Zacharias Goldman's second-in-command was a young and beautiful Beta. His friends, thinking he had never done anything to the Beta, often laughed at his incompetence.

"She's a cute female. Are you sure you can hold it back?"

Zacharias leaned into the back of the couch lazily. His voice was oozing with nonchalance. "I can't. She's… delicious."

That shocked the crowd. Mikhail Crosswing, his best friend, whistled. "And I thought you were loyal to the end. Loyal to Lucilla. She's going to raise hell if she finds out."

Zacharias chortled. "Ah, yes, she can be a headache when she does that. That's why you boys need to cover for me. The bonding ceremony is in three days. I don't want anything to go wrong."

The boys cackled and promised they would keep their mouths sealed.

I was standing right outside the door. I heard everything, but all I did was leave in silence. The mate ring was still in my hand, but the bonding ceremony was not going to happen.

The Mistress

On my way back, every single pack member who saw me had nothing but envy for my 'luck'. I could hear them talking about me nonstop.

"That's the luckiest she-wolf in Dawn Pack. The heir to the Alpha throne has wanted her ever since five years ago."

"Yeah, and now he's marrying her right after he takes the top spot. Their bonding ceremony is going to be the biggest event of the pack!"

The old me would've felt wrapped in bliss if she had heard the praises. Now they were nothing but mockery to my ears.

Five years ago, Zacharias, then heir to the throne, confessed to me during the coming-of-age ceremony.

"My wolf can't contain his excitement since he saw you. Your scent is… intoxicating. Will you accept my hand, my dear lady?"

Then we dated for five years. He loved me, spoiled me, and remembered every single detail about me. What I liked, what I didn't, and more.

Every year, he would throw a lavish party just for my birthday. All the females in the pack were jealous of me. They called me the luckiest she-wolf around. The old me shared their sentiment.

And then the man who claimed he loved me with all his heart cheated on me. His words kept ringing in my mind. They were breaking me down, pushing me deeper into the darkness.

My legs took me back to the villa, though I had no idea how. The first thing I felt was something tripping me. When I saw the thing lying on the ground, I gasped. "My moonveil! I picked this out myself! What's it doing down here?"

I spent six months collecting moonveil. It was rare. I even hired a seamstress to make it into a curtain, but now it was lying on the ground like common trash.

The sight hurt my heart. I was going to ask the butler what was going on, but then a beautiful woman came out of the kitchen holding a cleaning cloth.

Her hair was maroon and curled up. Her eyes were a shade of light blue that could suck anyone's attention. She folded the cloth up and gave me a glance. When she spoke, she was haughty.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Windsor. The Alpha's been losing sleep these past few days. I changed the curtains out for something that could block the sunlight better. I just want him to sleep better. And also, the room's a bit too messy for my liking, so I tidied it up."

I stared at the woman. She was Zacharias' Beta, Yvonne Wood. She helped Zacharias handle the whole territory. I seldom saw her. To be honest, this was technically our first meeting.

The villa was not the one I remembered. All the adorable decors I got from the werewolf bazaar were stuffed in a cabinet unceremoniously. They were replaced with the emblem of the pack.

The photos of me and Zacharias that were supposed to be hanging from the walls were replaced with expensive paintings.

This used to be a warm home, but now it was cold and uninviting. This woman erased all traces of me.

She saw the look on my face, and a mocking smile curled her lips. "The Alpha's territory is supposed to be sacred and solemn. You're but a noble who knows nothing about decorum. Perhaps you should leave this to the professionals."

The humiliation made me scarlet, but I could not even say a word.

Then Zacharias hurried into the scene. "What are you doing here, Yvonne?" I could hear the panic rolling off his voice.

Yvonne nodded at Zacharias and started telling him about her work progress. She was professional. "I changed your curtains to something that can keep the sunlight out better, but Ms. Windsor isn't too thrilled about it."

Coolly, Zacharias dismissed her. "This villa belongs to me and Lucilla. Never come here again. She calls the shots in this house."

Yvonne bit her lip. She was staring at Zacharias with tearful eyes. A frown creased his forehead.

With a colder voice, Zacharias said, "Leave. Do not make me repeat myself."

I thought this whole show was ironic. If I hadn't overheard that conversation, they might've fooled me. Five years. Five years I spent thinking I was in passionate love. In the end, it was but a den of lies.

Leaving the Pack

In the end, Yvonne left with a soul full of reluctance, though she gazed at Zacharias before she did. Zacharias did not return her gaze. He gently caressed my bangs.

"Don't get mad at her, Lucilla. She's just used to helping me out." A momentary pause later, he added with a hint of hesitation, "But I think she has a point. The elders always hold their meetings in the territory. It's better if the place looks more formal."

That was a quiet slap in the face of my dignity. I hung my head low, mortified. Ever since I moved in, Zacharias gave me carte blanche to do anything I wanted. The old Zacharias told me, in a loving voice, "This is our home now. You can do whatever you want with it. I don't mind."

Now he crushed everything I did. I was going to say something, but then his phone rang. A hint of anger flickered across his face.

"I explicitly told them today is for you and you only. Who's disturbing me now? I can't believe they're disobeying my direct ord—"

When he saw the name on the screen, he froze up. It was Yvonne's name. Zacharias put his phone away. Fidgeting, he said, "I know we're supposed to pick out the wedding stuff today, but the elders just said…"

I refused to hear his lies any further. Instead, I said, "It's alright. Work's important, I know."

He gave me a tender look and smiled at me. Then he kissed my forehead. "I knew you'd understand."

He left without saying another word. I saw him off, though my mind was on something else. Something more turbulent.

I wondered if he was going to see Yvonne. I hung on to some foolish hope that maybe, just maybe, he was going to handle work.

Driven by those thoughts, I followed him.

Zacharias did not leave the territory. Instead, he went to his second-in-command's residence and knocked on her door quietly.

Yvonne peeked out of her yard. She was wearing a red slip dress that hung to her body and showed off all her curves. Zacharias looked down. All he saw was Yvonne now.

"I thought you wouldn't show up. So, tell me, who's prettier? Me or her?" Yvonne put on a seductive smile. She grabbed Zacharias' arm and led him inside.

The moment the door swung shut, all my strength left me, and I slumped down to the ground. I knew this was coming, but seeing his betrayal right in front of my eyes still hit my heart hard.

The man who loved me with all his heart was gone. Dead. I wiped the tears off my eyes and pushed myself back up.

Now that he had someone else, it was time for me to bow out of this relationship. I grabbed all the Luna keepsake and went to the City Hall. Then I handed them over to the registration elder.

The elder pushed his spectacles and slowly unfurled my bloodline scroll. Hesitant, he asked, "Are you sure you're leaving the pack, Lucilla? If this goes through, you will be stripped of all status. You will no longer be tied to the Dawn Pack. Even after death, your soul will not return to our holy land."

I nodded. "I'm sure."

The elder was conflicted. He said, "The Alpha has told us that you are to be Luna. Once the bonding ceremony is over, you will reign over all females. Are you sure you want to leave the pack now? That seems like a shame."

I closed my eyes and pondered my decision again. Then my eyes snapped open, filled with determination. "I don't share that sentiment, elder. Please process the paperwork for me."

Scheming Woman

A heavy sigh escaped the elder's lips, but he respected my wish and did the paperwork. "The verification will take two days. Once that is done, you will no longer be part of the pack. Your details will be deleted from the database. You have three days to leave the pack."

I nodded in silence and bought a flight ticket that was scheduled for three days later.

When I came back to the territory, I saw Zacharias standing at the villa's entrance looking all nervous. He noticed me and strode up to me. "Where were you, Lucilla? You didn't tell me you were going somewhere. I was worried sick when I couldn't find you."

He checked me closely and breathed a sigh of relief. I was fine, it seemed. Then I checked the time. That process at the City Hall took three whole hours, yet he only realized I was gone not too long ago. He must've only finished his affair with Yvonne.

"The villa's stuffy, so I wanted to get some fresh air in the woods," I lied naturally. Yes, I could do that to Zacharias now.

Zacharias held me tightly. When he spoke, his voice was trembling. "You could've asked for me. Don't go alone. The woods are dangerous. There are Rogues there. You could've gotten hurt."

His fresh scent assailed me, but then I noticed something else. A scent belonging to fruits. It was sickly sweet, and it made me retch. I pushed him away. Nervously, he patted my back.

"What's wrong? Did you eat some of the woods' fruits?"

I turned my head away so I wouldn't taste that sickly sweet stench again. Only then did I manage to keep my bile down. "No, my walk just took a bit too much out of me. I need some rest," I explained. Still, something was making me uneasy.

"I'll stay with you!" He took me to the bedroom, but a moment later, Yvonne knocked on the door again.

"Alpha, something's wrong with the territory's expense account. I might need your help for this." She did not show any hint that said she was sorry. Her eyes were filled with a challenge.

Zacharias stopped in his steps. He was conflicted, unsure of what he should do. Like the understanding fiancee I was, I pushed him outside. "Work's important. I can rest up by myself."

Yvonne took Zacharias away. She held her head up high, strutting like she'd won something. Her provocation did nothing to me. Something more pressing was waiting for me.

…

The healer gave me the report. I was three weeks pregnant. The news stunned me. Just when I'd decided to leave Zacharias, I was pregnant with his pup.

"The baby's healthy, and so are you. Congratulations, you're going to be a mother!"

I took the ultrasound report with trembling hands. My mind was reeling. I tucked the report in my pocket. 'I should talk with him,' I thought.

For our children, I would give him one last chance.

However, the moment I came out of the consultation room, I saw Zacharias holding Yvonne as they carefully entered the room next door.

These rooms were exclusively for expecting mothers.

Yvonne noticed me, and her gaze lingered on me for a moment.

…

I had no idea how I even walked out of the healing chamber. My legs took me right up to the borders of the pack's land, and I stopped right beside the woods, my mind still in a state of confusion.

My wavering heart steeled itself again. I would leave the pack, along with my unborn child. Then I turned around, and Yvonne was in my way.

"You guessed it, didn't you? I'm pregnant. It's Zacharias'." Yvonne caressed her belly. There was no mistaking the challenge in her eyes.

"He was delighted when he found out. Insisted on a full-body checkup. He promised me the spot of Luna, since my pup will be the next Alpha."

Yvonne's bragging tore my heart into tiny little pieces. The promises he used to give me. Now he was giving them away to someone else freely.

The only thing I had left was an illusion of love.

Yvonne suddenly darted closer. She whispered in my ear, "I'll need you to disappear. My child doesn't need you around."

She stuffed a dagger into my hand and slammed her arm into its edge.

"Don't hurt me, Lucilla!"