The child came at the worst possible time.

Just like me, born into a world that had no place for them.

My mother, Wynter Brooks, hailed from the distant Northern lands. She was the savior of the Lycan Queen, Kehlani Gardner. In gratitude, the Queen granted my mother the honor of being the only chosen mate of Alpha King Duncan. It was a rare privilege, but it came at a cost. My mother died from complications after giving birth to me, leaving me alone in a world that had no use for an Omega like me.

The Lycan Queen, perhaps out of guilt or obligation, arranged for me to be mated to her nephew, Caiden Gilbert, the Alpha of the Gilbert Pack. But Caiden’s heart belonged to my half-sister, Bellamy Turner. He spent years building his military achievements, not for the pack, but to secure his mate bond with her.

The day of their marking ceremony, the entire capital was buzzing with whispers, waiting to see how I, the unwanted Omega, would react. It was Carson Duncan, the Beta of the Duncan Pack and my childhood friend, who saved me from humiliation. Against his parents’ wishes, he stepped forward and proposed to me, binding us as mates.

For seven years, he treated me like a treasure, a Luna cherished by her Alpha. Even with the constant challenges from his mother, Yasmin Scott, the Alpha Female of the Duncan Pack, I endured. I believed in him, in us.

But then the rumors started.

“Beta Carson’s heart has always belonged to Bellamy Turner,” they said.

“He only mated Jaliyah to keep the peace in the packs.”

“Otherwise, that Omega with her mother’s legacy would have caused chaos.”

I dismissed the gossip as baseless. After all, Carson had always been kind, protective, and devoted.

But reality had a way of shattering illusions.

One evening, during a pack gathering, a rogue attack sent the entire area into chaos. In the midst of the turmoil, Carson had to make a choice. He could save me, his mate, or Bellamy, the woman he supposedly loved.

He chose her.

I watched as he carried her to safety, his eyes filled with concern, his aura radiating protectiveness—not for me, but for her. The bond between us, once unshakable, now felt like a fragile thread, ready to snap.

The whispers grew louder, more vicious.

“Beta Carson’s true mate was always Bellamy.”

“Jaliyah was just a placeholder, a way to keep the packs stable.”

I wanted to confront him, to demand the truth. But the pain in my chest, the bond screaming its agony, told me everything I needed to know.

I wasn’t enough.

My wolf, Seraphina, whimpered in the back of my mind, a quiet, broken sound.

*He’s a fool,* she said, though her voice lacked conviction. *He’ll regret this.*

But I wasn’t so sure.

The child growing inside me, a product of our bond, felt like a cruel joke. A reminder of everything I had lost, everything I would never have.

I stood there, surrounded by the pack, feeling the weight of their pity and scorn. My legs trembled, but I forced myself to stay upright. I wouldn’t let them see me break.

Carson’s eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw regret. But it was fleeting, replaced by the cold, detached expression of a Beta who had already moved on.

“Jaliyah,” he said, his voice calm, almost clinical. “We need to talk.”

I nodded, though my heart screamed in protest.

The child was coming, but it was already too late.

Just like me, it was never meant to be.

I lay in bed for three days, unable to decide what to do about the child growing inside me. The weight of the decision pressed heavily on my chest, each breath feeling like a struggle.

That evening, Layne came in to announce a visitor.

"Miss, Luna of the Gilbert Pack is here to see you."

Luna of the Gilbert Pack—Bellamy Turner, my half-sister. Her mother was Knox Salazar’s first mate, and from the moment she was born, she was showered with affection. Before I could even respond, Bellamy swept into the room, her presence commanding and her scent—a mix of vanilla and rosemary—filling the air.

"Well, well," she said with a sly smile, her eyes scanning the room. "I heard the joyous news of your pregnancy, sister. I couldn’t resist coming to congratulate you."

Her words were sweet, but her tone was anything but. Unlike me, pale and frail from the ordeal of the past weeks, she looked radiant, her cheeks flushed with health. She didn’t wait for me to speak, instead striding around the room as if she owned it. Her gaze eventually landed on my wrist.

"Ah," she said, her voice dripping with mock pity. "No wonder. The engraving on the bracelet has worn away, and the powder inside has leaked out. It’s lost its potency."

I followed her gaze to the silver chain on my wrist—a gift from Carson, the Alpha of the Duncan Pack and my mate. He’d told me it was a rare treasure, crafted specifically for me, a symbol of our bond. I’d worn it every day, a constant reminder of his love.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice cold and steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Bellamy’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "Jaliyah, do you really think it’s a coincidence that after seven years of being mated to Carson, you’ve never conceived? He’s always loved me. He couldn’t bear the thought of you bearing his child before I did. It would have broken my heart."

Her words hit me like a physical blow, and I felt my wolf, Max, whimper in the back of my mind, a low, pained sound. My breath came in shallow gasps, my chest tightening with a pain that had nothing to do with my physical state.

"So," I managed to choke out, my voice trembling, "as long as you haven’t had his child, mine will be taken from me, is that it?"

Bellamy didn’t answer, but the smirk on her face said it all.

"Oh, Jaliyah," she said, her tone almost pitying now. "It’s not personal. Carson just loves me more. If you don’t believe me, come to the Pack Hall tomorrow. I’ll make sure you hear it from his own lips."

With that, she turned on her heel and left, her scent lingering like a taunt. As she stepped out the door, she ran into Carson himself. I watched as her expression shifted instantly, her eyes filling with tears as she leaned into him.

I saw the way his eyes softened, the way his hand reached out to comfort her, and something inside me shattered. My fists clenched so tightly that my claws dug into my palms, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the agony in my heart.

After Bellamy left, Carson still stared at her retreating figure, lost in his own thoughts.

It took a long time before the chill in my chest from the cold wind finally settled.

Only then did Carson close the door and slowly walk back into the room.

"Bellamy’s always been delicate. I shouldn’t have asked her to come see you. It must have been hard for her."

Anyone with a sense of smell could tell that Bellamy’s scent was vibrant, filled with the freshness of her recent successes.

Meanwhile, I—his mate—had just fallen into the icy river, was still recovering from the cold, and was now carrying our child. My scent was weak, my aura dull.

But he chose to ignore it.

No, it wasn’t that he couldn’t sense it. It was that his attention was only drawn to Bellamy. There was no room for anyone else.

"Alpha," I began, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest, "we’ve been mated for seven years. This is my first pregnancy. Does your mother know?"

Carson fidgeted with the bracelet on my wrist, his gaze avoiding mine.

"Mother’s getting older. We can tell her when you’re feeling better. It’s not urgent."

Of course. He was so certain this child wouldn’t survive that he didn’t even think it necessary to inform his own mother.

But all these years, the shame and judgment I’ve endured for not bearing a child—did he truly not sense any of it?

Carson’s scent shifted, uneasy, as if he was trying to figure out how to convince me.

I forced a smile, though bitterness swelled inside me.

"Then I’ll leave it to you, Alpha."

His scent brightened instantly, oblivious to the pain hidden beneath my calm expression.

"Rest well, Jaliyah. I’ll be in my study."

As I watched his retreating figure, I repeated to myself like a mantra:

If I don’t care, it won’t hurt.

But deep down, I knew the truth.

The pain was already there, etched into my soul, and no amount of pretending could make it disappear.