Before I could accept what was happening, Carol’s family had forcefully moved themselves into the palace as if they owned it.

As the future Luna, Carol replaced the curtains, artworks, and decorations that I had carefully chosen, and changed them to her preferred styles.

I was ready to intervene, but Barnett restrained me.

“Carol’s parents are still here. They can’t know that you decorated the palace. Don’t worry, I'll make sure everything is restored once they depart.”

Carol then settled into the grandest and most luminous guest room available.

Barnett, being a cowardly and self-centered man, would always choose to stand on Carol’s side whenever any arguments arose between us.

He devoted most of his attention to Carol, leaving me with little of his time. Fearing I might leave, he had a witch cast a spell on me, binding me to the castle until after the birth of my child.

I reached out to the unseen barrier outside the castle walls and felt trapped. I needed to get out of this place.

Growing up without my parents, I understood the weight of living under constant judgment, and I refused to subject my child to the same scrutiny.

Desperate to leave, I turned to Carol for assistance, believing she would help me escape the palace as it was in her best interest. Yet, to my dismay, she promptly divulged my intentions to Barnett.

“How could a good girl like me go against Barnett’s wishes?” she said mischievously.

Barnett, in turn, reinforced the spell and commended Carol for her apparent empathy.

“Why can't you show more compassion? Take a leaf out of Carol's book.”

I struggled to feign kindness, my tolerance for Barnett wearing thin.

“Why do you keep thinking about leaving me?” Barnett stealthily entered my room through the window in the dead of night.

“Fera, I promise I won’t prolong your suffering. Just a few more months, please. You know I love you, Fera.” His expression was tender, but I only felt repulsion.

I reluctantly nodded. “But you must remove the hex. I can't remain confined in the castle constantly. I need to bask in the sunlight.”

Elated, he agreed to my request and pulled me into his arms.

I suppressed the urge to push him away and began to plot my escape. Before I could execute my plans, chaos had arrived at my door.

“Look at this scarf, Fera! Barnett was worried I would feel cold, so he had the dressmakers stitch it for me. It’s even got his clan emblem on it!” Carol flaunted.

I ignored the scarf in her hands, but my eyes were drawn to the pearl necklace on her neck.

I could not believe my eyes. “Where did you get that necklace from?”

“You recognize it, don’t you? It’s yours! I forgot to bring accessories when I moved to the palace, so I asked Barnett for some and he gave this to me without hesitation,” she said proudly.

I stepped forward to grab it. “Give it back! It’s mine!”

I swear I had not even touched her, yet she stumbled backward, clutching her stomach with a pained expression on her face.

“Fera, What are you doing?!" Barnett rushed forward to help Carol to her feet. “She’s pregnant! Why would you push her?!”

“I didn’t push her! But you, how could you give her my necklace?! You know that’s all I have left of my parents!”

“It’s just a necklace! How could you push Carol over something so trivial? When did you become so heartless?” Barnett raised his voice at me.

He had his guards summon the pack physician and then gently consoled her, while Carol hid a mischievous grin in his embrace.

Barnett locked me in my room and insisted that I repent for my mistakes. He forbade anyone from bringing me food until I had sufficiently made amends.

That night, Barnett came into my room exhausted. “Do you know what you’ve done, Fera?! The physician says that Carol’s pup might not survive!

“Because of your mistake, I have to go and look for birthing herbs in other packs now. I hope you’ve realized your mistakes by the time I’ve returned.”

Barnett’s attempt at guilt-tripping me was laughable, but after a whole day of starvation, I did not have the energy to argue.

The next day, Barnett’s subordinates rushed into my room once he had left the pack.

“Miss Fera, our pack values respect and tradition over many else. We wolves mate for life.

“Your shamelessness has led you to bear the pup of an unknown man. Yet you continue to linger by Mr. Barnett’s side. We will not allow you to tarnish his reputation.

“This concoction will get rid of the fatherless pup in your stomach. Drink it and leave.”

They grabbed my body and forced me to swallow the concoction. My pup was the only family I had in this world, I refused to let them hurt it.

I struggled with all my might, but it was to no avail. A starving woman was no match against Barnett’s strong subordinates. After forcing it down my throat, they threw me out of the castle.

I felt blood trickle down my legs. As my unborn pup slipped through my fingers, I felt the hex lift.

I could not leave yet. My necklace was still with Carol.

Weakly, I crawled until a pair of clean boots appeared before me. I looked up to see the woman I had been looking for.

“How pitiful you are, Fera. Tsk. Get your filthy hands away from me!” She stomped on my hand with disgust.

“Give my necklace back to me…” I struggled to stand and snatch what was mine.

“As if I would want something so cheap.” As if out of the kindness of her heart, Carol took off the necklace and threw it far away.

“Go pick it up and scram, Fera. You’ll never win against me.” She mocked and left with a contemptuous smile.

It took all my strength to pick up the necklace from where she threw it before I fell unconscious by the bushes.

Suddenly, warm hands wrapped around me and an elderly woman brushed my hair away from my neck. After a careful examination, she exclaimed shakily, “Her birthmark! The necklace! It's Fera! We've found her!”

A week later, Barnett returned to the castle and headed straight to where Carol was.

He spent a long while asking how she felt, before recalling my existence.

“Where’s Fera?” Barnett asked, “I brought her a gift.”

His guards’ hesitance had uneasiness creeping into his chest.

It was too late. The elderly couple had already taken me away, and a new chapter of my life had just begun.

‘Where am I?’ I wondered. I felt that I was lying on a soft bed, and a warm hand lifted my head and fed medicine into my mouth.

Fuzzy-eyed, I asked, “W-who are you?” My voice hoarse, but the lady beamed with joy.

“Fera! You’re awake! I’m Mom, I’m your mother!”

Observing the familiar features on this woman and the concerned man beside her, I quickly believed them.

Tears flowed down my cheeks. I had parents after all.

I had always been a Rogue, someone of unknown origins who wandered through different packs.

If not for the Moon Goddess’ arrangement as Barnett’s mate, I might never have had my own family. I would have died a lone wolf.

Thinking of Barnett brought back memories of those humiliating days. My heart ached at the thought of my unborn pup.

“Fera, my dear, please don’t cry. It's our fault. We should have found you sooner, so you wouldn't have suffered for so long.”

“Do not worry. We will avenge you,” my father swore.

They then revealed to me that my father was the alpha of the Lotus pack, the largest pack in Northaria.

Over a decade ago, my father's adversary had abducted me, hoping to leverage my life in negotiations with him.

I managed to escape but suffered a head injury that erased my memories of my family and identity. For years, my parents had been searching for me.

Recently, upon hearing about a maid in the Thorn pack who had harmed their Luna over a pearl necklace, they suspected it might be me. They went to retrieve the necklace and found me by the road.

Thank the Moon Goddess, for I had finally reunited with my family.

Meanwhile, chaos reigned in Barnett's domain.

“Answer me! Where is Fera?!” The uneasy glances exchanged among his followers troubled Barnett. He barged into my room, only to find a rumpled bed and gleaming floors.

Wolves are known for their sharp sense of smell, and he quickly picked out hints of blood in the air.

Barnett went frantic. “What happened?! Is Fera all right?!”

A senior and esteemed elder stepped forward. “Mr. Barnett. We administered an abortion potion to Miss Fera and expelled her from the palace. We did it for you.”

“Exactly! We did a background check on her. She’s just an orphan. That former comrade you mentioned must be the man she was involved with!”

“Who knows whose pup she was bearing! Someone so shameless has no right to stay by your side!”

Barnett was furious. “How dare you! How could you hurt her?! How could you get rid of her pup?!”

Carol swiftly stepped forward to stop him from lashing out. “Barnett, don’t take it out of them! They were just doing what they thought was best!”

Her words and presence only stoked his rage. He shoved her away. “Shut up! They wouldn’t have killed my pup if it weren’t for you! That pup was not illegitimate! It was mine and Fera’s pup!”

His eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at Carol, who was bleeding profusely after her stomach hit the wall. “If there are any illegitimate pups here, it’s your pup! Not mine!”