Chapter 1

When I was nine months pregnant, I received a vision from the Moon Goddess. My mate, Ezekiel, the Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack, was with another she-wolf, a rival who had been meeting him in secret, waiting for the moment to destroy everything I held dear.

Then, as if on cue, her presence invaded my mind through our pack bond. Her mocking voice taunted me.

‘Soon, I’ll be the one by his side as Luna.’

As I placed a hand over my belly, I steeled myself.

If she thought I’d stand aside, she’s wrong.

——

When I was a month away from giving birth to the future Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack, a strange stillness settled over me. It was late at night, and the forest was humming softly beyond the pack house’s walls. I could feel every shift and crackle of energy in the pack link as if they pulsed through my own body. I didn’t know why I felt so uneasy, only that the Moon Goddess was watching.

Then the vision hit. It was a whirlwind of silver light, sounds, and images, spiraling and merging until I saw them.

Ezekiel, my mate, my Alpha, standing in the moonlit clearing with her. The scene sharpened in front of me. Every detail unfolded like a wound.

Ezekiel’s head was bent close to hers. I didn’t need to see his face to know the way he looked at her. The way he had once looked at me. There was a familiar warmth in his stance. His hand lingered on her shoulder with his fingers trailing down her arm.

The other she-wolf, Lucia, a member of the rival Crescent Moon Pack, stared up at him with a look that spoke of long-held desire finally within her grasp. She laughed softly. And Ezekiel brushed a lock of her hair aside as though she were the only one in his world.

I felt the pack link flicker, like a whisper in the back of my mind, and then her voice invaded my thoughts.

“So, you finally know, Luna,” she sneered. Her words were tinged with something like she’d just won a battle.

‘The Luna of Silver Fang.’ Her thoughts brushed against mine like claws, mocking. “Did you really think you could keep him? A Luna who can’t keep her mate’s loyalty doesn’t deserve to be Luna at all.”

I felt anger and pain crashing over me. I clutched my belly as my child stirred within. I could feel his energy, the strength of an Alpha, and I drew on that power, wrapping it around myself like armor.

Ignoring her taunts, I searched through the pack link for Ezekiel’s connection, sensing the bond that held us together. But it felt faded, like a rope worn thin and ready to snap. I probed further, following the echoes of his connection to Lucia.

I couldn't deny it anymore. He had been meeting her in secret, sharing whispers and moments under the moon that once belonged to us.

“What do you think you’ll achieve?” I sent back. I forced myself to be calm, though the pain clawed at me like an open wound. “He may stray, but he knows his duty.”

“Does he?” Lucia’s laughter echoed through the bond. “He’s with me because he WANTS to be. You’re just the one he’s obligated to stay with for the pack’s sake.”

Her words twisted in my heart. I felt her smugness radiate through the link, as if she could taste my hurt and my helplessness. She was reveling in it.

“And soon, he’ll have no need for you. I’ll be by his side, not only as his true mate but as the Luna of Silver Fang,” she continued.

I gritted my teeth as I shut down the link, blocking out her mocking laughter. I wouldn’t let her poison reach my child. Sinking onto the edge of my bed, I tried to steady my breath. Every ounce of strength I had was poured into keeping calm, but the betrayal wrapped around me like a suffocating fog. I had devoted everything to this pack, to Ezekiel, believing that together we would lead the Silver Fang to strength and prosperity.

And yet, in the heart of our territory, while I carried his heir, he betrayed me with a wolf from a rival pack.

The thought sickened me, but I had to face it. I could not shield my child from this truth, from the twisted reality of our bond.

The door creaked open, and Ezekiel entered the room. His eyes softened when he saw me sitting in the dark. Then he came to kneel before me, touching my belly with a gentle hand. I felt a fierce urge to pull away, but I forced myself to stay still.

“Viviane, why are you sitting here alone in the dark?” His voice was gentle, masking his betrayal with ease. “Is everything alright with our little one?”

I stared into his eyes, searching for a hint of guilt, a trace of the lies I’d uncovered. The only thing I found was the faintest flicker, the trace of her scent mingling with his. It was something sweet and sharp, like berries crushed in the cold.

“Yes, everything is fine,” I replied. “I was just… thinking.”

He reached for my hand. I let him take it, though it felt like holding fire. “You’ve been restless lately,” he murmured, rubbing circles over my knuckles. “What’s troubling you?”

The urge to confront him was overpowering, but I knew better. A Luna doesn’t simply lash out. She would wait, plan, and strike when the moment is right. “Nothing at all, Ezekiel,” I said, meeting his gaze. “I just wonder… how much loyalty truly means to some.”

For a fleeting second, I saw a shadow cross his expression. But then, he covered it with a practiced smile, as if the lie between us was as light as air.

I turned my attention back to my belly, feeling my child move. “One day,” I whispered so only he could hear, “our pack will know the truth. And the future Alpha growing within me will be stronger than any deception.”

Chapter 2

Ezekiel’s scent hit me before he even walked through the door. The sharp tang of forest air mingled with something floral that wasn’t mine. The smell clung to him like a shadow, lingering in the corners of the room as he entered our pack house. He darted his eyes away from me as if I were no more than another wolf in the pack.

The room was dim. And the fire’s embers were crackling low, casting shadows across the walls. I leaned back. I rested my hand protectively over my belly, where the future Alpha lay, sensing my turmoil. For a moment, I thought Ezekiel might feel it too, that he might finally understand the weight of his choices. But when he looked at me, it was as if he didn’t see me at all.

“Where were you?” I asked.

He shrugged, peeling off his jacket and tossing it aside. “Out,” he replied indifferently.

I rose slowly and met his gaze. “You don’t smell like you’ve been out alone, Ezekiel.”

He stiffened. And I could see how his jaw tightened. But still, he didn’t meet my eyes. “Viviane, it’s nothing,” he muttered, dismissing my concerns as if they were trivial complaints. “I don’t need to explain my every move to you.”

My heart clenched. The mate bond we once shared felt as fragile as dried leaves. Each word he spoke tore at it further, unraveling the connection that had once been my anchor. I could feel the bond weakening.

“Nothing?” I repeated, letting the word linger, letting him hear the disbelief in my voice. I wanted him to feel the pain I held in every heartbeat. “You expect me to believe that, while you carry the scent of another wolf?”

He finally turned to me. His eyes flared with frustration. “Viviane, this isn’t the time for this. You’re pregnant, and you need to rest. Don’t strain yourself with… unfounded accusations.”

Unfounded. The word sent a cold tremor down my spine. I wrapped my arms around myself, willing strength into my voice. Even as the mate bond was strained and stretched thin, its cracks spread like frost over glass. “Then prove it to me,” I demanded as I held his gaze with all the determination I could muster. “Show me that I’m still your Luna.”

For a heartbeat, he looked uncertain. His gaze flickered to my belly, where his child grew, the future of his bloodline. “What are you asking, Viviane?”

I took a deep breath, feeling my child’s presence anchoring me. “I want you to do something for me, Ezekiel. Prove to me that you still honor our bond…that you still respect the role I hold in this pack.” I chose my words carefully, hoping he would understand, hoping he would see this as a chance to redeem himself.

But his face remained impassive. And I could feel the tension between us rising every second passed.

“Viviane, you’re being unreasonable. I don’t have time for this. There are more pressing matters at hand.”

I searched his eyes, trying to find a sliver of the wolf I had loved, the Alpha I believed in. But all I saw was indifference, a void where once there had been loyalty. “I see,” I murmured. I was nothing more than a burden to him now. Something he tolerated out of obligation… nothing more.

He stepped closer. He tried to reach out to me but I pulled away, recoiling from the scent that clung to him.

“Viviane, you need to take care of yourself,” he said. His tone was gentle but detached, like he was talking to a wounded animal. “This… tension isn’t good for our child.”

Our child. The words tasted bitter on my mouth. He could speak of our child, show concern for my health, but he could not bring himself to acknowledge the bond that had brought this child into the world.

With a heavy heart, I nodded. “Yes, Ezekiel. You’re right. I need to take care of myself. And our child.”

He seemed relieved, as if he had won some unspoken battle. And without another word, he turned and left the room, leaving me standing in the cold silence he left behind.

I waited until his footsteps faded, until the door closed. And only then did I allow myself to feel the full weight of his betrayal. I ran my hand over my belly, where the next Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack awaited his birth.

Then I made a silent promise to myself.

I would protect this child. I would ensure that he would never suffer the same pain I had felt, that he would grow strong and loyal, a leader who would know the true meaning of honor and loyalty.

As I stood there, I felt a familiar, icy presence settle into my mind. The same one from my vision, the same voice that had taunted me with its cruel words.

“Soon, Viviane,” Lucia’s voice echoed through the bond. “Soon, I’ll have everything you hold dear. I will be the true Luna of this pack. And your precious Alpha will be mine.”

The fire inside me ignited. My hand tightened over my belly as I whispered, “Over my dead body, Lucia.”

Chapter 3

Hidden beneath the shadows of the pack house, I closed my eyes and focused, reaching deep within the mate bond that still faintly pulsed between Ezekiel and me. The bond was weak, but I could still tap into it, using the strength I had left as Luna. Through that fragile link, memories flooded over me. Moments that weren’t mine but had been branded into Ezekiel’s mind.

Flashes of him and Lucia slipped into my thoughts. Their intimate scenes from their meetings under the cover of the forest. I saw him smiling at her, that warm smile that once belonged to me alone. They stood close. Then she reached up to his shoulders. His fingers grazed her cheek as if she were something precious. My heart tightened as I saw Lucia leaning into him, whispering words I couldn’t hear but didn’t need to.

I pulled back, breathing heavily, but the vision continued, pressing forward with relentless clarity. I saw them in the moonlight, where she feigned tenderness. She pressed her hand against her stomach as if she were carrying his pup. My stomach twisted. She was lying to him. She was manipulating his sense of duty, weaving a web that would trap him in a bond of deception. The ache in my heart grew sharper as I realized he believed her. He saw her as his future, while I was nothing more than a shadow in his past.

The images faded, but their residue clung to me. I could feel my baby kicking. It was like it sensed my pain. I placed a hand on my belly, grounding myself in the reality that this child was my reason to keep fighting. I couldn’t allow Ezekiel’s betrayal to weaken me or jeopardize the life growing within me. He had failed our bond, but I would not fail our pup.

Steeling myself, I returned to the present, gathering my resolve. As Luna, I still held influence within the pack. And I intended to use it. If Ezekiel wanted to keep his lies hidden, then he had severely underestimated the strength of a Luna betrayed. I knew every wolf in the pack, their habits, their movements, and I was ready to quietly uncover the evidence I needed.

Starting with the pack’s resource records, I combed through the ledger, finding irregularities that confirmed my suspicions. Several resources had been transferred to a location near Crescent Moon territory. The very area I had sensed Lucia’s presence.

My breath came shallowly as I uncovered supplies meant for our pack diverted, food and medicine that should have been used to strengthen our wolves but instead had gone to her. I recorded everything, saving the proof I needed, securing it with the precision of a warrior.

The betrayal ran deep, infecting every part of what I thought was secure. It was as if he was tearing down everything I had helped build in this pack, stone by stone. I took screenshots of the records. Then carefully tucked each piece of evidence away.

Ezekiel’s actions were no longer a private betrayal. They threatened the foundation of our pack, the loyalty of our wolves, and the very fabric of our unity.

My discovery bore down on me, but I kept moving, seeking out allies among the wolves who had always been loyal to me. I felt their concern, their uncertainty, even whispers that hinted at what I now knew to be true. My position as Luna meant I knew which wolves had always stood by me, those who respected the bond of the pack above all else, and their loyalty was a lifeline in the storm of deceit surrounding me.

Through quiet conversations, I planted seeds of doubt, careful to ensure they wouldn’t trace back to me. I let slip the smallest hints, fragments of truth that would feed the rumors already circulating. A glance here, a word there, and soon, the whispers began to grow, spreading through the pack like wildfire. I knew it wouldn’t be long before the news reached even the lowest-ranking wolves, making it impossible for Ezekiel to hide his betrayal any longer.

And as the rumors swirled around us, I could feel the pack’s loyalty begin to waver, slipping like sand through Ezekiel’s fingers. Where there had once been respect, there was now hesitation, doubt. Wolves avoided his gaze. Murmurs followed him wherever he went. And the energy in the pack shifted, like the betrayal was a wound that each of us felt.

I knew the cost of this revelation would be high, but it was a price I was willing to pay to protect the pack from a leader who had lost his honor. I had to face the truth. Ezekiel’s choices were tearing us apart. And I could no longer stay silent.

As I stood alone under the rising moon with my hand resting over my child, I’d come to a decision. The time would come when I would have to choose between my mate and my duty as Luna. But for now, I would let the truth spread, let it corrode the loyalty he thought he could command with a smile and empty promises.

Chapter 4

I could hear Ezekiel’s footsteps echoing through the silent pack house as he slipped out the door. I almost didn't hear his voice when he muttered something about “urgent pack matters.” He didn’t wait for me to ask questions. He didn’t even look back as he disappeared into the shadows outside, leaving nothing but the scent of pine and that sickening hint of something floral.

I waited only a moment, letting him think he’d escaped unnoticed. But as soon as the door clicked shut, I was on my feet. My instincts kicked in with a fierce determination. I shifted quietly, feeling the surge of power as my wolf took over. My senses sharpened as I tracked his scent through the night air.

He moved quickly. He led me out of Silver Fang territory and closer to the boundary of the Crescent Moon Pack. My heart hammered as I followed, feeling the strain in our bond as he ventured further from our territory.

As I approached the edge of the Crescent Moon Pack’s lands, I caught sight of him through the trees. He was standing in the moonlight. His figure was illuminated as he waited. And then she appeared.

Lucia.

Her silhouette emerged from the shadows. She moved delicately as she made her way to him. Her eyes were fixed on Ezekiel with a longing gaze that made my stomach churn.

I crept closer, and crouched low in the brush. My heart pounded as I took in the scene before me. Ezekiel’s face softened as she reached him. He reached out, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered against her skin in a way that felt like a dagger in my heart.

Their voices drifted toward me as if they were the only ones in the world.

“I’m sorry it took so long to get here. The pack business is… complicated. But I’m here now,” he explained.

Lucia pouted, leaning into him as she wrapped her arms around his midriff. “You shouldn’t have to apologize, Ezekiel. I know you’re carrying the weight of your responsibilities. But I worry… I’m afraid of being alone.” Her voice quivered just enough to elicit his sympathy. Her vulnerability was carefully crafted.

He held her closer. Then he rested his hand on her back as he whispered, “You’re not alone, Lucia. You have me.”

I clenched my fists. My nails dug into my palms as the mate bond flickered and sputtered. The pain of his betrayal laced through it like poison. My vision blurred. And the edges of my mind were fraying as I struggled to keep my emotions in check, to keep from storming into their twisted little moment and tearing apart the illusion they’d created.

Then, with a soft smile, Lucia placed a hand on her stomach. Immediately, Ezekiel’s expression shifted. His gaze dropped to her abdomen. My heart stopped as he reached down, covering her hand with his own. His face lit up with tenderness that I hadn’t seen in years.

“Do you really think he’ll be safe here?” she whispered worriedly.

Ezekiel’s grip tightened. “I’ll protect you both, Lucia. You and the child. Nothing will harm you under my watch.”

I stifled a sigh, feeling the mate bond strain and tear as the final threads holding us together began to unravel. The pain was sharp and relentless. It was like fire that seared through me. My wolf howled within me. A cry of betrayal that echoed through every part of my being.

He believed her. He believed her lies about a child that didn’t even exist. The realization settled over me like ice, chilling me to my core. He was willing to sacrifice everything we had, everything he’d ever sworn to protect, for a deception spun by a rival wolf who had wormed her way into his heart.

As their laughter echoed through the trees, mingling with whispers of a future I would never be part of, I felt the mate bond shatter completely, its final pieces disintegrating like ashes on the wind. The pain tore through me. It was unbearable and merciless.

Ezekiel had betrayed me, betrayed our bond, and our pack. But I would not let him continue this farce. I would not let him carry on as Alpha while his loyalty lay with a wolf who had no claim to our pack. No right to stand beside him.

I forced myself to turn away, back toward Silver Fang territory. My heart felt hollow. But as I crossed back into our lands, I made my decision. I would reject him. I would remove him from the bond he had so carelessly discarded.

The ritual of rejection was a painful one. And I knew it would be excruciating to sever the last remnants of the bond. But I had no choice. The role of Luna was mine by right. And I would not allow him to desecrate it any longer.

The moon hung high above me, casting its light over the pack house as I approached. The time had come. I would face him, call upon the ancient power of the Moon Goddess, and end this once and for all.