Seven months along, and my belly felt like a heavy weight I carried everywhere I went. I waddled into the detention center of the Silver Moon Pack, my movements slow and deliberate, to collect Veer. He stood there, his broad shoulders tense, the Alpha aura around him subdued but still palpable. Beside him was a young couple. The moment I spotted the girl, I knew instantly it was her—the one standing beside him at graduation all those years ago. In the photo, everyone else had looked at the camera, but his gaze had been modestly lowered, a soft smile directed at the person next to him. Khalani.

Veer’s rebellious demeanor shifted to one of tension upon seeing me. His piercing eyes, usually so commanding, flickered with something akin to guilt.

“Luna Elaine, what are you doing here?”

His voice was a mix of surprise and fear as he stood up quickly, nearly rushing toward me. One arm naturally wrapped around my waist; the other supported my bump, gently coaxing me to sit down.

“Gamma Kyson’s got a big mouth. This tiny issue, and he had to worry you,” he said, visibly concerned. I couldn’t tell if his worry was sincere or just an act.

“It has nothing to do with him,” I said lightly, moving his hand away from my belly.

He seemed confused, but I wasn’t planning on concealing anything.

“Last night’s antics made it onto the pack’s surveillance. The warriors are applauding you for stepping in—a modern-day unknown warrior...”

I looked at him with a half-smile; perhaps sensing the sarcasm in my voice, his expression turned uneasy.

“Luna, don’t overthink...”

He knelt in front of me, his broad frame still imposing even in this submissive posture, enclosing my hands in his.

“I just...”

“Yeah, don’t blame yourself, Luna. Alpha Veer was just worried about me. He lost his head for a moment.”

Khalani had appeared beside us at some point, her eyes fixed on Veer, her brow furrowing slightly. She was a Delta, her rank clear from the way she carried herself, but there was something in her tone that felt disrespectful, as if she were challenging my position as Luna.

I lifted my gaze to her. She was a picture of delicate beauty; no wonder she could stir emotions in Veer, even after all these years, enough to incite him to brawl in public.

Seeing my silence, she continued, “Luna Elaine, you probably don’t know me. I’m Khalani, Alpha Veer’s college classmate. I went abroad right after graduation and just got back.”

“Last night was a chance meeting that led to all these misunderstandings.”

She explained with such sincerity, as if it were the gospel truth.

Khalani was indeed unknown to me. I’m two years older than Veer. He joined our pack right after graduation, assigned to my team under my guidance. From then until now, he’d never mentioned her.

Had I not stumbled upon his graduation photo while organizing stuff after our marking ceremony, I wouldn’t have known there had been this significant person in his life.

Such a pivotal moment, such intense gazes—how could there not be a story there?

But past people and events shouldn’t disrupt my current life, and I wouldn’t allow it.

I smiled at her, my voice calm but firm, “Really? Wasn’t it you who called him late at night, crying like you couldn’t live without him?”

“I thought you asked him to come over to vent your frustrations.”

When Veer sneaked out quietly in the night, he probably thought I was dead asleep. He was hurriedly dressing while texting fiercely, “Okay, stop crying. I’m on my way.”

I barely had time to sit up and greet him before he rushed out, coat in hand. Such urgency—I briefly thought something had happened with our parents to make him so unnerved.

Turned out I was overthinking.

Hearing my bluntness, the expressions around us subtly changed. Veer’s face darkened slightly, his grip on my hands tightening.

“Luna, let’s not do this,” he pleaded, his Alpha tone slipping, a rare crack in his usually unshakable composure.

Khalani was visibly riled up, her voice sharp.

“What are you talking about?”

“I just had too much to drink last night and called by mistake,” she said, her excuse flimsy and unconvincing.

With all of his work phone number changes, anyone not explicitly trying to reach him would struggle to get in touch.

I raised an eyebrow at her in exasperation but said nothing. She didn’t stop there, though, instead turning the conversation toward me.

“Luna Elaine, I call you that out of respect for Alpha Veer.”

Her face rose, nervousness fading, replaced with an air of defiance and disdain directed at me.

“They say pregnant women are prone to overthinking. Seems it’s true.”

With a slight laugh, she cast a sympathetic glance at Veer, her eyes swirling as she went on,

“If I really wanted something with Alpha Veer, you wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

“Instead of worrying unnecessarily about your mate cheating, you should focus on your pregnancy and getting back in shape.”

“Isn’t that right, Luna?”

Her words ended with her covering her mouth in feigned shame, as if her words had slipped out in a moment of anger.

Honestly, I was disappointed. The pure, cheerful girl from the photo shouldn’t have turned out to be this shallow.

Slowly, I stood up, my Luna aura radiating, commanding the room.

Perhaps, knowing my nature of not backing down, Veer immediately got up too, raising his arm as a barrier between us.

It was hard to say whether he was more worried about me hurting myself in anger or feared I’d lash out at the person across from me.

He looked at me in distress, his eyes pleading.

“Luna, please, let’s not make a scene. I’ll explain everything at home, okay?”

I glared at him coldly, my heart aching.

Khalani’s words were a hundred times more malicious, yet he ignored them.

And I, having only spoken a few truths, was accused of causing trouble.

Seeing my silence, the plea in his eyes deepened.

I’d known Veer for seven years, mated for two. Whatever the situation, he’d always been full of swagger, calm and confident—never groveling like this.

The thought that he was lowering himself for another woman churned my stomach.

My hands shook as I slapped him across the face, the sound echoing in the silent room.

“Hey, Luna, why’d you hit him?!”

Khalani exclaimed, rushing over to cradle Veer’s face, her actions familiar and intimate like a lover’s—utterly ignoring my presence as his lawful mate.

Oh, and let’s not forget the other guy standing behind her. Kyson Matthews, the Gamma who’d brawled with Veer in the video.

Right then, he was glaring at them, his hands slowly clenching into fists at his sides, his loyalty to me and the pack clearly tested.

Before the scene could escalate further, I walked away, my back straight, refusing to let them see the turmoil inside me. The pack’s hierarchy was clear, and as Luna, I wouldn’t let anyone—not even my mate—undermine my authority or my dignity.

In the afternoon, Veer returned to our den.

As expected, the skirmish hadn’t resulted in any serious injuries. After a brief scolding from the pack council and some formalities, the involved wolves were released to their families.

When he opened the door, I was seated on the living room couch, sorting through pack documents. Our eyes met, and I saw a flicker of guilt in his gaze. Some truths couldn’t be avoided forever, no matter how much he wished otherwise.

Wisely, he didn’t sit beside me. Instead, he pulled over a low stool, positioning himself directly in front of me in a posture of submission. I placed the documents back into my satchel, my gaze steady on his face.

The mark from my earlier slap still lingered, a bright red imprint stark against his fair skin. He looked pitiable, but I felt no pity. He reached out to take my hand, but I brushed him off without hesitation.

With a heavy sigh, he began.

"Luna, I messed up."

"I won’t act so recklessly again. Please, don’t stay angry with me."

He avoided mentioning Khalani entirely, only admitting his own fault. I stared at him, my expression icy.

"Do you act the same way in front of her?"

His face faltered, and for a moment, he seemed at a loss for words.

A wave of disappointment washed over me. If he had simply admitted to being swayed by nostalgia for his past, I might have dismissed it as a fleeting weakness. But his hesitation, his guilt, his inability to speak against her—it all revealed a heart torn between loyalty and lingering feelings.

Between me, his Luna, and Khalani, his loyalty wavered. He hadn’t even voiced a whisper of frustration toward her. A bitter ache spread through me, leaving me feeling helpless and hollow.

I leaned back against the couch, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me. Just yesterday, I had believed myself the happiest Luna in the Silver Moon Pack—mated to a strong Alpha, carrying our pup. But with one phone call, the man beside me had lost his composure, his mind clouded by the past.

If we hadn’t been mated, or if I weren’t pregnant, I might have found the clarity to walk away without hesitation.

But now, why now…

I gently placed my hands on my swollen abdomen, feeling the faint movements of the life growing within me. For a moment, I questioned whether bringing a pup into this world of deceit and betrayal was the right thing to do.

Looking at the conflicted man before me, I sighed and spoke slowly.

"Veer, when we became mates, I told you I have zero tolerance for disloyalty. Do you remember?"

"I don’t care about your past, but now we are bound by the mate bond and expecting a pup. I expect you to understand what is and isn’t appropriate."

"If…"

I paused, seeing that he was listening intently, then continued:

"If you can’t let go of her, be honest. We can part ways cleanly."

"Rejecting the mate bond might be painful, but it’s better than living in resentment and hurting each other."

At the mention of rejection, Veer shook his head vehemently. As soon as I finished speaking, he responded quickly.

"Elaine, I won’t leave you."

"I made a mistake, and I swear it won’t happen again."

His tone was firm, almost desperate, as though making a vow before the Moon Goddess. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, I nodded and chose not to press further. I rose and headed toward the bedroom.

I had said what needed to be said, laid my boundaries clear. This day had drained me, and I needed to rest, to gather my strength for whatever came next.