On the plush couch, Kamila Wallace idly twirled a strand of her golden hair, her painted nails glinting as she gestured toward the pack’s training grounds below. Her voice was sweet but laced with malice as she issued her command.

“Next, sever her front paw. That’s the filthy thing she used to scratch me.”

Levi, my mate, nodded without hesitation, his Alpha aura radiating authority. The pack warrior below obeyed instantly, his claws flashing as they came down, severing Brynn’s right hand.

A whimper escaped me, my nails digging into the iron bars of the observation deck. My wolf growled in my mind, a low, guttural sound of despair and rage.

Kamila leaned closer to Levi, plucking a cherry from the fruit tray and holding it to his lips. “Alpha,” she purred, her voice dripping with honeyed satisfaction, “I’m so grateful you’re protecting me and our unborn pup. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Levi smirked, his dark eyes flickering with amusement. “Just a cherry?” he teased, tapping his lips. “You’ll have to do better than that.”

Kamila laughed softly, leaning in to press a lingering kiss to his mouth. My stomach churned as I watched them, the bond between Levi and me fraying further with every passing moment.

Below, Brynn’s small body trembled, her unawakened wolf unable to protect her from the pain. My sweet girl, who had always been gentle and kind, who had never hurt a soul—now reduced to this. My vision sharpened, my pupils narrowing into slits as the instinct to protect, to kill, surged within me.

On the training grounds, a rogue wolf, its eyes glowing crimson, tore into the remnants of Brynn’s hand, its growls of satisfaction echoing through the air. The pack members watching from the sidelines cheered, their excitement palpable.

“Watching this live is so much better than those videos online,” one Delta wolf remarked, his voice filled with awe. “Alpha Levi really knows how to make a statement.”

“Be careful what you say,” another warned, glancing nervously at Kamila. “That’s the Alpha’s prized mate up there. Cross her, and you’ll end up worse than that rogue.”

“Seriously, though,” a third chimed in, “I’ve never seen the Alpha dote on anyone like this. Luna Indie can’t even compare. Besides, Kamila’s carrying his heir—a son. That’s a big deal.”

I clenched my fists, my knuckles white. I had known Levi’s affections had shifted, that he’d taken Kamila as his mistress. I’d accepted it, focusing instead on my duties as Luna and on raising Brynn. I’d even tolerated Kamila’s petty insults, her attempts to undermine me in front of the pack. But this—this was beyond cruelty.

Why? Why was she doing this? Brynn was innocent. She’d never hurt anyone. My wolf howled in anguish, the sound echoing in my mind as I watched my daughter suffer.

Kamila’s laughter rang out again, sharp and mocking, as she leaned into Levi’s side. “Alpha,” she murmured, her scent carrying over the din, “you’re spoiling me. But I can’t help it—I love seeing justice served.”

Levi’s arm wrapped around her waist, his Alpha aura flaring in approval. “Anything for you, Kamila,” he said, his voice warm and affectionate.

My heart ached, the bond between us screaming its pain. I had once been his everything—his mate, his Luna. Now, I was nothing more than a shadow, replaced by a woman who reveled in the suffering of my child.

As the rogue wolf continued its feast, Brynn’s cries grew fainter, her small body growing still. My wolf snarled, the sound tearing through my chest. I would not let this stand. I would not let my daughter’s life be taken in vain.

Kamila’s gaze met mine from across the room, her lips curling into a triumphant smile. She knew she’d won—for now. But she didn’t know the depths of a mother’s rage, the lengths a Luna would go to protect her child.

My fingers tightened around the bars, my wolf’s power surging within me. This was far from over.

As the iron cage slowly creaked open, I finally regained my freedom.

“Why is there a person in here? Where’s the bear?” one of the guards muttered, confusion etched on his face.

“Brynn, Mommy’s here!” I shouted, my voice trembling with desperation.

While the guards were momentarily stunned, I darted into the arena, desperate to save my daughter. But a massive black wolf with glowing red eyes blocked my path, its growl low and menacing.

The butcher was still at work, his knife hacking through Brynn’s small body, the sickening thud of metal against bone echoing in the air. Her stomach had been slit open, her organs spilling onto the ground. He carelessly carved out her liver, tossing it onto a makeshift grill before throwing it to the wolf, which turned its attention to the scent of cooked flesh.

Seizing the moment, I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around Brynn’s broken body. Her wounds were too many to count, and though I tried to stem the bleeding with my hands, the blood seeped through my fingers.

“Sweetheart, wake up,” I begged, my voice cracking. “Please don’t scare Mommy like this. You’re going to be okay. I’m here now.”

The slaughter had been interrupted, and the two figures on the plush couch above the arena turned their attention to me. Kamila gasped dramatically. “Oh my, isn’t that Indie? What’s she doing here?”

I looked up at Levi, my Alpha, my mate, and screamed, “Levi, open your eyes! This is your daughter, Brynn! She’s not some rogue wolf!”

Levi frowned, his expression darkening. Kamila immediately put on a wounded look. “Alpha, even if she’s upset about my pregnancy, this is no way to act. That’s clearly just a stray wolf.”

Levi’s face hardened, and he gestured to the guards. “Don’t let her cause a scene. Bring her up here.”

The guards grabbed me, but I clung to Brynn with all my strength. In the struggle, Brynn let out a faint whimper, and my heart shattered. The guards took advantage of my momentary distraction, dragging me up to the elevated seating area where Levi and Kamila lounged.

“Indie, what are you doing here?” Levi demanded, his tone cold and dismissive. “This is no place for you. You should be at home, taking care of our daughter like a proper Luna.”

I stared at him, my chest heaving with rage and disbelief. “I *am* taking care of our daughter, Levi. Or at least, I’m trying to. But you’re too blind to see that the ‘stray wolf’ you’re allowing to be tortured is *Brynn*!”

Levi glanced at Kamila, who pouted and shook her head. “Alpha, she’s just jealous. I’m carrying your child now, and she can’t stand it. That wolf is nothing but a rogue. How could it possibly be Brynn?”

Levi seemed to latch onto her words, his expression growing darker. “Indie, I know you’ve always been jealous of Kamila, but this is too far. She’s pregnant, and she needs to relax. This is just a rogue wolf. It’s not our daughter. Stop this nonsense.”

The last shred of hope I had for Levi evaporated in that moment. I wasn’t just grieving for Brynn—I was grieving for myself, for the life I’d built with a man who couldn’t even recognize his own child.

In the world of werewolves, there was a strict hierarchy, and the Alpha’s word was law. Levi had always been a strong leader, but now, his judgment was clouded by Kamila’s manipulation. Our mate bond, once unshakable, had weakened over the years, especially after his affair with Kamila began.

I had been a loyal Luna, a devoted mother, and yet, here I was, watching my daughter suffer at the hands of her own father. Levi had once knelt by Brynn’s hospital bed, swearing to give her the world after she survived a rival pack’s attack as a baby. She had been his pride, his joy. How could he not see her now?

“I’m not crazy, Levi,” I said, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and heartbreak. “You’re the one who’s blind. That’s Brynn. Your daughter. And you’re letting her die.”

Levi’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing. Kamila smirked, her hand resting possessively on his arm. The bond between us, once sacred, now felt like a chain, binding me to a man who could no longer see the truth.

I had given up everything for him—my strength, my pride, my very essence as a Luna. And now, I was losing the one thing that had made it all worth it: our daughter.