The days following Kai's arrival blurred together in a haze of cleaning supplies and stolen glances. Each morning, I watched from the shadows as Caleb dropped him off, my heart tearing anew at the sight of my son's hesitant wave toward his father's retreating form.

By Thursday, I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Where's your lunch, little one?" I asked, noticing Kai's empty hands as the other pups filed into the cafeteria with their colorful lunch boxes.

He looked up at me with those eyes—*my* eyes—and shrugged. "Luna Monica says I have to eat last because I'm the future Alpha."

The words hit me like a physical blow. Five years old and already learning to wait while others ate. I glanced around the emptying classroom. Elena had taken the younger pups for a bathroom break, leaving us momentarily alone.

"Come with me," I whispered, holding out my hand.

Kai's face lit up with hope before fear took over. "But Father said—"

"Your father said I could help you settle in," I reminded him gently. "And right now, you need lunch."

The cafeteria buzzed with activity when we slipped in. I kept my head down, guiding Kai to a corner table where the staff usually sat. My hands trembled as I spread a paper napkin across his lap.

"I'll get your food," I murmured, moving quickly toward the serving line.

When I returned with a tray loaded with chicken nuggets, apple slices, and milk, Kai was sitting ramrod straight, his eyes darting nervously around the room.

"You're too thin," I observed softly, setting the tray before him. "Are you not eating enough at home?"

He picked up a nugget with careful precision. "Luna Monica says I need to watch my weight so I don't get fat like—" He stopped abruptly, his eyes filling with tears.

"Like who?" I pressed gently.

"Like you used to be," he whispered.

My blood ran cold. Even now, Monica was poisoning him against me with lies about my past.

"Kai," I said carefully, "I was never fat. I was pregnant with you."

He nodded slowly, then took a tentative bite of his food. The way he devoured it told me everything I needed to know about his meals at home.

"Mother," he whispered between bites, "you smell like safety."

The simple words broke something inside me. I reached out, brushing a curl from his forehead with trembling fingers.

"What do you mean?" I asked, though I feared the answer.

"When Luna Monica gets angry, she hits," he whispered, then quickly looked around to see if anyone heard. "But when I smell you, I don't feel afraid anymore."

Before I could respond, a sharp intake of breath made me freeze. I turned slowly to find Elena standing by the kitchen entrance, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Alpha," she gasped.

I didn't need to turn around to know who stood behind me. The air grew heavy with his presence, charged with power that made my knees weak.

Caleb.

"How long have you been there?" I asked without looking at him.

"Long enough," he replied, his voice strangely subdued.

I expected anger, expected the Alpha command that would force me away from our son. Instead, there was only silence.

"He's malnourished," Caleb finally said, his voice tight. "And he flinches at sudden movements."

I turned then, meeting his gaze across the cafeteria. Something flickered in those amber eyes—recognition? Regret?

"I know," I whispered.

Kai looked between us, confusion and hope warring on his small face.

"Father, can Mother have lunch with me tomorrow too?"

The question hung in the air between us. I waited for Caleb's rejection, braced for the crushing weight of his Alpha command.

But it never came.

"We'll see," Caleb said instead, his eyes never leaving mine.

For a moment—just a moment—I saw the man I'd once loved, the mate who'd held me through countless nights. Then his expression hardened, and he turned away.

The reprieve was short-lived.

The next day, I was wiping down tables when the cafeteria doors burst open with such force that the hinges screamed in protest.

"Where is she?" Monica's voice cut through the chaos like a blade.

Ryan Mitchell, Monica's loyal Delta spy, pointed directly at me. "There, Luna. That's the Omega who's been contaminating the heir."

Monica stormed toward me, her Luna aura flaring with such intensity that several nearby pups began to whimper. Her perfectly manicured hand cracked across my cheek before I could even raise my arms to defend myself.

"How dare you," she hissed, her voice low enough that only I could hear. "How dare you think you can worm your way back into his life through our son?"

"I'm not—" I began, but she cut me off with a cruel laugh.

"Our son?" she mocked. "You lost the right to call him that when Caleb rejected you."

Behind her, Ryan and two other Delta warriors formed a semicircle, effectively cutting me off from the rest of the staff.

"You're nothing but a wolfless Omega," Monica continued, her voice rising so everyone could hear. "A Rogue sympathizer trying to poison the heir against his Luna."

The cafeteria fell silent as every eye turned toward us.

"No," I whispered, even as my heart raced with fear. "I would never—"

"Take her to the holding cells," Monica ordered her guards. "We'll deal with this contamination properly."

As the guards moved toward me, I caught sight of Caleb standing in the doorway, his face unreadable as he watched his mate destroy the woman who'd once been his everything.

The cafeteria fell silent as Monica's hand cracked across my cheek. The sting spread like wildfire, but before I could react, a blur of motion intercepted her second strike.

Caleb's fingers wrapped around Monica's wrist, his grip tight enough to make her wince. The air crackled with tension as Alpha power radiated from him in waves.

"Enough," he commanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Monica's eyes widened in shock. "Alpha, she's contaminating the heir with her presence. I'm protecting our son!"

"Our son?" I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Caleb's gaze flickered to me, something unreadable passing through his eyes. He released Monica's wrist and stepped back, putting distance between us.

"This situation requires a different approach," he said, straightening his jacket. The calculated tone in his voice made my stomach twist.

The staff and children watched in frozen silence as Caleb paced, his Alpha aura filling the room like a physical presence. Finally, he stopped directly in front of me.

"I'll have a high-tier apartment prepared in the pack house," he announced, his voice carrying to every corner of the cafeteria. "Three rooms, private bathroom, full amenities."

I stared at him, not comprehending at first. "What?"

"It's compensation," he continued smoothly. "For your... services to the pack. You'll have everything you need."

Monica's face contorted with rage. "Caleb, you can't be serious—"

"He can't what?" Caleb's Alpha tone silenced her instantly. "I am Alpha here. I decide what's best for the pack."

I understood then. This wasn't protection—it was a bribe. A gilded cage.

"You want me to stay away from Kai," I said quietly.

Caleb's jaw tightened. "It's for the best. For everyone."

The room held its breath as I looked up at him. Five years ago, I would have done anything he asked. Five years ago, I would have been grateful for scraps from his table.

But not now.

"No," I said, my voice stronger than I expected.

Caleb blinked, clearly not expecting resistance. "What did you say?"

"I said no." I straightened my spine, feeling something long dormant stir within me. "I won't be your kept Omega, Caleb. I won't be hidden away while you and Monica pretend Kai doesn't have a mother."

Monica's laugh was brittle. "As if you have a choice."

I turned to her, meeting her gaze steadily. "I always have choices. Even when you took everything from me."

Caleb's expression shifted, confusion replacing his usual confidence. "Isla..."

"Thank you for your generous offer, Alpha," I interrupted, my voice carrying the faintest echo of my former Luna authority. "But I must decline."

The silence that followed was deafening. Caleb stood frozen, his mouth slightly open as if he'd forgotten how to speak. Monica's face had gone pale, her eyes darting between us as if seeing something she hadn't noticed before.

"You're making a mistake," Caleb finally managed.

"So are you," I replied softly.

---

The moon hung like a silver pendant in the night sky as I slipped through the shadows toward the pack borders. Every step away from the safety of the Academy sent fear coursing through my veins, but I had no choice.

I needed to be stronger. For Kai.

The border markers loomed ahead—ancient stones carved with the Silverclaw emblem that separated pack territory from the wilderness beyond. I paused at the edge, listening for patrols.

"Lost little Luna," a voice drawled from the darkness. "Or should I say, Lost little Omega?"

I whirled around to find a woman leaning against a tree, her posture casual but her eyes sharp as they assessed me. She wore torn jeans and a leather jacket despite the chill, her dark hair pulled back in a messy braid.

"Daisy," I breathed, recognizing her from rumors among the pack women—the rogue she-wolf who'd made the borderlands her home.

"The one and only." She pushed off the tree, circling me slowly. "What brings an Omega to the border at midnight? Besides suicide, that is."

"I need your help," I said simply.

Daisy laughed, the sound harsh in the quiet night. "And why would I help the mate of Alpha Caleb? The man who's hunted my kind for sport?"

"Because I'm not his mate anymore," I replied, my voice steady despite the pain of the words. "And because I have something you need."

Her interest piqued, Daisy stepped closer. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"Food. Medical supplies." I swallowed hard. "Whatever you need that the pack has and you can't get yourself."

Daisy's eyes narrowed. "And what do you want in return?"

"Training," I said. "Combat. Survival. Everything you know about fighting when you have nothing."

Something like respect flickered across her face. "Now that," she said slowly, "sounds like a conversation worth having."

The moonlight filtered through the trees as I stumbled forward, my legs burning with each step. Three weeks of Daisy's training had pushed my body to its limits, but tonight was different. Tonight, I felt something stirring within me—not quite my wolf, but a strength I'd forgotten I possessed.

"Faster, Luna," Daisy called from ahead, her voice carrying through the forest. "You move like an old woman."

"I am not a Luna anymore," I reminded her, pushing myself harder as I navigated the obstacle course she'd created. "And I'm wolfless, remember?"

Daisy snorted. "You're only wolfless because you let them convince you that you are. Now pick up the pace!"

She was right. Each night spent training with her had awakened something in me—not my dormant wolf, but my human strength. My muscles ached, my skin bore new bruises, but I stood taller than I had in years.

"Again," Daisy commanded when I finished the course. "This time, imagine Caleb's Alpha aura bearing down on you."

I closed my eyes, remembering the suffocating weight of his power. When I opened them again, Daisy was advancing toward me, her own aura flaring—not as powerful as an Alpha's, but enough to simulate the pressure.

"Stand your ground," she growled. "Don't let it break you."

My knees buckled slightly before I caught myself. "I can't—"

"You can," she insisted. "The mind is stronger than any Alpha command. Now again."

Hour after hour, night after night, we repeated this dance. By the fourth week, I could stand firm against Daisy's aura without flinching. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.

---

"Keep your movements natural," Elena whispered as I cleaned the children's cubbies at the Academy. "If anyone asks, you're just organizing their belongings."

I nodded, grateful for her cover as I worked through the rows of small lockers. Most contained colorful drawings and small toys, but when I reached Kai's cubby, my heart clenched. It was immaculate—too neat for a five-year-old.

As I straightened his few belongings, my fingers brushed against something hidden behind his extra sweater. A small silver flask with a blue label caught the light.

"What's this?" I murmured, carefully extracting it.

Elena glanced over my shoulder. "That's not yours to touch, Isla."

"But it's in my son's cubby," I countered, reading the label: 'Special Formula - Daily Dose.'

My stomach twisted. Monica sent medicine with Kai every day?

---

"He's been acting strange lately," I told Daisy as we huddled in her cabin beyond the pack borders. "Distracted. Sometimes he sways on his feet."

Daisy took the flask carefully, examining it under the light of her oil lamp. Her expression darkened as she uncorked it and inhaled.

"Wolfsbane," she said flatly. "Diluted, but definitely wolfsbane."

My blood ran cold. "That's impossible. Why would Monica—"

"To keep him weak," Daisy interrupted, her eyes hardening. "To suppress his wolf development. A future Alpha with no wolf is easier to control."

I sank onto her threadbare couch, the implications crashing over me like waves. "She's poisoning my son."

"Not poisoning—suppressing." Daisy handed me back the flask. "This is a slow-acting formula. It won't kill him, but it will keep his wolf dormant longer than it should be."

Rage unlike anything I'd felt in years surged through me. "I have to tell Caleb."

---

The Pack House loomed before me, its stone facade glowing golden in the setting sun. I shouldn't be here—it was forbidden for Omegas to enter without permission—but I had no choice.

I clutched the flask in my pocket as I approached the side entrance, hoping to slip in unnoticed. Just find Caleb, show him the evidence, and leave. Simple.

But as I reached for the door handle, a strong hand gripped my shoulder.

"Going somewhere you don't belong, Omega?" Ryan Mitchell's voice sliced through me.

I turned slowly, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "I need to see Alpha Caleb."

Ryan's lips curled into a sneer. "You think the Alpha has time for your pathetic attempts to regain favor? Luna Monica warned us you'd try something like this."

"I have evidence—" I began, but Ryan cut me off with a harsh laugh.

"Evidence?" He stepped closer, his Delta aura pressing against me. "The only evidence I see is a wolfless Omega trespassing where she doesn't belong."

His hand closed around my upper arm, his grip bruising as he dragged me away from the entrance. "Luna Monica was right about you trying to contaminate the heir. Come on—time for you to learn your place."

As he pulled me toward the security office, I caught a glimpse of movement at an upstairs window. Caleb stood there, watching as Ryan hauled me away.

Our eyes met for just a moment before he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the Pack House.