"If you offend Alpha Carlen, Luna Irene might plead for you. But if you cross Luna Irene, there won't even be a scrap of you left."

That's a widely circulated saying in the werewolf upper circles.

I'm Irene Chandler. Because of one game, I've decided to dissolve the mate bond with Carlen Alvarado.

During the game, he says drunkenly, "I love resting my head on the belly of an expecting she-wolf and listening to the pup's heartbeat."

The room falls silent. Every werewolf turns to look at me.

There's no surprise in their eyes. What I see is their pity for me, the rightful Luna, and a flicker of panic that their secret has been exposed.

At that moment, I understood everything. They all know Carlen has a pup with another woman. They've been helping him hide it from me.

That's because they know I'm Carlen's everything.

I'll leave him if I ever find out. And if I leave, he'll lose his mind.

I have to admit that they know me well.

After learning the truth, I plan to do three things.

First, I toss the wedding ring Carlen designed for me into the furnace.

Second, I save the video of Lily Chalvez flaunting her pregnancy to provoke me onto a flash drive.

Third, I submit documents to the Pack Affairs Department, applying to become a researcher on the isolated Icebound Island.

The day I leave the pack happens to be our seventh wedding anniversary.

I'll vanish from his life like a wisp of smoke.

I swallowed the bitter red wine, forcing myself to appear calm.

My voice was barely audible. "How far along is she?"

Carlen Alvarado seemed to jolt awake from a dream. The crystal wine glass in his hand suddenly shattered.

Shards instantly dug into his palm, and blood trickled between his fingers.

However, he didn't seem to care. He rushed over and pulled me into a tight embrace, his voice trembling. "Irene, it's not what you think. The pup was an accident!"

At his words, my wolf howled in despair within me.

Suppressing the sting in my throat, I asked word by word, "So, did you really make another woman carry your pup?"

Carlen just remained silent. He didn't answer.

I closed my eyes. Tears slid down silently.

The thought of him holding another woman like this made me instinctively shove him away and turn to leave.

Carlen pursued me to the door, but his phone rang at that moment.

I heard a saccharine voice on the other end.

"Alpha Carlen, your little pup is kicking me inside. It's driving me mad…"

My heart ached sharply, and I quickened my pace.

He didn't follow me again this time.

I smiled bitterly, unsure whether to feel relieved or heartbroken.

I reached out to my mentor, Hannah Rubio, who had once guided me with such care. "Professor Rubio, I've decided to join your medical research program on Icebound Island."

There was a hint of surprise from the other end of the line.

"Really? That's wonderful. We can use someone like you, especially a medical Ph.D. But this project is highly confidential. Once you're in, you won't be able to contact your pack. Will your Alpha agree to that? He cares about you a lot. He'll search the whole pack even if you just disappear for a short while."

My gaze dimmed as I quietly said, "I'm preparing to dissolve my mate bond with Alpha Carlen."

There was a brief pause on the line.

Hannah thoughtfully didn't pry further. She just replied, "Alright, I'll process the paperwork for you. You'll join the team in three days."

The moment I ended the call, the large screen behind me happened to be playing Carlen's exclusive interview.

The host noticed his subtle movement and smiled teasingly.

"Alpha Carlen, I noticed you keep touching your ring. It looks like a simple gold band. Does it have a special meaning?"

Carlen smiled gently. "This is my wedding ring."

"What? Given your current status, shouldn't your wedding ring be crafted from moonstone?"

He replied, "Seven years ago, I made this ring myself from gold. I carved it bit by bit, and I even engraved my Luna's name and mine on the inside."

"Wow, there really are two names! It's Carlen and..."

Carlen said, "Irene. My Luna's name is Irene Chandler."

"I truly envy your Luna. She must have been blessed by the Moon Goddess to become your mate."

Carlen's smile was tender.

"Actually, I was the one begging Moon Goddess countless times before Irene became my Luna. This year marks our seventh wedding anniversary. Seven years ago, she firmly supported me even when I was just an ordinary pack member. She even lost our first pup to save me…

"Irene is the only mate I'll ever have. In three days, I'll hold a grand wedding ceremony on our seventh anniversary so that all werewolves can witness my love for her," he said.

The surrounding werewolves expressed their envy. They kept praising him as the Alpha who cherished his Luna the most.

Yes, everyone thought Carlen valued me like his own life. Even I used to believe that before today.

I stared at the gold ring I'd worn for seven years. Carlen never let me take it off.

I walked into a workshop and said, "Please melt this ring down for me."

The craftsman looked at the ring in surprise, then glanced at me again. "Excuse me, are you Luna Irene?"

Another craftsman shook his head. "Don't be silly. This ring just happens to have the names Carlen and Irene, too. Alpha Carlen loves his Luna deeply. There's no way she'd melt it down."

Listening to their conversation, I forced a bitter smile, paid, and silently left.

I wandered aimlessly through the streets. Suddenly, I spotted Carlen's car parked by the roadside. It stopped there silently, almost as if it were waiting for someone.

Standing in the cold wind, I was overwhelmed by a storm of emotion as I stared at his car.

My steps involuntarily slowed, and a complex feeling surged within me.

I hated myself for still harboring hope. What was I hoping for? Was I hoping that he parked there to wait for me?

I didn't know if I should face him or turn to leave.

After a long hesitation, I took a deep breath and slowly approached the car. Every step felt like I was walking a tightrope.

However, Carlen suddenly got out of the car and hurried to the passenger side to open the door.

A young woman gently stroked her rounded belly as he carefully helped her out.

My breath hitched.

That young woman planted a sweet kiss on Carlen's cheek. Something shiny glinted on her left ring finger.

I looked closely. It turned out she was wearing a moonstone ring on her ring finger.

"Alpha Carlen, the ring you've given me is so beautiful. I believe our pup can already feel how much you love me."

Carlen gently draped his coat over her shoulders and bent to stroke her rounded bump.

"I'm looking forward to meeting our pup too," he said tenderly.

I watched them and laughed. But somehow, tears silently slipped down my face.

For seven years, Carlen had maintained an appropriate distance from other women. At one point, there were even rumors in the pack that he was averse to the opposite sex.

He never cared about these gossips, saying only that it was out of respect for his Luna.

Later, he even asked a professor for advice on how to be a better Alpha mate.

I used to tease him for taking it so seriously, but he always said it was to give me a sense of security.

Carlen once told me that his heart would only belong to me.

Yet now, he had given that unique love to the woman carrying his pup.

I watched silently until Carlen felt my gaze.

The moment our eyes met, he straightened up as if the woman in his arms had suddenly turned scalding hot.

He rushed over and took my hands in his.

Carlen's eyes were filled with concern as he asked, "Irene, why are your hands so cold? And why are you crying? You're making me so worried."

The concern in his eyes was so real that it made me waver for a moment.

However, behind him, the woman carrying his pup was watching me like a victor.

She was supporting her belly with one hand, while the other gently rubbed it in slow circles. Her gaze was provocative.

I pulled my hand from Carlen's and took two steps back.

"Who is she? Is the pup she's carrying… yours?" I asked with my last ounce of strength.

At that moment, I staked our seven-year marriage and all my courage on this question. As long as he denied it and said that pup wasn't his, I was willing to believe him and forget all the pain.

However, the woman suddenly let out a sob, as if mocking my naivety.

A flicker of guilt crossed Carlen's eyes.

He closed them in agony. And when he opened them again, he gave me the cruelest answer. "It's mine."

My legs instantly gave out, and I fell heavily to the ground. My palms scraped against the rough surface as I tried to brace myself.

Carlen immediately kneeled before me, his eyes filled with anxiety. "Irene, punish me if you want, but please don't hurt yourself."

He reached for my hands to check the injuries, but he suddenly froze. "Where's your wedding ring?"

Pulling my hand away, I smiled bitterly as I pointed in the other woman's direction. "Isn't it already on her finger? You only need one wedding ring."

When Carlen heard this, a panicked look filled his eyes. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't.

Suddenly, he raised his hand and slapped himself twice. The force was so great that red marks immediately appeared on his cheeks.

That woman immediately rushed over and shielded him with her body.

Her voice trembled, but she flashed a provocative look as she stared at me. "Irene, I'm Lily Chalvez. Alpha Carlen and I were forced to be together. Please don't blame him!"

Carlen's face instantly darkened, and his voice turned cold. "Do you think you have the right to call her name? You should address her as Luna Irene!"

Lily flinched slightly, but still raised her head and spoke again. "Luna Irene, please believe me, I'm still so young. If it wasn't for Alpha's mom, I never would have kept this pup!"

The moment those words escaped her lips, Carlen abruptly turned to her and shouted, "Don't!"

In that instant, I knew it would be impossible to save our marriage.

I didn't question Carlen further. I simply let him drive me home.

On the way, he explained everything about that incident.

Nine months ago, while negotiating a business deal, someone had spiked his drink with a strong aphrodisiac. In a haze, he was taken home by a waitress named Lily.

After that incident, he punished the establishment and gave Lily a sum of money as compensation. He told her to leave the Silvermoon Pack's territory.

However, he never expected her to end up being bred.

Carlen's mother, Judy Moran, found out about this incident. She brought Lily back to the pack and insisted on keeping what might be a future heir.

I knew how obsessed Judy was with heirs.

Right after our wedding seven years ago, Carlen and I were ambushed by rogues on our honeymoon.

During the escape, he was shot with a bullet laced with silver nitrate while protecting me.

He used the last of his strength to push me to safety so I could run. But how could I leave my mate behind?

I chose to stay, using my wolf's power to heal him and prevent him from dying from the silver poison.

By the time reinforcements from the pack arrived, I had drained nearly all of my wolf.

Carlen recovered quickly, but I lost the pup I'd been carrying during that incident. My wolf was also severely wounded. From that day on, I could no longer conceive.

After that, Carlen grew even more devoted to me. He said our souls were completely bonded, swearing that he would never leave me, no matter what.

However, Judy was extremely displeased with my inability to bear them an heir.

When Lily unexpectedly conceived Carlen's pup, it was no surprise how vehemently she would protect it.

…

In the car, Carlen held my hand tightly, guilt written all over his face. Through our mind-link, he spoke with deep remorse. "Irene, it was really just an accident… I'll give you a grand wedding to make it up to you."

Staring into his golden eyes, I held back the pain rising in my chest and asked, "Who do you choose—me or the pup?"

He fell silent, but I already had my answer.

That night, an invisible yet thick wall seemed to separate us. His embrace was still warm and familiar, but I had never felt so far away from him.

The next morning, Carlen was already gone. All he left behind was a note on the bedside table.

"There's an emergency in the pack. I've gone ahead. I made you breakfast. Don't forget to eat."

In fact, I'd heard Lily call him before dawn. She was the one who called him away.

Looking at the breakfast on the table, I suddenly felt a wave of nausea.

A thought rose in my mind. I went to the obstetrics and gynecology department in the pack's healing center.

When I saw the words "Pregnancy Confirmed" on the report in my hand, I laughed through tears.

The healer looked at me with pity and asked gently, "Have you decided what to do with the pup? Given your condition, you may never be able to conceive again if you give up this pup."

I thought for a long time before quietly giving my answer.

After leaving the healer center, I went to the luxurious estate Carlen had gifted me.

It was named after me.

My name was carved into the stone at the entrance of the estate. And just below it, there was a vow handwritten by Carlen.

"Together with my Luna, for eternity."

Looking at that, all I felt was a bitter irony.

This was Carlen's gift to me, our exclusive love nest. No other woman was allowed inside, except for the maids.

Yet now, I saw Lily in the estate.

She looked at me smugly, her tone full of provocation. "So this is the legendary Irene Estate that only the Alpha and Luna are allowed to enter. It doesn't seem that special. I got in without much trouble.

"I heard this place was your exclusive love nest. But Judy said it's perfect for pregnancy, so Carlen let me move in. You're not mad, are you? He didn't want anything in here to hurt the baby. That's why he replaced all the furniture with my favorite styles."

I looked around at the estate that had been completely transformed. The bitterness in my chest nearly choked me.

Memories flooded in like a tide, vivid before my eyes.

On our third mate-bond anniversary, Carlen had gone down on one knee and handed me the keys to this place. "Irene, I won't let anyone else step foot in here. This place carries the mark of our bond. It belongs to us, and only us."

This had once been the sanctuary of our love. Now, he had personally given it to another woman.

I felt as if all strength had been drained from my body. I could barely stand.

This place, once filled with love, had become a testament to my heartbreak.

"So how long do you plan to keep hogging the Luna title? Can't you see how much Carlen favors me and the pup?" Lily's words were filled with malice.

Hogging? Only when one occupied something that didn't belong to them was called hogging.

Perhaps in others' eyes, I truly didn't deserve the Luna position anymore.

I smiled wryly, and a sense of helplessness washed over me.

Suddenly, my gaze fell on an empty corner of the living room. Our wedding photo had once been there, but now it was gone.

"Where's my wedding photo with Carlen?" My voice trembled, rising without warning. Disbelief burned in my eyes.

"It upset me when I looked at it, so I asked Carlen to put it away," Lily said dismissively, as if discussing a trivial matter.

I glared at her. Reluctantly, she went to retrieve the wedding photo.

Right after that, a wicked smile curled on her lips. She directly set the photo on fire in front of me.

I lunged forward, trying to extinguish the flames.

Seizing the opportunity, Lily stumbled to the ground and cried out in pain.

I couldn't hear anything else. All I cared about was putting out the fire.

But Carlen's furious voice suddenly rang in my ears like thunder. "Irene, why did you push her?"