Rio Hayes, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, stood by my side, his large frame towering over me as he gently patted my back. His tears were silent, but I could feel their weight—insincere and hollow. I looked up at him, my Luna instincts screaming at the deception in his scent. How could he stand here, pretending to grieve when his heart was elsewhere?

Just as my emotions threatened to overflow, Theodora Collins entered the room. Her presence was like a storm, her golden hair catching the light as she cast a scornful glance at Amos’s lifeless body. She leaned close to Rio, her voice a low murmur in German, "Darling, our son is still waiting to celebrate his birthday. Why are you here in the morgue with the departed? This is such bad luck. Let's go quickly."

Rio’s eyes flicked toward me, uncomfortable, and he replied, "I’ll be right there." He stood, his Alpha aura pressing against me as he tried to coax me to rise with him.

I didn’t move. My gaze locked on Theodora, my wolf bristling beneath the surface. Noticing my scrutiny, Theodora offered a brief, apologetic smile and switched to English, saying, "Luna Valeria, my condolences. There's a matter that needs Alpha Rio’s attention. Could we borrow him for a few hours?"

Despite her seemingly courteous words, her demeanor was unmistakably that of someone in charge. She didn’t address me with the respect a Luna deserved, and her scent—vanilla and something sharper—carried the faint tang of triumph.

As I watched, Rio and Theodora departed, their fingers intertwined even before leaving the morgue. The bond between them was palpable, a cruel mockery of the mate bond I had once shared with him. Swallowing my grief, I brought Amos's body back to our pack’s territory in England.

I visited every sacred burial ground in the region, selecting a peaceful resting place for him. It was situated between rolling hills and near a river, about a mile from the hunting grounds Amos adored. The pack’s healers prepared his body with the traditional herbs and markings, ensuring his spirit would find peace in the Moon Goddess’s embrace.

Rio knew I had returned but never reached out. Instead, he arranged for a housekeeper and had a selection of organic vegetables delivered, instructing her to prepare meals for me regularly. His Alpha tone was firm, but it lacked the warmth of a true mate’s concern.

But I had no appetite, visibly wasting away. The housekeeper, a Delta in our pack, updated Rio on my condition. I overheard the call. After listening, he merely responded with a detached "hmm" before hanging up.

On the day of Amos’s burial, I dialed his number. Theodora answered, her voice breathless, calling me "Luna Valeria" and saying Rio was busy. Her tone was sweet, but I could hear the smirk in her words.

I chuckled—busy indeed, but with another woman. I hung up and laid my son to rest. The day was sunny, perfect for a pack run, yet my Amos lay in a cold grave. Holding his baby photos, I nearly fainted, my tears seeming endless.

Not until the sun vanished below the horizon did I return to the chilly emptiness of what was once my home. Normally, by this hour, the dinner table would be set with roasted venison, fresh herbs, and a steaming pot of tea, but today the house was eerily silent.

As I pondered this, Rio called. "Luna," he began, his voice smooth and commanding, "I let the housekeeper go because her cooking didn’t meet your standards. I’m back in the territory and almost home. I’ll make dinner tonight, just wait for me."

Mimicking his indifferent tone, I simply replied, "Hmm."

Rio seemed momentarily taken aback, as I had never spoken to him so coldly before. Before he could respond, I ended the call.

Barely putting my phone away, an Instagram notification popped up—a video liked by a packmate. I clicked it to find a travel clip posted by Theodora, ending with a silhouette unmistakably belonging to Rio.

Her profile was a diary of sorts, documenting the everyday moments of her life with Rio and their son, Callahan. The earliest post was from seven years ago, on the very day I gave birth to Amos.

In the video, Theodora, wearing vintage-style maternity clothes, gleamed at the camera. Subsequent clips were filled with scenes of their cozy family time in the villa next to mine. Watching Rio play affectionately with another son, my heart grew colder.

With Amos, he had always been the stern Alpha, the disciplinarian. I never knew he had such a gentle side.

Back when I invested every penny I had into his vision for the pack, to avoid hindering him, I endured the heartbreak of seven miscarriages and my health deteriorated. The pack healers warned me of the toll it was taking on my wolf, but I persisted, driven by the belief that our bond was unbreakable.

After his pack succeeded, he finally agreed to have a child. We spent three years trying, until eventually, IVF blessed us with Amos.

On the day Amos was born, Rio wept like a child, promising to protect and love us forever. Yet, within a year, he had impregnated Theodora, and I only now discovered the truth.

How painfully ironic. The mate bond we once shared felt like a distant memory, replaced by the sharp sting of betrayal.

In the early hours of the morning, Rio stumbled back into our packhouse. I was waiting for him in the grand living room, my Luna aura simmering just beneath the surface. He reeked of alcohol, his Alpha dominance dulled by the haze of intoxication as he leaned in to kiss my forehead. "Valeria, I'm home," he mumbled, his words slurred.

I shifted away, forcing myself to tolerate his presence despite the stench. Rio plopped down beside me, wrapping an arm around my waist, muttering incoherently. I ignored his drunken ramblings and asked coldly, "You’ve been back for days. Where have you been?"

He didn’t reply, resting his head on my shoulder as if he’d passed out. My sharp gaze caught the faint red mark on his neck—Theodora’s scent lingered on him like a poison. With a bitter smile, I shoved him away and tossed the mate severance papers at him. "Rio, I want to sever our bond."

His eyes flickered open, a sharp glint breaking through his drunken haze before he replaced it with a pitiable look, pulling me closer. "Valeria, I know you’re still grieving Amos. I’ve been avoiding you because I couldn’t face it either. I drank to numb the pain. Please, don’t do this."

He avoided the subject of severance, and I knew why. The Silver Moon Pack’s resources were ours to share, and severing our bond would mean dividing them. He couldn’t accept that. Knowing an argument now would be futile, I headed upstairs to the Alpha suite, my heart heavy.

I couldn’t sleep. As dawn broke, just as I started to drift off, a loud crash from downstairs jolted me awake. I rushed down to find Amos’s favorite carved wolf figurines shattered on the floor, pieces scattered everywhere.

My heart clenched, and my Luna aura flared as I turned to the culprit, Callahan. "Haven’t you been taught respect? Who told you to touch my son’s things?"

Startled, Callahan began to cry. Theodora swept him into her arms, tears in her eyes as she looked at me with feigned innocence. "I’m sorry, Luna Valeria. Callahan didn’t mean to."

Rio entered then, his Alpha presence filling the room. He took in the scene and dropped the documents he was holding to go to their side, wrapping them both in his arms. His voice was sharp, laced with an Alpha tone that sent a shiver through me. "Valeria, was that necessary? They’re just figurines. They can be replaced. Why overreact?"

Callahan stuck his tongue out at me from the safety of Rio’s embrace, fearless. Theodora gave me a triumphant look, her eyes glinting with victory.

Fury surged through me, and I stormed down the stairs, trembling with rage. I slapped Rio hard across the face, my hand stinging from the force. "You’re a disgrace, Rio!"

"Ah! Alpha Rio, are you alright?" Theodora shrieked, her hands instinctively cupping his face.

Rio held her hands, his eyes flashing with anger as he glared at me. "Feel better now?"

Tears streamed down my face as I sank to the floor, painstakingly gathering the shattered pieces of Amos’s figurines. Theodora’s pointed heels kept jabbing into my hand as she pretended to avoid me, each time more painful than the last.

She feigned surprise each time, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "I’m sorry, Luna Valeria, it was an accident," yet her apologies were as insincere as her actions were deliberate. Rio watched without intervening, instead leading Theodora and Callahan to the couch, handing Callahan the documents he’d picked up.

"You like the hunting territory near the mountains, right? Your godfather is gifting it to you now," Rio said, his voice cold and calculated.

It was absurd. Our son had died during a pack hunt, and here he was, gifting territory to another child. Rio watched for my reaction as he made the announcement. But I was like a puppet with cut strings, silently collecting the shattered pieces.

Callahan, thrilled with the gift, bounced on the couch. "Be careful," Theodora advised, steadying him. The three of them exchanged smiles, looking like a perfect family. I was just an outsider.

Once Callahan calmed down, Theodora brought him over. "Remember, Callahan, I said we were here to comfort your godmother. This is her. Say hello."

Reluctantly, Callahan mumbled a greeting. It cut deeper than any wound. I pushed him away, my voice trembling. "I’m not your godmother. Leave me alone!"

Theodora shot me a venomous look, holding her wailing son as she returned to Rio’s side. "Luna Valeria, you’re so ungrateful! We came to support you after your loss, and this is how you repay us? No wonder you lost your son!"

My eyes burned as I looked at Rio, my voice shaking with barely contained fury. "Do you even hear what you’re saying, Rio? Amos was your son too!"

His cold indifference finally snapped something inside me. I lunged at him, desperate and furious, my wolf snarling in the back of my mind.

Fed up, Rio shielded Theodora and Callahan, eventually shoving me away with a growl. "You’re out of control!" he spat. "Theodora, let’s go!"

They left, and I was alone, sobbing uncontrollably as the door clicked shut behind them. The packhouse felt colder than ever, the silence deafening. My wolf whimpered softly, a quiet reminder that I was still here, still fighting, even if it felt like I’d already lost everything.