The headline caught my eye before I realized what I was looking at.

“Alpha Trent Holland and Monica Maze spotted at exclusive auction—sparks still flying after all these years.”

I sat frozen, staring at my phone screen as if it had betrayed me. There they were—Trent and Monica, dressed to perfection, glowing as if the world revolved around them. They stood close, smiling at each other with an intimacy that turned my stomach.

He told me he was on a pack summit with other Alphas. The auction wasn’t a political engagement, and Monica isn’t an Alpha.

I scrolled further, my hands trembling as I read the article. The words painted a nauseating picture of their chemistry, their “undeniable connection.” Each sentence felt like a claw ripping deeper into my chest.

I dropped my phone onto the couch as my chest tightened, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Then, I placed my hand gently on my stomach, closing my eyes as I took a slow, deep breath. This life growing inside me didn’t deserve to be tainted by my pain. My child was a blessing, a light in the darkness, and I would cherish him no matter what.

I went to the healer to ensure my child’s health. As she glided the enchanted stone over my stomach, the rhythmic flicker of my child’s heartbeat filled the room.

“Everything looks perfect. You’re carrying a strong Alpha.”

Alpha. My child might become Alpha one day or just be a typical werewolf. I don’t want them to grow up in a life of betrayal and disloyalty.

At the same time, relief washed over me, breaking through the layers of hurt. I was welled up with tears, but this was due to happiness. For the first time in weeks, I felt hope other than pain.

After leaving the infirmary, I knew what I had to do next. I went to the Alphas’ estate, which once felt like my home. But now, as I stood before the towering oak doors, I felt like an outsider.

The guards stiffened at my arrival. “Is Alpha Harper in his office?”

“Yes, Luna, but you can’t go in right now,” he said, shifting uneasily.

“Why not? I’m a Luna,” I said firmly, narrowing my eyes.

The warrior averted his gaze. “I’m sorry, Luna. I can’t say.”

My chest tightened, anger simmering beneath my shock. He hadn’t even told me he was back from his so-called summit.

The warrior guarding the door wasn’t moving at all until David arrived. “You’re a warrior of the pack. You shouldn’t defy your Luna.”

The warrior said nothing and just gave way to me. I would have thanked David, but remembering that he was hiding the truth from me, I didn’t care either.

The door was slightly ajar, and I hesitated briefly, my heart pounding. A part of me knew I shouldn’t look, that whatever I saw would only hurt me more. But curiosity and pain pushed me forward.

I peeked inside, and the air was knocked out of me.

Trent stood by his desk, and Monica was in his arms. Their faces were close, far too near. Then, as if on cue, his lips met hers.

That was when it felt like my entire world had collapsed instantly. They kissed, utterly oblivious to the world around them. The way his hand rested on her waist and her smile melted into his—it was as if nothing else mattered.

How dare you!!! My wolf screamed inside me, wanting to shift right there and then. I had to calm her down.

I wanted to storm in, to claw the perfect little bubble they had created for themselves. But I didn’t. This time, I didn’t run either. Instead, I reached for my phone with trembling hands. I snapped a photo, capturing the moment Monica looked up at him with that same sickening smile I’d seen in the auction pictures.

It was perfect.

Then, I walked back to my car. Once inside, I stared at the photo; the image seared into my mind. I opened a dummy account on the pack’s network, uploaded the picture, and sent it directly to Henry, Monica’s mate.

Back home, I packed everything Trent had given me over the past five years and carried the boxes downstairs. I lit the fire and tossed them in individually, watching the flames consume my past.

As the fire roared to life, Monica appeared out of nowhere and, without saying a word, kicked one of the boxes. Embers and ash scattered, some even landing on her, but she only smiled.

I narrowed my eyes. “What are you doing, Monica?”

“Oh, sorry! I just slipped. I didn’t mean to do it.” She acted innocent, her smile unwavering. “Wait, are these things from Trent? Why are you burning them? Did you finally realize how useless you are to him?”

I raised a brow. “Excuse me?”

“I’m just saying... You couldn’t even protect your mother back then. You know, when she died? You were so useless.”

“How could you utter my mother with your filthy mouth?”

A fire hotter than the flames before me ignited in my chest. Without thinking, I slapped her across the face. It wasn’t even that hard, but she fell straight into the fire.

I blinked in surprise. I hadn’t expected it, but before I could react, a figure rushed forward, knocking me to the ground as he caught Monica in his arms.

I thought my heart couldn’t shatter anymore, but it did—especially when Trent turned on me with a snarl.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Lucy?” His golden eyes darkened with anger, his fangs slightly bared. “Monica came here to say hi, and then you attacked her like a rabid wolf?”

I picked myself up, brushing the dirt from my clothes, but my glare didn’t waver. “She insulted my mother. Do you think I would just stand there and take it? And you—” I exhaled sharply, trying to keep my composure. “You never even told me the truth about what happened to her. You just said the healers failed. That’s it?”

A flicker of panic crossed his face before he masked it with a cold stare. “We already discussed this. Her wounds were fatal. The healers did their best, but it wasn’t enough.”

He was lying. I could smell it, the slight change in his scent, the way his heartbeat skipped just once. But I wasn’t going to expose him yet. Revenge had to be carefully planned.

Before I could press further, Monica, ever the manipulator, placed a delicate hand on his chest. “It’s okay, Trent,” she whispered, her voice filled with fake sympathy. “I think she’s still upset over Henry breaking their mate bond to be with me. Maybe I deserved that slap. Consider this my way of making peace.”

She cast me a pitying look before turning away with him. Halfway down the path, she sighed dramatically. “If she despises me so much, maybe we should stop seeing each other. I don’t want to cause problems for you, Trent.”

I clenched my fists. This was my final straw. I was done with Trent Holland. Ignoring them, I continued to burn five years of my life—every memory and every lie reduced to ash. A little later, my phone vibrated with a message.

I’m sorry, love. I know asking you to apologize hurt you, but Monica is leading the Crescent Moon alliance deal. I didn’t want unnecessary conflict. Once this is over, I’ll make it up to you. I got you a gift. Just don’t be upset, okay?

I didn’t reply. I had learned my lesson. Trent didn’t love me—he loved Monica. I was just a convenient placeholder.

I packed my bag and left the packhouse. The guest lodge was quiet and secluded, which I needed. I had barely settled in when my phone rang. It was one of the pack’s secretaries.

“Luna, are you not attending today’s meeting with the elders?”

I was about to refuse when a voice in the background caught my attention—Trent. He was issuing orders.

“Get the best healers. I don’t care how much it costs—make sure Monica recovers quickly.”

I laughed bitterly. A single scratch, and he was willing to drain the pack’s resources for her. My mother had bled out in agony, and he had done nothing.

“I won’t be attending,” I told the secretary before hanging up.

Moments later, Trent started calling me. I let it ring until curiosity got the better of me. I answered in silence, listening as he spoke distractedly to someone else.

“Alpha, revising the treaty with the Crescent Moon pack will cost us a fortune. Are you sure about this?”

“No need to reconsider. Do it. Monica wants this deal, and what she wants, she gets.”

My grip on the phone tightened. A few seconds later, he finally realized I was on the line. “Lucy? I heard you missed the elders’ meeting. Is everything okay?”

“I’m not feeling well.”

“Oh, I see. I’ll cancel my plans and come home. Just rest, okay?”

My wolf raged after heariing it. Home? As if he still considered it our home. I didn’t care where he went. He had made his choice.

I scrolled through social media, mindlessly watching videos, until a live stream of the city showed something interesting in the background. It was Trent and Monica. He was holding a dress up against her, smiling, laughing. His hands brushed against hers, their body language far too intimate for a man who claimed he loved someone else.

It was time. I called my lawyer and instructed the documents to Trent’s office. Then, I called the agency to finalize the details of my plan.

Not long after, his secretary burst into his office. “Alpha, we have a problem. The Gamma informed us that Luna Lucy had performed a severance ritual. And…” she hesitated, her voice barely a whisper. “She knows what happened to her mother.”

I watched the live security footage from my hidden location. Seeing his face twist in shock, but before he could respond, another staff member rushed in, looking pale.

“Alpha! Luna Lucy…she’s dead.” The silence in the office was deafening.

The color drained from Trent’s face as he staggered back. His breath came in short, shallow gasps.

“What?”

“She… she took her own life,” the staff member stammered. “She couldn’t bear what you did to her mother.”