I couldn’t move.

The joy I carried in my heart—my baby, the life growing inside of me—was shattered in an instant. I clutched my stomach protectively, as though shielding my unborn child from the cruelty that surrounded us. My voice trembled with grief.

“How could you?” I asked softly, choking on the pain. “You’re my sister. I loved you.”

Bianca laughed cruelly. Mark joined her.

Their laughter echoed through the room like a cruel chorus, mocking my shattered soul.

I turned to look at him, my mate—the man who once promised forever. The man I believed would stand by me even when my wolf was stripped away. Betrayal settled in my bones like frost.

And then—slap.

The sting burned across my cheek. I gasped.

Bianca had slapped me.

“How dare you look at another woman’s man?” she spat.

I stumbled backward. Another woman’s man? But he was mine—wasn’t he?

“That’s enough,” Mark said casually, adjusting his shirt. “She’s already crushed. That’s more than enough.”

I dropped to the floor, broken. My tears wouldn’t stop, spilling like endless rain. My lungs heaved but couldn’t fill with air. My thoughts spiraled.

Why me?

Why did this have to happen?

In that moment, a dark thought crossed my mind—it would be better to just die. To disappear.

But then my hand found my belly again, and I remembered.

My baby.

My precious baby who didn’t ask for any of this.

No. I had to live—for us.

I stood up slowly, silently. My pain was too deep for words. I walked out without another look at them. Behind me, the guards stood at attention. I saw it then—in their eyes.

They knew.

They all knew.

The maids stared as I passed. Whispers followed me. I wasn’t just betrayed by Mark and Bianca—I had been mocked and pitied by the entire pack.

When I reached my room, I tried to close the door behind me, but a maid arrived moments later.

“This will no longer be your room,” she said coldly. “Follow me.”

I followed her without resistance, numb, as though I were sleepwalking.

She led me to a small, dim room at the far end of the pack grounds—worse than even a servant’s quarters. Damp walls. A thin mattress. No window. No comfort.

I collapsed into the silence.

I cried until there were no tears left. Until I became a ghost of myself. I didn’t eat. I didn’t move. I simply existed.

Days turned into weeks.

And then one day, there was a knock. I didn’t answer. I didn’t care. The door creaked open, and suddenly warm arms wrapped around me.

“Becca, please…” a voice begged.

My eyes widened.

“Mama?”

It was my mother.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she held me. “Please, baby, don’t do this to yourself. I’m so sorry. I failed you. We all did. But you have to live. Please… leave this place. Go far away and start over. I’ve convinced Mark to give you Bianca’s core. Please take it and run. Forget us. Forget the Bright Light Pack. Let it all go.”

I stared at her, hollow, then gave a dry chuckle.

“Do one good thing for me, Mama,” I whispered.

She nodded quickly, hopeful.

“When the core is inside me… give me something that makes it seem like I died. please mom, do this for me. Let them all believe I’m gone.”

Her eyes widened in horror. But after a long pause, she nodded again. “This will be the last good I do for you.”

The procedure was scheduled. My mother made the arrangements with a trusted doctor. As the core was placed into me, she slipped something into the anesthesia.

Mark wasn’t there. Of course he wasn’t. He didn’t care.

The operation went well—at first. But then my heart began to slow. Machines beeped frantically. Nurses screamed. The doctor worked to bring me back…

But it was no use.

Becca—the wolfless Luna—was dead.

News of my death reached the Alpha by nightfall.

“What did you just say?” Mark whispered. “No… that’s not possible. She’s one of the strongest girls I know.”

But the doctor only shook his head.

Mark clutched his chest. Panic, guilt, and something else clawed at his insides. He didn’t want me dead. He only wanted my core… so he could finally be with the twin he truly desired.

But it was too late.

I was buried with honors—a Luna’s grave. The pack gathered in black. Mark stood in silence, unreadable. But Bianca… she sensed something. A flicker of unease settled in her stomach.

That night, my mother returned with the doctor she’d bribed. They dug up the grave, their hands shaking with urgency.

She injected me.

And suddenly—gasp.

I breathed again.

I was alive.

Pain stabbed through my chest as I coughed and gasped for air. My mother held me tightly, sobbing.

“You’re okay, baby… you’re okay.”

They took me to a secluded hut where the doctor continued my treatment. I slowly regained my strength.

But then… came the worst news.

I had lost the baby.

I screamed. I cried. I broke all over again.

They had taken everything from me—my core, my place, my dignity… and now my child.

As I lay there, silent and scarred, a fire began to burn in me.

I vowed.

I vowed to return stronger. To make them pay.

I would give Mark and Bianca pain twice what they gave me.

They would suffer for what they did. For my baby. For my broken soul.

When I was strong enough, my mother handed me an envelope of money. I hugged her one last time. I thanked the doctor with a broken smile.

And then I left.

Disguised by a scarf and glasses, I boarded a bus heading… anywhere. As long as it was far from the Bright Light Pack.

I didn’t know what the future held.

But I was free.

When the bus stopped and I stepped out, I felt the unfamiliar breeze on my face. A small restaurant sat by the roadside, and my stomach growled for the first time in weeks.

I walked in, ready to begin again.

But before I could speak, a voice called from behind.

“Mate.”

I froze.

Gasps echoed through the restaurant.

Slowly, I turned.

And there he stood—a stranger, tall and intense, staring straight at me.

But I knew, without a doubt, he wasn’t my mate.

He was Bianca’s.

Because I carried her core.

I sighed as I heard the words leave his lips. I hadn’t even gathered myself fully, yet here I was, coming face to face with Bianca’s mate.

All I wanted was something to eat.

“I’m afraid you’ve got the wrong person,” I said, which, of course, was true. But he didn’t respond—he just kept staring at me.

For what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.

“I’m not mistaken. You’re my mate… though your core and your scent—they’re slightly different.”

My eyes widened. My core and me? Could he really tell the difference between a person and their core?

His gaze darkened.

“You don’t seem surprised by that. Did you steal someone’s core?”

I chuckled—a sharp, cold sound.

“Or maybe it’s the other way around. Look, I’m hungry. Leave me be.”

I turned to order my food but quickly realized all eyes in the restaurant were on us.

I dismissed their stares and placed my order. Even the waiter looked lost in confusion, but I didn’t care. Whoever this man was, it wasn’t my concern.

Once I received my food, I proceeded to leave—but oh, right. There’s a man still standing behind me.

“You are my mate, and as such, we are to wed,” he said.

I turned to face him as he continued.

“Whether you stole someone else’s core or not, I don’t care. You’re my mate, and you will be mine.”

Who does he think he is?

“Look, give it up, okay?” I snapped, almost yelling. Gasps erupted from the people around us.

Wait—who the hell is he?

And why were they staring at me like I’d just insulted their Alpha?

He stepped closer, voice low.

“What’s your name?”

Disdain filled me. Bianca’s mate stood so close I could smell his scent. The very idea made my skin crawl. I wanted nothing to do with her—or him—but then an idea crept into my mind.

What if I use him to get revenge?

I had no plan yet, but I would. With time.

“Becca,” I answered.

Though subtle, I saw it—he flinched at the mention of my name.

“I’m Alpha Dean Lucas of the Wrath Pack,” he said.

Alpha? Wrath Pack? Did I even check where I ended up? Wrath Pack—as the name implies—was one of the most vicious, untouchable packs. No one wanted to cross them.

And he’s Bianca’s mate?

This might just get interesting.

Bianca… Mark… just wait. Wait patiently as I plan your downfall. You killed my child. Stole my core. Made me crawl through pain and humiliation. You will suffer.

“Well, it’s nice meeting you,” I said with a small bow. As my head dipped, a dark smirk spread across my lips.

“We’ll continue this discussion at the pack house,” he said.

I nodded.

“But first, eat your food. I’m sorry for interrupting you.”

For a second, guilt hit me. He had nothing to do with my pain, yet now he was part of my revenge. Almost sorry, but not quite.

I sat down and ate, the idea of revenge making every bite taste divine. I ate until I was full. When I finished, he led the way outside.

Three sleek black cars were parked out front. He opened the door to one and invited me in.

The drive to the pack house was long, but as I looked out the window, I couldn’t help but admire how beautiful the Wrath Pack lands were. Peaceful. Full of life. I saw a man playing with his child, holding his wife like she was his whole world.

I could have had that…

But Mark and Bianca ruined it.

My thoughts were interrupted as the car took a path covered in greenery. We were close. And soon, a massive gate appeared before us.

As we drove in, my breath hitched. The lands were vast—more than three times bigger than Bright Light Pack. The field alone could keep children entertained for hours. I clenched my fists.

My child… my sweet child… Mommy will make them pay. I promise.

When we stepped out of the car, the house that greeted me was massive—at least three times larger than my old packhouse. Richer, grander, more powerful.

Maids and butlers bowed as they greeted him.

“Welcome back, Alpha. How was your journey?” the butler asked.

“It went well. And on my way back, I found my mate,” he said plainly. “Is my office ready? I need to speak with her.”

The butler's eyes widened, as did the rest of the staff’s.

I didn’t care. I offered a weak smile, pretending to be unaffected.

Inside, the house was even more breathtaking. The outside didn’t do it justice. This was wealth. This was power. No wonder people feared them.

Once we reached his study, I was offered a seat across from him.

“Everyone, leave,” he ordered, and they scurried away.

He looked straight at me.

“Now tell me—why does your scent not match your core?”

I met his eyes, unfazed.

“Because it’s not mine. And I’m still getting used to it… so it hasn’t blended properly yet.”

His eyes widened.

He chuckled lightly, eyes glinting with curiosity and something else I couldn't place. “You’re a straightforward woman. I admire that. So tell me—why didn’t you put up a fight and just came with me?”

I stared at him, taking my time as my eyes roamed over his seated frame. I didn’t respond. I should tread carefully and know what am entering before saying something that isn't needed to be said.

He stood up and stepped closer, his presence commanding, overwhelming even. He reached out and tilted my chin with two fingers, forcing me to meet his gaze. I hated the way my skin reacted, hated the tingling sensation that danced along my jawline. There was a pull—a bond I didn’t want—but I played along.

“I don’t want a mate,” he said coldly. “I don’t want love or anything messy. All I need is an heir. Give me that, and I’ll let you go. In return… what do you want?”

I hesitated. I needed to tread carefully. “Can you tell me why you don’t want a mate?”

A faint smile touched his lips. “Because I don’t believe in fate… or mates, or any of that nonsense.” Something flickered in his eyes—grief, maybe sorrow—but it vanished as quickly as it came.

There was something broken in him. Something like me.

“I want revenge,” I said bluntly.

His hand dropped from my chin as he turned away, walking back to his seat with a casual air. “I’ll give you the revenge you want,” he said without pause. “But I want no part in your past. Whatever happened to you doesn’t concern me. The revenge... I can assist with, if we strike a deal.”

I crossed my arms. “And how do I trust that deal?”

He chuckled, pulling open a drawer and taking out a clean sheet of parchment. “We’ll sign a contract and make a vow. We both know how sacred vows are.”

Even though my heart thundered in my chest, I pushed forward, knowing I had to ask the one question that could unravel everything. “Even if the person I want revenge on is… your true mate?”

That made him pause. He stared at me, the silence sharp and heavy, before speaking slowly. “It doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “All that matters is the heir.”

No hesitation. No guilt. Just cold practicality.

The room was silent and the only sound was the scratch of his pen moving across the paper. He wrote swiftly, confidently, like someone used to making deals with no emotion involved. When he was done, he handed it to me along with a pen.

I read it carefully. Everything was spelled out in brutal clarity. He would support me in taking down those who wronged me—no questions asked, no interference. In exchange, I would give him a child. An heir. Then I would walk away, never to return.

Simple. Cruel. Tempting.

But one question burned in my mind. Could I really walk away from my own child? A child created with purpose but no love? A child that would be his legacy… not mine?

“what if the baby is a girl?” I asked quietly.

He looked up and smirked. “That’s why the contract says an heir. We’ll keep trying until we get one.”

I wanted to slap the smugness off his face. But I held it in. I was here for revenge, not emotion.

Still, I placed the pen on the paper and signed my name. A single signature, but it marked the beginning of a war I was willing to fight.

As I finished, he spoke again, casually, like we were discussing dinner. “Which is why we should wed quickly and It shall be done five days a week.”

I blinked, confused. “What shall?”

“Sex,” he said flatly, not even flinching.

My face flushed hot. Of course—how else were we going to produce an heir?

“Five days?” I echoed, appalled.

“Why don't you just say all week?" I muttered bitterly.

He tilted his head, his tone dry. “Well, that’s fine by me. I don’t mind.”

I gritted my teeth. “Three days.”

He raised a brow. “Four.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Three.”

Were we really negotiating the number of times we’d have sex like it was a business transaction? Apparently, we were.

He shrugged. “Fine.”

He stood then, his posture shifting as if something weighty had settled between us. He lifted his hand solemnly. “It’s time we take our vow.”

His voice was steady, sure. “I, Alpha Dean Lucas, vow to help you get the revenge you seek, if you give me an heir.”

I closed my eyes, forcing back everything I felt, and whispered, “I, Becca Wilson, vow to give you an heir, provided you fulfill your oath to get me my revenge.”

He nodded once, firm. “It is done.”

And just like that, my fate was sealed—with the man who was never supposed to be mine.