I stared at the plastic stick in my trembling hands, watching as the second pink line darkened against the white background. Positive. I was pregnant with Wilder's pup.

My knees nearly buckled beneath me as I sank down onto the cool marble floor of Wilder's private bathroom. The morning light streamed through the high windows, casting golden patterns across the tiles. I pressed a hand to my still-flat stomach, hardly daring to believe it.

"A pup," I whispered, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. "Our pup."

After everything we'd been through—after finding him half-dead in that underground fighting pit, after trading my family's silver heirlooms to the Rogue King for his freedom, after taking that poisoned silver blade meant for him during the territorial challenge—this was finally proof that our bond was real. Stronger than any "fated" claim.

I closed my eyes, remembering the whispers that had been spreading through the pack since Kaylee's return. *The Moon Goddess has blessed her as Wilder's true mate. The pack needs a fated Luna, not a chosen one.*

Let them whisper now. Let them doubt our bond. This pup would silence them all.

I practiced the words in my mind as I stood before the mirror, smoothing down my dress and tucking the test into my pocket. "Wilder, I have something to tell you," I would say, my voice steady with confidence. "Something wonderful."

In my imagination, his golden eyes would light up the way they used to when he looked at me, before Kaylee returned. Before everything changed.

"I thought you might be hungry," I would add, placing my hand over his on the table. "The pup and I both are."

His smile would spread across his face, transforming his features from the stern Alpha he'd become back into the man who once promised to spend his life making up for my sacrifices.

"Tonight," I decided, touching the small bump in my pocket. "I'll tell him tonight."

With renewed purpose, I left the bathroom and made my way through the pack house toward Wilder's office. The corridors felt different somehow—lighter, as if the very walls sensed the life growing inside me.

I didn't knock before entering. As Luna, I'd never had to knock.

The sight before me froze the blood in my veins.

Kaylee sat perched on Wilder's lap behind his massive oak desk, her delicate fingers threaded through his dark hair. Her eyes were red-rimmed, tears streaking down her pale cheeks. Wilder's large hands cradled her waist, his face bent close to hers as he murmured soft reassurances.

The air reeked of her scent—that cloying, manufactured floral perfume she used to mask her natural odor. The scent that had been gradually replacing mine throughout the pack house.

"Diana," Wilder acknowledged without looking up, his voice flat. "We're in the middle of something."

"I can see that," I replied, my hand instinctively moving to protect the secret in my pocket.

Kaylee's eyes flicked to me, a flash of triumph hidden behind her tears. She buried her face in Wilder's neck, her body shaking with what appeared to be sobs but felt more like satisfaction.

"She's here again," Kaylee whimpered. "Her chosen scent... it's overwhelming me, Wilder. My wolf can't bear it."

I opened my mouth to protest, but Wilder's eyes snapped to mine, golden and cold.

"Silence," he commanded, his Alpha Tone vibrating through the room.

The word hit me like a physical blow. Though he'd used only a low-level command, it was enough to freeze my vocal cords, to make my wolf whimper and retreat deep within me.

"Kaylee is having a fated episode of anxiety," he explained, his tone maddeningly reasonable. "Your presence—and your scent—is distressing her wolf. The connection between true mates is delicate."

I stood there, unable to speak, watching as he stroked Kaylee's hair with the tenderness that once belonged to me.

Finally, Kaylee gathered herself enough to slip from his lap, shooting me a smirk disguised as a wince before gliding from the room. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving us alone.

Wilder's expression didn't change as he turned to face me fully.

"The elders have been approaching me," he said, his voice businesslike. "They're concerned about the pack's future. About honoring the Moon Goddess's will."

My heart sank as I realized what was coming.

"To keep the peace," he continued, "and to protect Kaylee's fragile mental state, I need you to vacate the Luna suite immediately."

"Immediately?" I echoed, finding my voice at last.

"You'll move into the guest quarters in the East Wing," he said, not meeting my eyes. "It's temporary—just until things settle down with the pack."

But his eyes were cold, distant. This wasn't the man who had once looked at me with gratitude and love.

My fingers closed around the pregnancy test in my pocket, crushing it. The plastic splintered against my palm.

"No one needs to know about this," I thought, feeling the first stirrings of a resolve I didn't know I possessed. "Not yet."

As I turned to leave, I wondered if he could smell the change in me—if his Alpha senses could detect the tiny life growing inside me, the secret I now carried alone.

Two weeks passed in a blur of humiliation and aching silence. The pregnancy test remained hidden in my pocket, its edges softened from my constant touching, like a talisman I couldn't bear to part with. Each morning, I felt the tiny life inside me, a secret rebellion against the growing coldness of the pack house.

I stood at the window of my new quarters in the East Wing, watching rain streak down the glass. The guest room felt more like a prison cell than a home—bare walls, a narrow bed, and a window that faced away from the forest view I'd once loved.

"Diana." Wilder's voice cut through the silence as he appeared in the doorway. He didn't bother knocking anymore. "There's been a complaint."

I turned slowly, one hand instinctively moving to my stomach. "What now?"

"Kaylee says the staff creates too much noise near the Alpha house." His golden eyes were flat, emotionless. "It's disturbing her wolf."

Of course it was. Everything disturbed Kaylee's supposedly fragile wolf these days.

"So?" I asked, though I already knew what was coming.

"So I'm reassigning the household staff to the outer perimeter." He straightened his shoulders, the Alpha authority radiating from him like a physical force. "You'll be taking over their duties."

The words hit me like a slap. "I'm still Luna," I reminded him, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You're a chosen mate," he corrected coldly. "And the pack needs to see an example of humility."

Humility. The word tasted bitter on my tongue.

An hour later, I found myself on my hands and knees in the meeting hall, scrubbing at the stone floors with a coarse brush. The soap burned my skin, and the scent of bleach made my stomach churn—a dangerous sensation for someone in my condition.

"Look at her," a female voice whispered from the doorway. "The great Diana Graham, on her knees where she belongs."

I didn't look up. I didn't need to know who it was. The pack's whispers followed me everywhere now, a constant reminder of how far I'd fallen.

"The Alpha says she's been lying about being Luna material," another voice added. "Says she's too weak to carry an Alpha's pup."

My hand froze mid-scrub. They knew. Or at least, they suspected.

I forced myself to continue, ignoring the stabbing pain in my lower back. The pup was all I had left now—my secret strength, my reason to endure.

---

"The pack run will commence in ten minutes," Wilder announced that evening, his voice echoing through the pack house. "Everyone will attend."

I stood in the doorway of the kitchen, where I'd been preparing dinner—another task that had once belonged to someone else.

"Wilder," I said quietly, "perhaps I should stay behind tonight."

His eyes narrowed. "Is this another attempt to gain special treatment?"

"No, I just—"

"Enough." His Alpha Tone vibrated through the air. "Your constant sulking is becoming a disruption. You will join the run and prove you're still part of this pack."

Outside, the sky had darkened to an ominous gray. Thunder rumbled in the distance as the first heavy drops of rain began to fall.

We gathered at the edge of the forest, pack members shifting restlessly as the rain intensified. I stood apart, my body feeling heavier than usual, the secret weight of my pregnancy making each movement more difficult.

Wilder shifted first, his magnificent golden wolf form emerging in a fluid motion that still took my breath away despite everything. The others followed suit, until only I remained in human form, watching them disappear into the trees.

I shifted slowly, painfully, my wolf form feeling awkward and unbalanced. Something was wrong—I could feel it in the way my body moved, in the strange weakness that seemed to radiate from my core.

The rain fell harder as I followed the pack into the forest, already lagging behind. The mud sucked at my paws, making each step an effort. Above, thunder crashed like the Moon Goddess's anger made manifest.

I was so focused on keeping my footing that I didn't notice Wilder circling back until he was directly in front of me, his golden eyes gleaming with suspicion.

"You're deliberately holding back," he growled, his mind-link cutting into my thoughts. "Stop this pathetic display."

"I'm not—" I tried to respond, but a sudden, sharp pain cut through my abdomen.

I stumbled, nearly falling. Another pain, stronger this time.

"Wilder," I gasped, my wolf form trembling. "Something's wrong."

He circled me slowly, his hackles raised. "Get up," he commanded, his Alpha Tone forcing my body to respond despite the agony spreading through me.

As I struggled to my feet, I felt it—a warm wetness between my legs, the metallic scent of blood mixing with the rain and mud.

"No," I whispered, watching crimson stain the ground beneath me. "Please, no."

Wilder's nostrils flared as he caught the scent. For a moment, something like horror flashed across his face.

"Diana..." he began, taking a step toward me.

Then his head snapped up, his eyes going distant as Kaylee's mind-link pulled him away.

"Wilder!" I cried out desperately, but he was already turning, already running back toward the pack house where Kaylee waited.

I collapsed onto the muddy ground, alone in the storm, as my body betrayed me and my world went dark.

I woke to the sterile scent of antiseptic and the steady beep of monitors. The pack infirmary's white walls seemed to close in around me as consciousness returned in painful increments. My body felt hollow—not just from the physical loss, but from something deeper, more profound.

My hand moved instinctively to my stomach, finding it flat and empty. The tiny life I'd harbored was gone, washed away in the storm like my dreams.

"The sedative is wearing off," a voice noted clinically. The pack healer avoided my eyes as she checked my vitals. "You need to rest."

I turned my face toward the window, watching raindrops trace patterns down the glass. Each drop represented something I could no longer hold onto.

The door opened with a soft click. Wilder's scent—once so comforting—now made my wolf recoil inside me.

"You're awake," he stated flatly, remaining near the door. He wouldn't come closer, wouldn't touch me.

I said nothing, couldn't speak through the knot in my throat.

"Elder Thorne visited while you were unconscious." Wilder's voice was businesslike, devoid of the tenderness that once made me feel safe. "He believes the Moon Goddess has spoken."

Finally, he looked at me—not in the eyes, but at some point above my head.

"The miscarriage is a sign that our union was... cursed." He swallowed hard. "A chosen bond that went against the Goddess's plan."

I closed my eyes, unable to bear the emptiness in his gaze.

"Kaylee is waiting," he added, glancing at his watch. "We're attending the Northern Pack's gala tonight."

Of course they were. Even now, even after this loss, Kaylee came first.

Wilder reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle of pills. He placed it on the bedside table without touching me.

"For the pain," he explained, already turning to leave. "The healer says you'll need them."

Then he was gone, the door closing softly behind him.

I stared at the bottle, at the cold white pills inside. They could ease physical pain, but what about the ache spreading through my chest?

---

A month passed in a blur of servitude and isolation. I moved through the pack house like a ghost, invisible to most, despised by others.

The dining hall buzzed with activity as I cleared plates from the midday meal. My hands moved mechanically, my mind elsewhere.

A sharp cry cut through the chatter.

"Help! Someone help me!"

All eyes turned to Kaylee, who had collapsed onto the floor, her body convulsing violently. Foam bubbled from her lips as she thrashed against the polished wood.

"She's been poisoned!" someone shouted.

Wilder was at her side instantly, cradling her head in his lap. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice thick with panic.

"Check her food," Elder Thorne suggested, his ancient eyes narrowing with suspicion.

They did. And somehow—impossibly—a vial of wolfsbane was discovered tucked into my apron pocket.

"I didn't—" I began, but Wilder's roar cut me off.

He was on his feet in an instant, his hand closing around my throat as he lifted me off the ground.

"You dare?" he snarled, his eyes flashing gold with rage. "You dare try to kill my mate?"

I couldn't breathe, couldn't speak to defend myself. Black spots danced before my eyes as his grip tightened.

"Wilder," someone cautioned, "you'll kill her."

He released me suddenly, letting me crumple to the floor. I gasped for air, clutching at my throat.

"Take her to the dungeon," he ordered, his voice cold with disgust. "She's no longer worthy of pack status."

---

The dungeon cells were damp and cold, the walls lined with silver that burned my skin even through my clothes. I huddled in the corner, trying to escape its effects.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor. I looked up, expecting Wilder or perhaps Elder Thorne.

Instead, Kaylee stood before my cell, her perfect face illuminated by the dim light.

"Poor Diana," she cooed, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "All alone in the dark."

"How did you plant it?" I asked quietly. "The wolfsbane."

She laughed then, the sound like breaking glass. "So easy. You never even noticed."

"It was you," I whispered.

"Of course it was me." She leaned closer, dropping all pretense. "I bought it from a rogue trader. Paid him extra to make it look like something a pack healer would use."

My stomach turned as she described how she'd orchestrated everything—the seizure, the discovery, my downfall.

"That half-breed mistake of a pup was never meant to be born," she hissed, her beautiful face twisting with malice. "The Moon Goddess knew it. I merely helped her will along."

"I never hurt you," I said, my voice breaking.

Kaylee laughed again, running her fingers through her perfect hair. "You existed. That was enough."

She pulled a small vial from her pocket—identical to the one found in my apron.

"Witch's herbs," she explained casually. "Cost me a fortune, but worth every penny. They create the perfect fated mate scent."

"Wilder will figure it out eventually," I said.

Kaylee's smile widened. "He won't. He's too desperate for validation, too eager to believe in his divine right as Alpha." She leaned closer to the bars. "And if he ever does suspect, I'll just cry pretty tears and remind him how the Moon Goddess blessed our union."

As she turned to leave, she paused. "Enjoy the dungeon, Diana. It's where you belong—with the other unwanted things."