and care for you."

My brows knit together. "But I can take care of myself." I try to sound firm, even convincing, but they remain rooted in place as though they hadn't heard me at all.

I exhale in frustration. "Really?"

Turning back to the tray, I pick up the spoon. The meal is still warm, perfectly prepared. I stare at it for a moment, my heart tugging strangely. How did he know I was hungry?

The thought unsettles me, but I push it aside. I scoop up a bite and taste the food. It's good-far better than I expected. Slowly, spoon after spoon, I eat in silence, aware of the maids watching quietly, making sure I don't lack anything.

My thoughts drift back, unwillingly to the way Alpha Edward has been caring for me.

The food. The guards. The way he looks at me sometimes, as though I matter.

But I push the thought away almost instantly. Of course, he cares; it's not me he's protecting, it's the heir I carry inside of me. That is the only reason. Nothing more.

I will not let myself believe otherwise.

I know better than to fall into that trap again.

Love? That word tastes bitter on my tongue. I once believed in it, trusted in it, only to have it ripped away, leaving scars so deep they may never heal. If Aaron could betray me so cruelly, then any man can. Perhaps worse.

No. Love is not for me. Not anymore.

I dab my mouth with the napkin, setting it down with more force than I intended. "You can take this away," I tell the maids, my voice clipped. They bow quickly and remove the tray.

As the door closes behind them, silence settles in the room, heavy and suffocating. I press a hand against my stomach, feeling the faint swell beneath my palm. This child is all I have. The only thing worth protecting. But I only carried it in my tummy for a year, who will take care of him when I'm gone, I thought, not like I didn't think about this before I signed the contract, but I was too desperate to be saved.

With a long breath, I rise to my feet. I need air. Movement. Anything to stop the storm inside my chest. I decide to walk, to let the food digest, and perhaps to steady the chaos in my mind.

Step by step, I wander the halls of Alpha Edward's packhouse, the soft sound of my footsteps echoing against the polished floors. Every corner I turn feels foreign, every shadow reminds me that this is not my home, and never will be.

But at least here. I am safe. For now.

It feels strange though, living here, breathing under another man's roof. But I remind myself-it's only for a year. Just one year, and then I will be gone. Out of here. Away from all of this.

I continue walking, letting my eyes travel along the walls and tall ceilings. The mansion is breathtaking, every detail precise and elegant. It is nothing like Alpha Aaron's cold, empty house. No! This place feels alive, warm, cared for.

Almost against my will, I admire it.

My feet carry me toward the grand staircase, curiosity tugging at me. Perhaps I'll go downstairs, see more of this place, lose myself in its beauty for just a moment.

But as I step onto the stairs, my heel slips.

The world tilts.

A scream rips from my throat as my body pitches forward. My hands claw for the railing, but they catch only air. The next moment, I'm tumbling, hard, fast, the sharp edges of the steps biting into me with every roll.

Pain explodes through me. My vision blurs.

Somewhere above, I hear a deep, desperate shout. Alpha Edward's voice. He's calling my name.

But before I can answer, before I can even think, darkness swallows me whole.

I was in the middle of addressing the pack members, discussing urgent matters about border patrols, when a familiar figure caught my eye.

Kora.

She was wandering the mansion's halls with that quiet, thoughtful look on her face. She didn't notice me, and I didn't call out to her. Instead, I forced myself to turn away, to focus on my duty. But my gaze lingered a heartbeat longer than it should have something about the way she moved always pulled me in.

Then I heard it.

A scream, sharp, terrified, echoed through the mansion, piercing straight into my chest. My heart stopped.

Kora.

I spun around just in time to see her small frame tumbling down the grand staircase, her body hitting step after step in a blur of chaos. My blood ran cold, my eyes widened, and instinct ripped through me.

"KORA!" I roared, sprinting toward her.

But no matter how fast I moved, I wasn't fast enough. By the time I reached her, she was sprawled at the bottom, motionless.

"No..." I dropped to my knees beside her, my hands trembling as they hovered over her battered body. Her arm was wrapped tightly around her stomach-protecting the child. My heir. Our child. Blood was seeping between her fingers, staining her gown, and a fresh wound on her forehead glistened red.

"Get the doctor!" I thundered at the guards, my voice raw with fear. "Now!"

I didn't wait for them to move, I scooped her up into my arms, her head falling limply against my chest. She felt so fragile, so breakable, and the thought of losing her of losing them both, gnawed at me like fire.

I carried her swiftly to our chamber, laying her gently on the bed. My breathing was ragged, my hands refusing to leave her as if letting go would mean losing her forever.

"Stay with me, Kora," I whispered, brushing the blood from her face with shaking fingers. "Please... don't leave me. Not you. Not now."

I had faced countless battles. I had walked through blood and fire without fear. But nothing, nothing, had ever terrified me like seeing her slip away before my eyes.

Her breaths were shallow, uneven. Every rise and fall of her chest felt like a war she was fighting on her own. I pressed my palm against her cold hand, terrified by how weak she felt beneath my touch.

"Don't do this to me, Kora... don't you dare leave me," I murmured, my voice breaking, something I never allowed anyone to hear.

I paced the room for a moment, then rushed back to her side, unable to sit still. My wolf clawed at me from within, restless, frantic, urging me to mark her, to do anything to tether her to me. But I was powerless. All I could do was watch her bleed, watch her slip further away, and pray the Goddess wasn't cruel enough to take her from me.

The guards outside moved with urgency, but every second felt like an eternity. My chest tightened as her fingers twitched weakly against her stomach, still protecting our child even in her pain. My throat closed.

"Why are they taking so long?" I snarled toward the door, my voice sharp enough to make the guards flinch. I wanted to tear the walls apart, to run through the entire pack lands until I dragged the doctor here myself, but I couldn't leave her side. Not when she needed me.

I leaned closer, my forehead resting lightly against hers, breathing her in as though memorizing her scent would keep her tethered to this world.

"You can hate me if you want... but just stay alive, Kora. For me. For our child," I whispered desperately.

At that moment, the door slammed open. The doctor hurried in with his bag, his expression grim the second he saw her condition.

I rose to my feet instantly, my heart hammering in my chest.

"Save her," I ordered, my voice breaking with a rare plea. "Do whatever it takes, just save her."

I will try my best, Alpha Edward," the doctor said firmly, already pulling out his tools. "But I'll need you to step outside. I can't concentrate with you hovering."

"Do everything in front of me now," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "I don't want to leave her for a single moment."

The doctor hesitated, his eyes flicking between me and Kora's pale body. "If you want her to live, Alpha, you must let me work without your shadow pressing over me."

Every muscle in me resisted. The thought of leaving her side twisted my insides into knots. But one glance at her weak breathing, her trembling hand still clutched protectively over her stomach, broke me. I forced myself to step back.

After much persuasion, I finally walked out, though each step away from her felt like tearing my own flesh. "Don't leave her alone for a second," I ordered the maids, my tone sharp enough to cut steel. "If anyone even breathes wrong near her, they'll answer to me."

The maids bowed quickly, trembling under my glare.

My fists clenched at my sides as I stormed down the corridor, rage boiling in my veins. I needed an outlet-I needed someone to blame. But halfway down the stairs, something caught my eye.

A glisten.

I froze. My gaze sharpened on the steps, and there it was-oil smeared across the polished wood. Not a spill. Not an accident.

My breath hissed between my teeth, fury surging through me like wildfire. Someone dared-someone in my own house-had tried to kill her.

"They will pay," I snarled under my breath, my wolf howling within me, ready to rip flesh from bone. "Whoever did this will beg for death before I'm through."

I let my hand graze the railing where she had fallen, the image of her tumbling replaying in my mind like a curse. My jaw tightened, and a cruel, humorless smile ghosted my lips.

They thought they were clever. They thought they could touch what was mine.

It's a lie.

The door finally opened, and the doctor stepped out. I rushed toward him at once, my chest tight with fear.

"How is my Luna?" I demanded before he could even speak. But the look on his face made my stomach sink. Something wasn't right.

"What happened to her?" My voice came out harsher this time, almost desperate.

"She is out of danger," the doctor said, though his expression remained heavy.

Relief washed over me for a moment, but his pause unsettled me. I leaned closer, eyes narrowing. "But what? Tell me! What about the baby?"

"The child is safe too," he answered, lowering his voice, "but she must be extremely careful. Any stress, any reckless action... it could put both of them at risk. Stay close to her. Don't let her push herself or face anything that might harm her."

His words struck me like a blade. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm.

"I'll protect them with everything I have," I swore, my voice rough but steady.

The doctor gave a slow nod, then walked away, leaving me in the hall with a storm of emotions. My Luna was alive, my heir was safe, but one wrong step, and I could lose them both.

I couldn't let that happen.

I pushed the door open slowly, my heart hammering against my chest. The soft scent of herbs filled the room, mixed with the faint smell of blood.

There she was. My Luna.

Her skin looked pale against the white sheets, her eyes closed as if she had been fighting for her life and barely made it through. My chest tightened at the sight.

I moved closer, every step heavy with guilt and relief. Sitting beside her, I reached for her hand. It was warm, thanks to the Moon Goddess-but weaker than I remembered.

"My love," I whispered, brushing my thumb over her knuckles. "You scared me... I thought I was going to lose you."

Her lashes fluttered, and slowly, her eyes opened. When she saw me, a faint smile curved on her lips.

"I'm fine," she murmured, though her voice was fragile, almost breaking.

"No, you're not," I replied firmly, though my voice shook. "The doctor said you have to be careful. No stress. No danger. From now on, I won't leave your side. Do you hear me?"

Tears welled in her eyes as she nodded weakly.

"And the baby?" she whispered, one hand moving to her stomach.

I leaned down, pressing my forehead against hers. "Safe. Our child is safe. But we must protect both of you."

A tear slipped down her cheek, and I caught it gently with my lips.

"Rest now, Kora," I whispered.

And why are you outside?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.

Her eyes widened slightly, but I continued, unable to stop myself. "You have to be careful. Walking around carelessly could put the baby in danger."

The moment the words left my mouth, I saw her expression shift. Her lips pressed together, and a shadow crossed her face.

"The baby is safe," she replied quietly, though there was a sting in her voice. "And I won't do anything to endanger your child again."

Her choice of words cut deeper than any blade. Your child. Not ours. As if I had accused her, I know it just contract to her.

Before I could say anything else, she turned her face away and pulled the blanket over her head. "I want to rest," she whispered.

I stood there for a long moment, my chest heavy with regret. I hadn't meant to hurt her, yet my worry had sounded like blame.

Clenching my jaw, I forced myself to step back. Pushing her now would only wound her further. She needed peace, not arguments.

So I remained beside the bed, silent, guarding her fragile figure. I vowed quietly, I'll protect you, even from my own words.

Maybe she misunderstood me. I wasn't trying to scold her. I only wanted to protect the life growing inside her. But the truth was, it wasn't just about the baby. I cared about her. I cared more than I could ever put into words.

I sank into the couch, my gaze fixed on her fragile form hidden beneath the blanket. My thoughts, however, drifted elsewhere, back to the slick oil I had seen on the stairs earlier.

Who would dare attempt such a thing in my own mansion? Who could hate Kora enough to plan her downfall?

My jaw tightened. Plenty of women envied her. Many still resented me for choosing her over them. But envy alone... could it truly push someone to try and kill her?

It wasn't just recklessness. That oil wasn't an accident. It was placed there deliberately.

And the worst part? No one else knew about the child yet. If this was the danger before the secret was revealed, what would happen once the truth came out? The threats would only multiply.

My chest burned with anger. Whoever wanted to harm my Luna and our heir would soon learn what it meant to cross me.

I swore silently, watching her as she lay there. Or rather-pretending to sleep. I couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped me when I noticed her lashes trembling ever so slightly.

She's praying I'll leave the room, I thought with amusement. But I'm not ready to give her that peace.

Curious to see how far she would take the act, I rose to my feet. I walked slowly toward the door and even pulled it open, letting it creak as if I was stepping out. Then I closed it softly behind me.

Silence filled the room.

A moment later, she moved. Carefully, almost too carefully, she sat up on the bed. Her head turned, scanning the space as if to confirm I had gone.

But when her eyes lifted and met mine standing in the corner, she froze.

Our gazes locked.

Her lips parted, surprise written across her face, while I leaned against the wall with a faint smirk.

"Caught you," I said, my voice low but edged with warmth.

She looked flustered, tugging the blanket tighter around herself, unable to find words.