One of the elder relatives coughed, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. The room fell silent, every wolf instinctively turning their gaze toward him. Even in his advanced age, his presence carried the weight of an Alpha’s command. "Everyone, calm down," he ordered, his tone brooking no argument. The murmurs quieted, though the air still crackled with anticipation.

He turned to Drake Arnold, his expression stern. "Drake, what is the meaning of this gathering?" His words were measured, but the underlying authority was unmistakable.

Drake straightened, his broad shoulders squared, though I could see the faint tremor in his hands. He wrapped an arm around Bianca Barnes’ shoulders, his gesture possessive, almost defiant. "I’ve called everyone here today to make a significant announcement." His gaze swept the room, lingering on Izabella and me. I met his eyes, my expression calm but unyielding, curious to see how far he would take this charade.

"Izabella," he began, his voice dropping to a near whisper, "she... she isn’t Luna Amalia’s biological daughter." The words hung in the air like a storm cloud, heavy and ominous.

Izabella’s head snapped toward me, her golden eyes wide with shock. I gave her a subtle nod, a silent command to stay composed. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of warning, but I pushed her back. This was not the time for her to take the reins.

The room erupted into murmurs, the relatives shifting uneasily, their whispers like the rustling of leaves before a storm.

"Back then," Drake continued, his voice faltering, "during the pack ritual... the healer informed us that Luna Amalia’s eggs weren’t viable. To spare her the pain of infertility, I... I switched them with Bianca’s." His words were a lie, but he delivered them with such conviction that even I almost believed him.

He turned to me, his dark eyes gleaming with triumph, as if daring me to challenge him. But I remained silent, my posture regal, my gaze steady. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me falter.

"Today," he said, his voice rising, "I’ve gathered everyone here to witness Izabella meeting her true mother." His arm tightened around Bianca, a gesture of solidarity, but I could see the cracks in his façade.

The room exploded into chaos.

"If Izabella isn’t Luna Amalia’s daughter, she must acknowledge her true mother!" one of the relatives shouted, his voice laced with greed.

"Exactly! A Luna who hasn’t given birth should step down!" another chimed in, his tone venomous.

"Luna Amalia has led the pack for years. If this is true, she must relinquish her position to someone more deserving!"

I almost laughed at their audacity. These distant relatives, cast aside from the pack’s inner circle years ago, had always been content with their meager roles and the occasional scraps of power. Now, they saw an opportunity to claw their way back, and they were all too eager to seize it.

Izabella’s grip on my hand tightened, her nails digging into my palm. I glanced at her, my expression softening for a brief moment. "Izabella is my flesh and blood," I said, my voice cutting through the chaos like a whip. "She will always be my daughter, and she will inherit the Ruiz Pack as its rightful future Alpha." My tone was calm but unshakable, a reminder of my authority as Luna.

Bianca stepped forward, her hands clasped in front of her, her expression feigning helplessness. "Luna Amalia," she said, her voice trembling with false sincerity, "how long will you continue to deceive yourself?"

I turned to her, my gaze sharp enough to make her flinch. "The only deception here," I said, my voice cold, "is the one you and Drake have concocted. But the truth will come to light soon enough."

The room fell silent, the tension thickening as the wolves exchanged uneasy glances. I stood tall, my head held high, ready to defend my family and my pack against any challenge. My wolf growled in agreement, her presence a steady force within me. This was not the end—it was only the beginning.

I wasn’t fooling myself—Izabella was indeed my child. Did Drake Arnold and Bianca Barnes truly believe they could deceive me, the Luna of the Ruiz Pack? Did they think their schemes could overshadow the will of the Moon Goddess?

Years ago, when Drake, a rogue masquerading as an Alpha, discovered he had a low sperm count, we opted for a pack ritual to ensure the continuation of our lineage. Before the ritual, I accidentally stumbled upon Drake conspiring with a pack healer, manipulating the sacred process. I overheard him mind-linking Bianca, his voice brimming with excitement as he claimed he’d successfully replaced my eggs with hers. The betrayal burned, but I didn’t confront him then. Instead, I discreetly approached the healer, offering him a fortune to switch back my eggs. I even “helpfully” suggested using Josiah Ruiz’s, my true mate and the rightful Alpha of the Ruiz Pack, sperm instead.

On the day of the ritual, Drake and I stood side by side, witnessing the “miracle” unfold. He was unusually thrilled, probably believing the child was Bianca’s. Watching him bask in his blissful ignorance was almost amusing to me. The Moon Goddess had her own plans, and I was merely playing my part in them.

Over the years, I’ve watched him dote on Izabella like a fool, convinced she was his daughter. It was a joy to witness. He tried to ensnare me, oblivious that he had been an unwitting father for over two decades.

Drake snapped me out of my thoughts with his smug remark, his alpha tone cutting through the room like a blade. “Stubborn as ever, Amalia. Izabella may have come from your womb, but the egg wasn’t yours! Her real mother is Bianca.”

I replied calmly, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me. “Dream on, Drake.”

“If you don’t believe me, let’s perform a pack DNA ritual!” he declared emphatically, his aura flaring with arrogance. “And I’m rejecting you as my mate! You’ve walked all over me, forcing me into this sham bond. I’ve been more than generous to you for twenty-five years!”

When he mentioned rejection, a hint of satisfaction flickered across his face. Clearly, he’d been itching for this moment.

Does he dare claim he’s been generous? Twenty-five years of a mate bond felt more like twenty-five years of solitude. While I was raising our child alone, he was gallivanting with Bianca. While I was battling to maintain the pack’s strength and honor, he was wasting time in decadence.

But he was wrong on one count—I hadn’t bonded with him for love but to secure the Ruiz Pack’s future and protect my daughter’s rightful place as heir. Now, the pack’s resources and power were firmly in my grasp. Drake was redundant.

“A rejection suits me just fine,” I shrugged dismissively, my tone icy. “But there’s no need for a DNA ritual. I am certain Izabella is my daughter.”

Izabella stepped forward, her presence radiating the strength of a future Alpha. She looked at me with unwavering trust, her voice firm. “Mom, I believe you.”

Drake and Bianca exchanged glances, their expressions faltering for the first time.

“Izabella,” Drake began, his alpha tone softening as he pleaded, “don’t you believe your father?”

Izabella ignored him, her loyalty unwavering as she held onto me tightly. Just then, a young werewolf burst into the room, his scent marking him as a rogue. He strode directly up to Izabella, his expression one of excitement, exclaiming, “Sis!”

The room fell silent, the tension thickening. Introducing a new mother was one thing, but a brother too? The Moon Goddess’s plans were unraveling before our eyes, and I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of triumph. The game was far from over, and I intended to win.