LUNA ASTRID

"Luna Astrid, Alpha Jameson is waiting for you in the grand foyer." The butler announced, before bowing his head respectfully at me.

I stood in front of the ornate vanity mirror, my hand resting protectively over my flat stomach. One last time, I whispered the same plea I had repeated countless times.

"Please, let it be a male pup."

Disappointing the Alpha—again—wasn't an option.

His anger terrified me.

A single tear slipped down my cheek, smudging the delicate makeup I had carefully applied. I quickly wiped it away, but the fear remained.

With a deep breath, I left the sanctuary of our room. My heart pounded as I descended the staircase. The moment I spotted Jameson, his piercing glare locked onto me. His presence was dominant, his posture rigid, and the trail of cigarette smoke curling around him only added to my unease.

"I'm certain this pregnancy will finally give me what I and the pack need—an heir. Don't you agree, Luna Astrid?" He said, his voice cold and measured as I reached his side.

He dropped the cigarette butt onto the polished marble floor, crushing it under his shoe. Then, as if trying to mask his dark aura, he grabbed my waist with a gentleness that felt unnaturally forced. Pulling me closer, Jameson pressed a brief kiss to my lips—a gesture that carried no warmth, only control.

Even in his embrace, I felt anything but safe. I feel danger rather than safety whenever he's around, and that's a fact I cannot deny or change.

"I'm hoping for the best too, Alpha." My voice trembled despite my efforts to sound composed.

His lips curled into a cold smirk as his grip around my waist tightened. The gentleness was suddenly replaced by dominance. "You better." He growled. "Have you forgotten that this is your fourth pregnancy already? I'm running out of patience, Luna Astrid. I need an heir, and this is your last chance to give me one. Last chance." His voice was deep and tormenting.

Last chance?

If I failed again, would he cast me aside?

My breath hitched at the thought as I followed his lead.

When we reached the pack's infirmary, Jameson stayed close by my side. Healer Hilda greeted us warmly and immediately began conducting a series of tests. An hour later, she returned with the results.

"Give me the good news, Healer Hilda," Alpha Jameson said, his grip tightening around my hand as his voice brimmed with anticipation. "We're having an heir, aren't we?"

The healer hesitated for a while as she studied the papers in her hands.

It's bad news. I could already feel it.

A sense of dread coiled in my stomach. My palms grew clammy despite the coldness of the room, and my pulse quickened.

The silence stretched.

"What's taking you so long?" Jameson snapped, his patience wearing thin. "Read the test results for us."

Healer Hilda cast a nervous glance my way before addressing the Alpha. Her voice wavered as she spoke. "Alpha Jameson, the Luna is three weeks pregnant with a…" She hesitated, exhaling deeply before continuing, "…female pup."

Fuck.

My heart plummeted as Jameson's fingers slipped away from mine. His jaw clenched, and in one swift motion, he snatched the test results from Healer Hilda's trembling hands and hurled them across the room. Papers fluttered to the ground like fallen leaves, but his rage didn't end there. He drove his fist into the wooden table beside us, the loud crack echoing in the sterile infirmary room.

But what terrified me most wasn't the destruction—it was the cold, detached expression on his face. Not a flicker of emotion, not even when blood began to drip from his split knuckles.

He turned to me. "Four years. Four attempts. Four pregnancies. And four fucking female pups." His words cut deep. "Your only purpose as a Luna was to give me an heir, and yet, you fail every time!"

Before I could react, his hand shot out, roughly cupping my face. "At this point, even an Omega would be more useful than you." His tone was searing.

He released me harshly, and I staggered back as he turned toward the door. Just as I thought he was leaving, he paused, his cold gaze shifting to Healer Hilda. "Prepare the Void Elixir and make Luna Astrid drink it." He commanded, his voice devoid of remorse. "I want nothing to do with the female pup inside her." With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

My heart splintered into a thousand pieces as I crumpled on the cold floor.

"I can't do it. Not again," I whispered, my voice trembling as tears cascaded down my cheeks. "I want to keep this pup. I want to be a mother. I want to watch her grow, to feel her love… Please, don't take her from me. I'm begging you." My voice broke as I looked up at the healer, my tear-streaked eyes pleading for mercy.

Healer Hilda helped me to my feet and pulled me into a gentle embrace. "I'm so sorry, Luna Astrid, but I cannot defy the Alpha's command."

Void Elixir is a cruelly powerful potion used to dissolve an unborn pup, to end a life before it could even begin. And for the fourth time, Alpha Jameson was forcing me to take it.

LUNA ASTRID

Forced to lie on the infirmary bed, I couldn't stop the healers from binding my hands and feet, restraining my every movement.

"Please don't take my child. I'll convince the Alpha to let me keep it," I begged, my voice trembling with desperation. But they didn't listen. None of them did.

Those were my last words before the healer injected the Void Elixir into a precise vein in my hip. The cold, burning sensation spread quickly, and within seconds, I felt its cruel effect—a thick fluid leaving my body.

My pup was gone. Again.

After that, the healers shuffled out of the room, their heads bowed in silence, perhaps out of guilt or shame. A moment later, Jameson entered—contradictingly with his head held high. He closed the door behind him with a deliberate click.

Without a word, he strode toward me, leaning down to claim a kiss.

I turned my head away.

"Stop being so dramatic over a useless, unborn pup, Astrid." He said coldly, as if the pup wasn't his own flesh and blood.

Afterwards, with swift, practiced movements, he unfastened the cuffs the healers had left on me.

"Once more, you've taken away my chance of becoming a mother. Do you know how much that pains me?" I spoke as tears began to flow.

"Well, it's not my fault you can't bear a male pup." He retorted sadistically, his glare menacing. And yet, in a sick twist of irony, he reached out to wipe the tears from my cheeks.

"Don't worry." He murmured, his fingers trailing down my face. "I'll free you from that pain."

I recoiled, desperate to escape his grasp, but he yanked me back, his strength overpowering mine. "Don't be afraid, my lovely Luna." He said, his tone deceptively soft.

I shook my head violently, panic rising in my chest. "No... I know what you're planning. Stop. Please, Jameson, don't do this!" I pleaded, my voice breaking.

But my pleas fell on deaf ears as Jameson leaned in, sinking his teeth into my neck. His venom coursed through my veins, weakening me instantly.

I lost consciousness soon after.

For the fourth time, Jameson exploited his ability to numb his mate's heart—my heart—suppressing my emotions and rendering me helpless against his will.

He claimed this action healed my broken heart, but numbing and suppressing emotions aren't healing! My heart remained shattered, but Jameson's influence numbed my pain, leaving my wolf to suffer alone.

By the time I opened my eyes, the memories of losing my child still haunted me. Yet, because of what he had done, I managed—strangely—a faint smile.

"Alpha, I'm glad you're here," I said, my voice light and devoid of the pain I still felt deep inside.

When he leaned in for a kiss, I welcomed it warmly this time. His gaze was dark and intense as he settled on the side of the bed.

"Are you feeling any emotional pain right now?" He asked.

I wanted to scream yes, but instead, I was forced to respond, "No, Alpha."

In a gesture that was both tender and manipulative, he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'm glad to hear that." He said softly. "But honestly, there are other things that still concern me."

"Like what?" I asked cautiously.

"Like how conceiving a pup and losing it could affect your health in the long run." He said, his tone smooth as he began to rub my shoulders. "And like how the absence of an heir or a future Alpha could soon weaken the Folklore Pack." His hands slid to cup my face, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that felt as though he was trying to control my very soul. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Yes, Alpha." I replied, my voice stripped of emotion.

"Good." He said, his tone was calm and gentle. "As the Luna, what sacrifices are you willing to make for the pack?"

"I can do anything, Alpha." I replied with a steady voice.

"Really?" He asked, a subtle smirk playing on his lips as he ran his fingers through my long brunette hair. Then, he retrieved a piece of paper, neatly folded, and a golden pen. "Can you prove it by signing this?" His tone was still calm, but I could feel the trap closing around me. He was taking advantage of my numb heart!

"Alpha, what is that?" I asked, eyeing the document warily.

"Since you can only produce female pups," he began, "I believe it's time to remove that responsibility from you. Instead, we'll let another she-wolf do it for us."

My heart felt like it would burst from the sheer audacity of his words, but all I managed was a quiet, "What do you mean?"

He handed me the agreement and the golden pen. Then, as if to cement his manipulation, he leaned in, kissing me softly and deeply, as if to weaken any resistance I might have. When our lips parted, his gaze bore into mine.

"As my mate and my Luna, I need you to sign this." He said, his tone gentle, but dripping with control. "It's a testament that you're giving your consent for me to use a surrogate she-wolf to bear us a male pup."

LUNA ASTRID

I looked into Jameson's eyes as he cupped my face, bringing our foreheads and noses together. He held my gaze then whispered softly. "Go on, my Luna. Do it for the Folklore Pack. Do it for our people. Do it for me."

He only released me after I nodded weakly. His smile widened as I hesitantly lifted the pen and hovered it over the paper. The moment my hand began to move, scribbling my signature, his smile turned triumphant.

My wolf howled in agony, her cries echoing in my mind, but my body and heart refused to show any outward sign of the torment I felt.

I was numb, suffocated by his control.

"Good girl." Jameson said, his tone filled with satisfaction. He snatched the signed papers and the golden pen from my hands and left the room without another word.

He had what he wanted, and I knew deep down that the consequences of this decision would fall squarely on me.

Days passed in a blur of routine. I buried my pain beneath the facade of normalcy until, one afternoon, four pack warriors approached me as I walked through the packhouse gardens.

"Luna Astrid, the Alpha has requested your presence at the Folklore Basilica. Kindly allow us to escort you."

Their faces were stoic, their voices calm, but something about the way they carried themselves put me on edge.

My brows furrowed in confusion. "The Folklore Basilica? Is something grand about to happen?"

One of the warriors, maintaining his composed demeanor, replied, "We're not entirely sure, Luna. However, the Alpha has requested the presence of every pack member as well."

I was still baffled, but I nodded, deciding it was best to follow their lead.

As we reached the grand hall of the Folklore Basilica, the sight before me made me stop in my tracks. My breath hitched as I took in the surroundings. The entire hall was adorned with fresh white and pink flowers. A pristine white carpet stretched down the middle aisle, leading to a stage where a magnificent silver throne stood at its center.

What's going on?

The extravagance of the decorations rivaled—no, exceeded—what we had for our mating ceremony.

What—or who—are all of these for?

With countless questions swirling in my mind, I sat at my designated table at the front of the grand hall, nervously waiting for whatever this was to unfold.

It wasn't long before Alpha Jameson appeared, stepping confidently onto the stage. He addressed the pack with his usual charm.

In the middle of his speech, his eyes locked with mine, and I stiffened under his gaze.

"Everyone is aware of how hard the Luna and I have tried to conceive a male pup." He began. "But after four years, Luna Astrid was only able to bear females. I began to suspect there might be an issue with her body, so we decided to stop trying."

Why did he have to say that?

The weight of everyone's judgmental stares burned into me, forcing me to keep my head low.

"A few days ago," Jameson continued, "I asked the Luna to sign a written agreement to explore another method of securing an heir for the Folklore Pack. That decision brings us to this moment today." He paused, his tone growing more deliberate. "Everyone, I need your attention focused at the end of the long aisle."

His words made me look up, my breath catching as I followed the direction of his gaze.

A white horse-drawn carriage began its slow march down the aisle. When the carriage finally came to a stop at the stage, the chauffeur stepped down and opened the door, extending a hand to the figure inside.

Jameson approached the carriage, his movements deliberate and full of showmanship. He gently took the woman's hand as she stepped down.

He led her to the silver throne, and as she ascended the stage, the room seemed to hold its collective breath. She wore an opulent purple gown that shimmered under the lights, every detail screaming wealth and importance. Her face, however, was hidden behind a mask encrusted with jade and diamonds, concealing her identity entirely.

The heir surrogate. Is she it?

The thought sent a cold shiver through me.

But if she was, why go to such lengths? Why this grand display, as if she were some queen being coronated? Was it truly necessary to introduce her to the pack with this much effort?

Something wasn't right.

Jameson's voice cut through. "Everyone, this is the Masked Lady, and she will serve as the Folklore Pack's heir surrogate."

Whispers erupted throughout the hall.

Jameson continued. "She will be our last resort to ensure the continuation of our pack's legacy, using her own fluids and mine to conceive the heir we so desperately need. Her identity will remain a mystery to all, and she will wear this mask for the entirety of her stay here."

I clenched my fists under the table, rage simmering beneath the surface.

"Our pack needs her," Jameson declared. "And I expect every one of you to show her the same respect you show me and your Luna."

The applause for the Masked Lady was hesitant at first, but it eventually grew into a reluctant chorus. No one, not even the elders, dared to challenge Jameson's decision.

"Luna Astrid, please come and join us here." Jameson suddenly announced. I wanted to stay seated, to defy him, but I couldn't. So, I forced myself to rise.

My heart was no longer numb. I could fully feel the pain of the situation. I wanted to cry, but I forced myself to remain composed, believing it was my fault. This wouldn't have happened if only I could've given Jameson an heir.

When I finally reached the stage, I took my place beside the Masked Lady. My eyes were drawn to her, despite my efforts to avoid looking at her for too long. Something about her presence demanded my attention.

My heart raced as our eyes met.

Ocean blue, piercing and familiar.

I blinked, then stared again, searching for confirmation. Beneath the delicate mask, her identity remained hidden, but those eyes… I couldn't ignore them.

They were identical to Lady Victoria Beckett's—the princess of the Everdale Pack. Jameson's first love.