My legs felt weak, and I reached out to steady myself against his chest.

“Aurelia, you’re carrying a child right now. You shouldn’t be taking lives so carelessly. It could bring unnecessary trouble,” Marcus said, his voice soft, his eyes filled with a concern that seemed genuine.

I almost wanted to applaud his flawless performance.

Sensing my unease, he brushed away the tears at the corner of my eye with his thumb, his fingers gently entwining with mine.

“If something’s bothering you, you should have told me right away. I would have been by your side,” he said, his tone dripping with tenderness.

I forced a smile.

“You’ve been busy lately, and it’s nothing serious. I didn’t want to cause any trouble.”

He seemed to relax, calling for a servant to bring water and a towel. As the maid approached, holding the damp cloth, Marcus’s expression darkened. In an instant, he struck, his claws slamming into the maid’s temple with brutal force.

I froze, unable to react as the maid’s body crumpled to the floor, lifeless. My teeth clenched so hard I could taste blood in my mouth.

Marcus didn’t even flinch. He snapped his fingers, and two warriors stepped forward to drag the body away, as if nothing had happened. He then gently wiped the tears from my face with the still-warm towel.

I stood there, paralyzed, too afraid to make a sound.

“A servant who lets their Luna cry doesn’t deserve to live,” he said, his voice calm, almost pious, though his eyes glinted with a predatory darkness.

My stomach churned with disgust.

Marcus’s tone softened again.

“We’ve been together for ten years, Aurelia. Now that we’re finally expecting a child, we can’t afford any mistakes, understand?”

I took a deep, shaky breath before whispering, “Yes.”

But my heart sank deeper.

As a rare Omega with a silver-white pelt in my wolf form, I was supposed to be fertile, yet every time I carried a child, it ended in tragedy. Over time, the pack began to whisper behind my back, calling me cursed.

It was Marcus who comforted me, saying he didn’t need heirs as long as he had me by his side. But I couldn’t let it go. I pushed my body to the limit, sacrificing my health to give him a child.

I gave him vial after vial of my blood, drained my strength, and endured countless failures. And now, I discovered the child I was carrying wasn’t even his—it was Serena’s.

She had struggled to conceive, and so I had been used as a surrogate, my life force drained to ensure her legacy.

“You look pale. Here, take the new medicine the healer prepared for you,” Marcus urged, holding out a small vial.

“It’s nothing. I’m just tired,” I replied, my voice hollow.

Marcus’s eyes turned crimson, his Alpha aura flaring as he absorbed my pain into himself.

“The pain you’re feeling, I’ll bear it a hundred times over for you,” he said, his voice fierce.

“You’ve been through so much. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the pack’s spring meadow for a run, okay?”

I studied his face, the love in his eyes so intense it almost felt real. How many times had he deceived me with that same look?

If he knew I was considering ending this pregnancy, I’d likely meet the same fate as that maid.

I forced a dry laugh.

“You should go. I think I’ll rest for a while.”

Pulling the blanket over my head, the pain he had taken from me was gone, but I felt as though I’d been pierced by a thousand arrows. Tears soaked my pillow.

After a while, I got up and stared at the key Marcus had given me as a symbol of our bond—the key to his private den.

On a whim, I entered his den, a place I’d never dared to venture before. Pushing open the door to his study, I was greeted by walls covered in portraits of Serena.

Each one was meticulously drawn by his hand, capturing her at different stages of her life. And at the bottom of every portrait was a single phrase: “Marcus loves Serena.”

One portrait showed her holding the pelt of a rogue Alpha, her smile radiant.

Suddenly, I remembered the time Marcus had returned from a battle with rogues, severely injured. He had nearly died, and I had used the only vial of the pack’s most potent healing serum—a gift from my mother—to save him.

But perhaps all of it had been for Serena.

A tear fell onto the portrait, smudging the ink.

I wasn’t heartbroken over Marcus’s years of deceit, but I mourned the loss of my mother’s final gift to me, something I had so carelessly given away.

As I turned to leave, I noticed another portrait of Serena, this one more intimate, her chest partially exposed. And there, on her heart, was a mark identical to mine—a crescent moon symbol.

This mark was unique, a result of my bond with the pack’s sacred moonstone. No one else could have it.

I remembered telling Serena about an encounter I’d had in the forbidden forest, where I’d saved an elder from a rogue attack and formed a bond. I’d begged her to keep it a secret, and after that, she had distanced herself from me.

Soon after, her strength had surged, and Marcus had often mentioned how much he owed her.

But Serena was selfish. She wouldn’t have lifted a finger to help anyone unless it benefited her.

A horrifying thought struck me.

If that was true…

I collapsed to the floor, all strength leaving my body.

I gathered my emotions and stepped out of the den, only to stumble upon a peculiar communication device—a sleek, modern earpiece with an encrypted message.

“Randy, I have a plan to help you dismantle the Shadowfang Pack. Interested?”

“Go on.”

“Five days from now, have your rogues kidnap me. I’ll lead Marcus into the forbidden territory.”

My gaze dropped to my abdomen, where the child I carried stirred faintly. “He’ll walk right into this trap.”

The moment the earpiece went silent, Marcus appeared behind me, his presence as commanding as ever. He had just returned from a skirmish, his usually pristine shirt marred with streaks of blood. He pulled me into an embrace, his grip firm but his tone deceptively casual.

“A trap, Aurelia? What kind of trap are you planning?”

I kept my expression neutral. “Just feeling a bit restless. Thought I’d set up some traps in the backwoods for some hunting.”

He chuckled, burying his face in the crook of my neck. “Still craving meat even after the protein supplements? Save me a leg, won’t you?”

I forced a smile but said nothing, settling into the routine we’d long established. That night, nightmares plagued me, leaving me restless.

The next morning, as we prepared to head to the forest clearing, Marcus’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression shifting to one of regret.

“Aurelia, I’m sorry. The pack needs me for an urgent matter. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise. I’ve got a surprise planned—you’ll love it.”

I stepped back, maintaining my composure. “It’s fine. Go handle it. I’ll wait for you.”

His fingers brushed my cheek as he left, his scent lingering in the air.

Soon after, Kylan arrived to escort me. As we drove, my phone buzzed—a rare call from Serena.

Her voice came through, breathless and laced with a mocking tone.

“Alpha’s Luna, does she not satisfy you? Why do you always come to me like this? Ah, don’t bite there.”

“You know why. Only when I can’t see her face can I imagine it’s you beneath me. You’ve got me completely ensnared.”

The sound of their encounter faded in and out, the silence in the car suffocating. Kylan let out a cold, derisive laugh before abruptly pulling over and dragging me into an unfamiliar location.

My heart raced as I demanded, “What are you doing? I’m carrying the Alpha’s child. How dare you lay a hand on me?”

“Oh, my dear sister, do you really think Marcus would allow someone as tainted as you to bear his heir?”

Serena stepped out from the shadows, her gaze cold and triumphant. She patted Kylan’s cheek approvingly before planting a long, intimate kiss on his lips.

When they finally pulled apart, Kylan smirked down at me. “Let’s make sure you understand. That child you’re carrying? It’s not Marcus’s. We swapped it with a rogue’s spawn. Congratulations, you’re carrying a mutt.”

My blood ran cold, disbelief and rage coursing through me.

Serena looked utterly pleased with herself. “Oh, sister, how far you’ve fallen. Once the revered Luna of the Moonlight Pack, now reduced to a breeding tool for rogues. Do you even know who the father is? Maybe it’s not one, but many. You’re nothing but a disgrace.”

Her words cut deep, and I lunged at them, my claws extending as I struck out with every ounce of fury I had. But Kylan was faster, his fist slamming into my chest and sending me crashing to the ground. I coughed up blood, struggling to recover.

Serena, unharmed, deliberately let one of my blows graze her before collapsing dramatically. Just as she fell, Marcus appeared, his eyes wide with panic as he rushed to her side.

“Serena, are you okay?” His voice trembled with concern, a look I’d never seen him give anyone—not even me.