Kaia’s POV

I should have felt joy. Nine moons carrying a life inside me, I should’ve been glowing—celebrated, cherished.

Instead, every step through the pack infirmary felt like I was trudging through ice.

The healer’s voice still clung to me, soft but laced with gravity.

“We need to prepare for all possibilities,” she had said. “These signs… they’re not common for expecting mothers. Let’s hope for the best, but we must be ready for the truth when the results return.”

Her words haunted me more than the sterile walls or the faint scent of herbs meant to soothe.

Something was terribly wrong in my body—and in my life.

I wasn’t trembling because of fear alone.

I was trembling because the one who vowed to stand beside me was nowhere to be found.

Alden should’ve been holding my hand.

My Alpha. My fated mate. My husband.

But duty, he always said, came first.

Pack duties. Reports. Patrols. Meetings.

Excuses layered like armor shielding a lie.

I rounded a corner—and the illusion shattered completely.

“…you don’t have to carry this guilt,” his voice murmured, gentle in a way I hadn’t heard in months.

A woman answered, her tone silky with practiced sorrow.

“I never meant to intrude on your life, Alden. If the Moon Goddess hadn’t taken my mate from me, I wouldn’t be leaning on you like this.”

Marinal. The ghost from his past who suddenly walked back into his future.

And his voice—soft, reverent, a vow that wasn’t meant for me—

“You’re not a burden. I told you I’d look after you—and I stand by that.”

My wolf growled inside me—betrayal echoing in my bones before my mind even caught up.

Two pregnant she-wolves.

One adored. One abandoned.

Funny how destiny was supposed to be sacred… but it felt like a cruel joke instead.

I tried to move—just escape before my heart ripped completely—but a healer stepped into the room, bright-voiced and unsuspecting.

“Alpha, what a surprise! And Luna, you and the baby look wonderfully healthy!”

Marinal flushed, lowering her lashes.

“Oh—I’m not the Luna.”

The stunned look on the healer’s face twisted a blade straight through me.

“He attends all your check-ups,” she murmured. “I simply assumed…”

I didn’t stay. I couldn’t.

I walked away before I broke in front of them, hand gripping my belly like it was the only thing anchoring me to this world.

A memory hit—sharp as claws.

Me, collapsing on the cold tiles one night, coughing blood.

Begging him to come.

And him saying, “Marinal strained her leg. She needs me more.”

That was the night something inside me died.

Whispers followed me through the pack grounds—some pitying, most cruel.

When I reached our den and smelled her scent mixed with his, my knees nearly gave.

I sat on the bed that used to feel like sanctuary and dialed the one Alpha who never failed me.

“Dad…” My voice cracked open.

“Kaia?” Alarm instantly flooded his tone. “Tell me what happened.”

And so I did. Every wound, every humiliation, every moment I felt myself disappearing in a place I once called home.

“I want to come back,” I breathed. “I want my child born someplace safe. I’m cutting the bond. I can’t stay here anymore.”

Silence—steady, strong—then his voice wrapped around me like armor.

“Leave them. You belong to us. Neither that pack nor that Alpha deserves you.”

Tears slid down my face, warm and freeing.

“I’ll make arrangements. One week.”

“You and your pup will always have a place here,” he promised. “Never doubt that.”

When the call ended, I pressed a hand to my belly. A small kick answered—a promise, a plea, a blessing.

“We’re leaving,” I whispered, tears trembling with determination. “I’ll protect you. I won’t fail you.”

And this time, the vow belonged to me alone.

Kaia’s POV

The doctor’s assistant approached the moment I stepped into the clinic the next morning, holding a sealed envelope gingerly between her fingers.

“Luna Kaia,” she spoke softly, offering it to me, “these are your test results. The doctor will need to discuss treatment plans and medical steps with you.”

The envelope felt as if it weighed a hundred pounds when I accepted it. My fingers trembled while she continued, almost whispering, “She mentioned your symptoms don’t correlate with pregnancy. You’ll understand once you read it. Let’s hope things aren’t as bad as they seem, alright?”

Hope. Everyone kept repeating that word, gently, like I might shatter if it wasn’t there to cling to. Maybe they were right. I pressed the envelope to my chest, terrified of the truth hidden inside the thin paper.

Nothing stayed down when I ate anymore. My body ached constantly, as though every muscle had been wrung dry. My spine screamed with pain most days, and the dizziness made even breathing feel heavy. My wolf—usually fierce and alert so late in pregnancy—had gone eerily quiet, as though she knew something and didn’t want me to panic.

I sat outside on the bench, exhausted just from walking. I stared at the envelope, too afraid to break the seal. My gaze drifted toward the adjoining wing of the hospital.

And that’s when he appeared.

Alden.

My husband. My mate. The Alpha the Goddess chose for me.

He walked slowly down the corridor beside Marinal again, one hand resting protectively at the small of her back, guiding her like she was something precious and fragile. His head inclined toward her, voice low, gentle.

Tender.

Loving.

A tone I hadn’t heard directed at me in months.

They paused at a desk. Alden disappeared into a physician’s office to retrieve her medical chart. Marinal remained outside, dramatically stroking her bump like she was posing for a portrait.

My throat burned. I looked away before tears could spill. The envelope in my grip felt like it might burst into flames. Swallowing my nausea, I forced myself to stand. I refused to fall apart where anyone could see.

But fate had other plans.

Marinal’s eyes found me. Her lips curled, pleased to have an audience. She sauntered over, every step fueled by arrogance.

“Luna,” she greeted syrup-sweet, “wandering around staring like this won’t bring your bond back. It’s pathetic, really—holding onto something already dead.”

I didn’t flinch. “Interesting words coming from someone who crawled back after a failed mateship just to sink her claws into mine.”

Her composure cracked. Briefly. Then she lifted her chin smugly.

“I was his first. You? Just a filler. A temporary Luna. And now that I’m carrying his pup—maybe it’s time you step aside.”

The sting was sharp and instant. My wolf snarled, low and dangerous. I clutched the envelope.

“You’re vile,” I hissed. “If your fated mate rejected you, go back to him. Don’t tear apart someone else’s bond because you couldn’t keep your own.”

Her eyes glittered with venom.

“Oh, Kaia. Still pretending? That little baby inside you? He’ll forget soon enough. Why would he bother raising two pups when he could raise one with the woman he truly loves?”

A tremor ran through me. No. Alden promised me. He said her pup wasn’t his. He swore he was only helping her. He looked me in the eye and—

Then why did her words strike so deeply?

My hand protectively touched my belly. My wolf whimpered, but I straightened.

“Step away,” I warned. “You don’t want this getting ugly.”

But Marinal’s gaze flicked to the envelope.

“What’s that?” Her hand shot forward faster than I expected.

“Stop—give it back!”

Too late.

She ripped it open. Her eyes danced over the first page. Slowly, her mouth curled into triumph.

“Oh. Goddess above.” She laughed—actually laughed. “You’re sick. You have cancer?”

I froze.

And she laughed harder—cruel and delighted.

“How poetic. The Luna dying. Maybe the Moon Goddess favors me after all. You and your precious pup… might just fade away together.”

Something inside me shattered, sharp and violent.

My hand flew before I thought. Crack. My palm met her cheek.

Marinal stumbled, gasping theatrically. She crashed into a small table behind her; glass exploded as a vase broke. Then—deliberately—she slammed her palm into the shards, slicing herself.

Blood splashed.

“Help!” she screeched. “The Luna attacked me!”

A door burst open instantly.

Alden stormed out, eyes locking on Marinal first. He rushed to her side without sparing me a glance.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Kaia?!” He shoved me back, my balance wavering as I shielded my belly.

“I didn’t touch her—she staged it!” I protested desperately. “Alden, listen—”

“Alpha,” Marinal whimpered, leaning into him, “don’t blame her… she’s just emotional. I’m sorry. I don’t want to cause trouble.”

“She owes you an apology,” Alden snapped at me.

I lifted the test paper, stained with her blood. “Please. Read this. I’m— I’m sick. I have cancer—”

He slapped the paper out of my grasp. It slid across the tiles, sinking into the spreading blood. The letters blurred, drowning in red.

“I don’t have time for your theatrics,” he growled. “I am done tiptoeing around you.”

My lungs burned. “You’re choosing her. Even after this.”

“If you apologize to Marinal,” he replied coldly, “I will accompany you to your check-up. Say sorry first.”

I stared at him—this stranger who once promised to love me. Worship me. Protect me. My mate now demanded I bow to the woman who destroyed my life.

I looked at the ruined diagnosis on the floor. Then at him.

“No.”

“Kaia—”

“No.” My voice rose, strong and trembling. “You have broken me in ways even the Goddess would weep over.”

My pup kicked softly—as if reminding me why I had to stand tall.

“I won’t beg for crumbs of your affection anymore. And I will never apologize for defending my dignity.”

I turned away, spine straight, refusing to look back as I walked. This time, I would not crumble for him.

Kaia’s POV

As soon as I turned away from the hospital and stepped outside, everything around me faded into a dull hum. My wolf whimpered inside me—hurt, exhausted, silent—too drained even to bare her teeth. I should have shifted and run until the earth tore beneath my paws. But I was empty. Numb.

I had cancer.

The words still didn’t feel real. They floated in my head, blurry and surreal, like a nightmare I hadn’t woken from. And Alden—my mate, the father of the child growing inside me, my Alpha—had treated me like I was meaningless. Less than a stranger. He lifted the woman who shattered our life and carried her like his world revolved around her, while I stood alone, accused, dismissed, humiliated.

I was carrying his pup.

Yet he chose her.

Every step toward the Moonspire Packhouse felt heavier, like the ground wanted to swallow me whole. The breeze cut colder. Leaves rustled not in comfort, but like they whispered about my fall. The pack felt unfamiliar, foreign… hostile. As though the entire world witnessed my heartbreak and simply watched.

I reached our home—no, his home now—and hesitated in the doorway. The familiar blend of cedarwood and honey, Alden’s scent, was faint… already replaced by something floral. Lavender. Lilac.

Marinal.

Her smell clung to the house like rot beneath perfume.

My gaze landed on the photo from our mateship ceremony. His smile had been bright, real. His hand at my waist, our foreheads touching like fate was sealed between us. Slowly, I lifted the frame from the wall. My fingers did not tremble.

The crash when it hit the trash bin echoed across the silent room.

I didn’t react.

Quietly, methodically, I began to pack. Shirt by shirt, memory by memory. My body ached; every muscle felt inflamed, bones heavy with illness. The fatigue was bone-deep, the nausea constant, like poison threading through my veins. The sickness felt alive, pulling at me from within.

My pup fluttered beneath my palms, sensing my distress.

“I’m so sorry, little one,” I murmured, pressing both hands protectively against my belly. “We’ll leave this place soon. Somewhere safe. I swear.”

After a long soak—hot water attempting to calm the burn under my skin—I wrapped myself in a thick robe. I summoned the pack healers. Time was slipping through my fingers; if I wanted this child to live, I needed guidance. Even if I didn’t survive, I had to give my pup a chance.

The scent of wolfsbane tea and eucalyptus greeted me downstairs. The healers were already gathered, heads bowed respectfully. Elder Matteo stood among them—steady, wise, loyal. If anyone would fight for me, it was him.

“Luna Kaia,” he greeted, voice full of quiet concern. “We arrived as soon as we could.”

“Thank you,” I replied softly, my voice barely steady. “We need to discuss my condition…”

The front door swung open.

Alden entered, carrying Marinal in his arms like she was made of fragile crystal.

I stepped forward, blocking their path. “I told you not to bring her here.”

His expression hardened instantly. “She’s injured. Because of you.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “She threw herself into glass and bled on purpose. You think I can’t smell deceit? I’m sick, not blind.”

Marinal whimpered delicately. “I only came because I didn’t know where else to go… I would never burden you, Luna. I’m just thinking of my baby.”

A growl formed in my chest.

“You don’t belong in this house.”

Her lashes lowered, trembling dramatically. She slid Alden’s hand onto her stomach—barely swollen.

“If you want us gone, Alpha… we’ll leave. Even if I feel faint. I would never defy your Luna.”

Viper. Manipulative and cunning.

Alden’s tone cut through the room. “What happened to your compassion? She’s expecting a pup.”

My composure cracked. “And I’m not? Did you forget I’m your mate and the mother of your firstborn?”

Alden stared at me like I was a stranger he despised.

“If she makes you uncomfortable, Kaia… maybe you should go.”

The room stilled.

He said it.

He actually said it.

In front of the healers.

Some dropped their gazes in shame. Elder Matteo’s jaw tightened in silent anger, but even he remained still. No one moved. No one spoke.

Words lodged in my throat. My voice felt trapped beneath grief and disbelief.

Slowly, I inhaled.

“Very well,” I whispered. “Do as you please.”

I turned away. I would not crumble—not here, not for him.

Marinal’s voice floated behind me, honey-coated poison.

“Oh, Alpha, did she break your mateship photo? That’s such a pity… it looked so beautiful where it was.”

My steps paused—but I did not turn.

“She’s being dramatic,” Alden muttered. “She always comes back after she cools off.”

I walked out of the house without looking back. A single tear slid down my cheek.

And it was the final tear I would ever waste on Alpha Alden.