In the end, no detention warrant was issued.

The pack alpha himself showed up, rubbing his paws nervously. "Madeline, about Jonathan. he's tied to Shalandra Pack's prosperity. Can we let this slide?"

I stayed silent, which he took as agreement.

With the Kingsley clan's weight in Shalandra Pack, a single false report wouldn't land Jonathan in a holding den.

As I watched him carefully guide Tiffany into his car, I pulled out my phone and texted Jonathan's mother, Penelope.

*Just saw Jonathan at the outpost. He was questioned for chasing another she-wolf.*

Penelope replied instantly. *Madeline, you're back? I'm sending a driver for you. Don't worry, I'll make this right.*

Half an hour later, I stepped into the Kingsley clan's ancestral den. Jonathan was already there, getting an earful from his father, Philip.

It wasn't that they didn't know about Tiffany-they just hadn't cared enough to intervene. But now that it had reached me and stirred up the enforcer den, things were different.

The Kingsley clan's rise in Shalandra Pack owed plenty to my family's support. Penelope had practically lived in Belmor Pack to secure our bond.

When she saw me, her face lit up, and she grabbed my paw. "Madeline, I'm so sorry you've been wronged. That reckless pup-I'll set him straight."

Jonathan's eyes snapped to me, realizing I'd tipped them off. His glare was venomous.

Before he could snap, Philip growled, "Apologize to Madeline! Swear you'll cut ties with that Tiffany!"

Jonathan's head shot up, his eyes blazing. "No way! Tiffany's my true mate. No one's tearing us apart!"

Philip trembled with rage. "Say that again! If not for Madeline's family propping us up in Belmor Pack, would the Kingsley clan be where it is? Betray her, and you're no son of mine!"

Jonathan clenched his jaw, staying silent but refusing to apologize. He stormed out, head down.

Philip turned to me. "Madeline, go with him. Talk it out."

I nodded and followed.

Jonathan spun around, grabbing my arm and yanking me into his car. The door slammed shut with a deafening thud. I barely had time to settle before he floored the gas, the car lurching forward like a wild beast.

His eyes were bloodshot, his voice a low snarl. "Real smooth, Madeline. Transferred back to Shalandra Pack just to keep tabs on me? Our bond's not tight enough for you already?"

I rubbed my reddened arm, biting back a response.

My silence only fueled his scorn. His gaze flicked over, dripping with mockery. "Don't blame me for finding someone else. Look at you-always dressed like some dour pack elder, face set like you're chewing gravel. And in bed? Same old routine, lying there like a cold fish."

"Tiffany's young, vibrant, knows how to live. With her, I finally get what love feels like-what it means to crave someone."

His words, sharp as ice-tipped claws, tore into my heart. He was lashing out because I'd ratted him out, each syllable meant to wound.

Three years of our bond, and I'd been a fool, hoping to warm his heart. All I got was this humiliation.

A phone chime broke my thoughts. The screen flashed "Little Moon," the words burning my eyes.

As soon as he answered, a tearful voice came through. "Jonathan, I cut my paw-it hurts so bad!"

His face transformed, the anger melting into panic. "Don't cry, I'm coming. Stay put, okay?"

He hung up, whipped the wheel, and pulled over. "Get out," he barked.

"We're ten miles from the pack-you can't just-"

Before I could finish, he leaned over, unbuckled my seatbelt, and shoved the door open. "Out."

I stumbled out, barely catching my balance. The car door slammed, and his black Maybach roared off into the night.

The cold wind bit at me as I stood on the desolate outskirts road, my phone down to 5% battery. I dialed the outpost, but before anyone picked up, the screen went black.

My legs felt like lead as I trudged along the road, my vision swimming with dark spots.

Finally, I couldn't hold out any longer and collapsed by the wayside.

When I came to, the sharp scent of antiseptic stung my nose.

I was lying in a pack healer's den, an IV needle taped to the back of my paw.

A healer approached, her expression heavy. "You're awake?"

She hesitated, then continued. "You've lost the pup. The pregnancy was already unstable, and walking that far."

Lost the pup?

I froze, my claws instinctively brushing my flat belly.

There had been a pup here, one I never even knew existed. gone before I could feel its spark.

The healer sighed. "Rest up, okay?"

The den door clicked shut. I fumbled for my phone, plugged it in, and powered it on.

A news alert popped up immediately:

*Shalandra Pack's Richest Wolf, Jonathan, Pulls All-Night Hunt for Top Healers to Treat His She-Wolf's Tiny Scratch!*

The photo showed Jonathan cradling Tiffany, his face etched with worry. Tiffany held up her paw, a barely visible nick magnified in the close-up.

My already battered heart shattered again.

While he was wrapped up in his precious she-wolf, I was lying on the roadside, losing our pup.

I yanked out the IV and staggered out of the den like a ghost, only to run smack into Jonathan and Tiffany at the corridor's turn.

Jonathan's brows knotted instantly, his disgust plain as day. "Madeline, you're like a shadow that won't quit. Following us to the healer's den to fake an injury? You always act like some highborn she-wolf-since when do you stoop to petty jealousy tricks?"

My voice trembled as I stared at him. "I lost our pup."

Tiffany's eyes widened, and she grabbed Jonathan's arm. "Jonathan! You swore you haven't touched her in forever! Where'd this pup come from?"

"You lied to me! I'm done with you!" she wailed.

Jonathan's face paled, and he pulled her close, murmuring and nuzzling her. "Don't listen to her nonsense. I see her maybe once a month, just for a meal. I haven't so much as brushed her paw!"

"Tiffany, you know I'm spent from you every time. Where would I find the energy for anyone else?"

Once he'd soothed Tiffany, he turned to me, his tone venomous. "Madeline, what, you think you're some saint? You're telling me one dinner got you carrying a pup? Have you no shame?"

A crowd started to gather, their whispers cutting through the air.

"Who's that she-wolf? Looks all proper, but she's hounding Jonathan and Tiffany?"

"Sounds like she lost a pup. Probably trying to trap him with it, stirring up drama."

"Everyone knows Jonathan treats Tiffany like his moon and stars. This she-wolf's dreaming if she thinks she's got a chance."

Their stares were like thorns, pinning me in place with nowhere to hide.

My body went cold, but my mind exploded like a thunderstorm.

Last month, Jonathan visited me in Belmor Pack. We shared a few drinks over dinner. That night, he didn't sleep in the guest den as usual. Instead, he held me close, whispering "baby" and "little moon" in a voice so warm it startled me.

I thought the liquor had lowered his guard, that it was the start of something real between us. That night fueled my resolve to transfer back to Shalandra Pack, hoping we could build a den-a family.

But now, staring at the "Little Moon" label on his phone, hearing the pet name he'd lavished on Tiffany countless times, it hit me like a lightning strike.

He hadn't been calling out to me that night.

He'd mistaken me for Tiffany.

That fleeting warmth, the spark that set my heart ablaze, was just a drunken mix-up.