Vera's voice carried a hint of a sob.

Soren said nothing. His fangs pressed down and pierced into Vera's neck.

Blood trickled down her skin. Vera furrowed her brow and let out a soft sound.

"This is my mark. Give me four days to handle internal affairs in the kingdom, then I'll come for you immediately.”

"Vera Nightingale, you're mine now."

When Vera opened her eyes again, Soren had vanished. Only the open window proved he had truly been there.

Vera sat at her vanity and swept her long hair aside. Two dark puncture wounds throbbed with pain.

Yet they also brought back memories of her first meeting with Soren.

It had happened a year ago. She had been out traveling when she encountered Soren, who had been ambushed and left for dead.

Werewolves and vampires had never gotten along, and Soren was gravely injured and unconscious.

Vera had a soft heart. She saved him and even let him drink her blood to heal his wounds. When Soren woke, he had wanted to bring Vera back to the vampire kingdom.

Back then, Vera's heart belonged entirely to Kieran, so naturally she refused. But now, she had no reason left to stay here.

That night, Vera did not sleep well. Images of Kieran and Wendy tangled together kept appearing in her dreams.

Other times, it was beautiful memories of her past with Kieran. The two overlapped, torturing her endlessly.

"Ms. Nightingale, the Alpha wants to see you." A servant's knock rescued Vera from her nightmare.

She washed up briefly and went downstairs. Kieran sat on the living room couch, and Wendy draped herself over him.

Hearing Vera's footsteps, Wendy only gave her a lazy glance.

"Vera!"

Kieran's eyes lit up. He immediately pushed Wendy aside and walked over to Vera.

His expression was guilty. "Vera, about yesterday... I'm sorry.”

"The pack elders said I have to have an heir of my own before I can hold the ceremony with you.”

"That's why I agreed to sleep with Wendy. I did this for us!"

Kieran reached for Vera's hand as he spoke, but she pulled away.

At that moment, Wendy walked over. "Ms. Nightingale, my name is Wendy Quinn. I'm the Alpha's fated mate, someone chosen by the Moon Goddess."

She wrapped her arm around Kieran's and gave Vera an innocent smile.

Her soft chest rubbed against Kieran's arm repeatedly. Vera felt disgusted but showed no reaction.

She nodded. "I see."

Seeing Vera's calm response, both Kieran and Wendy looked surprised.

Wendy quickly added, "Don't worry, Ms. Nightingale. I won't come between you and the Alpha.”

"Once I give birth successfully, I'll leave."

Wendy smiled sweetly, as if she were truly as honest as she claimed.

Kieran nodded and said softly, "So for the time being, Wendy might need to stay here with us..."

Vera agreed without hesitation and even offered, "In that case, I'll go pack my things and give Ms. Quinn my room."

Her room was the largest and most luxurious in the entire estate, even better than Kieran's. A room like that should naturally go to the future Luna.

Vera thought what she said was perfectly reasonable, but Kieran's expression darkened.

"What are you talking about? You're not strong enough. That room was always meant for you.”

"As for Wendy, I've already made arrangements."

Kieran stared hard at Vera's face, trying to catch even the slightest hint of anger or hurt. But there was nothing.

Vera just stood there quietly, her eyes devoid of any emotion. Kieran felt something was off.

"Vera, are you angry?"

Kieran gripped Vera's hand. The werewolf Alpha who had been spoiled since childhood was now exceptionally cautious.

Vera only shook her head, her tone flat. "Since it's the elders' rule, of course I'm not angry."

"That's good. Vera, I'll take Wendy back to her room first. I'll come keep you company tonight, okay?"

As Kieran spoke, he reached out to touch Vera's face, but she tilted her head away again. But Kieran was in a hurry to bring Wendy back and did not notice this detail.

In the end, he never came for her. From noon until evening, the closed bedroom door never opened.

After Vera ate dinner alone and returned to her room, she received a message from an unknown number.

It was a video. When she opened it, footage of Kieran and Wendy in bed played across the screen.

Then came a text from Wendy.

"Vera, so what if the Alpha likes you? I'm the mate the Moon Goddess chose. Werewolves can't defy the Moon Goddess.”

"Besides, I'm already carrying the Alpha's pup. Who do you think he'll choose? You, a human, or me, the one carrying the entire pack's hope?"

Even through the screen, Vera could imagine how smug Wendy looked. Too bad Vera had no intention of wasting energy on a man who had already soiled himself.

Vera did not reply. She simply lay down on her bed.

Outside, a torrential rain had started pouring at some point.

Vera remembered the first time she met Kieran. It had been raining just as hard.

Ever since that day, whenever it rained, Kieran would stay by her side and comfort her. Now, all she heard were the endless moans coming from the room next door.

Vera lay with her eyes open all night.

The next morning, news of Wendy's pregnancy had already spread throughout the entire pack.

Many wolves were saying she was Kieran's true future Luna, a blessing to the pack.

Vera listened to their gossip without changing her expression. In the downstairs hall, Kieran's mother, Margaret Jones, had arrived at some point.

She sat beside Wendy, gently stroking her stomach with a tender expression. Kieran sat on Wendy's other side, his arm wrapped around her shoulder in a possessive yet gentle hold, creating a perfect family of four.

Vera took a deep breath before walking down the stairs. Hearing the sound, Margaret quickly stood and walked toward Vera.

Her eyes held pity and guilt as she reached out to stroke Vera's head gently.

"Child, thank you for being so understanding with Kieran."

Vera blinked rapidly, forcing down the tears gathering in her eyes.

"There's no need to thank me. You and the pack raised me. I know what I should and shouldn't do."

Margaret sighed, gripping Vera's hand even tighter.

"Vera, I know you and Kieran grew up together and your bond is strong, but... pups are essential for the pack's bloodline. Wendy is carrying a pup. She's a great contributor to the werewolves.”

"I hope you can hand over the Luna ring."

Vera froze in place.

The Luna ring symbolized status. It was also the engagement ring Kieran had given her.

She instinctively covered her middle finger and looked toward Kieran. But Kieran avoided her gaze.

Vera laughed softly. "Is this your decision, Kieran?"

Kieran clenched his fists and slowly nodded. "Yes. Vera, the ring doesn't mean anything. The one I love is you. It'll always be you..."

He wanted to say more sweet words, but when he met Vera's eyes, he could not speak.

Seeing this, Vera pulled her lips into a slight smile, her voice quiet. "Fine. I'll give it to her."

Vera released Margaret's hand and removed the ring she had never taken off since the day she first wore it.

Wendy's eyes lit up. She strode over to Vera and eagerly slipped the ring onto her own finger.

"Thank you, Ms. Nightingale. The Alpha is only doing this for the pup in my belly. He still loves you in his heart.”

"Besides, after all these years between you and the Alpha, I'm sure you wouldn't want anything to happen to the Alpha's pup, would you?"

Wendy grabbed Vera's hand despite her resistance.

She leaned in close and lowered her voice. "But Ms. Nightingale, who do you think matters more? You, or the pup in my belly?"

Before Vera could understand what Wendy meant, Wendy suddenly grabbed Vera's hand and shoved it forward.

Then she screamed and fell backward.

"Wendy!" Kieran's pupils contracted. He lunged toward Wendy and caught the she-wolf securely in his arms.

Margaret finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Wendy clutched at Kieran's clothes, choking out, "Ms. Nightingale, I know you don't like me, but this is the Alpha's pup! How could you...”

"My stomach... Alpha, my stomach hurts so much..."

Wendy's face went deathly pale. She screamed once and then passed out in Kieran's arms.

"Wendy!" Kieran's voice was urgent.

Vera grabbed his arm, panicked. "I didn't push her! Kieran, you have to believe me!"

"Get away from me!"

Kieran shoved her away. Vera fell heavily to the ground, her head slamming into the corner of a table. Blood poured from the wound.

Yet neither Kieran nor his mother spared Vera a single glance.

Before she lost consciousness, all Vera saw was Kieran's retreating back.

Was he really doing this for the pup in Wendy's belly, or was it for the she-wolf herself?

When Vera woke again, she found herself lying on a cold floor, surrounded by darkness and freezing air.

She instinctively tried to sit up. The sound of chains clanking came from her ankles.

Before Vera could figure out what was happening, the door swung open. Kieran walked in with a middle-aged man.

"Elder, Vera didn't do it on purpose. Besides, Wendy's pup is fine now..."

The elder, Roland Thorne, clasped his hands behind his back and sneered. "That's only because Wendy is your fated mate!”

"Alpha, Vera Nightingale is human. The years of protection you've given her were already a gift. You must not let your personal desires affect the pack's future!"

Vera had always known the pack elders did not like her. They had even tried to kill her when Kieran was away, just to eliminate the problem.

Kieran closed his eyes, his expression weary. "I understand."

Roland frowned, his tone severe. "If you understand, then you should make a decision. You're the pack's Alpha. You should set an example.”

"Vera tried to harm your pup. Do you intend to let this go unpunished?"

Kieran took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, all hesitation and reluctance had vanished.

"According to pack law, harming a pup means being branded and permanently exiled from the pack.”

"But considering our years together, I'll waive the exile this time."

Vera's head snapped up, her face full of disbelief. In the pack, only werewolves who committed heinous crimes were branded with the totem on their faces.

They became objects of contempt and abuse for the entire pack.

"I didn't... Kieran, I didn't push her! You can't do this to me!"

Vera's desperate screams made Kieran's lips tremble. He could only dig his nails into his palm to keep himself from rushing forward and pulling her into his arms.

Of course, Kieran knew Vera would never do such a thing. But he had no proof.

Wendy carried his pup. All the elders stood behind her.

He had to appease Wendy. Otherwise, what awaited Vera would be even worse torture.

Roland nodded with satisfaction, then signaled two Omegas to step forward with red-hot branding irons.

Vera struggled to grab the hem of Kieran's clothes, her face filled with despair.

"Kieran, I didn't do it. Why won't you believe me?"

Kieran bent down, wanting to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes, but in the end, his hand remained suspended in midair.

"Don't worry, Vera. With me here, they won't dare say anything about you.”

"As for the pup... my pup with Wendy will be your pup too."

With that, he turned around and closed his eyes. "Do it."

"Yes, sir."

The two Omegas walked up to Vera and grabbed her from both sides.

In this pack, even the lowest-ranking werewolf could easily kill Vera. All she could do was watch helplessly as the red-hot iron drew closer and closer.

"Ahh!" Vera's scream echoed through the entire dungeon, heart-wrenching and raw.

She writhed on the ground in agony.

At the same time, a wrenching pain tore through her lower abdomen.

Kieran's brow furrowed deeply. His sharp werewolf senses caught the smell of burning flesh in the air.

He wanted to turn around and look at Vera, but he did not have the courage. He could only flee in shame.

After what felt like an eternity, the tearing pain gradually subsided. A deep cold seeped into her bones.

She curled up on the straw-covered ground, looking at the blood slowly trickling between her legs. She pulled her lips into a smile.

Even though the movement tugged at the wound on her face, she smiled even brighter.

She had carried a pup. Kieran's pup. A pup all the werewolves thought could never exist. And then his own father killed him.

Vera laughed. Tears mixed with blood from her wound poured down her face.

"Kieran, if I could go back, I wish the person who saved me back then wasn't you..."