Chapter 1

The arrivals gate of the Silver Moon Pack airport was crowded with pack members waiting for their returning families, but Georgina Houston Wilson stood quietly near the entrance. Her fingers were tightly wrapped around the divorce papers inside her purse as she waited for her fiancé and mate, Alpha Matthew Wilson.

She had waited three years for this day, imagining that Matthew's return would finally bring the happiness she had lost. Instead, the moment he walked through the gate, her heart shattered all over again.

Alpha Matthew was walking beside Marian Rivera.

His arm was wrapped protectively around Marian's waist, and the sight of her very pregnant stomach made Georgina's blood run cold. The woman carrying Matthew's child was the same woman who had caused her to lose her own baby three years ago.

Georgina, don't lose control. She's waiting for you to react.

Jessa's voice echoed inside her mind, filled with anger and caution.

Georgina slowly breathed in, forcing her trembling fingers to loosen around her purse. She would not scream, and she would not beg. She had done enough of both in the past.

She stepped forward and walked straight toward them.

The moment Alpha Matthew saw her, his steps stopped. His hand slowly slipped from Marian's waist and dropped to his side as his eyes fixed on Georgina.

“Luna Georgina?” Alpha Matthew asked, his brows drawing together. “Why are you here?”

Georgina stopped in front of him and pulled the divorce papers from her purse. She extended them toward him without hesitation.

“I'm here to give you these,” Luna Georgina said calmly. “Sign them, Alpha Matthew. I want a divorce.”

Matthew stared at the papers as though he could not believe what he was hearing. He took them from her hand and looked at the first page, his expression becoming darker.

“Luna Georgina, are you serious with this?” Alpha Matthew asked, his voice rough. “The baby is innocent in all this.”

“The baby is innocent,” Georgina replied, keeping her eyes on him. “But the people who created this situation are not.”

Marian lowered her head and moved closer to Matthew, her hand slowly touching his arm.

“Alpha Matthew, please don't fight with Luna Georgina because of me,” Marian said softly. “I don't want to cause trouble between you and your mate.”

Georgina looked at Marian with a cold expression.

“You've caused enough trouble already.”

Marian's eyes immediately became watery.

“I never wanted to hurt you.”

“You pushed me down the stairs three years ago,” Georgina said, her voice shaking with the pain of the memory. “Don't stand there and tell me you never wanted to hurt me.”

Matthew's face tightened.

“Georgina, that matter was already settled three years ago,” Alpha Matthew said. “There's no reason to bring it up again.”

Georgina stared at him in disbelief.

“No reason?” she asked, her voice breaking. “I lost my child because of her, Matthew. How can you stand there and say there's no reason to talk about it?”

Several of Matthew's friends approached them after hearing the confrontation. One of them stepped forward and tried to calm the situation.

“Come on, Luna Georgina,” his friend said carefully. “Let's not make this worse than it already is. Marian only wants to give Alpha Matthew a child. She's not trying to steal him from you.”

Georgina's eyes immediately turned toward him.

“Is that what you tell yourself after helping them leave the pack three years ago?”

The man became silent.

Another of Matthew's friends quickly stepped in. “We were only trying to help Alpha Matthew. Nobody expected things to become this complicated.”

“Nobody expected it?” Georgina asked bitterly. “I was left alone after losing my child while all of you helped Matthew protect Marian.”

Matthew's eyes hardened.

“Enough, Georgina.”

“No, Alpha Matthew,” she said firmly. “You don't get to tell me when I'm allowed to speak about the child I lost.”

Matthew clenched his jaw, clearly irritated by the attention they were attracting.

“Let's go home and talk about this privately.”

“You had three years to talk to me,” Georgina replied. “You chose not to.”

Matthew stared at her.

“Last night, you were lying beside me,” Georgina continued, her voice trembling. “You held me and swore there was nothing between you and Marian. You told me everything was in my head.”

Matthew's eyes shifted uneasily.

“And today, you came home with her carrying your child.”

“I didn't want you to find out this way,” Matthew admitted.

Georgina gave him a painful smile.

“How did you want me to find out? After you brought her into our bedroom?”

Matthew's expression darkened.

“You're making this more complicated than it needs to be.”

“No,” Georgina said quietly. “You made it complicated when you fell in love with her and started neglecting me.”

Matthew's face hardened at the accusation.

“You're still my mate.”

“Then you should have treated me like one.”

The words left him speechless.

Georgina pushed the divorce papers closer to him.

“Sign them.”

Matthew stared at the papers for several seconds before his temper finally snapped. He suddenly tore the documents into pieces and threw them onto the floor.

“You want a divorce?” Alpha Matthew demanded coldly. “Forget it. I'm not signing anything.”

Georgina looked down at the shredded papers.

Then she calmly reached into her purse and pulled out another copy.

Matthew stared at her in disbelief.

“You brought another one?”

“I knew you would do that,” Georgina answered as she placed the fresh papers on the table beside them. “So I brought more.”

His face darkened.

“You think you can simply walk away from me?”

“I know I can.”

Matthew stepped closer.

“You're my mate.”

“And you're the man who abandoned me when I needed you most.”

Her voice cracked slightly, but Georgina refused to look away.

“When you were lying to me, Alpha Matthew,” she whispered, “did it never once cross your mind that I might actually leave you? Or did you really think I loved you enough to raise the child of the woman who killed our daughter?”

The words silenced everyone.

Marian suddenly let out a soft sob and shrank against Matthew's chest, her eyes wide with manufactured fear.

“Alpha Matthew, please,” Marian whimpered. “You can yell at me, and you can hate me, but please don't send me away again. I'm begging you.”

Matthew immediately placed an arm around her.

“Marian, calm down,” he said, his voice softening. “Nobody is sending you away.”

Georgina watched him comfort Marian, and something inside her finally went numb.

Marian slowly turned toward Georgina with tears running down her cheeks.

“Luna Georgina, please don't be angry with Alpha Matthew,” Marian pleaded. “It was all my fault. I seduced him. I'll do anything to make things right.”

“Then leave,” Georgina said coldly.

Marian froze.

“If you're truly sorry, leave the pack and stay away from my husband.”

Marian shook her head as tears continued falling.

“I can't. I love Alpha Matthew.”

“You're not asking for forgiveness,” Georgina said. “You're trying to take what belongs to me.”

Matthew's expression immediately hardened.

“That's enough, Georgina. Marian has apologized.”

“An apology doesn't erase what she did.”

Marian suddenly covered her face and began sobbing harder.

“I don't want to be the reason you two hate each other,” she cried. “Maybe I should disappear. Maybe everyone would be happier if I wasn't here.”

“Marian, don't say that,” Alpha Matthew warned.

But Marian suddenly turned and ran toward the busy street outside the airport.

“Marian!” Matthew shouted as he immediately chased after her.

Georgina watched in shock as Marian ran toward the road. Matthew caught her just before she reached the busy street and pulled her back into his arms.

“What were you thinking?” Alpha Matthew demanded, holding her tightly. “You could have been killed!”

Marian buried her face against his chest and sobbed.

“I'm sorry,” she cried. “I just don't want to lose you. I can't live without you.”

Matthew held her protectively before turning his furious eyes toward Georgina.

“Is this what you wanted, Luna Georgina?” Alpha Matthew snapped. “This was supposed to be a happy occasion. Are you satisfied now that you've turned it into a damn circus?”

Georgina stared at him through her tears.

“I didn't make her run into the street,” she said, her voice trembling. “She chose to do that.”

“You pushed her to this!” Matthew shouted.

“No, Alpha Matthew,” Georgina replied painfully. “You did.”

Matthew's eyes became cold.

“You can't have children anymore,” Alpha Matthew said cruelly. “Marian was terrified you'd be heartbroken, so she went through hell to get pregnant with this baby for us. Don't you dare be so ungrateful!”

The tears Georgina had been holding back finally spilled down her cheeks.

For a brief second, Matthew's anger faltered when he saw her crying. His expression softened, and he took a step toward his mate.

“Georgina…”

He raised his hand, almost as if he wanted to wipe away her tears.

But then Marian suddenly cried out, clutching her stomach.

“Alpha Matthew!”

Matthew immediately turned toward her.

“My stomach hurts!” Marian cried, pressing both hands against her pregnant belly. “Please, Alpha Matthew, something is wrong with the baby!”

Without a second thought, Alpha Matthew shoved past Georgina, scooped Marian into his arms, and rushed toward the hospital.