As a human luna in the werewolf world, Amelia has always strived to fit in, even attempting what werewolves believe is impossible—conceiving a child with her Alpha fated mate, Damien. When miracle finally happens and her dream comes true, she's eager to tell Damien. Only for her to find out that her dear husband already asked the pack's Beta daugher, who Amelia knows is secretly obssessed with Damien, to be his surrogate and she is pregnant too....

Amelia POV

“You’re pregnant with the Alpha’s child, Luna Amelia. It’s a miracle!”

My heart gave one long hard thump of joy at Dr. Wyatt’s words.

Finally, after my eighth ovulation injection, I got the life I had waited, hoped and prayed for.

Breathless, I pressed a hand to my stomach, as if I could already feel the life growing there.

I am a human Luna. My fated mate Damien is a powerful Alpha werewolf who took a big chance accepting a human as his mate.

Our union hasn’t been easy for the pack to accept. Werewolves can rarely have children with humans. The whole pack keeps whispering and gossiping about how weak or useless I am. That I can’t even give my Alpha an heir.

And not having an heir has kept Damien from being promoted to the Alpha Council, even though it was his leadership and skill that turned his pack into the strongest pack in hundreds of years.

I believe it was all my fault, but Damien never doubted we were meant to be, no matter what anyone else thought.

We’ve been trying to have a baby for two years. Last year I got desperate enough to try anything - tea made with special herbs picked by moonlight, a crazy special diet, taking my temperature every day to track my cycle. And I saw doctor after doctor after doctor.

All of them said the same thing: a werewolf and a human could not create a child.

Dr. Wyatt was different. As she stands in front of me, her dark eyes shining with excitement and happiness for me, I remember the first time I saw her, almost a year ago. She had those same kind eyes, and held my hand while I cried and told her my story.

“It’s alright, Luna Amelia. I understand how hard it must be for you in the pack, and the pressure you’re under. But, I believe I can help you.”

I couldn’t believe it at first. After so many doctors telling me it was impossible, maybe I was even afraid to believe Dr. Wyatt as she told me about the ovulation injections she’d been developing to make it easier for a pregnancy between human and werewolves.

I’ve been getting an injection of her serum every month. Her serum strengthens my uterus, creating a safer space for a werewolf baby, but to say that it hurts is a major understatement.

Still, the idea of finally - finally - being able to carry my mate’s child has kept me coming back for another injection.

After a moment of shock, when all my mate and I have been through flashes through my mind, I feel my eyes begin to fill with happy tears.

“Are you sure? Is it finally happening? I have to tell Damien!”

I’m already dialing his number before I finish the sentence, and jump up to pace as it rings. I’m so excited I just can’t sit still.

I imagine Damien laughing, seeing me pace. He calls me his little firecracker, always on the move. He tells me it’s a good thing he’s an Alpha, since no one else would be able to keep up with me.

Our children, I promised him, would be just as vibrant and energetic.

I can’t wait to tell him that the first of those children is finally on the way. But the call goes to voicemail, so I hang up. Maybe it’s better to tell him in person anyway, then I can watch his face as I give him the good news.

Dr. Wyatt crosses the room and puts her hand on my arm. “This is such good news, and I know you must be overjoyed. But let’s run some more in-depth tests, just to make sure everything is coming along as it should.”

She’s right. One quick pee-in-a-cup test isn’t enough. We need detailed, high level tests to make sure these results are accurate, and that my pregnancy may actually be a success. I should have waited to call Damien, I don’t want to get his hopes up just yet.

Just as I think this my phone buzzes in my hand. It’s Damien.

“Hello, darling. I’m sorry I missed your call. Is everything alright?”

Just hearing his voice, so deep and warm, soothes some of my jittery nerves, which are all tangled up with excitement and anxiety about what the new tests might show.

“Of course,” I say, taking a breath so my voice sounds calm and even. “I was just checking in to, uh, see how your day is going, and when you’ll be home tonight.”

“My day is busier than I thought it was going to be, actually,” he says. I can hear voices murmuring in the background, and my mate sounds distracted. “In fact, I’m not sure I’ll be home in time for dinner.”

Dr. Wyatt has her own phone to her ear, calling up to the obstetrics department of the hospital, and I’m a little distracted myself. I guess we’re going to start doing those tests right now.

“That’s okay, babe,” I say, rubbing a hand in circles over my belly. “I hope the rest of the day isn’t too stressful. I’ll see you when you get home.”

We say our goodbyes and then Dr. Wyatt is telling me all about the tests she’s going to run today, and the other tests and monitoring that will be needed in the coming weeks and months.

“I’m not going to lie, Luna. This first pregnancy could be quite risky. There may be a high chance of having a miscarriage. We’re going to take every precaution to keep both you and baby as safe as possible.”

I take a deep, deep breath. I knew getting pregnant was just step one. Carrying a half-werewolf child to term was going to be a long, scary process. I knew I was up to it - I had to be - but…

“Dr. Wyatt? I’d like to keep this between us, for now. I really, really want to tell Damien. But until we know this could really be happening, I don’t think we should say anything. To anyone.”

“Luna, do you really think you should go through all of this alone?”

“I can handle it. And I don’t want to break Damien’s heart if it doesn’t work out. Or give the rest of the pack more reason not to like me,” I added ruefully.

Dr. Wyatt rubs her hand up and down my arm. Her simple kindness, and deep understanding of my situation, have been part of what’s helped me be so strong these last few months. I was so grateful for her help, and for what has turned into an easy friendship between us.

“I understand, Amelia. I think, if I was in your place, I’d probably wait to tell anyone as well.”

Feeling steadier, I followed her out of the exam room and up to another floor of the hospital.

I hadn’t been up here before. The waiting room and main hallways were hung with soothing landscape photographs, mixed in with pictures of babies that had been delivered by the doctors here. Seeing them, it was easier to feel excited again, imagining a picture of our own child up there someday soon.

“Just down here, Luna. We’ll get you into a gown and then begin testing.”

We turn a corner and head toward an exam room, when up ahead in the hallway I spot a couple standing with their backs to us. Tall and built, the way most werewolves seem to be, they looked lovely together.

The man was listening carefully to a doctor as they spoke to each other, and the woman stood at a slight angle to me, so I could see her belly gently curving outward.

That’ll be us soon, I thought wistfully. I’ll be the one with their belly poking out, and Damien will be listening carefully to Dr. Wyatt’s instructions.

But the more I looked at the couple, the more uneasy I felt. Like there was something wrong with the picture, something disturbing.

And then my stomach clenched, and I stopped dead. That man…

Even from a distance, and with his back mostly turned.

That looks just like Damien.

Amelia POV

Before I could blink Dr. Wyatt whisked me into a room that was part lab, part exam room.

“We’re going to take some blood, run a few other tests. It won’t take long, Luna Amelia.”

I nodded as I sat, rolling up my shirt sleeve, thinking about the couple I had seen. The woman looked familiar, and the man had looked so much like Damien. True, I had only seen him from the back, but still…

Dr. Wyatt swabbed my arm with rubbing alcohol, then stuck the needle in with a smooth, experienced motion. I took out my phone and sent Damien a message one-handed.

Sorry your day is so busy. Are you with the Council?

The Alpha Council ran everything here in the werewolf realm, the equivalent of a human government. My mate was a skilled leader, and often worked closely with the Council. In fact, he deserved to be an actual member, everyone said so.

But politics among werewolves is always complicated by family ties. Because Damien didn’t have an heir, he hadn’t yet been given the position he deserved. Which was all my fault.

By the time Dr. Wyatt finished drawing the last tube of blood, my phone buzzed.

No, I’m stuck in the office all day. Wish I was with you, sweetheart.

Then he sent a picture of himself at his desk. His hair was ruffled, like he’d been running his hand through it, something he did when he was stressed.

Relieved, I told myself to forget about that couple. My emotions were all over the place. It made sense that my anxiety would be high enough to think I saw something I didn’t.

I sent back heart and kiss emojis, and decided to make him something special for dinner. Just because I couldn’t share the good news - yet - didn’t mean we couldn’t start celebrating a little anyway.

I put my phone away and focused on the tests Dr. Wyatt wanted to run. By tomorrow we’d know for sure if I was carrying my mate’s child.

A few hours later I turned off the main road, onto the wide driveway of Damien’s estate. His pack is now one of the wealthiest, thanks to Damien’s hard work and skill as a leader. Most of the pack lives in this area, and the estate is large enough to include over a dozen large homes on the property, including the pack house.

Our house sits close to the deep woods, and many in the pack gather here for meetings, special gatherings or just to hang out. Even though it’s never felt like I’ve really been accepted by the pack I still love how social our home is, how much energy and life it holds. Our child will grow up surrounded by that community.

I stopped my car and got out to stand for a moment looking at the perfectly manicured lawn with its garden in full bloom, so many different kinds of flowers glowing brilliantly in the sunlight. A breeze carried their smell, and the smell of the woods, and I took a deep breath.

We’re going to raise our children here, I thought, hugging the feeling close to my heart. Our children.

I got back in the car and drove it into the garage. As the automatic door went up I saw Damien’s car already parked in his spot. It was a sleek and fancy town car, a deep forest green.

I parked my own zippy little car next to it, excited that he hadn’t had to stay late after all.

“Damien?” I called when I went inside. I dumped my shoes, purse and keys just inside the door.

When he didn’t answer I went looking for him. Not in the kitchen, or the den, or the bedroom. Eventually I went down to the basement, where we had a home gym, a movie room and a storage area. A few small noises drew me to the storage room.

I found him there, among the snowboards and skis, the camping and fishing gear, unpacking and stacking what I realized were baby things. Bottles, tiny clothes, a large box with a picture of a bassinet on the side.

My heart melted. My poor mate, he wants a child so badly. And I want so badly to give him one.

I sighed, touched, and the sound caught his attention.

“Amelia. You’re home. I didn’t realize… I’m sorry. I meant to be upstairs to say hello.”

He stopped what he was doing, leaving the room and shutting the door, blocking my view of the supplies. There were a lot - he must have been stocking up for a while. But he never said anything about it to me, probably not wanting me to feel any more pressure than I was already putting on myself.

He was right, seeing that would have made me sad. Before. Now, I had hope things would be different, and soon. Full of that feeling of hope and excitement, I rushed into his arms.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I understand how much you want a child.” I boosted up a little higher to whisper in his ear, “Why don’t we try again?”

I’ve become so familiar with my mate and his body that I could tell the instant his wolf stirred inside him, when his breath quickened as he took in my scent. His hands began to explore my body as a low growl rumbled in his throat.

Knowing just where and how he liked to be touched, I playfully licked up the side of his neck. The growl erupted into a snarl, and he pinned me roughly to the wall, already pulling at my clothes.

Excitement leaped in my belly, as it did every time he put his hands on me. This time, however, that excitement was mixed with a quick stab of concern for the baby.

I took his face in my hands and kissed him slowly, softly. “Slow down,” I said. “I want to take our time.”

“Of course, my love,” Damien said, and swept me up into his arms, carrying me all the way upstairs to our bed. He was slow and sweet and gentle, and we stayed there for hours.

The next morning I woke up excited. I kissed Damien goodbye as he headed off to work, then headed straight to the hospital.

I sat waiting in the exam room until my nerves started to stretch thin. Then Dr. Wyatt came in, and the good news was all over her face.

“Congratulations, my Luna. You are officially pregnant!”

I was so excited I popped up out of my chair and hugged her. “Dr. Wyatt, I can’t thank you enough! Your treatments are a miracle!”

Dr. Wyatt laughed and hugged me back, then we sat down. “Actually, Luna, according to the tests your baby is about two months old already - and likely wasn’t conceived during one of the treatments. You two seem to have done it all on your own!”

“But - how is that possible?”

“I don’t know, actually. Perhaps there’s something unusual about your physiology. Either way, monitoring your pregnancy could help develop my treatment even further.”

I agreed to the careful monitoring and regular exams Dr. Wyatt suggested, both for the baby and to develop the treatment, then took the report and hurried out, nearly in tears from being so happy.

I hugged the report to my chest. I couldn’t wait to tell Damien!

On the way out of the hospital I ran into Claire.

Claire is the daughter of Kendrick, the retired Beta, and her brother Ethan is the current Beta. Claire is beautiful, a cool blonde with all the charm of an iceberg. To me, anyway. She’s always sweet and friendly to Damien of course.

Claire grew up with Damien, and he treats her like a close childhood friend. I always wished she would let me in so we could be friends too, but her attitude toward me had never warmed.

I figured it was probably because she had feelings for Damien, since it was obvious that she did. Not that I cared. Damien loves me, we’re fated mates. In the werewolf world that trumped any lingering childhood crush.

Claire was being shown out of the clinic by a few doctors, a medical report similar to mine in one of her hands. The other hand sat on her belly, which was slightly rounded. Suddenly I realized she was the woman I saw the day before.

I hadn’t heard anything about her getting married, or even finding a mate. How was she pregnant?

Still riding the high of my own excitement, it wasn’t hard to smile when Claire saw me and stopped.

“Oh my god, Claire, congratulations! You must be so excited. I’m sorry, I hadn’t heard that you’d found a mate. I guess I owe you double congrats.”

I expected Claire to give me one of her cool, not-actually-friendly smiles, maybe blow me off or whatever. Instead she got a look of panic on her face.

“Amelia! I - why are you - I was just…”

With a look of concern the doctor nearest to her put a hand on Claire’s shoulder.

“Don’t be nervous. It’s alright to tell her. You, a noble Beta’s daughter, are carrying Damien’s child, after all. You carry the future heir of our pack!”

Amelia POV

A buzzing filled my ears, and it took me a moment to realize I was about to pass out. I shook my head, took a step back.

“What? What are you saying?”

Obviously feeling bolder now, Claire stood up a little taller, ran the hand on her belly in a circle, tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder.

“That’s right, Amelia. I’m carrying Damien’s child. He needs a werewolf to bring his heir into this world, and obviously I’m the best one to do it.”

“Damien…cheated on me? With you??”

“Oh don’t be silly. It’s nothing as dirty as that. All we needed was a little of his DNA, a little of mine and, well, here we are.” She smiled, obviously pleased with herself. Then she stepped closer, speaking only so I could hear.

“But listen, human. You may be the Alpha’s mate, but you’re not one of us, and you can never carry an heir. Even Damien’s family knows that. It was his own mother and sister who brought this idea to me.”

Everyone knows Damien wants a child, of course. For a werewolf finding a mate also means preparing to start raising a family. And as an Alpha he also needs an heir to be raised up to Council member.

But…this? Could Damien’s mother Samantha and his sister Victoria really have come up with some twisted kind of plot like this?

“No,” I said, taking a breath, trying to consciously slow my frantic heartbeat. I felt like my whole world was sinking away, and I needed to find an even footing. “I don’t believe you, Claire. You’re just making this up.”

“Don’t be such a child. You know how important family is to werewolves, and especially to Alphas. As a Beta’s daughter my blood is far more royal than yours. And Damien and I grew up together - everyone has always said what a perfect match we would make. How powerful our children would be. Don’t you see?”

Her eyes glittered as she sneered at me, and I felt my shock begin to melt into anger.

“You stupid human. I am the one who will fulfill Damien’s needs. I am the one who will carry his heir.” Suddenly she shrugged and stepped back, into the circle of waiting doctors. “It’s what he wants. Who am I to say no?”

The doctors escort Claire down the hallway, leaving me standing there alone.

I’ve always known Damien’s family weren’t thrilled with him taking a human mate, and the assumption that I can’t carry an heir is a part of that. But I had tried so hard to please my mate as well as his family, serving the pack tirelessly.

But it didn’t matter, did it? I was still a stupid, worthless human. I thought they had accepted me. But in the end they went behind my back and arranged this whole horrible thing.

I stormed out of the hospital, heading straight to Damien’s office to confront him. The only reason I didn’t floor it on the drive over was the thought of keeping the baby safe. No matter what else was going on, I needed to keep him or her in mind.

But I was still fuming when I strode into his office, throwing the door open so that it banged against the wall.

Damien took one look at my face and hung up the phone he’d been talking into. And any hope I had that this wasn’t true, or at the very least wasn’t something he’d been a part of, disappeared. I saw it in his face, and I knew he could tell that I’d found out.

He stood up and hurried around the desk, trying to put his hands on my shoulders.

“Amelia, it isn’t what you think.”

“Oh really? So what exactly is it?”

He lowered his hands and drew himself up. “I haven’t cheated on you, Amelia. You need to understand. I need an heir, and I agreed that Claire is a suitable surrogate. That’s all this is.”

I stared at him. He said that like it was an inconvenient change of plans for the weekend, a minor disappointment I needed to get over.

“You ‘agreed.’ So this was something you knew about and went along with?”

I guess I had been holding onto hope after all. Maybe, I don’t know, somehow his DNA had ended up in Claire’s hands without him knowing it. But that hope just died too, and behind it a deep pit of betrayal and agony started to open.

I put my hand to my stomach, feeling sick. My mate, my husband, was going to allow a woman who clearly had feelings for him, to carry his child. Because she was a werewolf, one who had high status in the pack. Higher, apparently, than the pack’s own Luna, since I was just a human.

He’d planned this and kept it from me - for what, weeks? Months? How long had I been a fool, thinking my husband actually loved and respected me?

I had so many questions, but the biggest one came out first. “Is this because you want a divorce?”

It’s the only thing I can think of. He wants me to leave, wants to replace me with someone who deserves to be Luna, and deserves to be his mate. How foolish of me, to think a human could ever belong in this world.

“No, Amelia. I love you. This is just…think of it like a business deal. That’s how I’ve thought of it. I knew it didn’t have to affect our relationship.”

I stared at him, and it was like I could actually physically feel my heart cracking into pieces.

“Wouldn’t affect our relationship,” I said. “Damien, Claire is now the mother of your child. She is going to be raising that child, your heir. You’ll be with her and the baby - they’ll be your family. What will that make me?’

I was already barely accepted as Luna of the pack, and actually treated with the respect a Luna deserves by very few. How could he not think about the slights and outright insults, the direct challenges and subtle disrespect I dealt with every single day? And about how much worse that would get if he had a child with someone else?

If Damien had a new family, a proper werewolf family, my life would become nothing but humiliation, or worse. And what about the baby I now carried? What kind of life would it have?

My own childhood had been difficult. I was orphaned at a young age, and though I’d been adopted by a kind family unable to have children of their own, by adopted father’s one night stand - and the illegitimate child that came from it - had torn my new family apart. Would my baby have to deal with the same situation?

What’s worse, Damien knew about my childhood, how I felt about cheating and dragging children into the dysfunctional mix. He knew about my scars, yet he was dragging me down into a nightmare that felt so awfully, terribly familiar.

Trembling, I lowered the hand from my stomach and balled my fists, willing my voice not to shake.

“Damien, either Claire leaves with the baby forever - or I will.”