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.

The marble staircase gleamed under the morning light as I made my way down, one hand resting on my swollen belly. Three weeks had passed since Jonathan had dismissed my pregnancy as a lie, but my body knew the truth. The tiny life inside me grew stronger each day, despite everything.

I heard footsteps above me and looked up to see Nanzhi descending, her silver-blue eyes fixed on me with calculated malice.

"Elodie," she purred, "still clinging to that pathetic lie about your pregnancy?"

I gripped my cane tighter. "It's not a lie."

"Jonathan doesn't believe you." She smiled, taking another step down. "No one does."

I turned away, continuing down the stairs. My damaged leg ached with each step, but I refused to show weakness.

"He'll never choose you again," Nanzhi continued, her voice dripping with venom. "You're nothing but a burden he keeps out of obligation."

Something in me snapped. I whirled around, my wolf surging forward despite her weakness.

"Enough!" I hissed. "I am still Luna of this pack!"

For a split second, fear flashed across Nanzhi's face. Then her expression changed, calculating. She took a deliberate step forward, then suddenly threw herself backward with a scream that echoed through the stairwell.

"Help! She pushed me!" Nanzhi shrieked, tumbling down several stairs before catching herself. "Elodie attacked me!"

Footsteps thundered toward us. Jonathan appeared at the top of the stairs, his face contorted with rage as he took in the scene—Nanzhi sprawled dramatically on the steps, tears streaming down her face.

"What have you done?" he growled, his Alpha aura crushing down on me.

"Jonathan, I didn't—" I began, but his hand struck out faster than I could finish.

The blow caught me across the face with such force that I crashed into the wall. Stars exploded behind my eyes as I crumpled to the floor, my hand instinctively covering my belly.

"She tried to kill me!" Nanzhi sobbed, clinging to Jonathan as he helped her up. "She's jealous because you chose me!"

Jonathan didn't even look at me as he ordered the guards who had gathered. "Take her to the dungeon. Three days."

---

The dungeon beneath the pack house was a relic from darker times. Cold stone walls wept with moisture, and the iron bars of my cell were rusted with age. They threw me inside without ceremony, my cane clattering to the floor beyond my reach.

"Alpha's orders," the guard muttered, not meeting my eyes. "No special treatment."

I huddled in the corner, wrapping my arms around myself for warmth. The thin blanket they'd given me did little to ward off the chill that seeped from the stone.

"Please," I whispered to the guard as he turned to leave. "My pup needs warmth."

He paused, his shoulders tense. "I'm sorry, Luna. I can't help you."

The door closed with a heavy thud, leaving me alone in near-darkness. Only a single torch in the corridor provided dim light.

I pressed my hand to my belly, feeling the slight swell. "We'll be okay," I whispered, though I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince—my unborn pup or myself.

Hours stretched into days. They brought me water and meager portions of food, barely enough to sustain me. My wolf retreated deeper inside, conserving what little strength remained after the blood donation.

On the second day, I felt something change. A subtle shift in the rhythm of my body. The tiny heartbeat that had been so strong seemed to falter.

"No," I whispered, tears freezing on my cheeks. "Please, little one. Hold on."

But I could feel the bond weakening. My pup was dying.

---

On the third day, voices drifted through the corridor outside my cell. Two guards, their footsteps echoing on the stone floor.

"Big celebration tonight," one said, his voice carrying clearly in the damp air. "Alpha's announcing Nanzhi as his chosen Luna."

"What about the real Luna?" the other asked quietly.

"Still in there." He gestured toward my cell. "But after this, everyone will know where the Alpha stands."

They moved closer, unaware I could hear them.

"Nanzhi's pregnant," the first guard continued. "Alpha's heir on the way."

"Already? That was fast."

"She announced it this morning. The whole pack's talking about it."

Their voices faded as they moved away, but their words remained, cutting through me like claws.

Nanzhi. Pregnant. The pack celebrating.

I pressed my forehead against the cold stone wall, feeling something inside me break completely. My wolf, once proud and strong, curled into herself and went silent.

And in that moment, as my pup's heartbeat stuttered and failed, I made my decision.

The mate bond could die.

I could die.

But I would not suffer this anymore.