The scent hit me first—ink and paper mixed with something that made my wolf stir uneasily within me. I placed a protective hand over my swollen belly as I pushed open the door to our pack house den, the wooden frame creaking softly under my touch.

"What's going on here?" My voice came out steadier than I felt as I took in the scene before me.

Vance sat hunched over our dining table, pen in hand, signing what looked like official documents. His younger brother Marcus stood beside him, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth as he watched the pen scratch across the paper.

"Sierra." Vance looked up, his expression shifting from surprise to something that made my stomach twist. "I didn't expect you back so soon."

I moved closer, my enhanced pregnancy senses picking up the subtle scent of deception that clung to him like a second skin. "What are you signing?"

"Just some paperwork." He slid the documents toward Marcus, but not before I caught a glimpse of the property transfer form with our pack house address clearly printed at the top.

"Our house?" The words felt like glass in my throat. "You're trading away our house?"

Marcus had the decency to look uncomfortable, but Vance's face hardened into something I barely recognized. "It's just a territory swap. Marcus needs the hunting grounds, and we're getting—"

"We?" I interrupted, my hand instinctively cradling my belly tighter. "You mean you've traded away our home—our pup's future home—without even discussing it with me?"

My wolf growled inside me, the protective instinct surging through my veins like wildfire. Three months pregnant, and my mate had just stripped away our protection without a word.

"It's already done," Vance said dismissively, standing up and moving toward me with that practiced smile that once made my heart race but now made my skin crawl. "Don't worry about it. We'll find somewhere better."

Before I could respond, a knock at the door interrupted us. Vance's expression changed immediately, almost eagerly, as he moved to open it.

"Luna Hadlee," he greeted warmly, stepping aside to reveal my mother-in-law's imposing figure.

"Darling," she cooed, brushing past Vance to approach me with outstretched hands. "I heard the wonderful news about the pup. I've come to take care of you."

Her perfume was overwhelming, but beneath it, my sensitive nose detected something sour—the unmistakable scent of calculation.

"How thoughtful," I managed, forcing a smile as she took my hands in hers.

"I've brought some special herbs for morning sickness," she continued, her eyes darting around our den, cataloging every item of value. "And I wanted to discuss some... family matters."

She settled herself comfortably in our best chair, patting the seat beside her for me to join her. I sat reluctantly, feeling Vance's eyes on us.

"Such a lovely den," she remarked, her fingers trailing over the armrest. "Though perhaps a bit small for the future of the Hughes bloodline."

I stiffened. "It's served us well enough."

"For now." Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "But surely your family's connections could provide something... more suitable? I've always wondered about your bloodline, Sierra. There's something about your aura..."

My wolf bristled at the probing question, but before I could deflect, another knock came at the door.

Vance practically leapt to open it this time, and my heart sank as Megan Wood stepped inside, her perfectly styled hair and designer clothes a stark contrast to my simple maternity dress.

"Sierra," Vance said, his voice oddly formal. "This is Megan. She's a close friend who needs temporary shelter."

Megan's eyes met mine briefly before dropping in a performance of demure submission. "I'm so sorry to impose," she murmured, her voice honey-sweet.

Something about her set off every warning bell in my head. "Shelter?" I echoed, looking between them. "Here?"

"We'll figure something out," Vance assured me, but his attention was already drifting back to Megan.

As if on cue, Megan suddenly gasped, clutching her side and stumbling dramatically toward Vance. "My wolf—" she whimpered, collapsing against him. "The pain—it's back."

Vance caught her automatically, his hands gentle as they guided her to the couch. "What happened? Is it the old injury?"

I stood forgotten in the corner of our own den, watching as my mate knelt beside another woman, his face etched with concern that should have been directed at me—at us—at our pup.

"Let me see," he urged, his fingers carefully examining her side where there was clearly nothing wrong.

My wolf howled in silent agony as Megan's eyes flicked up to meet mine over Vance's shoulder, a triumphant gleam in them that only I could see.

And in that moment, as I stood alone with our pup growing inside me, I realized that the house wasn't the only thing Vance had traded away without my knowledge.

I couldn't sleep. The house felt different now—hostile, as though the very walls had turned against me. My hand rested protectively over my swollen belly as I lay in bed, listening to the faint whispers coming from the kitchen below.

"She's completely oblivious," Megan's voice drifted up, barely audible to anyone without enhanced pregnancy hearing. "We can easily convince the Council she's unstable."

"Her pregnancy hormones will work in our favor," Luna Hadlee replied, her tone calculating. "I've seen it before—wolves who lose their grip during gestation."

I strained to hear more, my wolf stirring anxiously within me.

"We'll petition the Council to revoke her pack access," Hadlee continued. "For her own protection, of course. The stress isn't good for the pup."

"And then we'll have clear access to whatever assets her family might have hidden," Megan added with a soft laugh.

My breath caught in my throat. They were planning to declare me mentally unfit—to separate me from my pack, from my pup's birthright. I clutched the bedsheets tighter, fighting the urge to storm downstairs and confront them.

"Vance is already on board," Hadlee murmured. "He understands what's best for the family."

A floorboard creaked, and I quickly closed my eyes, feigning sleep as footsteps approached. The bedroom door opened slightly, and I sensed rather than saw Hadlee checking on me.

"Asleep," she whispered to someone behind her. "Good. Let her rest while we prepare."

I waited until they retreated before opening my eyes, my heart pounding against my ribs. My wolf growled low in my chest, urging me to protect what was ours.

---

The next morning, I wandered into the living room, still groggy from a night of restless half-sleep. Megan sat at our dining table, flipping through a magazine with casual entitlement.

Something glinted at her throat, catching the morning light.

My mother's moonstone necklace.

I froze, my fingers instinctively reaching for my own neck where the pendant should have been safely stored in my jewelry box.

"That's my mother's," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Megan's eyes widened in practiced innocence. "Oh, this? Vance gave it to me yesterday."

"That's impossible." I stepped closer, my hand trembling as I pointed at the distinctive silver chain with its crescent moon pendant. "It was in my private box. The one with the lock."

Hadlee emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Is something wrong, dear?"

"That necklace belonged to my mother," I said, louder now. "It's the only thing I have left of her."

"Oh, Sierra." Hadlee's voice dripped with false sympathy. "You've been so forgetful lately. Pregnancy brain, you know."

"I didn't forget," I insisted, my voice shaking with anger. "Vance gave you my mother's necklace?"

"Vance mentioned you'd misplaced it," Megan interjected smoothly. "He found it while cleaning and gave it to me as a friendship token."

Hadlee placed a gentle hand on my arm. "You've been misplacing things for weeks now, dear. It's perfectly normal with pregnancy hormones."

I stared at them both, the gaslighting so blatant it made my head spin.

"My mother died wearing that necklace," I said quietly. "I put it away myself."

Megan's fingers caressed the moonstone, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "Well, I'll take good care of it for you."

---

Later that afternoon, I awoke to the smell of bacon and coffee. My stomach lurched—morning sickness had been particularly brutal today.

I dragged myself upright, expecting to find breakfast waiting as usual. Instead, I discovered Vance sitting on the edge of Megan's bed in the guest room, tray balanced on his knees as he fed her tiny bites of bacon.

"You're awake," he noted without looking at me.

"I'm starving," I said, one hand on my belly. "And nauseous."

Megan giggled softly. "Poor thing. Pregnancy is so hard."

Vance didn't offer to make me breakfast. Instead, he continued feeding Megan, his eyes softening as she licked her lips.

Something snapped inside me. My wolf surged forward, eyes flashing silver as I stepped between them.

"That's enough," I growled, my voice carrying the hint of an Alpha tone I usually suppressed.

Vance's expression hardened. "Stand down, Sierra."

"Not until—"

"STAND DOWN!" His Beta command hit me like a physical blow, forcing me to my knees.

Pain radiated through my body as our mate bond cracked under the pressure of his command. I gasped, one hand flying to my belly as the other braced against the floor.

"Vance," I whispered, tears springing to my eyes. "You're hurting me."

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Know your place, Sierra. Remember who you're dealing with."

As he turned back to Megan, offering her another bite of bacon with a tender smile, I felt something fundamental shift between us—a fracture in our bond that I wasn't sure could ever be repaired.

I paced the length of our den, my fingers trembling as I dialed Colin's number on the pack's secure communication line. The screen flashed with an error message I'd never seen before: "Access Denied: User Sierra Williamson requires authorization for external communication."

"Impossible," I muttered, trying again. The same message appeared.

My wolf stirred anxiously within me as I tried a different approach, requesting a direct connection to the Stellar Moon Pack's Alpha line. Again, access denied.

Someone had deliberately blocked my communications. The realization sent ice through my veins as I remembered Hadlee's smug smile this morning when she'd mentioned "taking care of everything."

I grabbed my jacket and car keys. If I couldn't call Colin, I'd drive to him. The Stellar Moon territory was only three hours away.

"Going somewhere?" Vance's voice stopped me at the door.

"I need to see my brother," I said firmly, one hand protectively cradling my belly.

His eyes narrowed. "Not today. The healer said you need rest."

"The healer said nothing of the—"

"Sierra." His tone carried that edge of command that made my skin crawl. "You're not going anywhere."

I pushed past him anyway, heading for my car in the driveway. The engine started normally, but as I pulled toward the pack's main gate, two border guards stepped into my path.

"Ma'am," the taller one said, not quite meeting my eyes. "I'm going to have to ask you to return to your den."

"On what grounds?" I demanded, rolling down my window.

"Alpha's orders. High-risk pregnancy requiring confinement."

My blood ran cold. "What?"

"Luna Hadlee filed the paperwork this morning," the guard continued, his discomfort evident. "For your safety and the pup's."

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, fighting the urge to ram through their barrier. My wolf howled in frustration as I slowly reversed, returning to a den that no longer felt like home.

---

I spent the afternoon in a fog of disbelief, moving through the motions of daily life while my mind raced for solutions. When I finally remembered the ancient pack artifacts stored in my private chambers—heirlooms from my mother that Vance had never shown interest in—I hurried upstairs, suddenly afraid.

The door to my chambers was ajar. Voices drifted out—hushed, excited whispers.

"—incredible find," Megan's voice, uncharacteristically eager. "These documents prove territorial rights to the eastern forests."

"And these?" Hadlee's voice was sharp with excitement. "What are these markings?"

"Family seals," I heard Megan reply. "Old bloodline indicators. Look at the silver content on these scrolls—they're worth a fortune to collectors."

I pushed the door open, my heart hammering against my ribs. They both looked up, startled—then quickly composed themselves.

"Sierra," Hadlee recovered first, her smile brittle. "We were just organizing your things. You've been so disorganized lately."

My eyes fell on the scattered papers—territorial maps, bloodline charts, and financial records that traced my family's holdings back generations. My mother's silver hairbrush lay in Megan's hands, its handle twisted to reveal a hidden compartment.

"Those are private," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Nothing's private between family," Hadlee replied smoothly, sliding several documents into her bag. "We're just taking inventory for when the pup arrives. So much to prepare!"

Megan's fingers traced the edge of a particularly old scroll. "These eastern territories alone must be worth millions. And the hunting rights..."

"We'll need to secure them properly," Hadlee nodded. "Once the problem is handled."

Their eyes met over my head, a silent communication passing between them that chilled me to the bone.

---

That evening, I stumbled across the pack's financial records while searching for anything that might help me contact Colin. What I found made my knees buckle.

Line after line of unauthorized transactions, all bearing Vance's signature. Rare silver jewelry purchased for "M.W." Prime hunting ground access acquired for "special guest." All charged against accounts I didn't recognize—until I saw the routing numbers.

My family's hidden accounts. The ones Vance had sworn he knew nothing about.

The dates matched perfectly with each gift Megan had appeared with over the past month. The elaborate silver bracelet she wore at dinner last week. The custom hunting knife with moonstone inlay. All purchased with my family's resources.

I scrolled further, my vision blurring with tears and rage. There was more—much more. Territory purchases in Megan's name. Training sessions with elite pack warriors. All paid for with money that should have been protecting my future—my pup's future.

The door creaked behind me, and I whirled around to find Vance watching me, his expression unreadable.

"Found what you were looking for?" he asked softly.

I held up the tablet, my hand shaking with fury. "How could you?"

His eyes flickered to the screen, then back to me. "I did what was necessary."

"Necessary?" My voice cracked. "You've been stealing from me—from our pup—to buy her gifts?"

Something shifted in his expression—not guilt, but calculation. "You'll understand soon enough," he said, moving toward me with that same false tenderness that once made my heart race.

Now it just made my skin crawl.