Chapter 1

"I'm thrilled to announce that Stella and I... we're expecting a child."

Kate's world shatters as her Alpha and mate, Tyson, proudly declares that another woman is carrying his heir. Her wolf snarls in fury, but the humiliation cuts deeper. As Luna of the Silverfang Pack, Kate has faced countless challenges, but this betrayal—public and deliberate—leaves her questioning everything.

Was she nothing more than a figurehead to him? A laughingstock to her pack?

——

Kate

"Silverfang, can I have your attention?" Tyson's voice silenced the entire room.

I entered the dining hall, hearing lively laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the rich aroma of roasted beef and spiced stew. The entire Silverfang Pack was in high spirits, celebrating an accomplishment I had no idea what. It stunned me, but nobody noticed my wide eyes and jaw-dropping. It screamed a red flag to me.

As Luna, I must be informed of any event or announcement involving the pack before it even happened. But today was the first time they left me in the dark. I sat at the table, waiting for Alpha Tyson, my mate, to explain the reason for the feast.

I sipped my juice slowly just as everyone waited for Tyson's big announcement. My wolf stirred, and she growled in the back of my mind, signaling something was wrong. I set my glass down, and my eyes went to Tyson, who looked surprisingly beaming with pride and anticipation, not the usual powerful and authoritative aura he was known for.

Everyone turned to him with faces full of curiosity and anticipation. My stomach twisted when Tyson scanned every face but avoided looking at me.

"I called for a celebratory dinner tonight for a reason. As we all know, our pack thrives out of unity and strength. And tonight, we celebrate a new chapter for Silverfang."

Whispers began among the crowd. I sat with my heart racing and wolf alert. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

Before Tyson could continue, the door opened. Every head turned, and the room went silent. My heart sank as Stella walked in, heels clicking towards Tyson, her hand resting on a barely visible bump on her stomach.

No.

Tyson's face lit up as Stella reached his side. He wrapped an arm around her to pull her close. My wolf snarled in rage, and I gripped my chair to control myself from letting her out to murder them. How could he?

Tyson cleared his throat and smiled wide as he quickly glanced at Stella, who was all smiles, then back to the pack.

"I'm thrilled to announce that Stella and I... we're expecting a child."

The news hit me like a blow, and I couldn't move. But the rest of the pack erupted in loud cheers and howls, clapping, and congratulating each other as if it were the best news they'd ever heard in years.

I couldn't breathe. My mate, the man who was supposed to cherish me, betrayed me, and announced that another woman was carrying his child. He did it proudly in front of the entire pack.

Stella gazed at me with a smirk. She looked victorious and amused at how humiliated I was. I struggled to control myself, repeating in my head, "Don't react. Not here."

Tyson silenced the crowd again.

"This is a momentous occasion. We finally have a leader on the way."

"So, this was this all about. Ensuring that there is an heir?" I thought, but devastated remembering how I tried but couldn't give him a child.

"I'm honored to carry Alpha Tyson's heir. This is for the good of the pack, to ensure that the lineage will continue," Stella said with a smile.

My heart felt like exploding from anger, but I forced myself to say, "Congratulations!"

All eyes went on me. Stella let out her cute smile, trying to look innocent when not.

"Thank you, Luna Kate! Your support means everything."

Tyson looked at me; a flicker of guilt crossed his face, but it quickly disappeared. He raised his glass, smiled, and said, "To new beginnings."

The pack roared in approval, not caring about how my heart was shattered into pieces. But I raised my glass with a smile and said, "To Silverfang!"

The celebration continued, but I suddenly felt Stella behind me. She leaned close and whispered, "You should thank me for giving what you couldn't. This is what the pack needs."

I wanted to slap her, but I only turned to glare at her.

"Be careful, Stella. Just because you could get pregnant doesn't mean you will get elevated to your status."

"Don't worry, Luna. I'm just here to do what you couldn't."

"Stella, that's enough," Tyson interrupted with a firm voice.

He thought it would appease my heart, but it didn't. Stella walked away and went to sit beside him. I stood abruptly, drawing attention, but it didn't matter. I couldn't stand them anymore.

"Excuse me. I need some air," I said.

I left without Tyson's response, and the pack went quiet. Once outside, I leaned on the stone wall, trying to catch my breath. My wolf was livid, snarling and clawing in my head.

The sound of footsteps approaching took me back to the present. I turned to find Tyson standing in the doorway with an unreadable expression.

"Kate..." he began with a soft voice.

I raised a hand to cut him off. I understand why he did it, but it was still betrayal, and it hurt.

"Don’t. Not tonight.”

"It's for the pack," he insisted, almost pleading for me not to make a fuss about it.

But I let out a laugh.

"The pack? Or for yourself?"

Tyson's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond. He stepped closer to touch my shoulder.

"I didn’t want it to happen this way.”

I stepped back as his betrayal cut deep, and my anger boiled.

“Then you shouldn’t have let it happen at all.”

Suddenly, a crash echoed from the hall, followed by a scream. We both sprinted back to the dining hall. Wolves were on their feet with fear in their eyes. Stella was on the floor, clutching her stomach, her face pale and in pain and bleeding.

"Get the healer," Tyson shouted.

Everyone panicked, but I focused on Tyson. I saw fear in him for the first time, not only for the child but for Stella. And I wondered, was she there to give an heir only or something more?

Chapter 2

Kate

Tyson rushed with the healer. He carried Stella like his wife, to the infirmary and ignored me like I was nothing. His frantic face, full of concern when they head out, wasn't for me but for her. He had never looked at me that way, even when I was wounded by a rogue's attack. And that's when it hit me—that Stella wasn't just a low-ranking female trying to help carry on the Silverfang legacy. She was his, and now she was carrying his child.

I slammed the door to my room, and the loud bang offered little comfort to my broken heart. I walked across the room and caught the moonlight illuminating the pack's territories, untouched by the chaos inside this packhouse. I would’ve traded anything to be out there, away from this heartache, but I was trapped. I dropped onto the bed, closing my eyes, and it drifted back to a memory. A year ago, when a blonde named Stella first arrived at Silverfang.

“This is Stella. She’s come to us as a breeder. Some elders and warriors had been struggling from their mate's death and aired their desires to have children, and we’ve arranged for her to help.”

At that time, I didn't understand the need for a breeder. It had sounded almost crude, but we had no choice but to accept it if it would keep the pack's legacy going and ease the pain of some members.

Stella was young and shy, with a barely audible soft voice. But something about her struck me as... off. Tyson had introduced her as a kind soul, a rogue with nothing left, offering herself to the pack in the most selfless way she could. I had even felt sorry for her. But sympathy, I now realized, Tyson had wanted me to feel that way. He’d played his cards well, framing Stella as a victim when, in reality, she was my soon-to-be replacement.

The following day of her arrival, I found an earring left on the couch inside Tyson's study. I frowned because it wasn't mine. I never wore a flower-shaped earring. Tyson also didn't like women to be there except me, and when necessary. He even imposed a strict rule that we shouldn't be intimate inside because it was a place to conduct business related to pack matters. I confronted Tyson about it, and he only laughed at me.

"C'mon, Kate! Are you seriously jealous because of an earring? Other women could come here, you know that, but it doesn't mean something happened. It must have probably fallen off from someone who attended my meeting," he reasoned.

I had never really seen much of Stella last year. She was mostly around those males desperate to have children. Whenever I saw her with them, she smiled at them like an innocent, polite girl. And when I thought of what she would be doing, my stomach twisted because I couldn't bear having children with many males until I bore them a child. But Stella looked contented and happy, and at that time, I thought it was because that was the only way for her to get acceptance from the pack.

Tyson, on the other hand, had been very busy. We barely saw each other because he would have a lot of long nights at his study and travels. Tyson claimed to be busy with back-to-back meetings with investors for our furniture business. And he had to address the problems of several rogue attacks on our northern border.

Looking back, with tears in my eyes, I realized those moments were when Tyson and Stella had been intimate with each other. I understand now why those desperate males remained desperate to have children because she wasn't serving them. Stella found ways to pleasure Alpha, who was also dying to have an heir.

Tyson and I had been trying to have children. Every day, I prayed to the Moon Goddess, but she had never granted me at least a son. We had been together for eight years, and in the sixth year, I felt Tyson had stopped trying and accepted the fact that I was barren. He returned to being hopeful last year and said we tried again, but he didn't have the time. Tyson's hope came alive not because of me, but he found a younger woman who could do that for him. And Stella didn't disappoint him; she even captured his entire heart.

Anger bursts inside me, and I sit up throwing a pillow at the picture of Tyson and me during our mating ceremony inside a picture frame hanging on the wall. It fell, and the glass frame created a vertical crack between us.

"How dare you, Tyson!" I shouted while crying and wishing for Stella to lose their baby.

It was wrong, but I didn't care. They betrayed me and made me feel worthless. I felt like I deserved some justice for my pain, and it was supposed to be my baby. But the Moon Goddess didn't head to my ugly thought. After two hours, Elder Marious called to tell me that Stella was out of danger, but Tyson still needed to stay with her. The healers managed to treat her wound, and it was surprising that the baby was so healthy, like nothing had happened. Shortly after, Tyson messaged me.

"Kate, dinner with Stella at 6:00 PM at Mirage. Make sure to come."

Initially, I wanted to say no. But then I realized it was time to put the breeder in her place, so I said yes.

Chapter 3

Kate

I arrived at Mirage at exactly six. The restaurant was known for its low-lit chandelier and velvet curtains—too extravagant, I should say, for three people. But it screamed Stella, who thrived on attention and made sure to have it again tonight.

Tyson was already sitting at a corner table, his hand lightly brushing Stella’s. My stomach churned hearing Stella giggle while her hand cradled her barely-there baby bump like it was the Crown Jewel of Silverfang.

“Luna,” Tyson greeted, standing for formality, but it was obvious it lacked warmth.

“Alpha,” I replied curtly, emphasizing his title as I approached the table.

My eyes glanced to Stella, who secretly rolled her eyes and smirked. She didn't stand to greet me—of course not. Since she was carrying Alpha's child, why would a breeder bother with respect?

"Stella," I acknowledged her because I have manners, but with a clipped tone, as I sat across them.

"Oh, Luna Kate, I’m glad you could join us. Tyson said it would be good for us to spend more time together—for the baby’s sake,” Stella suddenly said with a sweet but fake smile.

'Tyson. Since when did they become on a first-name basis?' I thought, but they didn't notice I caught that.

I gritted teeth, trying to hold myself from screaming at her.

“How considerate of you both," I replied.

For a moment, we went silent when the waiter came and took our orders. But Stella, even the performer, thrived on filling the voids as if showing off as the rightful Luna.

“I must say, this pregnancy has been such a blessing to me and the entire pack. They are all supportive, and Tyson... Well, he's been incredible. Haven't you, Alpha?"

I watched Tyson's face beam with adoration as he smiled.

“The baby is the future of our pack. It’s only right that I’m there for you and the child.”

My wolf growled in my head, urging me to snap, but I kept my composure.

“You’ve certainly taken on the role of protector, Tyson. But let’s not forget, Stella, that you’re still an adopted in this pack, regardless of your condition," I said casually.

Stella’s eyes widened with irritation; the corners of her mouth twitched, but she recovered quickly.

“Of course, Luna. I’m just doing my part, ensuring the future of Silverfang. After all, the baby’s health is the most important. I’m sure Tyson agrees.”

Before I could retort, Tyson interjected, “She’s right, Kate. The child comes first.”

His words stung, but I folded my hands on the table to keep them from trembling.

“Naturally,” I said with a tight smile.

Stella emboldened by Tyson’s support, leaned forward, and her eyes locked with mine.

“Speaking of health, it’s been amazing how smooth this pregnancy has been. I suppose it’s because Tyson’s been so involved. But you know, Luna, a mother’s bond with her child starts in the womb. It’s all about who’s closest to the baby.”

It was a jab and an insult, but I refused to take the bait.

“Well, Stella, you should enjoy it while you can. Being pregnant is one thing; being a Luna is entirely different. You’ll never understand it's weight."

Her smile faltered, but Tyson’s expression hardened.

“That’s enough, Kate," he said firmly.

“There’s no need to undermine Stella. She’s carrying our heir, something you..."

He stopped, but the damage was done. My heart tore apart. I knew the word - barren. I met his gaze with a stoic expression.

“Go on, Tyson. Finish what you were saying."

He looked away and guilt fell on his face, but he turned to Stella.

“Let’s not turn this dinner into an argument. It’s supposed to be a celebration.”

“Celebration?” I chuckled.

“If that’s what this is, then by all means, raise your glasses. But don’t expect me to toast to betrayal.”

Stella's hand went flying to her mouth like I’d slapped her.

“Luna, I don't think it's fair. I didn't mean to..."

“Is it?” I cut her off.

“You’ve done nothing but insert yourself where you don’t belong. And Tyson, you’ve let her.”

Stella’s doe-eyed innocence disappeared, replaced by a steely glare.

“I belong exactly where the Alpha needs me."

“And where the Alpha allows you,” I snapped.

Tyson slammed the table, startling the other customers, but didn't complain.

“Enough, both of you!”

Tyson’s jaw was tight, eyes burning with anger as he turned to me.

“Kate, this isn’t just about you. This is about the pack. And if you can’t put your pride aside for the sake of Silverfang, then maybe you’re the one who doesn’t belong here.”

It hit me like a slap, but I refused to satisfy them by showing my pain. Instead, I stood and calmly smoothed my dress.

“Thank you for clarifying, Alpha. Enjoy your dinner," I said with a cold, low voice.

I walked out with my head held high despite the tears threatening to fall. It was cold when I stepped outside; it did little to soothe the fire inside me.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned, expecting Tyson, but it was Stella.

“Running away like a coward, Luna?"

I clenched my fists and held myself from slitting her throat, despite my wolf screaming to do it.