On the day Lena Ward, Demetrius King’s radiant inspiration, gave birth to their pup, the Nightfang Pack stationed ten warriors outside the hospital to ensure I wouldn’t cause a scene. But even after the delivery, I didn’t make an appearance.

Eileen Silva, the former Luna and my mother-in-law, held Lena’s hand and sighed, “Lena, with us here, Anika won’t ever be able to harm you or the pup.”

Demetrius, my mate and the Alpha of the Nightfang Pack, stood by Lena’s side, wiping away her sweat with a look of deep concern. “Don’t worry, Mother. Father’s warriors are stationed outside. If Anika dares to come, we’ll have her thrown out.”

When it became clear that I wasn’t going to appear, he finally let out a sigh of relief. He couldn’t understand why I was so upset when he was simply trying to fulfill Lena’s wish to be a mother. Watching the newborn pup wail in the nurse’s arms, he smiled with satisfaction, thinking that if I would just apologize to Lena the next day, he would overlook all past disputes and even let me be the pup’s mother.

Yet he didn’t know I had just submitted an application to the Moonstone Pack’s central healing facility. In a week, I’d renounce my residency in the Nightfang Pack, become a borderless healer, and sever all ties with him forever.

***

The day Demetrius helped Lena out of the maternity center, I had just finished my handover at the Nightfang Pack’s healing center. As I reached the entrance, I could hear laughter and joy from inside.

“This pup is so beautiful, with markings just like our Demetrius. Lena, you’ve truly brought honor to our family!” Eileen cooed over the pup in her arms, while Demetrius brought out a steaming cup of herbal tea from the kitchen. “Lena, you’ve been through so much. I made this myself. You need to build your strength.”

He sat beside her, tenderly offering Lena the tea as if they were one big happy family. James Silva, the former Alpha and my father-in-law, played with a rattle, a wide grin on his face. “This pup is as delightful as his mother. Thank the Moon Goddess he doesn’t take after Anika—a healer for a mother would be such a drag.”

I tightened my grip on the door handle. I remembered the pride James had shown when we first met, boasting about having a healer for a daughter-in-law. But now, he spoke as if a healer couldn’t have a family.

I lowered my gaze, a bitter smile pulling at my lips. Demetrius and I had been mates for three years, and at one point, we had dreamed of having a pup of our own. But a tragic accident took that from us, leaving my body unable to bear pups ever again. I was devastated when I found out, but Demetrius had held me, promising that I was the only one he wanted to have pups with. He had even agreed to a pup-free life for my sake.

Yet, here we were, with him breaking his own promises to fulfill someone else’s dying wish. I still remembered the day I left for an overseas healing fellowship. He cried like a pup, clinging to me, unable to let go. We spoke every day while I was away, sharing our lives with each other, while colleagues teased us for still acting like newly mated pairs three years on.

But a month ago, when I finally managed a short break and flew back home, I returned to see Demetrius and Lena taking a leisurely walk, hand in hand, in front of our packhouse, her belly visibly round.

Lena’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Anika, when did you get back? Why are you standing outside?”

Her words drew the attention of everyone inside. When Eileen saw the resignation letter in my hand, her expression turned sour. “How did I ever agree to let Demetrius mate with such a curse? Quitting your position—do you expect to laze around while Demetrius supports you?”

James chimed in, “You couldn’t even seize a golden opportunity like that position—what can you do? You were never right for our pack!”

“Lena needs care now, and so does the pup. Instead of helping Demetrius, you’re causing problems. What kind of Luna does that?”

I could only laugh. “And what about Demetrius? He got someone else pregnant while I was away. Is that being a good mate?”

“Anika, enough! This is for your own good,” Demetrius snapped, his alpha tone cutting through the room like a whip. “You can’t have pups, so I let Lena have one for you. I’m just trying to give you a chance to be a mother. Why can’t you see that?”

“It’s a win-win situation,” he continued. “Lena gets to leave this world with no regrets, and you get to be a mother without the pain of childbirth. I don’t understand why you’re upset.”

“If it weren’t for Lena saving me from that car accident two years ago, I might not be here today. She’s lost her parents, and now she’s in the late stages of cancer. Soon, no one will remember her. As a fellow she-wolf, shouldn’t you empathize with her? Or do you really think I’m some villain?”

Lena turned her tearful eyes to me, holding Demetrius’s hand. “Anika, please, just let it go. I know this is all my fault. I promise I won’t be part of your lives anymore. But please, don’t let me ruin your mate bond.”

As I looked at the four of them, united, I found it all rather laughable. So this was the real pack. Demetrius’s voice cut through my thoughts, warning me once again, “Anika, my patience has its limits. If you keep unjustly targeting Lena, don’t blame me for what happens next!”

“If you want us to have a future together, behave yourself. At next week’s naming ceremony, I can publicly claim you as the pup’s mother.”

Next week? I glanced at the pup, now sleeping in the carrier. By then, I’d be on a plane, leaving for good. But before I go, I have an unforgettable farewell planned for them.

I maintained a stoic expression and nodded. "Alright."

Without waiting for their response, I returned to the bedroom to gather my belongings. Since I had decided to leave for good, I wanted no trace of myself left behind.

Through the closed door, I could hear laughter from the living room, which made my hands, busy folding clothes, freeze momentarily.

"Let's name the pup Holly King, in memory of Lena. This way, even if she calls someone else 'mom' in the future, she won't forget you, her birth mother."

Even though I couldn’t see Alpha Demetrius’s face as he spoke, I could easily picture his expression full of emotion. But my heart had already been shattered by him.

I suddenly recalled last month when I rushed home with a souvenir I had bought especially for Alpha Demetrius from abroad. Instead, I was met at the door by him and Lena, returning hand in hand from a stroll.

Alpha Demetrius looked shocked to see me, while Lena simply gazed at me with confusion, asking if I was at the wrong house.

"Are you lost? This is my home."

I said nothing, my eyes drawn to Lena’s prominently pregnant belly. Ten months away, and my mate had moved his old love into our home—pregnant, no less. The events of those months were painfully clear.

Alpha Demetrius quickly stepped in front of Lena, hastily introducing me. "This is my mate, Anika."

I expected Lena to back down, but instead, she assumed the role of the lady of the house, inviting me inside.

As we brushed past each other, she whispered just for me to hear, "I heard you’ve been mated to Alpha Demetrius for three years? A replacement will always be that—a substitute. You can never compare to me."

"The moment I returned, you willingly stepped aside, didn’t you?"

Fury surged through me, and I could no longer restrain myself. I slapped her face, my longing over ten months apart from Alpha Demetrius turning into pure rage.

It wasn’t long before our arguing caught the attention of a pack member who called the warriors.

We were all taken to the pack hall, but since it was considered a private family matter, the Gamma could only send us home with a warning.

Back at the house, Alpha Demetrius’s parents, Luna Eileen and Alpha James, confronted me with harsh words, reprimanding me for causing such a scene and embarrassing them in front of the pack. They criticized me for squandering my education as a healer by resorting to violence, threatening not to let it go if anything happened to Lena or the pup.

They fully supported Alpha Demetrius and Lena, viewing her as the perfect Luna, while I remained in the dark.

A bitter taste rose in my mouth.

Alpha Demetrius, his eyes red-rimmed, approached and tried to take my hand, attempting to reason with me.

"Anika, I never meant to betray you. But Lena’s health is declining, and the healers say she has at most six months to live. Her only wish is to be a mother, to have a pup of her own."

"She saved my life once, after all. I couldn’t bear to let her die with regrets..."

"I did consider discussing it with you, but you were far away in another pack. I feared telling you would disrupt your work as a healer and distract you, so I thought it best to wait until you returned home."

"If you’re willing, we could raise this pup together, okay?"

My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, a sound of pain and betrayal. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay composed.

"You didn’t think I deserved to know, Alpha Demetrius?" I asked, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "You didn’t think I had a right to decide whether I wanted to share my mate with someone else?"

He looked at me, his expression pleading, but I saw no real remorse. Only the weight of his decision, and the expectation that I would fall in line.

I turned away, my resolve hardening. "I’m leaving," I said quietly, my voice carrying the finality of my decision. "And I won’t be coming back."

Such a big event, yet Alpha Demetrius talked about it like it was nothing.

I zipped up my suitcase just as Luna Eileen entered the room. She glanced at my suitcase with an expression that seemed to say, "You know where you stand."

"You weren't back earlier, so I let Lena sleep in your room. The study is now a nursery, so you'll have to crash on the couch tonight unless you prefer to stay in a hotel."

I was really exhausted, too tired to go find a hotel, so I nodded, ready to settle on the couch for the night. But as night fell, the sound of a crying pup filled the air. I turned over, intending to put on earplugs, only to hear Lena complaining.

"Alpha, can you handle the pup? He's been crying nonstop."

This was followed by Demetrius's soft chuckle. "Aren't you my darling? As long as you're happy, it doesn't matter if the little one cries a bit; it builds character."

I pulled the blanket over my head, trying hard to block out their laughter. Every time I closed my eyes, I remembered when Demetrius first confessed his love to me. Back then, he was young and full of life, and his world revolved around me. But that version of him was no longer mine.

I drifted into a restless sleep and left at dawn, suitcase in hand. I went to the pack office to cancel my residency and sort out the necessary papers to transfer to another pack. The papers were in order, so everything went smoothly. The staff didn't ask many questions.

As I was leaving, one of the Omegas, Louise Tucker, called me over and handed me some fruit candies. "Good luck with everything, Healer Anika."

I smiled at her gratefully and went to find a nearby hotel. After dropping off my luggage, I planned to head out for some food, only to run into Alpha Demetrius and Lena with their family of four. Lena wore a Patek Philippe bracelet and looked as pleased as could be, not like someone with a terminal illness.

"Anika, from a distance, I thought it was you. Alpha Demetrius insisted you wouldn't be around here," she said, her gaze falling on the job flyer in my hand with a knowing smile.

"Oh, so you're job hunting. But why would you consider waitressing?"

"Even if you're upset with Alpha Demetrius, you shouldn't hurt yourself over it..."

I said nothing. The flyer was something a young girl handed me on the street in the cold, and I'd taken it out of politeness. Seeing my silence, Lena’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction, her smile growing wider.

"If you'd told me earlier you were job hunting, I might have been able to help."

"We're pack. If you're doing well, then Alpha Demetrius and the pup have stability too, so I feel at ease."

My silence seemed to suggest agreement. Demetrius's expression shifted completely. He frowned deeply, his lips pressed into a thin line, looking at me with disdain.

"Why bother offering anything to her? She gave up such a good position as a healer. Now she can't expect any sympathy, even if she ends up rogues."

"Anika, I never thought you would drop so low just to force me to give up my pup. You've really let me down!"

I looked at his familiar face, now feeling utterly foreign. I remembered how, just after we became mates, my position was under threat due to pack politics, and I considered stepping down. Demetrius had then held me, reassuringly patting my back:

"We're in this together, whatever you decide, I'll support you."

"Leaving a position isn't the end of the world. My Luna, I'll always stand by you."

But now, he stood by and let another she-wolf belittle me, forgetting the vows he once made, the deep love we once shared. Even Alpha James and Luna Eileen shook their heads in disdain.

"Anika, you're just a she-wolf who can't bear pups, never home. How could you compare with Lena?"

"With no charm, it's no wonder Alpha Demetrius found someone else. Blame yourself!"

As their comments grew more exaggerated, I noticed the passersby watching. My hands clenched into fists, nails biting into my palms.

Just as I was about to speak, Lena stepped forward. "We're about to take a family photo. Join us, Anika, as we hope you can look after Alpha Demetrius and the pup someday."

I glanced at her but said nothing. Demetrius immediately reacted, pulling Lena close and offering a mocking laugh.

"Lena, I know you're good-hearted, but not everyone appreciates it."

"Anika, who do you think you are? Whether you come or not doesn't matter to us. You'd only lower our pack's image if you were in it."

With that, he turned and walked towards the studio with Lena in tow. "We'll get going now; don't let us stop you from continuing your job hunt."

As they walked away, Lena gave me one last meaningful glance. Watching them leave, I felt no emotions.

To outsiders, what a picture-perfect pack they seemed. If this is what Alpha Demetrius truly wants, then I have no qualms about letting him go.