At his heels, Liam and Nora bounced like cub rabbits: "Byron, toss these pillows! Father's taste is awful!" My chest ached-those were the ones I'd stitched during Jessie's pregnancy, stuffed with allergen-free down for her sensitive skin. Now they joined the sofa in the refuse.

Days blurred into lunar shifts:

Byron claimed my dining seat, spoon-feeding cubs while Jessie's gaze warmed-an emotion I'd never earned.

She poured his coffee,a tenderness never spared for me.

Nights found them four on the ivory sofa, Nora curled in Byron's lap, Liam leaning on Jessie. Their laughter shredded my role as sire and mate.

Once, I caught Byron decanting takeout onto plates: "Uncle made this for you," he lied. No one challenged him. Servants whispered:

"Lady's never doted on Mr. Colton so."

"Cubs favor him. Soon he'll be master."

Then came the allergy alarm. My comm howled:

"Sir! Master and Miss had a reaction-ambulance to the healers' !"

In the ER corridor, Jessie stood with her coat slung over her arm, fury in her eyes. "What have you done?" she demanded.

"Done?" I balked.

"They're allergic to pineapple! Did you feed them?" She advanced, her alpha presence stifling.

"Not me!" I snarled. "I banned pineapple after Nora's last attack."

She sneered: "Then who? Servants? Did they seek death?"

A nurse interrupted: "Cubs are awake."

In the ward, Liam and Nora exchanged a glance, then pointed at me: "Father! His pastries had pineapple!"

My heart stopped. "What. are you saying?"

Monitors beeped mockingly.

I'd sacrificed all for this home, yet my cubs turned on me.

After the pineapple incident, all control shattered.

"Nora, look! It's Father!" Her wail trembled.

"He knew we're allergic-he fed us on purpose!"

Liam nodded sharply, voice thick: "He's wicked!"

I gripped the doorframe, knuckles white.

"Liam, Nora-do you know what you're saying? Speak the truth."

Jessie sprang from the sofa, seizing my wrist.

Her grip burned: "Aidan Colton, is this how you sire? Endangering cubs, forcing lies?"

"I. didn't."

My voice shook.

She scoffed: "They're mere moons old! No honor-you're unfit to sire."

Cubs sobbed behind her.

Jessie released me, crouching to soothe Nora.

"Mama. we ache." Nora choked.

"How to ease it?"

Jessie's tone was tender-never spared for me.

Liam's red-rimmed eyes met mine:

"Make Father drink pineapple juice! Let him ache too!"

My blood iced.

Jessie nodded-her punishment decided.

"Hold him," she ordered guards.

I was slammed into a chair, chin forced up. A liter of golden juice poured down my throat, sickly sweet, searing my windpipe. I coughed, chest aflame.

Rashes spread like wildfire, face swelling.

Each breath strained.

Through blurred vision, Jessie stood ice-bound, no mercy.

Cubs cheered: "Good! He deserves it!"

Pain and shame drowned me.

Darkness claimed me as Jessie's cold eyes faded.

I woke in a healer's , throat raw, rash lingering.

Corridor voices drifted:

"Jessie, I didn't know their allergy. Just wanted to blend juice." Byron pleaded.

Her tone softened: "No blame. You lacked lunar knowledge."

I sneered-her leniency for him, her cruelty for me.

The door opened.

Cubs entered with Byron. "Uncle Byron, we were wrong. We just. hated Father," Liam mumbled.

Nora sniffled: "He always disciplined us-no treats, early sleeps. We wanted him gone."

I fisted the sheets, heart tearing.

I'd nursed Liam through fevers, researched Nora's diet, while Jessie flew off for mergers.

All my devotion-now their deepest wound.

My heart tore with pain, tears spilling as I clutched my chest.

"Mr. Colton, your one-way ticket to Cloud pack is issued. Choose a seat?"

I wiped my face, voice wind-soft: "Window, please."

The door creaked open.

Jessie Bancroft entered, her heels striking the floor like drums. "Who was on the call?"

"An old mate," I said, placing the comm aside.

She loomed over me: "The pineapple incident was Byron's doing. He didn't know theirallergy."

My heart clenched. For me, she'd sought blood; for him, a mere "unaware."

I opened my mouth, but only a hollow "mm" escaped.

"Next week's lunar camp: Byron and I will chaperone. You stay," she ordered, emotionless.

"Understood," I nodded.

She frowned at my compliance. "Pack matter." She left without a backward glance.

Alone, I released my fist.

Days later, Byron's messages flooded in-lunar camp photos, videos.

In one, Liam beamed: "This is our father!"

Classmates cheered: "He's handsome! Your family's lunar-blessed!"

When asked who fetched them from school, they stammered: "Oh, the. steward."

The cup slipped from my grasp, shattering.

As I crouched, I laughed-all these years, a mere free steward.

A week later, the cubs burst into home.

"Father! Byron sprained his ankle at the lunar games-Mama was so worried!" Nora cried.

Liam added: "She closed the entire healers' for him, canceled all pack meetings!"

I donned heat-gloves as the oven dinged. Chocolate lava deserts aroma filled the air. But at the sight of slight browning, I dumped it in the refuse.

"No!" Nora shrieked.

"Burned," I said flatly.

Liam kicked the bin: "Liar! You're still angry-you're a wicked father!"

Nora yelled: "We disown you!"

Removing my gloves, I studied them-strangers, these cubs I'd raised.

"Good," I said. "I disown you too. Seek Byron Hawke henceforth."

As I turned for the stairs, their howls trailed: "We hate you! Forever!"

A violent shove struck my back.

"Die!"

Vertigo seized me as I crashed down the stairs. Pain exploded through my body, warm lunar blood blinding my vision.

Propping myself up, blood dripping onto the floor, I saw my cubs at the landing-smirks twisting their faces:

"Deserved!" Nora clapped.

"You denied us deserts!" Liam jeered.

My claws scraped the wall, but I couldn't reconcile these imps with the cubs I'd saved in the healers' .

The door burst open:

"What transpires here?"

Jessie's voice cut through, Byron Hawke at her side, both frozen.

"Mama!" Cubs wailed, flinging themselves at her.

"Father tossed our deserts-and disowned us!"

Jessie's gaze flicked from the refuse to my bloodied form.

"Aidan Colton, why war with your own cubs?" Her tone iced: "Disowning them-are you fit to sire?"

I staggered up, blood soaking my tunic, and laughed:

"When have I ever been'fit' in your eyes?"

"Was I not always your nursemaid?"

Her pupils shrank.

"Since you desire Byron as mate, and cubs crave him as sire- I yield. Take your quartet."

Silence crackled. Jessie's snarl ripped the air:

"Our alliance was just arranged. Love? I gave none."

Laughter turned to tears. Foolish me, to think a deity could love.

"Jessie, enough," Byron soothed, pulling her arm.

"Cubs are frightened."

She glared once more, then swept up Nora, took Liam's hand, and vanished with Byron.

I vowed: No more regrets.

No more Bancroft. This life, I live for me.

Three moons later, Liam's birthday banquet blazed in the pack's grandest hotel.

Crystal chandeliers flared as Jessie hosted, but I lingered in shadows.

Liam and Nora clung to Byron, chirping like fledglings.

Jessie's gaze never left him, her softness a dagger to my heart.

Whispers sliced through the crowd:

"Ms. Bancroft's devotion to Mr. Hawke is timeless."

"Cubs follow her lead-only see Uncle Byron."

Under the crystals, my shadow stretched alone.

At last, I saw the truth: in their world, I'd always been replaceable.

"Classmates with Ms. Bancroft and Mr. Hawke-their courtship blazed bright, near-marriage before graduation."

"No wonder-first love shines eternal. Mate or not, he's her core." Another chimed.

In the shadows, my heart froze solid. I turned for the lift.

As doors closed, a hand stopped them-Byron Hawke.

Polished boots crossed the threshold, his smirk confident:

"The bond break cooling period ends in three moons. You'll leave as agreed?"

"Without question,"

"Good." His smile broadened. "Jessie and cubs care not for you. They'll forget swiftly."

The lift descended. Suddenly-

"BOOM!"

It jolted, lights failed, plunging us into dark.

"Ah!" Byron shrieked, phone light flaring on his panic.

"Jessie! Help! Lift collapse!"

I slammed into the wall, blood and sweat blinding me.

"Occupants alive? Status?"

"Free us!"

Byron pounded steel.

"My leg's trapped!"

Metal screeched as a searchlight pierced the dark.

A rescuer frowned: "Ms. Bancroft, both sires have trapped legs. Emergency-choose one to save first."

Through blur, I saw Jessie with Liam and Nora.

Her gaze never left Byron: "Save Byron."

Cubs wailed: "Save Uncle Byron first!"

Rescuer argued: "The other sire's injuries are graver-"

"Save Byron!" Her tone iced.

As Byron was lifted, the mangled door slammed down on my legs.

Agony exploded, but I saw them leave-Jessie supporting Byron, cubs cheering, their lunar forms fading into light.

I was left in absolute dark.

My lids flutter open to searing white light.

Healer's disinfectant stings my nostrils, joined by the steady beep of a vital monitor.

"Awake?" A healer peers into my eyes.

"Three broken ribs. Luck you arrived in time-"

I stare at the ceiling, Jessie's unhesitant choice to save Byron, the metal door slamming down without a backward glance.

Attempting to move, pain rips from my chest. Not a tear falls-my heart's numbed by agony.

Three moons later, Jessie enters in a beautiful dress.

Her gaze lingers on my bandaged torso: "Byron plays piano. His legs can't fail."

I study her profile-once my dream, now a distant deity.

"Thus, you bear the burden."

Her tone's casual as lunar weather.

"As steward, mobility matters little."

Silence falls.

My voice rasps: "Jessie. had I died, would you care?"

She frowns, wordless.

A black card lands on my table:

"This compensates. Raise the cubs, and remain my mate."

I laugh. Last life, I died with her title-yet loneliness and fire claimed me.

This time, I crave no lunar throne.

"Jessie, I-"

Her comm howls.

Byron's voice purrs: "Jessie, cubs and I await at the diner. A surprise!"

Her eyes soften:

"On my way."

Hanging up, her tone ices: "Pack calls. Chauffeur waits." She leaves.

My nails dig into palms, but I hold my tongue.

Soon she'll learn the bond break's final-she and the cubs, mere shadows now.

I ring for a steward, "Deliver my trunks to the port."

An hour later, her contacts delete, the black card abandoned.

As the skyship lifts, sunset paints clouds gold. I smile, closing my eyes.

No more sacrifices.

The days of groveling love fade with this flight.

Ahead lies a new dawn-mine alone.

Two fortnights in Cloud pack gift me a long-lost calm.

I claim a quiet shop, transforming it into "Aidan's Tales."

On a rainy day, I stand at the pane, mind blank.

A windchime's tinkle spins me around.

A tall woman stands there, black umbrella dripping.

In her arms, a damp-haired cub of five cowers, big eyes fixed on me.

"Do you have picture books for her age?"

The woman's voice is gentle.

I stare: defined features, laughing eyes, long hair loose.

"Daisy Northrop?" My heart pounds.

She startles, then gasps: "Aidan Colton?"