The first sign of Parker's retaliation came with the trade wagons.

"Alpha Hudson," Beta Marcus reported, his face tight with concern. "The Northern Alliance has canceled our grain shipment. They say our credit is... compromised."

Hudson slammed his fist on the table. "What do you mean, compromised?"

I sat silently in the corner of the war room, watching as my mate's empire began to crumble. Two weeks had passed since I'd handed Parker the flash drive, and now the noose was tightening.

"The Silver Moon accounts show unusual activity," Marcus continued, avoiding my gaze. "Large withdrawals. Frequent transfers to offshore territories."

"That's impossible," Hudson snarled. "Those accounts are secure."

But I knew better. I'd given Parker everything—access codes, account numbers, transaction histories. The evidence of Hudson's embezzlement was now in the hands of the Regional Werewolf Council.

By midday, the news had spread through the pack. I walked through the dining hall, where conversations hushed as I passed. Pack members who once greeted me warmly now watched with wary eyes.

"There's barely enough flour for tomorrow's bread," I overheard Delta Jessica whispering to another wolf. "And the meat stores are already half-empty."

My wolf stirred within me. *They're beginning to see him for what he truly is.*

Later that evening, Hudson stormed into our chambers, his face contorted with rage.

"This is your doing," he hissed, advancing toward me. "You're sabotaging me."

I backed away, one hand protectively covering my stomach. "I'm carrying your heir, Hudson. Why would I sabotage the pack?"

"Because you're jealous!" he shouted, his Alpha tone making the windows rattle. "You can't stand that I've found comfort elsewhere."

Comfort. As if betraying our sacred bond was nothing more than seeking solace.

---

"The pack is suffering because of you," Hudson announced the next morning, his voice carrying across the central clearing where the entire pack had gathered. "Our Luna has failed in her duties."

Gasps rippled through the crowd. I stood tall despite the weight of their stares.

"The Moon Goddess requires submission and obedience," he continued, his eyes boring into mine. "When the Luna fails to submit to her Alpha, the pack suffers."

My wolf snarled within me. *He blames us for his failures.*

"You will submit to me completely," Hudson demanded, stepping closer. "You will pray to the Moon Goddess daily for forgiveness. You will restore the pack's energy."

Before I could respond, Ashlynn stepped forward, her hand resting on her slightly rounded stomach.

"Perhaps what the pack needs is a Unity Ceremony," she suggested, her voice honey-sweet. "To officially recognize me as a second mate."

The crowd murmured in shock. Second mates were rare—almost unheard of in established packs.

"If Luna Maddie refuses," Ashlynn continued, her eyes gleaming with triumph, "then perhaps Alpha Hudson should consider taking her pup after birth and raising it with me—someone who truly supports the pack's welfare."

My blood turned to ice. "You would take my child?"

"It's for the good of the pack," Ashlynn replied smoothly. "Your negative energy is affecting everyone."

I felt something snap inside me—the last thread of restraint.

---

"I can't stay here anymore," I confessed to my mother as we sat in her healing cabin in the neighboring Crescent Valley Pack. "He'll take my baby."

My mother, Elena, her silver-streaked hair falling loose around her shoulders, took my hands in hers.

"He abandoned you during a rogue attack," she said, her voice tight with controlled fury. "No true Alpha would ever leave his pregnant Luna in danger."

"I gave Parker everything," I admitted. "The trade routes, the financial records. Hudson's empire is crumbling."

Instead of the disapproval I expected, my mother's eyes shone with pride.

"My daughter," she whispered, "has the heart of a true Luna."

She rose and moved to an ancient cedar chest in the corner of the cabin. From it, she withdrew a wrapped bundle and returned to my side.

"This belonged to your grandmother," she said, unwrapping a gleaming silver dagger with intricate moonstone inlays. "It's been passed down through generations of Luna wolves who refused to be victims."

I traced the blade's edge with trembling fingers.

"Your grandmother used this when she chose the path of the Rogue Luna," Elena continued. "When she rejected a mate who betrayed her."

"The pack elders will never allow it," I whispered.

"The pack elders follow strength," my mother replied simply. "And you, my daughter, have shown more strength than Hudson ever has."

As I clutched the dagger to my chest, something shifted within me. My wolf, usually so restless, settled into a calm determination.

*We are not alone,* she whispered. *We have our family's blessing.*

I looked up at my mother, seeing in her eyes the same resolve that now burned in my own heart.

"I know what I have to do," I said softly.

And for the first time in months, I felt truly free.

I returned to the Silver Moon Pack house with my head bowed, shoulders slumped in a perfect picture of submission. The weight of my decision pressed against my chest, but my resolve remained unshaken. For the sake of my unborn child, I would play Hudson's game—one last time.

"I've been thinking about what's best for the pack," I said softly as I entered Hudson's office, where he sat with Ashlynn perched on the edge of his desk. "You're right. The Unity Ceremony will strengthen our position."

Hudson's eyes widened slightly—clearly surprised by my sudden compliance. Ashlynn's smile faltered for just a moment before widening into a triumphant smirk.

"See?" she purred, sliding her hand along Hudson's shoulder. "I told you she'd come around."

Hudson's posture straightened, his Alpha aura expanding with renewed confidence. "Good. The ceremony will take place during the Moon Goddess Festival. It's time the pack sees unity among its leaders."

I lowered my gaze, hiding the cold calculation behind my eyes. "As you wish, Alpha."

As I turned to leave, I felt Ashlynn's suspicious stare burning into my back. But Hudson was already dismissing me, his attention focused on his mistress.

---

The Moon Goddess Festival arrived with all its ancient splendor. Lanterns hung from tree branches, casting silver light across the central clearing. Pack members dressed in ceremonial attire, their excitement palpable as they prepared for the night's events.

I stood before the mirror in my chambers, adjusting the silver circlet that rested on my dark hair. The Luna's ceremonial gown—pale blue with silver embroidery—draped elegantly over my slightly rounded stomach.

"You look beautiful," Dr. Sarah said from the doorway, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you certain about this?"

I met her gaze in the mirror. "More certain than I've ever been."

She nodded, understanding passing between us. As she left, I slipped my hand into my pocket, feeling the small vial of herbs my mother had given me—harmless, but effective enough to simulate early labor contractions.

---

The clearing filled with delegates from allied packs, their curious eyes following me as I took my place beside Hudson. Ashlynn stood nearby, draped in white—a deliberate mimicry of a Luna's ceremonial gown, though slightly modified to accommodate her own status.

"Alpha Hudson," a distinguished elder from the Northern Pack greeted us, his gaze flickering between Hudson and me. "We're honored to witness this historic Unity Ceremony."

Hudson puffed out his chest, basking in the attention. "The Silver Moon Pack has always been progressive in its approach to leadership."

I felt Parker's arrival before I saw him—a shift in the air, a sudden tension that rippled through the gathering. He entered with his elite warriors, their presence strategically positioned around the perimeter of the clearing.

"Alpha Parker," Hudson greeted him with forced cordiality. "I'm surprised you accepted our invitation."

Parker's eyes found mine, a flicker of something unreadable passing between us. "I wouldn't miss such an important occasion."

As the ceremony preparations continued, I watched Hudson preen before the gathered dignitaries, Ashlynn clinging to his arm like a trophy. His arrogance grew with each compliment, each bow of respect.

The elder raised his hands, calling for silence. "We gather under the Moon Goddess's light to witness a sacred union—"

A sharp pain lanced through my abdomen, doubling me over with a gasp. I clutched my stomach, letting out a groan that silenced the crowd.

"Luna Maddie?" The elder's voice was thick with concern.

Before I could respond, Ashlynn collapsed to the ground in a dramatic heap, her hands clutching her head.

"Help!" she shrieked. "Someone's attacking me! A rogue—they're in my head!"

Hudson froze between us, his eyes darting from my groaning form to Ashlynn's writhing body. The gathered crowd held its collective breath, waiting for their Alpha's decision.

It came without hesitation.

"Ashlynn!" Hudson rushed to her side, scooping her into his arms. "Get the doctor! Now!"

He cradled her against his chest, completely ignoring my apparent distress. "The rogue is attacking her mind," he shouted to the stunned onlookers. "She needs immediate attention!"

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd as Hudson carried Ashlynn toward the pack house, leaving me kneeling on the ground, supported by Dr. Sarah's steady hands.

"Alpha Hudson," Dr. Sarah called after him, her voice tight with disbelief. "What about Luna Maddie? She's carrying your heir!"

Hudson paused, looking back over his shoulder. For a moment, I thought I saw conflict in his eyes—but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"Attend to her after you've stabilized Ashlynn," he ordered, already turning away. "My chosen mate needs me first."

As he disappeared into the darkness, carrying the woman he'd chosen over his Luna and unborn child, the whispers began—first in shocked murmurs, then rising to a roar of disapproval that echoed through the sacred clearing.

My wolf stirred within me, her voice calm and certain.

*The trap is sprung,* she whispered. *And he has walked right into it.*