The blue light of my phone illuminated the dark bedroom as I scrolled mindlessly through the WolfWhistle app. Another sleepless night in my third trimester, the baby's kicks making it impossible to find comfort in any position. Anders had left hours ago for what he called "emergency border patrol training," but his absence felt heavier tonight.

I scrolled past pack announcements and werewolf memes until a thread titled "Alpha Confessions" caught my eye. The anonymous poster claimed to be an Alpha sharing his "greatest achievements in deception."

"My heavily nesting mate thinks I'm out protecting our territory," the post began. "Meanwhile, I'm enjoying my chosen lover who doesn't have pregnancy hormones making her impossible."

My finger froze above the screen. Nesting mate. That could be any pregnant Luna.

"But the best part?" the poster continued. "She's so focused on preparing for our pup that she never questions my nightly border patrols at North Ridge."

North Ridge. Where Anders had been going three times a week for the past month.

"I've got the perfect setup. My chosen one works in housing coordination, so she knows exactly when I'll be 'working late.' We've got a system down pat."

The phone slipped from my fingers onto the silk comforter. Housing coordination. Vienna had helped us secure this very estate when we moved to Silverclaw Pack.

"No one suspects a thing," the post ended. "Alpha privilege at its finest."

I pressed my hand against my swollen belly, feeling the baby shift restlessly inside me. My wolf, Luna, whimpered in my mind.

*It can't be him,* she insisted. *Our mate wouldn't betray us like this.*

But the details aligned too perfectly. The nights he didn't come home. The excuses about rogue wolf sightings. The way Vienna always seemed to know our schedule when dropping by with "housing updates."

---

"Where is he?" I whispered to myself the next evening, staring at the blinking dot on my phone screen.

I'd installed a family tracking app months ago, claiming it was for emergencies with the baby coming. Now, it served a different purpose.

The dot labeled "Anders" sat stationary at the Maplewood Apartments complex. Vienna's building.

"He's handling a rogue situation," I told myself, watching the minutes tick by. One hour. Two hours.

When he finally walked through our door at midnight, I was sitting in the dark living room.

"Stevie?" His voice held surprise but no guilt. "Why are you up so late?"

"Couldn't sleep," I said, studying his face. "How was patrol?"

"Exhausting." He sighed dramatically. "We tracked rogue scents near the northern border. Had to set new traps."

He smelled of forest mud and pine—but underneath, faint traces of vanilla and orchid clung to him. Vienna's signature scent.

"I'm going to shower," he said, avoiding my eyes.

As he disappeared upstairs, Luna growled within me. *He's lying. That's her scent.*

---

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the breakfast nook windows as Anders carefully arranged our plates for a photo.

"Perfect," he murmured, adjusting the angle to capture the fresh fruit, pastries, and his hand resting protectively over mine on my belly. "This will show everyone how devoted we are."

I forced a smile as he snapped the picture, already typing the caption for the pack's social feed.

"Nothing better than breakfast with my Luna and our little Alpha heir," he dictated aloud. "Blessed by the Moon Goddess."

The post went live instantly, garnering likes and heart emojis from pack members. The perfect Alpha family portrait.

"Vienna will see this," I said softly.

Anders looked up, confusion flickering across his face before he recovered. "Why would Vienna care about our breakfast?"

"Just thinking about how much she's helped us settle in." I sipped my tea, watching him carefully. "She's always been so... available."

His smile faltered for just a moment. "She's good at her job."

"Yes," I agreed, placing my hand over his. "Very good."

Inside, something cold and calculated replaced the hurt. I would not confront him yet. No tears, no accusations. Instead, I would use what I knew—about pack law, about his ego, about Vienna's ambitions—to destroy them both.

"I think we should invite my brother to the Harvest Moon Banquet," I said casually.

"Roland?" Anders frowned. "I thought you two weren't close."

"We're family," I replied simply. "And family should be together for special occasions."

After breakfast, I stepped into my private study and locked the door. Pulling out a burner phone, I dialed a number I knew by heart.

"Roland," I said when he answered. "I need you here in three days. Something's happening at the banquet."

"What's wrong?" His voice sharpened with concern.

"I'll explain everything then," I promised. "Just... be ready."

As I hung up, I caught my reflection in the window. The woman staring back at me wasn't the heartbroken Luna I should have been. She was someone else entirely—someone with ice in her veins and revenge on her mind.

The Harvest Moon Banquet would be more than a celebration this year. It would be the night I reclaimed everything that was rightfully mine.

I stood in front of the mirror, practicing my reflection. The woman staring back at me had red-rimmed eyes and a quivering bottom lip—perfect for what I needed to accomplish today.

"You can do this," I whispered to myself. "For the pup."

Luna, my wolf, growled in agreement. *We will make them pay.*

I heard Anders' footsteps on the stairs and quickly wiped away the moisture I'd dabbed under my eyes. The door opened, and he entered with his usual confident stride.

"Stevie? What's wrong?" His voice held genuine concern as he took in my appearance.

I let my shoulders slump, my hands instinctively cradling my swollen belly. "I had another nightmare," I whispered, my voice deliberately fragile. "The baby was crying, and I couldn't reach her."

Anders sat beside me on the bed, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. "It was just a dream," he soothed, though I could smell the faint trace of vanilla on his collar—Vienna's scent.

"I can't shake it," I continued, allowing tears to well in my eyes. "This house feels... tainted somehow. Like it's not safe for our pup."

His brow furrowed. "Tainted? What do you mean?"

"The energy here is all wrong." I stood abruptly, pacing the room with deliberate agitation. "I need somewhere pure, somewhere untouched by... anything that might harm our baby."

Anders watched me warily, clearly unsure how to handle this version of his usually composed Luna.

"Maybe we should speak to Dr. Elena about your anxiety," he suggested carefully.

"No!" I snapped, then softened my voice. "I mean, I just need a sanctuary. A place where I can nest properly. Don't you understand what's at stake?"

---

Two days later, I sat across from Vienna in my private study, a spread of property listings between us. She looked immaculate as always, her honey-blonde hair pulled into a sleek ponytail, but I caught the flash of calculation in her eyes when I mentioned wanting a new property.

"Luna Stevie, I'm happy to help," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "But the Alpha estate is quite spacious for your needs."

"It's not about space," I insisted, flipping through the listings with deliberate clumsiness. "It's about safety and tranquility for the pup."

I rejected each property she showed me, watching her patience thin with each dismissal.

"This one is too close to the training grounds," I complained about a lakeside cottage.

"The foundation is too old," I declared about a modern mountain retreat.

Vienna's smile tightened as I continued my pickiness. Then, as if reluctantly, she pulled out a final listing.

"There's one more," she said hesitantly. "The Moonlight Cabin. It's quite exclusive, and usually reserved for—"

"The moment I saw it, Luna," my wolf interrupted through our mind-link. "That's the one."

"That's it," I gasped, staring at the listing. The luxury cabin sat perched on a cliff overlooking the sacred lake, surrounded by ancient pines. "This is where my wolf feels safe."

Vienna's face paled slightly. "But Luna, this property is... already under consideration by another pack member."

"Who?" I demanded, my eyes narrowing.

She looked away. "It's confidential."

"Is it you?" I pressed, watching her squirm.

"No, of course not," she lied poorly.

---

When Anders returned that evening, I was waiting in his study, the Moonlight Cabin listing displayed prominently on his desk.

"I found the perfect place for our pup," I announced before he could speak.

He glanced at the listing and frowned. "The Moonlight Cabin? Stevie, that's not a practical choice. It's too remote, and the price..."

"We need it," I interrupted, my voice rising with hysteria I'd carefully rehearsed. "Our baby needs it!"

"Anders," I stepped closer, tears streaming down my face. "Do you not want our pup to be safe? Do you not care about my wellbeing?"

"That's not what I'm saying," he protested, his hands raised defensively.

"Then why are you rejecting my needs?" I wailed, clutching my belly protectively. "Is this how you show your devotion to your mate and heir?"

His face drained of color. "Rejection? Stevie, you can't accuse me of that."

"Then prove me wrong," I challenged, watching him carefully. "Buy the cabin. In my name."

I saw the calculation in his eyes—the fear of being accused of rejecting his pregnant mate outweighed his desire to save the cabin for Vienna.

"Fine," he conceded finally. "If it means that much to you."

I nodded solemnly, hiding the triumph that surged through me. "It means everything."

As he turned away to make the call, I allowed myself a small smile. The first piece of my revenge had fallen into place.

The morning sun filtered through the blinds as I adjusted my oversized sunglasses, checking my reflection in the rearview mirror. The woman staring back at me looked nothing like the composed Luna of Silverclaw Pack. Today, I was just another pregnant woman heading to a routine prenatal appointment.

"Are you sure this is necessary?" Luna, my wolf, questioned through our mind-link.

*Absolutely,* I replied, pulling into the parking garage of the medical building. *We need legal protection before we strike.*

I'd scheduled my "checkup" with Dr. Elena for 10:30, but my real appointment was at 9:15—with Marcus Blackwood, a Beta lawyer specializing in mate separation cases.

Marcus's office occupied the fourteenth floor of a nondescript building downtown. No pack markings, no territorial scents—just neutral ground where secrets stayed secrets.

"Luna Stevie," he greeted me, rising from behind his desk. His Beta status was evident in his respectful posture, though his eyes held the calculating gleam of a predator. "Or should I say, Ms. Stevie?"

"Ms. will do," I confirmed, lowering myself carefully into the leather chair. "I appreciate your discretion."

"Discretion is my specialty." He sat, folding his hands on the polished surface between us. "You mentioned having evidence?"

I placed my phone on his desk and entered my passcode. "Everything's here."

Marcus reviewed the screenshots methodically—the forum posts, the tracking data, the photos I'd taken of Anders's overnight stays at Vienna's apartment building.

"This is... comprehensive," he admitted, his professional demeanor slipping momentarily. "Most Lunas come to me with suspicions. You've built a case."

"I need to protect my pup," I said simply. "And myself."

Marcus nodded, pulling out a legal pad. "The Alpha's Infidelity Clause in pack law is quite specific. If you can prove betrayal during pregnancy..."

"I can," I interrupted. "And I will."

"Then you're entitled to significant assets." His pen moved rapidly across the paper. "The new property in your name, plus fifty percent of liquid assets as child support for the heir."

"And if I reject him publicly?" I asked.

Marcus looked up, his eyes widening slightly. "That would be... spectacular. The pack would witness his shame."

"Draft the agreement," I instructed. "I want everything ready for the Harvest Moon Banquet."

---

Three days later, I sat at the head of the banquet planning table, surrounded by pack elders and committee members. Vienna stood across from me, clipboard in hand, directing the decoration discussions with practiced efficiency.

"The silver goblets should be polished again," Elder Margaret insisted. "The Cross Pack Alpha will expect perfection."

"Of course," Vienna nodded, making a note. "I'll handle it personally."

I studied her as she spoke, my gaze fixed on the delicate silver chain around her neck. The pendant caught the light—a crescent moon embracing a small ruby, identical to the one that had gone missing from the pack treasury months ago.

"That's a lovely necklace," I remarked loudly, interrupting the discussion. "It looks familiar."

All eyes turned to Vienna's throat. She instinctively touched the pendant, her composure faltering for just a moment.

"Thank you, Luna," she recovered quickly. "It's just something I picked up at an antique shop."

"How interesting," I mused, my voice carrying to the elders. "It's remarkably similar to my grandmother's heirloom that went missing from the treasury last spring."

Elder Margaret leaned forward, her aged eyes sharp with interest. "Is that so?"

Vienna's smile tightened. "I doubt it's the same piece. This is quite common."

"Not at all," I contradicted softly. "The ruby is unique—blood-red with a small inclusion that looks like a wolf's paw."

Anders cleared his throat abruptly. "I'm sure Vienna would never take pack property."

"Of course not," I agreed, watching color drain from his face. "Just an odd coincidence."

---

The first bouquet arrived at Vienna's door that evening—exotic orchids arranged with black roses.

"What is this?" she texted me in panic, not realizing I'd used a delivery service.

I sent back a simple message: *Enjoy it while it lasts.*

Over the next two days, more gifts followed—champagne, chocolates, and always with cards containing thinly veiled references to her situation.

*To new beginnings...*

*To secrets soon revealed...*

*To temporary pleasures...*

I watched from afar as Vienna grew increasingly paranoid, checking over her shoulder constantly, jumping at shadows.

Meanwhile, I bombarded Anders with mind-links filled with exaggerated affection.

*My love, I need you to pick up more pillows for the nursery...*

*Anders, the baby's kicking—can you feel it?...*

*I'm so lucky to have such a devoted mate...*

His responses grew shorter, more distracted as he tried to manage both his paranoid mistress and his suddenly clingy Luna.

*Later,* he'd reply tersely.

*Can't talk now,* he'd mind-link back.

I could almost see him fraying at the edges—exhausted from maintaining his double life, careless in his efforts to placate us both.

Perfect.

By the night of the Harvest Moon Banquet, he would be a man stretched too thin, ready to snap.

And I would be there to watch him fall.