Eight months pregnant, I risked my life and unborn child to carry the Moon-flower through the freezing night, believing it would save my mate.

The note had screamed urgency [Deliver it. Now, or he dies.]

But when I reached the clearing, there was no rescue, only three rogues…their eyes gleaming with cruel malice and lust as they scanned my body greedily.

"Poor omega, walked right into our trap. Did you really think your alpha was in danger? "one laughed.

It was then, alarms flared inside my head in panic.

I turned to flee when rough hands pinned me down, sending white searing pain through my swollen belly.

"Let me go! "I screamed. "My mate will kill you-"

The name full of trust died on my lips instantly. As if a sharp lightning had struck my soul, I saw a familiar figure through the trees.

Victoria…my half-sister, naked, straddling a man as lewd moans filled the surroundings.

And tangled in her arms was Alpha Zyan.

My mate who went ‘missing in action’ right before our wedding.

I laid in pain, completely frozen as he kissed her, the child in my belly completely still as if he understood the silence better than I did.

"Alpha…"Victoria purred, voice trembling with feigned innocence as her satisfied eyes met my wide devastated ones across the dark canopy of trees.

"What about sister Lianna? She is your mate."

"Mate? " Zyan laughed like the word disgusted him. "I don’t mate beneath me. That farce of our ‘love’ ended the moment she failed to shift. She is an embarrassment to the Blood Moon Pack."

The moonflower was crushed at that instant.

Every memory of Zyan-our childhood love, this sacred groove where he took my virginity and made me pregnant before marriage, the trials I went through to win his love came crashing down all at once.

"Just because she warmed my bed doesn’t make her a Luna, at most she has to accept the title of my mistress. "

So this is what I was to him.

Not his mate.

Not his wife.

Not even a woman worth protecting.

Just a body that once obeyed.

A rogue’s mocking laughter filled my ears. "A luna? It looks like she is just a slut discarded by the Blood Moon Alpha."

I withered, my body thrashing as they licked my neck lewdly, crushing my belly under their weight.

"Tonight we will make you miscarry your baby and then leave our seed in your belly, when you get pregnant, come to us brothers for protection."

They laughed at my tears as two of them held my hands while another straddled me ready to make me abort the child.

I screamed.

I screamed until my throat burned, until my voice broke apart, until terror scraped me hollow.

"For the sake of all these years please save me Zyan!"

Far away, Zyan’s body froze, his gaze turning towards the darkness as my scream reached him.

"Who is there? "For a heartbeat, his eyes caught movement-a flash of pale skin, the outline of a naked woman desperately struggling under three dirty stray rogues as they muffled her cries.

Victoria’s voice followed rushed.

"Who would come here so late? Probably some rogue female trying to lure alphas for attention."

Zyan hesitated, eyes flicking towards the cries when Victoria’s hand slid up his chest, her voice purring seductively. "Alpha…don’t tell me you pity a whore’s cry in the dark? "

There was a pause before Zyan’s words echoed.

"Whoever wanders here at this hour deserves what’s coming. Let the rogues have her."

At that moment everything stopped-my breath, my heartbeat, the desperate thrashing and my entire world collapsed.

The man I had loved all my life was close enough to end this nightmare.

Instead, he let them break me.

Every sound was a cruel symphony.

My sobs.

Their laughter.

And his silence.

My world shattered as the rogues shoved me down, recording videos as their hands roamed every inch they could reach.

Pain faded into a ringing numbness and at the same moment I was going to be raped, Zyan was having sex with another.

This body no longer felt like mine.

If I stayed inside it, I would shatter.

Through the haze, I heard Victoria’s laughter as she brushed her fingers along Zyan’s chest, her voice lilting like silk dipped in poison.

"Alpha Zyan…"she whispered, smiling faintly. "Will you allow sister Lianna to give birth this time? Didn’t you ask the pack doctor to sterilize her?"

My lips quivered as molten tears trailed down in horror.

"A weak womb breeds weak heirs. It's better if I also abort the child in her womb now.” Zyan’s lips brushed her throat.

"I will never let that thing carry my name, all Lianna can have now is a little place in my heart if she behaves."

Victoria’s eyes glistened with fake tears. "But didn’t sister already lose a child previously, what if she learns the truth and leave you-"

"Leave me? " Zyan laughed, cold as the moonlight. "I am her moon, her everything, she can die but can never leave me.

Even if Lianna knows she must understand that it was for the sake of this pack, that our previous newborn was offered as a sacrifice to the Rogue King."

The air turned to frost around me.

Offered…?

Three years ago, I remembered kneeling on the cold stone floor of the healer’s room, my hands empty, my ears ringing as they told me my child hadn’t survived.

I remembered how I couldn’t cry at first, how the grief sat in my chest like a boulder crushing my heart.

Zyan had held me that night so protectively. ‘Please don’t hurt yourself, Lianna. We will have more children.’

Now, I couldn’t understand how those moments of being loved that felt so real.

How could they all have been fake?

My tears mixed with blood as I laid limp in horror, shock and betrayal. I awaited a death worse than an animal when a dangerous aura of bloodthirst mingled in the air.

In the next second a blur of black shot through the trees.

A massive wolf darker than night itself bared its canines and with a snap-a rogue’s neck was broken, the others were mauled to death.

Hot blood splattered across my chest, dripping down onto the crushed Moonflower.

And then the impossible happened.

The flower began to glow. Pale blue light spread across my trembling hands, the petals pulsing faintly as if alive again.

The dark wolf turned toward me, his fur matted with blood, eyes blazing golden against the shadows as his gaze locked on mine.

Not wild or rogue but ancient.

My lips trembled as I weakly lifted the glowing flower towards my savior. "Y-you’re hurt…"

I pressed the Moonflower weakly to the gash along his chest. "Please…take it…my repayment. "

For a heartbeat, the glow spilled across his fur like moonfire.

When he shifted, I could only stare. The man before me wasn’t like Alpha Zyan.

His presence was heavier, colder, his eyes almost glowing feral and regal under the moonlight.

The moment my lips parted to thank him with my last breath-ruination, betrayal and utter agony burning in my heart, his hand slipped to the back of my neck, drawing me closer.

The kiss was not gentle. It was hungry and unforgiving-my last kiss.

And before the world faded, the last thing I felt was the sharp puncture of fangs sinking deep into my neck.

The ancient wolf marked me his.

And with my last consciousness I took an oath- 'Zyan, Victoria, Pray that I die. for if I lived, I would pay back this humiliation hundredfolds!'

When I opened my eyes, a sharp scent of medicine and antiseptic filled the air.

"You are finally awake." A man sat beside my bed, his posture untouched by exhaustion.

"If there had been even a minute of delay last night, the baby would have suffocated."

I sucked in a cold breath as panic tore through me.

My shaking hands flew to my stomach, pressing down trying to feel my child.

"Don’t worry." he said immediately seeing my swollen eyes. "You gave me the moonflower's cure, I saved both you and your baby."

Instant releif washed over me but the very next second, the man beside me reached forward to check my temperature.

It was then a jolt of electrifying sparks burst across my skin, igniting my nerves.

My fingers rose shakily towards the warmth blooming at my neck and I froze-A mate's mark.

No ordinary Alpha could leave a mark like that and claim another wolf's mate, only the strongest wolf can.

"This"I whispered choking bitterly "What does Lycan King Darius want from me…you claimed me why?"

My breathing slowed as his gaze held mine careful as if I might fracture.

"Alpha Zyan murdered someone under my protection. By that act alone, the Blood Moon Pack became my enemy."

His gaze sharpened. "You are their Luna. You know their borders, their alliances, their weaknesses. And now you share my enemy, we are perfect as partners Lianna. "

My throat tightened. "So you mark me…turn my life upside down…and call it strategy? "

He didn’t deny it.

"I call it necessity Lianna. Saving your dignity last night was my duty but marking you was a choice."

I looked away, my hand instinctively covering my stomach, grounding myself in the one thing that still belonged to me.

"I need time. "I said quietly. "I can’t give you an answer like this."

Darius looked at me gently. "Rest assured. I will not cage you with a decision made in blood and shock."

He rose from the chair and turned away, then paused at the door.

"When you are ready, when you choose not to fight alone call my name once. "

His voice was steady, absolute.

"I will come."

After Darius's departure, the silence inside me became unbearable.

It was until a notification lit the screen.

[Victoria Hale sent you a video. ]

A decorated room came into view, walls lined with baby toys and pastel posters.

Then the large rose bouquet in Zyan’s arms lowered.

And the world narrowed to one impossible detail- Victoria’s belly.

Round and heavily swollen…impregnated.

Victoria laughed softly. "You’re worrying too much. The ultrasound report shows both our sons are strong. "

Zyan laughed in joy lifting Victoria off the bed without effort, spinning her once as joy tore out of him.

"Two heirs, Victoria? You have given me what I have always dreamed of! In a week I will organise the biggest wedding our pack has ever seen and welcome you like a princess. "

Victoria’s eyes glimmered with tears as she tightened her fingers around the bouquet. She glanced at the camera, spoke gently.

"Alpha… if you take me as your wife now…won’t sister grow jealous? She loves you so deeply, won’t she resist? "

Zyan didn’t even look concerned.

"Jealousy only matters when a woman is allowed to speak." he replied calmly.

Victoria looked up, pretending to be confused.

"I have already prepared everything." Zyan continued "Lianna's biological father and brothers know her lies well.

They cannot see you being bullied by her anymore and were almost releived to sign the documents: Medical records and evaluations from pack healers-every piece of evidence needed to prove Lianna is mentally unstable."

"Her family already believes she caused her mother’s death." Zyan added indifferently making my entire body tremble.

"Who do you think will defend her when she screams?"

Victoria’s lips wobbled in worry.

"On paper, she is unfit to make decisions for herself let alone carry a baby.

So when I abort her child and sign her up for a uterus removal surgery, in front of the pack, I will already be doing her a kindness by keeping her as a secondary wife instead of discarding her completely. "

The phone felt too heavy to hold.

The world blurred, as if I had been shoved underwater and a sense of rage coiled in my heart like a serpent.

Victoria’s voice came out soft, almost fearful. "And if sister bullies me at home then? "

Zyan's gaze turned cold.

"Once the trade agreement takes effect, Lianna will be useless to me." Zyan said calmly.

"If she mistreats you I will send her to the mental hospital until she learns where the fault lies. "

A loud ringing filled my ears as Victoria looked at the camera with a mocking smile.

"Alpha we both would be your wives… I-I don't want to fight sister Lianna. "

Her voice cut in gently. "I want to make sister feel less lonely after you terminate her pregnancy. She can help me raise our child. In the future, it will be as if she never lost anything. "

"Also one day…"she added with a shy smile" when I give you a daughter you have always dreamt of… we can make sister her handmaid, so she won’t feel useless. "

A moment of silence followed before Zyan pulled her into his arms and kissed her without hesitation, his fingers already undoing her clothes.

"It’s your innocence I can’t get enough of. "he murmured.

"Look at you caring about my lifelong dreams.

If Lianna were half as devoted, she wouldn’t be here now. I am happy to have my heirs but if you can give birth to a daughter for me, I will give you everything. "

A sharp pain sliced through my heart as Zyan's past words echoed in my head.

'Lianna, a son is for politics but a daughter would be my own, the child whom I can spoil endlessly. A daughter like you is my lifelong dream, please accept my love Lianna, I promise to keep you happy.'

I closed my eyes.

A single tear slipping free before I could stop it.

‘Zyan. The one thing you dreamed of is already here, But you…you don’t deserve her! ’

The phone felt heavier than my hands could manage.

I didn’t throw it.

I didn’t cry.

I just sat there, listening to the sound of my blood moving through my ears.

Zyan was trying to destroy me and I wouldn't let him succeed.

I dialed a number then.

"Luna Lianna? The Trade Pact documents are ready. We await your confirmation-”

"The contract is void. Effective immediately. " I cut in.

A sharp inhale answered me.

"Void? Luna, you negotiated this for half a year, the Blood Moon Alpha will have the control over all the territories in south with this!"

"I am no longer the Luna of Blood Moon. My work is no longer theirs to claim. " I said calmly. “I once saved your life and today,I am asking you for a favor. Seven days, get me all the classified border maps, underground passages… all the dirty treaties done under table.”

"…If this leaks, Blood Moon won’t survive the winter Luna. "the voice said hoarsely.

“That’s why I need you to keep it a secret” I replied. “Conceal the cancellation for seven days.”

There was a heavy pause on the other side, the voice finally said."Understood, Luna.The agreement will be nullified quietly. As you once saved my life, this will remain between us."

The phone disconnected and my palm rubbed small circles on my belly.

Three years ago, when you were captured by the enemy pack, Zyan, it was I who surrendered in exchange for your freedom.

I remembered the chains.

The cold.

How I told myself it was worth it.

How naive I had been to give my heart to a monster like you.

It's time I collect my debts one by one Zyan.

Two days passed in blur when I returned to the Blood Moon estate, the world felt foreign…too beautiful and clean for someone whose soul was dipped in tar and simmering with rage.

I knocked on the study door.

"Come in" my mother-in-law said, her tone slightly dismissive.

I pushed the door open and saw her writing a proposal-

[PROPOSAL FOR CO-WIVES]

Primary Luna: Victoria Hale (child bearing)

Secondary wife: Lianna Rose (children born will be illegitimate)

I stared at those lines for a long time.

Strangely, I didn’t cry.

Only a hollow space opened in my chest….so I had already been erased from their future so strategically.

“Illegitimate.”

I suddenly remembered an evening years ago in the healer’s ward.

Zyan stood inside the room, holding a practice newborn doll in his arms.

His movements were stiff, overly careful.

When I caught him, he laughed like a child who had been discovered doing something embarrassing and pulled me into his arms.

“I have to learn Lianna” he said. “When our baby is born, I can’t afford to be clumsy.”

Back then, I truly believed him, believed that he would love our children even more than me.

Only now did I realize..the future had always existed.

It simply didn’t include me.

"Lianna Rose, I heard you disappeared for days, I had told Zyan not to mate with a lowly girl. One day she is serving him, another day warming the bed of another man."

Her insult landed like ash on a corpse.

"Shut up. "

Her pen slipped as stared at me in shock.

"Y-You dare speak to me like this! I-I will have Zyan skin you alive! "

My bloodshot eyes looked at her emotionless.

"Years ago, you gave me an offer-Name my price and leave Zyan forever. Today I am here to take that deal. I want all the northern territories to be named after my child. "

She inhaled sharply. "You greedy orphan-"

"I am not here to negotiate. "I held her gaze without flinching. "I am here to end this farce. Sign the agreement and me or the child will have no ties to Zyan or the Blood Moon Pack. "

"…Fine"she said tightly. "But Zyan must never know you are leaving.”

She searched my face for fear and yet didn’t find any.

"Let's do it this way. " I leaned closer. "Seven days. That’s all you have. After everything is done, I will leave Zyan completely."

Zyan will never know that I will take our daughter and disappear from his life forever.

I ignored my mother-in-law's astonished expression and turned to leave.

The walk to my marital home felt endless.

The lights were on bright and deliberate, announcing that Zyan was back from his ‘important rescue operation’.

For a moment, I stood at the door, searching for the warmth that used to rush through me when the house glowed like this.

Nothing came.

As soon as I turned the knob, a burst of confetti exploded in my face like a cruel joke.

"Surprise Lianna! "Zyan stood at the far end, smiling softly, like a man certain of forgiveness.

Candles flickered everywhere. The house glowed with careful celebration.

And on the table were Blue irises, Victoria’s favourite flowers, those that developed severe rashes even if I touched them once.

Earlier, this would have destroyed me.

Now I barely registered it.

"Lianna" Zyan said, walking toward me. "Where have you been all this time? Just because I cancelled the wedding, you disappear and leave me worried sick?"

As soon as his fingers grazed my hand I almost lost my mind.

In a small corner of the pack he had arranged for a dilapidated church asking me to decorate it myself for our wedding. His words- 'too much luxury doesn't suits you Lianna, the simpler… the better. '

I cooked, decorated and waited till midnight only for him to message me at last-

'This time the rescue operation of wounded wolves is too difficult, my life is in danger. If I live, let's marry next week Lianna.'

After that I crawled through the pack's most dangerous parts and plucked the moonflower from the cliff just to save him.

And my reward?

Humiliation

"Worried sick? "I forcefully smiled, my heart burning like embers. "I thought you stood me up at our wedding because Victoria called at the last moment."

Pin drop silence extended as Zyan’s eyes flashed with an undecipherable cold emotion and his arms tightened around me.

"Lianna, she was attacked by rogues. What was I supposed to do? Ignore her because you wanted a white dress and flowers?"

"She was the one attacked? "I whispered, barely audible.

"She is your sister and yet you are so heartless…Why can’t you learn from Victoria huh? " he pressed, frustrated. "She was worried about you even while she was injured. She kept asking if you were alright but the first thing you do is complain. "

Then came another blow.

"This is why your father is tired, Lianna. He asked me what happened to the daughter he raised. Why she keeps pushing everyone away.

No matter how much I spoil you, the pack will always be above your petty tantrums so don’t ruin my mood. "

I wanted to scream, his hypocrisy making my body tremble.

This was the man who had once covered the bruises from my father with trembling hands.

The same man who held me the night my mother died, when my father brought his mistress and illegitimate daughter home before mom’s body was even cold.

And now he used my secrets to collude and stab a dagger in my back.

He stepped closer gently coaxing me, as if I were a child throwing a fit.

"Let's celebrate Lianna. "he murmured. "I know tonight means alot to you. First cut the cake and then we can go to the fireworks festival like every year-"

"What…are we celebrating? "I asked softly, the word slipping out before my mind could catch it.

Zyan froze.

He stared at me as if I had struck him.

"You don’t remember? "His voice faltered, disbelief flickering through the cracks.

"Lianna…tonight is our mating anniversary. "

The words landed wrong… heavy.

"You cried the last time I forgot." he added quietly. "You held onto my shirt and begged me not to make it meaningless. "

Silence stretched between us when a sharp echo of Zyan’s call tore through the atmosphere, his caller ID flashing for a second before he snatched it from the table.

[Baby rabbit]

My chest tightened as a boulder was pressed on it ruthlessly.

Years ago I had shyly taken his phone and entered my name as 'Love bear.' That day Zyan had returned from the packhouse and slapped the phone against the wall making it shatter into millions of pieces.

'Are you fucking stupid! Don't you know that I hate such childish nicknames! Don't you dare touch my things again!'

After that he threw all the couple items I gifted him straight into the thrash.

But with Victoria, he didn't mind it at all.

The difference between love and indifference was clear.

"Nothing important. I will come right now. " He muttered on the phone.

The candle on our anniversary cake fluttered and went out just like the last three years where I cooked him a lavish meal and waited the entire night only to wake up and chew the cold food alone.

"Lianna, I don’t think the childish fireworks festival you visit every time is too crucial right? "he added, already slipping on his coat. "There is some emergency regarding the southern trade deal so I need to leave immediately. You-"

"Alright." I agreed quietly.

It was at that moment, Zyan froze, he tried. "You don’t mind? "

"No"I said quietly, all my tears long dried before he entered the room.

Zyan studied my face, his eyes narrowing slightly like he was searching for the familiar cracks… the plea, the tremble, the question he was used to silencing.

"You understand…this is for the pack, right?" he added slowly.

"Don’t overthink. I will be back soon."

I used to think he ignored me because he was busy.

Now I know.

He simply didn’t think of me at all.

He brushed past me so fast the air stung my cheek. The table hit my side, sharp pain bursting through my abdomen and yet he didn’t stop, the silent gasp leaving my lips as I doubled over in searing pain.

I wanted to believe that he didn’t notice.

He did.

He just didn’t care.

My palm rubbed small circles on my belly. "Don’t worry, baby…I will take you to see the fireworks, from now on I will fulfill the responsibility of both mother and father."

***

The carnival lights blurred, and in the glow the unwelcoming memories rose-a past version of us…. two teenagers sharing candied fruit, Zyan brushing sugar from my lips as he whispered: ‘If you like it, I will buy you hundreds more Lia.’

Him tugging my hand through these very stalls when we were twelve, lifting me onto his shoulders so I could see the fireworks.

I stared at the places where our laughter once lived…and felt detached, like a stranger passing through.

"Look, sweetheart…your first festival-" My words were drowned by thousands of fireworks erupting all across before my smile froze.

The night sky shone with [HAPPY BIRTHDAY VICTORIA]

And on the ground I saw Alpha Zyan kneeling with a smile. In his hand was my mother’s diamond ring I thought I had lost forever.

I remembered how I panicked, sobbing into his chest, hating myself for losing my mother's blessing to me.

His past words still echoing in my ears- ‘Just a silly ring, I will buy you hundreds more Lianna, just don't cry.’

Now it glinted between his fingers as he held it up to Victoria-a birthday present amidst cheers.

This was his "emergency. "

So stupid Lianna. Three years, and you never noticed anything wrong.

So stupid, blindly believing that he was devoted to you.

So stupid! So stupid!

My palm drifted instinctively to my belly as Victoria stepped onto the ferries wheel, her lips locked with Zyan's.

"Sweetheart…let’s go. "I whispered, my stomach churning violently. "Mommy can’t breathe here. "

The fireworks kept bursting, bright enough to blind as I stepped back until the noise dulled into nothingness.

Seconds, minutes and hours passed until a sickly sweet voice called out knocking out the pastries in my hand onto the ground.

"Oh my, so you came alone sister? "