The sound of tires on gravel jerked me from my afternoon rest. Through the window, I watched a sleek black SUV pull up to the pack house, my heart sinking with each passing second. Jonathan was home.

I smoothed down my simple dress and checked my reflection in the mirror. Ten years as Luna of the Blood Moon Pack, and still my hands trembled when he returned. Not from excitement—from dread.

"Luna Elodie!" Our Beta's voice echoed through the hall. "Alpha Jonathan requests your presence at the main entrance immediately."

Requests. As if it were a polite invitation rather than a command.

I grabbed my cane, wincing as my damaged leg protested. The old injury from the rogue attack five years ago never healed properly. Jonathan had never asked how I got it.

By the time I reached the grand entrance, a small crowd of pack members had gathered. Their eyes darted between me and the stunning she-wolf who stood pressed against my mate's side.

"Elodie." Jonathan's voice held none of the warmth it once did when he first called me his Luna. "This is Nanzhi from the Silver River Pack."

Nanzhi's perfectly manicured hand rested possessively on Jonathan's chest. Her silver-blue eyes assessed me with thinly veiled contempt, taking in my limp and simple attire.

"Charmed," she purred.

Jonathan didn't even introduce me properly. He never did anymore.

"Elodie." His voice dropped into that unmistakable Alpha tone that made my wolf whimper and my body freeze. "You will vacate the master bedroom immediately. Nanzhi requires proper accommodations."

The pack members shifted uncomfortably. Some looked away. None defended me.

"Of course," I replied, my voice steady despite the humiliation burning through me. "I'll prepare the VIP suite for her."

"The master bedroom," Jonathan corrected coldly. "Nanzhi deserves the best we have to offer."

My wolf howled in anguish inside me. The master bedroom—our bedroom—where we had consummated our mate bond a decade ago.

"Yes, Alpha," I whispered.

---

The master bedroom felt both familiar and foreign as I limped through it, gathering my few personal items. My leg throbbed with each step, but I refused to show weakness.

"Luna, let me help you," my Omega maid pleaded, tears streaming down her face as she watched me struggle with an armful of linens.

"I'm fine," I insisted, though my hands shook with effort. "Really."

She knew better than to argue with me in front of others, but our mind-link buzzed with her distress.

*They're watching you suffer again*, she projected.

*Focus on your duties*, I replied firmly.

I balanced the heavy stack of fresh sheets in one arm and reached for the vase of wilting flowers with the other. As I moved to set it aside, my injured leg buckled, sending me stumbling into the dresser.

A tower of velvet boxes toppled over—Jonathan's "apology gifts" from previous affairs. Diamonds, pearls, designer watches—all empty gestures meant to soothe my pain while he continued to wound me.

"Careful, Luna," Nanzhi's voice dripped with false concern from the doorway. "Those look expensive."

I straightened as best I could, ignoring the shooting pain down my leg. "They are. But they're just things."

I began gathering the boxes, moving them to make room for Nanzhi's designer luggage. Each one represented a betrayal, a night I'd cried myself to sleep while Jonathan warmed another she-wolf's bed.

"Such a shame to hide them away," Nanzhi mused. "Though I suppose you've grown accustomed to being... displaced."

---

"Is this acceptable?" I asked, standing in the freshly prepared master bedroom as Jonathan circled like a predator.

He ran a finger along the dresser, holding it up to the light. "There's dust here."

I hadn't seen any dust. My hands were raw from scrubbing every surface twice.

"Kneel," he commanded, his Alpha aura pressing down on me like a physical weight.

My legs buckled instantly. The Alpha command was impossible to resist, even for a Luna.

"I apologize, Alpha," I said automatically, though I'd done nothing wrong.

"Fix it," he ordered, looming over me as I knelt on the hard floor.

With trembling hands, I wiped at the imaginary dust until my knees ached and my damaged leg spasmed.

"Nanzhi arrives with the full backing of the Silver River Pack," Jonathan announced abruptly. "We will host a grand welcoming banquet tonight."

I looked up at him, still kneeling. "Tonight? That's barely four hours away."

"You will organize it," he stated flatly. "Ensure it's perfect."

"But my leg—"

"Is not my concern." His eyes hardened. "You are Luna. Act like it."

As he turned to leave, Nanzhi slipped her arm through his. "I have special dietary requirements," she informed him sweetly.

"I'll ensure you're accommodated," Jonathan promised her, his voice softening in a way it never did for me anymore.

They left me there, still kneeling on the floor, the tremors in my damaged leg spreading up my spine as I wondered how much more I could endure before something inside me finally broke beyond repair.

The grand banquet hall glittered with crystal chandeliers and polished silverware, a stark contrast to the shadows where I lurked. From my hidden corner, I directed the servers with quiet efficiency, my damaged leg throbbing with each movement.

"Luna Elodie," a young Delta warrior approached hesitantly, "Alpha Jonathan requests more wine for the head table."

I nodded, gesturing to the waiting staff. "Immediately."

As I limped toward the wine cellar, I caught glimpses of the main table through the ornate archways. Jonathan sat at the center, his powerful frame commanding attention. Beside him, in my chair—the Luna's chair—Nanzhi preened in a silver gown that matched her eyes.

"To our honored guest," Jonathan announced, raising his glass. "May your stay with the Blood Moon Pack be unforgettable."

The pack members echoed the toast, their voices a chorus of approval. Not one of them looked toward the shadows where their true Luna stood.

I returned with the wine, keeping my eyes downcast as I approached the head table. My wolf whimpered inside me, recognizing our mate's scent mingled with another's.

"Ah, Elodie," Nanzhi's voice dripped with false sweetness. "Do be careful with that wine. These things are so... slippery."

Before I could respond, she shifted suddenly, her arm sweeping across the table. The deep red wine splashed across her dress, the stain spreading like blood.

"Oh!" she gasped, eyes wide with practiced innocence. "How clumsy of you, Luna."

Jonathan's gaze hardened as it fell on me. "Elodie."

"I didn't—" I began, but Nanzhi cut me off.

"It's alright," she sighed dramatically. "I understand. With your... condition..." Her eyes flicked meaningfully to my leg.

Titters rippled through the crowd. "The lame Luna," someone whispered, not quite quietly enough.

"Perhaps you should stick to tasks you can handle," Jonathan suggested coldly.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Yes, Alpha."

---

The party continued until well past midnight. I had retreated to my new quarters—a small room near the servants' wing—when Jonathan's Beta appeared at my door.

"Alpha Jonathan requires your presence at the VIP suite immediately," he stated formally.

My heart sank. "Is something wrong?"

"He didn't say." The Beta's eyes held a flicker of sympathy he dared not express openly.

I made my way through the silent corridors, my cane tapping against the marble floors. The VIP suite—our former bedroom—was at the opposite end of the pack house.

When I arrived, Jonathan stood outside the door, his expression unreadable.

"You will stand guard here tonight," he informed me, his voice devoid of emotion. "For security purposes."

"Stand guard?" I echoed, confused.

"Inside the room," he clarified, "someone might attempt to harm Nanzhi. You will ensure her safety."

Before I could process his words, he opened the door and guided me inside. Nanzhi lounged on the bed—our bed—wearing nothing but a silk robe.

"Your Alpha thinks someone might try to kill me," she explained with a yawn. "Isn't that sweet?"

Jonathan's hand settled on the small of her back, his touch lingering. "Elodie will keep watch while we... rest."

The implication was clear. My stomach twisted as Jonathan turned to me, his Alpha aura pressing down.

"You will stand by the door," he commanded. "You will not interrupt. You will not leave."

The Alpha command locked my muscles in place as he dimmed the lights and led Nanzhi to the bed.

The sounds began almost immediately—soft at first, then building in intensity. Each moan, each rustle of sheets sent shocks of pain through my body. The mate bond screamed in agony, burning like acid in my veins.

My wolf howled inside me, clawing at my insides, desperate to reach our mate. But he wasn't mine anymore—not in any way that mattered.

"Jonathan," Nanzhi's voice, breathless and triumphant, carried clearly in the darkened room. "She's watching us."

"Let her watch," he growled.

I stood frozen, tears streaming silently down my face as the mate bond punished me for witnessing my own replacement.

---

Morning light filtered through the curtains as I dragged myself from my post. My legs trembled with exhaustion, my wolf barely conscious after the night's torture.

I made my way to the garden, hoping for a moment of peace before beginning the day's duties. The pack house was quiet; most wolves would sleep until noon after last night's celebration.

A scream shattered the silence.

I limped toward the sound, finding a small crowd gathered near the rose bushes. Nanzhi lay on the ground, her body convulsing, foam bubbling from her lips.

"Help her!" someone shouted.

Dr. Cross pushed through the crowd, kneeling beside Nanzhi. The pack healer's hands moved quickly, checking pulse and pupils.

"Wolfsbane poisoning," she announced grimly. "Where has she been? Who gave her anything to eat or drink?"

Nanzhi's eyes fluttered open, finding mine in the crowd. "I saw..." she gasped, her voice weak and trembling, "...Luna Elodie... near my tea... this morning..."

All eyes turned to me, suspicion and accusation in their gazes.

"I didn't—" I began, but the words died in my throat as Jonathan appeared at the edge of the crowd, his expression thunderous.

"My Luna," he growled, "what have you done?"

The door to my quarters crashed open, splintering against the wall. Jonathan stood in the doorway, his massive frame vibrating with rage, Nanzhi hovering behind him with a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

"You will save her," he growled, stalking toward me where I sat on the edge of my bed. "Now."

I rose shakily, my damaged leg protesting. "Jonathan, please—my wolf is already weak from the stress of the bond. Taking more blood could—"

"Your concerns are irrelevant," he cut me off, grabbing my arm with bruising force. "Nanzhi needs you."

"My blood is rare," I whispered as he dragged me through the corridors. "If Dr. Cross takes too much—"

"She'll take what's necessary." His fingers dug deeper into my flesh. "You exist to serve this pack. To serve me."

The infirmary doors swung open, revealing Dr. Cross's concerned face. She'd been our pack healer for decades, had delivered pups and treated wounds since before I became Luna. But now she wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Alpha," she acknowledged with a slight bow. "Are you certain this is necessary?"

"Do it," Jonathan commanded, forcing me onto the examination table.

I felt my wolf retreat deeper inside me, curling into herself as if trying to escape what was coming. *Stay strong*, I pleaded with her silently. *We've survived worse*.

Dr. Cross approached with the needle, her hands trembling slightly. "Luna, this will hurt."

"It always does," I replied softly.

Jonathan's hand pressed down on my chest, pinning me to the table as the needle slid into my vein. The pain was immediate—not just from the needle, but from the mate bond screaming in protest at what he was doing to me.

"Take enough," Jonathan instructed coldly. "She needs to recover fully."

Dr. Cross hesitated. "Alpha, taking this much blood could—"

"I said take it!" His Alpha aura crashed down, forcing her compliance.

I watched the dark red liquid flow from my body, feeling my strength ebbing with each passing second. My vision blurred, darkness creeping in from the edges.

"Jonathan," I whispered, reaching for him with my free hand. "Please..."

He turned away, his back rigid with disdain.

The room spun violently. My wolf howled one last time before retreating into silence. Then darkness claimed me completely.

---

I drifted in and out of consciousness, fragments of voices reaching me through the fog.

"...dangerously low blood pressure..."

"...the wolf is barely responding..."

"...we need to run more tests..."

A cool cloth pressed against my forehead. Dr. Cross's face swam into view, her expression troubled.

"Luna," she said softly. "Can you hear me?"

I managed a weak nod.

She glanced toward the door before leaning closer. "I discovered something while treating you," she whispered. "You're pregnant, Luna. About six weeks along."

The words hit me like a physical blow. Pregnant? A pup?

"But how?" I whispered back. "Jonathan hasn't..."

"Not recently," Dr. Cross confirmed, her voice barely audible. "But the test is conclusive. The pup is strong despite everything."

A tiny spark of hope flickered to life inside me. A pup—our pup. Perhaps this could change everything. Perhaps Jonathan would remember what we once had.

"Does he know?" I asked.

Dr. Cross shook her head. "I thought you should tell him yourself."

I closed my eyes, imagining Jonathan's face softening at the news. Maybe this would be enough to make him send Nanzhi away. Maybe this would remind him of our bond.

"Thank you," I whispered to Dr. Cross. "For telling me."

---

I stood outside Jonathan's office, my hand trembling as I raised it to knock. Despite my weakness, hope sustained me. A pup—his heir—would surely matter more than any chosen mate.

"Enter," his voice commanded.

I pushed open the door, clutching my cane tightly. Jonathan sat behind his massive desk, papers spread before him. He didn't look up.

"What is it?" he asked, irritation evident in his tone. "I'm busy."

"Jonathan," I began, my voice stronger than I expected. "I need to tell you something important."

He finally looked at me, his eyes narrowing. "If this is about Nanzhi's recovery, save your breath. She's improving rapidly thanks to your blood."

"No, it's not about—"

"Because if you're going to accuse her again," he continued, rising from his chair, "I won't tolerate it. Your jealousy and manipulation have gone too far."

"Jonathan, please," I begged, taking a step forward. "I'm pregnant. We're having a pup."

His laugh was cruel and dismissive. "Another lie? Another attempt to manipulate me?"

"It's not a lie," I insisted, tears filling my eyes. "Dr. Cross confirmed it. Our pup is—"

"Enough!" he roared, his Alpha aura slamming into me with such force that I staggered backward.

The spark of hope inside me flickered and died as Jonathan's cold eyes bore into mine.

"Get out," he growled. "And don't return until you've learned your place."

The door closed in my face, leaving me alone in the hallway with nothing but the echo of his rejection and the silent cry of our unborn pup.