On my way to pick up my daughter from the Shadowclaw Pack’s training grounds, a rogue’s car suddenly appeared out of nowhere. To protect my son, I shifted instinctively, taking the full impact of the collision. My body was thrown into the air before crashing onto the asphalt. Cyrus, the Alpha of the Shadowclaw Pack, rushed me to the pack’s Healer, Dr. Hunt, while ordering our warriors to apprehend the rogue responsible.

Before the surgery, I briefly regained consciousness, desperate to know my daughter’s condition. Cyrus’s eyes were filled with emotion as he told me that our daughter, Mikayla, had been crushed by the car. My heart clenched, and I nearly lost consciousness again. Just before the anesthesia took over, I vaguely overheard a conversation between Cyrus and Dr. Hunt:

“Alpha Cyrus, if we don’t address her heart condition before the embryo transfer, she might not survive!” Dr. Hunt whispered urgently.

“She’s already given birth to one heir for the pack. Why the fuss? Just go ahead and implant my and Antonella’s embryo into her,” Cyrus replied coldly.

“I can’t give Antonella the title of Luna, but the heir to the Shadowclaw Pack must be our child.”

The truth hit me like a werewolf’s claws, tearing through my illusions. What I thought was paradise was actually a nightmare. Since I was an obstacle to his happiness, I would step aside and let them have it.

***

Dr. Hunt examined my medical report, his brow furrowed. “Alpha Cyrus, we should perform the heart surgery first and allow her to recover before the embryo transfer. Otherwise, your mate might not make it.”

“No way,” Cyrus snapped. “If she recovers, she’ll reclaim her position as Luna. She needs to step back so Antonella can take her place.”

“She must rest in the packhouse to prepare for the pregnancy.”

Antonella Mason, a rogue werewolf and my former packmate, had been scheming behind my back all along. Cyrus’s constant visits to the rogue territories were for her. Now, he was using me and our daughter to clear the path for Antonella’s ascension.

Dr. Hunt’s concern was evident. “Alpha Cyrus, your mate has already lost a child. If she discovers she’s carrying someone else’s pup, she may lose her sanity!”

Cyrus remained indifferent, cutting him off coldly. “She’s been living as the Luna of the Shadowclaw Pack. What more could she possibly want?”

Suddenly, Cyrus’s phone rang. The caller ID seemed to annoy him as he answered. “Carlson, after I dealt with the little brat and injured the girl, you only offered two million. Tight-fisted, aren’t you?”

“Fine, five million, and then disappear abroad. I don’t want to see you again.”

In the silent operating room, the phone conversation echoed clearly. My heart spasmed, and a suffocating sensation made me tremble. Cyrus pretended to hold my hand affectionately.

“Amalia, don’t worry. We’ll have more pups. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

With those words, he gave Dr. Hunt a menacing look. The Healer hesitated but eventually picked up the scalpel. Cyrus’s cold voice reached my ears again.

“The anesthesia might affect the pup. I won’t risk anything happening to my and Antonella’s child. Don’t use it.”

On the cold surgical table, the chilling air almost suffocated me. The Alpha I had pledged my life to was willing to sacrifice me and even kill our pup for another she-wolf. As I drifted into unconsciousness, the agony of my body being torn apart overwhelmed me. I fainted multiple times from the pain.

When I finally awoke, I was in the packhouse’s infirmary. Cyrus held me tightly, his voice filled with anxiety. “Amalia, you’re finally awake! I was so afraid of losing you!”

“That rogue—not only did he hurt you, but he also killed our pup!”

“Thankfully, the Moon Goddess intervened. You’re pregnant again! When I found out Mikayla was gone, I nearly followed her. If it weren’t for another pup, I don’t know what I’d do!”

“Mikayla must have decided to come back to us because she couldn’t bear to see us so sad.”

He gently touched my stomach, his eyes brimming with happiness, as if what happened to my pup and me was something to celebrate. I didn’t even have the strength for a bitter smile. I turned my head and coldly asked, “Where is Mikayla’s body?”

He pressed his lips together and looked down. “Mikayla was so severely injured, I couldn’t bear for you to see her like that. Antonella took care of the cremation. She’s reliable, your best friend.”

My heart clenched painfully, a nauseous dizziness overcoming me. I wanted to push him away but had no strength left. All I could do was plead, “Alpha Cyrus, can I see Mikayla one last time? She’s my pup, and I want to handle her funeral myself.”

He held me tenderly, concern evident in his voice. “Your body is so weak, and you’re pregnant. You can’t handle the stress. If not for yourself, think of the pup you’re carrying. Don’t be stubborn, okay?”

I bit my lip, feeling suffocated by the injustice, but I could do nothing. I could only beg again, “Then at least tell Antonella to choose the best burial plot and urn for Mikayla.”

He sighed as he held me. “Amalia, Antonella is kind and responsible. She’ll take care of these things. She even hired a cemetery consultant for our pup. She’s so dedicated. Why are you worried?”

Hearing him refer to my pup’s funeral as a mere formality ignited my rage. I cried out, “She’s not Mikayla’s mother! How can she possibly care for Mikayla?”

Cyrus’s face darkened instantly, his tone turning icy. “Amalia Carlson, aren’t you being ungrateful and irrational? What’s the point?”

“Look at you. How can you handle a funeral? Antonella treats Mikayla like her own pup. She may not be the biological mother, but she cares for her as if she were. What’s wrong with letting her handle it?”

Suppressing my heartache, tears streamed down my cheeks as I lay back on the bed. He wasn’t oblivious to my feelings. He just chose not to care.

Cyrus, Mikayla, and I mean nothing compared to Antonella, do we?

After being discharged from the pack hospital, I was taken back to the Alpha’s mansion. Accompanying me was Antonella Mason, her presence a bitter reminder of the betrayal I could no longer ignore.

"Amalia, you're quite delicate now, especially with the pregnancy," Cyrus said, his voice smooth but cold. "Antonella, being the considerate person she is, offered to take care of you. You should appreciate that!"

He wrapped his arms around me, his hands resting on my abdomen, while his gaze shifted toward Antonella. The Alpha’s touch, once comforting, now felt suffocating.

"Our little one needs to grow up healthy and strong," he continued, his tone dripping with false warmth. "Mommy and Daddy can't wait for you to arrive!"

The nausea surged, a visceral reaction I couldn’t suppress. Knowing that the child inside me was Cyrus and Antonella’s made the disgust intensify. I couldn’t hold back any longer and turned away, retching on the floor.

Antonella stepped back with a look of disdain, her golden eyes narrowing. "Pregnancy seems so challenging," she said, her voice laced with mock concern. "Carrying a pup is such a burden. It’s not something everyone can handle!"

Her words struck me like a blow. She paused, her smirk widening. "Amalia, I finally get you now. Carrying a pup for nine months only to lose her is such a tragedy!" Her tone was sweet, but the cruelty in her eyes was unmistakable.

She took off her coat, deliberately revealing the combat training gear beneath, flaunting it in front of me. "The pack trainers know about your special circumstance, so I’ve been asked to take over the lead role temporarily," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "You can focus on your pregnancy and leave the pack runs to me."

Our pack’s warriors were renowned across the territories. If it weren’t for this accident, I would have been leading the training sessions myself.

Taking a deep breath, I turned away without speaking, my fists clenched at my sides.

In the middle of the night, Cyrus claimed he had to attend to pack matters, but I knew better. I quietly stood outside the study door, eavesdropping through the slight gap.

“When our little one is born, I’ll transfer the pack’s assets to his name, and you can be his godmother,” Cyrus said, his voice low but clear.

Antonella’s laugh was soft, almost musical. "Oh, Alpha, you’re so generous! Not only sparing me the burden but also letting our pup inherit your legacy."

Cyrus’s voice was filled with feigned tenderness. "Even so, it doesn’t make up for my failings."

“If it weren’t for the impossibility of breaking the mate bond, you’d have the title of Luna too!”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, speaking sweetly: "Being with you is enough for me. A little sacrifice for our happiness is nothing!"

Their mingled breaths were like daggers to my ears. Once again, Cyrus’s voice came through:

"Amalia’s current state is more revolting than an old hag; I have no desire to be with her."

"How could she compare to you, darling? You're better in every way. You're the only one I love!"

Tears streamed down my face relentlessly. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, her pain mirroring my own.

I dragged my weary body back to the bedroom and opened the drawer, intending to draft the rejection of our mate bond when an electronic notebook caught my eye.

I entered Antonella’s birthday, and the lock screen opened.

It documented their shared moments—visiting pack territories, hunting together, supposedly on Alpha duties when he took her to the Silver Peaks to see the breathtaking views.

The chat history on the notebook was even more chilling. Conversations flowed seamlessly from morning till night, with mind-link calls numbering seven or eight a day. The screen was filled with affectionate terms—baby, darling, Luna.

It turned out that whenever he claimed to be busy and unable to respond to my messages, he was spending all his time with Antonella.

His latest message was also to Antonella: "Baby, you’re my life. I’d do anything for you!"

We had been mates for ten years, bound by the Moon Goddess’s decree for seven. I stood by him as he built the Shadowclaw Pack into what it was today. All my sacrifices had turned into a farce.

I quietly returned everything to its place and called my estranged brother, Barrett, the Beta of the Silverfang Pack.

“Barrett, I want to come home.”

“Help me find the best Healer, a pack physician, and… a legal advisor.”

My voice was steady, but the pain in my chest was unbearable. The mate bond, once a source of strength, now felt like a chain around my neck. But I would break it. I had to. For Mikayla. For myself.

I felt disoriented, as though my entire body was being consumed by a thousand ants. The unbearable reality of my daughter Mikayla being killed by her own father, Cyrus, the Alpha of the Shadowclaw Pack, was too much to handle. Clutching her belongings, I fell asleep on her bed, overwhelmed by grief.

The next day, Antonella, the rogue who had wormed her way into Cyrus’s life, insisted on taking me to her premiere. "Amalia, even if you can't lead pack runs anymore, you can still share this joy with me," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "You designed this training sequence yourself—it’s like your own creation!" Her words cut deep into my wounds once more.

I wanted to refuse, but Cyrus, my mate—my supposed protector—chimed in immediately. "The lead role is yours, Antonella. The pack has complete confidence in you! Take Amalia along for the experience," he said, clasping my hand and gently reassuring me. "Amalia, don’t be too sad. Even though you can’t lead the pack runs anymore, Antonella will make you proud. After the event, we’ll celebrate the full moon together."

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Even though I wanted to resist, I couldn’t defy the Alpha at that moment and reluctantly climbed into the car. The premiere was a triumph. During her speech, Antonella mentioned me in front of the gathered pack. "Originally, today’s lead was supposed to be my mentor, the former Luna of the Shadowclaw Pack, but her daughter passed away, and her health is failing. She reluctantly had to give up her beloved role in pack leadership. She’s here today, so please give her a round of applause!"

I was forced onto the stage, my loose and awkward dress a stark contrast to Antonella’s elegant appearance. Standing there, I felt utterly devoid of joy. Suddenly, Antonella leaned in and whispered harshly in my ear, "This is your last time in the spotlight. You’ll never have another chance."

Before I could react, a creaking noise echoed from below. The platform under us collapsed abruptly; we both fell. She landed on a soft cushion while I hit a jagged prop, pain coursing through my body as blood trickled down my legs.

Cyrus was the first to jump down to me, his Alpha aura flaring with urgency. "Amalia, is the pup okay? Are you alright?" His immediate concern was the child, not my well-being.

Before I could respond, Antonella was already clutching her knee, crying, "Alpha, my leg hurts! Is it broken? I’m so scared! Can you take me to the Healer?"

Cyrus glanced at me, then hurriedly ran toward Antonella without looking back. "Amalia, you’re strong; you’ll be fine. Antonella is delicate and can’t stand the pain. Hold on, the Healer is on the way."

As he left, my heart hurt far more than my body. Just before I lost consciousness, my brother Barrett, the Beta of the Silverfang Pack, arrived, bringing a medical team he had arranged. "Amalia, don’t worry. Your big brother is here, and I’ll take you home to the Silverfang Pack. You’re safe with me!" he assured me, his voice steady and commanding.

"Barrett, I don’t want this pup!" I grasped his hand, and he nodded resolutely before I slipped into unconsciousness.

I used to be the treasured daughter of the Silverfang Pack, but Cyrus had severed my ties with them. My poor judgment cost Mikayla her life.

When I reopened my eyes, I found myself back in the family den in Silverfang territory. My hand moved to my flat stomach—the pup was gone.

The phone rang, and Cyrus’s angry voice came through: "Amalia, where the hell are you? Didn’t I tell you to wait for the Healer? Why are you being so difficult? I’m warning you, if anything happens to the pup—"

I cut him off abruptly and sent him the details of the miscarriage surgery.