Ava’s POV

The morning was silent, heavy, almost cruel.

Maribel was gone. Her absence was a weight pressing into my chest, stubborn and

unkind. Every corner of the packhouse reminded me that the killer lived under the same roof.

The one I called my alpha. The one I still served with a fake smile. The life inside me, the pulse in my womb, was the only thing keeping me steady.

It was my birthday. Not that anyone around me cared. Not even Xavier probably noticed. But I needed it. A tiny celebration for myself. A reminder that something was mine, untouchable, safe, even if only in my head.

I went straight to the kitchen. Hazelnut cake. My favorite. I baked it slowly.

The oven’s warmth was a small comfort. It smelled like home, like something I could claim just for me. The timer chimed. Cake cooled. I slipped into a floral dress, light and soft, above the knee. A small defiance against the darkness in my chest. Against the grief.

Against the knowledge that the people who ruled my life would use this against me.

Back in the kitchen, I froze. Liezel. Already slicing a piece. She hadn’t even let me blow out the candle. Not a single chance to make a wish.

Seconds later, her face changed. Her eyes widened. She clutched her throat. Gasps tore through her chest. Hazelnut. Her allergy.

Panic flared. “Liezel! Are you-”

“You did this on purpose!” she wheezed, dragging me forward, shaking me like she could push the truth out of me. “I know you hate me. I know you think I’m stealing Alpha Xavier. I know you’ve hated me since we were kids, but this, this is low! Are you trying to kill me?!”

My stomach twisted. “I baked it for myself, Liezel. For me… I never meant-”

A shadow moved faster than my eyes could follow. Xavier. Black coat, sharper than sunlight on glass. He caught her before she fell, arms steady and unyielding. Her panic faded the moment she saw him.

“What happened?” His voice was calm, cold. Like ice over a blade.

“She- she tried to kill me! Hazelnuts! She’s evil, Xavier! She really is!” Liezel gasped,

trembling. She stumbled, and Xavier caught her fully, protective, towering.

“I- Alpha- It wasn’t my intention!” I tried to explain, words spilling. “I baked it for myself.

I swear, I never meant to hurt anyone, especially not Liezel!”

He grabbed me by the hair, yanking me close. Pain flared through my scalp. “You baked the cake for yourself?” His voice was venomous. “Then finish the whole thing, you ungrateful little bitch!”

Before I could respond, he shoved my face into the cake. Soft, sweet frosting crushed against my skin. My hands clawed at him, my cries cut off by the cold, merciless power in his arms.

I struggled, but he didn’t stop. My body shook. Every thought was chaos. Maribel. The baby. Alexander. The years of pretending. The constant survival. All of it collided in that one moment.

Finally, he let go. I sank to the floor, trembling, frosting and tears mixing into a paste on my cheeks.

Xavier lifted me effortlessly, carrying me through the estate. Silence, except my ragged

sobs. Every step was a reminder that power wasn’t kind, that cruelty wasn’t

occasional, it was permanent. At the hospital, Liezel was already being treated.

Xavier’s gaze never left me. His warning was sharp.

“Liezel is sick. Pray nothing happens to her. If it does… You will pay.”

The chaos settled. Wolves moved silently, dragging me. My struggles were weak,

useless.

“Where- what- ” I tried to shout, but Xavier’s shadow fell over me. In his hand, a peanut

butter. My allergy. My stomach dropped. Panic clawed my chest.

“You caused this,” he said, every word a whip across my mind. “You did everything on

purpose, didn’t you? Now, you’ll feel what she felt.”

He pushed me forward. Wolves held me steady. I screamed. I begged. My body shook,

limbs flailing. He forced the peanut butter into my mouth. Swallow. My body screamed. I

gagged, choked, tasted my own panic mixed with the bitter nut paste.

When they finally let me go, I collapsed. Vomit burned my throat. Darkness pressed

against my eyelids. My throat was closing. My lungs screamed.

I woke in a hospital bed. Alone. Silence except for the hum of machines. My heart

thumped erratically.

A gentle knock. The doctor entered, calm. “You’re lucky. Not enough peanut butter to harm the baby. But… it could have been fatal.”

My hand flew to my stomach. “The pup… is it-”

“Nothing to worry about,” the doctor said, with a warm smile. “Strong heartbeat. Perfect. All

good.”

I exhaled, a trembling, shallow thing. Relief and terror collided.

“Did… did you tell Alpha Xavier?” I whispered, voice raw.

The doctor shook his head. “Never my place. And… consider yourself lucky. He brought you in immediately. Warned you to be careful next time. You have a… carrying husband.”

The words tasted like iron. “Carrying husband…” Bitter. I wanted to laugh, scream, and cry.

If only anyone knew. If only they knew how twisted this all was. How the one I loved,

feared, served, Xavier was the same man who almost ended me.

The life inside me kept beating. That steady pulse was a lifeline. A reminder. I wasn’t powerless. Not yet.

I would survive.

I would endure.

Even if it meant hiding every truth, pretending every day, playing the perfect Luna while my body and mind were a battlefield. Even with Xavier’s cruelty sharpening around me, even with Liezel’s venom, even with the pack’s whispers, my secret, my child, my strength, they would not touch.

And if they tried… I would outlast them.

The pulse inside me was hope. And hope could be a weapon.

Ava’s POV

Morning came slowly, but not kindly.

I got discharged. Alone. As usual.

Good. I was alive. The child inside me was alive. That was enough. For now.

Weakness clung to me like a second skin. Every step hurt, every breath reminded me of yesterday, the hospital, the peanut butter, Xavier, the wolves. My stomach churned, but I forced myself up. Forced myself out.

The hospital smelled like disinfectant and false cheer. I signed the discharge papers, my hand trembling despite my control.

I paused near a private ward. Laughter, too warm, too familiar, drifted out. It was Liezel. And him. Xavier.

I froze.

Of course. Of course, he’d choose to be here with her. Of course, he hadn’t even bothered to check on me. The one he almost killed, the one he humiliated, the one

carrying his child… and he didn’t look back.

I let out a bitter laugh. Silent. Shaking my head, trying not to cry, trying not to scream.

The doctor spoke, sweet and unaware of the venom in my chest. “Miss Liezel, I could say it a hundred times, and I’d still mean it. I envy you… Having a caring man by your side. Alpha Xavier never left you, not once. He made sure everything was fine. He made sure you could recover quickly.”

Liezel smiled. That honeyed, perfect, practiced smile. Her hand glided over Xavier’s shoulder.

“I get the envy, Doctor,” she said, voice soft but loud enough for me. “What can I say?

Xavier and I… we were always in love. We’re inseparable. They say a good alpha can only be a good one if he treats his mate right, yes?”

Their laughter echoed in my ears like knives. Sharp, precise, intentional.

I swallowed hard and walked on. My steps stiff. My chest is hollow. My stomach is twisting.

Near the hospital exit, a nurse caught up to me. She handed me my phone. A lifeline in

the chaos. I took it silently. Nodded. Didn’t speak.

And then, of course, they emerged. Xavier and Liezel. Hand in hand. Perfect.

Untouchable. Their smiles pristine, their poses rehearsed, the image of a life I would

never have.

Caught, I faked a smile. Small, polite, empty.

And for a second, just a flicker, Xavier’s eyes softened. Guilt? A hint, buried under years of control. A pause. But then it was gone.

He snorted. “Liezel and I have to go somewhere first. You should return to the packhouse. Look after Alexander for a while.”

Like a good little lamb. Like I always had.

I nodded again. Forced. Controlled. Smile fixed.

Once, this treatment, his distance, his command, his silent superiority would have broken me. I would have cried. Blamed myself. Believed I was the problem. Always.

But now… now I knew. Now I knew the truth. Now I knew everything he had done, everything he had hidden, everything he had planned.

And all that remained was a hollow space inside me. A vacuum of rage, fear, and something darker: resolve.

I watched them leave. Every detail. Xavier carefully helped Liezel into the car, adjusting her seatbelt like she was fragile porcelain. Watching him look at her… the way he’d never looked at me.

I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t scream. I didn’t run. I only let the observation sink in.

In the packhouse, I threw myself into my duties, playing the obedient servant Xavier wanted me to be, more omega than Luna of this pack.

Still weak, I chopped vegetables, stirred the soup, and later tended to Alexander. I played

with him, cared for him, and acted like a mother to my husband’s son… even though he belonged to another woman.

I assisted where necessary. But my hands stayed steady, my expression neutral. I

didn’t cry. I didn’t complain. I didn’t let anyone see the storm raging behind my eyes.

Night fell. Exhaustion hit. I collapsed on my bed. Phone in hand, fingers trembling slightly from fatigue and lingering fear.

And then, almost immediately, I saw it. His post. Xavier.

Liezel on his lap. Overlooking the city skyline from an expensive restaurant, I had

begged him to take me to. The one he said would “look cheap on me.”

Liezel smiling. Perfect. Untroubled. Safe. In his arms.

I stared. My stomach knotted. My teeth clenched. My heart, hollow, empty, ached in that familiar way.

The caption? Polished, casual, cruel: “A good alpha makes sure his mate is protected.

Every moment counts.”

I scrolled. Liked it. My thumb hovered, then pressing the screen automatically. A hollow

gesture. A lie to myself. A pretend that I belonged to this world, that I had some control.

I knew it was bitter. Poisonous. I knew what it meant, even if no one else did.

Liezel was safe. Xavier was attentive. And I… I was left with ashes of my pride, the

shadow of my anger, and a life that wasn’t mine to hold.

My fingers shook as I put the phone down. Forced myself to sleep.

Even in darkness, even in exhaustion, even in the quiet, I remembered everything.

Maribel. The peanut butter. The humiliation. The lies. Alexander. The child I carried.

Everything was still mine. If I survived.

And I would.

Because cruelty didn’t just erase people.

It created shadows.

And I was learning how to move in the dark.

AVA’S POV

I woke up before everyone else, or so I thought. I rose slowly, each movement deliberate, testing my body. Weakness still clung to me, but I forced it aside. The day would not wait for me to recover. Alexander needed me. The packhouse would demand me. The world would not slow for anyone.

I was alone, and somehow, that felt worse than being hunted.

The first thing I noticed was the cold. My hands trembled as I pressed them over my

stomach, the life inside me pulsing softly against the rising dread.

I slid out of bed, careful not to disturb the sheets, bare feet whispering against the

marble floor. Every step toward the kitchen made me feel exposed, like the walls themselves were judging me.

Passing Xavier’s old room, the sound of moans froze me mid-step.

My wolf growled low in my chest. Leave, Ava. Don’t look.

But the human part of me, the part that still hoped my alpha might hold even a shred of

respect, led me closer.

The door was slightly ajar. I peeked.

Xavier was in bed. And Liezel, naked, straddling him, moving as if he belonged to her

entirely. My stomach twisted violently. My hands shook, my heart pounded, and yet, I

couldn’t tear my eyes away for just a moment.

Then I turned and ran.

Tears streaked my face as I entered the kitchen. I chopped, stirred, and cleaned, all with

hands that refused to stop trembling. I couldn’t stop seeing it, the way he looked at her,

the careless laughter, the intimacy I would never know.

“Good morning,” Xavier’s voice boomed from the doorway, and I flinched. Shirtless.

Dominant. Expectant.

“Morning,” I whispered, voice tight.

Liezel followed, laughing softly, wearing only the lingerie, my lingerie that Xavier had gifted me on our wedding night. My chest tightened. Every memory of love, of marriage,

of hope, felt like shards of glass pressing against my ribs.

“Prepare my breakfast,” Xavier ordered. “And hers. Get her tea, her favorite. Alexander,

coat on. You’ll take him to the park.”

I nodded, swallowing back bile. “Yes, Alpha,” I murmured, my voice hollow, obedient.

“Alexander, breakfast first,” Xavier said, casually stroking the nape of his neck. Liezel

laughed beside him. “Make sure it’s hot. I like my tea strong, darling.”

I moved mechanically. Chopped eggs. Buttered bread. Carried plates and tea as if my

hands belonged to someone else. My heart ached with every glance Xavier gave Liezel,

every whispered joke I wasn’t part of, every casual touch that belonged to someone

else entirely.

“Here,” I said, placing the tea in front of her. My fingers brushed her hand for a fraction of a second. She smiled. No recognition. No acknowledgment. Nothing.

Xavier’s eyes flicked to me. “Move it,” he said, voice sharp. “Take Alexander out before he loses patience.”

I nodded silently. Alexander tugged at my hand, unaware of the storm swirling inside me.

At the park, the sun was sharp. Children screamed and ran, and Alexander’s laughter rang like bells.

My phone vibrated once in my palm, an unfamiliar comfort. A call. Magnus. My

childhood best friend from the orphanage, the one I hadn’t spoken to since I married

Xavier is now the only heir to the Sharpfang Pack. I didn’t call back. I couldn’t risk it.

But the knowledge that someone who had truly known me long ago still thought to check on me lingered longer than the vibration itself.

I answered cautiously. “Magnus?”

“How are you, Ava?” His voice was steady, gentle, the kind of voice that could untangle

years of fear.

“I’m fine,” I said, voice tight. “I’m… fine.”

He didn’t buy it. “You’re not. What’s wrong?”

I hesitated. The truth would open doors I wasn’t ready to cross. I shook my head.

“Nothing. Really. Just… tired.”

There was silence for a moment, then he said softly, “Ava… I’ve been here. Always. If you ever need me, I’ll help. All you have to do is say it.”

I stared at the phone long after the call ended. His words echoed. Always here… ready

to help… A lifeline I hadn’t realized I still craved.

Back at the house, the memory of Xavier and Liezel clung to me like smoke. I cooked,

served, cleaned, and obeyed, every motion deliberate, silent. Every order followed

without complaint, every ounce of pain swallowed like medicine.

“Tea, Alpha,” I said, setting the cup down carefully.

“Thanks,” Xavier murmured, not looking at me.

Liezel giggled. “You always know exactly how I like it.”

I pressed my lips together. A small, bitter smile. Inside, I burned. Outside, I bowed my

head and served.

Alexander tugged at my hand again. “Auntie Ava, swing!”

“Yes,” I whispered. He ran ahead, and I followed, letting the fresh air wash over me,

trying to purge the suffocating heaviness of the house.

Hours passed. I thought of Magnus’s words. I’m here. Always.

Could I trust him? Could I reach out? Or was it a fantasy, a fleeting hope in a life full of

betrayals?

I sank onto a park bench, hands pressed to my stomach. The life inside me pulsed, warmly, stubbornly.

We exist. We survive.

I whispered it aloud. “We will survive. We will be stronger. We’ll endure.”

And in that quiet, with the wind in my hair and the distant laughter of children, I realized

something.

I didn’t need Xavier’s acknowledgment.

I didn’t need Liezel’s approval.

I had a child.

I had Magnus’s promise.

I had my own will.

And that was enough.

I would survive. Not just for me. Not just for him. Not for anyone else.

But for the life that belonged to no one but me.

Whatever came next, whatever choices I had to make, I would protect that life.

And if Magnus’s hand was offered… perhaps it was time to take it.

The world could try to break me.

It could try to erase me.

But it wouldn’t.

Not anymore.