Chapter 1
Five years into the blood bond, Logan, heir to the Sterling Group, brought a different she-wolf back to Sterling Estate every single month to pressure me into breaking the bond.
The thirteenth time he threw a divorce agreement in my face, I'd had enough. I promised I'd be gone in a year.
The next day, he and his wolfless brother, Arthur, were ambushed by a rival pack. One was dead, the other wounded.
I draped myself in black lace to officiate at Logan's funeral. Then, I overheard him arguing with the Luna inside the chapel.
"Joanna just conceived a pureblood pup, and you fake your death to disguise yourself as Arthur with a human mask? Have you lost your mind?" the Luna snapped.
Logan was hysterical. "The Moon Goddess is helping me get rid of that bitch. You knew damn well that I loved Beverly, Mom, but you forced me into the alliance.
"Now it's perfect. I'll pretend to be Arthur and mate with Beverly fair and square. Joanna loves the Sterling Group so much. Let her be a widow then. As for that pup? Consider it my parting gift to her."
My face didn't even twitch. I turned and walked away.
If Logan didn't want his heir status, then the pup in my belly would be the Sterling Group's one and only heir.
*****
A heavy, mournful requiem drifted through the chapel.
I stood at the very front, swathed in thick black veils.
Rain hammered the stained glass windows.
An empty black coffin sat before me.
It belonged to my mate, Logan Sterling, the future Alpha of the Blackridge Pack.
Yesterday, he and his wolfless older brother, Arthur Sterling, had been ambushed by a rival pack.
At the scene, all they'd found was a burned body and a badly injured survivor.
The survivor was "Arthur."
Logan was the one who'd died.
But I knew the truth wasn't like that.
Ten minutes ago, I'd gone to the side hall to rest.
The door wasn't fully closed. Inside, I overheard a fierce argument.
It was Grace, the Luna, grilling someone.
Then came Logan's hysterical roaring.
I stood outside the door, completely still.
I spent five years trapped by a blood bond, enduring humiliation while Logan paraded a different she-wolf through the Sterling Estate every month.
And I was under relentless pressure when he shoved a divorce agreement at me thirteen times.
Everything finally came to an end today.
I turned and walked out of the side hall, my heels clicking sharply on the floor.
If Logan didn't want to be the heir, then the pup in my belly would be the only heir to the Sterling Group.
As I walked back into the main hall, the guests crowded around to offer their condolences.
"Joanna, please accept my condolences."
"Logan's passing was so sudden. You have to take care of yourself."
I gave a cold nod and didn't say a word.
Then the doors swung open.
Beverly Cohen pushed "Arthur," whom I knew was Logan, into the hall; he was slumped in a wheelchair.
His head was wrapped in bandages, and he wore a black funeral suit.
Beverly, though, had on a painfully flashy white lace dress.
In a sea of guests dressed in black, she looked like a gleaming white peacock.
"Are you okay, Joanna?" Arthur asked.
He was putting on a weak act, but that couldn't hide his arrogant smirk.
I stared at Arthur's face, and my stomach turned.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Arthur," I said coldly.
Grace came out of the side hall with red, tearful eyes.
She walked straight to Arthur and gently touched his shoulder, her face full of concern.
"My poor boy, you've been through so much," she whispered.
Then she turned and locked her eyes on mine without blinking.
She declared, "Joanna, Logan is gone. The Sterling Group can't function without a leader for a single day.
"Starting today, Arthur is taking over all of Logan's duties.
"Hand over the estate seal. Now."
I didn't back down; I met her glare head-on.
"Grace, Logan's body isn't cold yet, and you're already trying to grab power at his funeral?" I fired back.
"Arthur is Logan's older brother. It's only right," Grace shouted.
I sneered, "Arthur is wolfless and ordinary.
"He couldn't even get past the pack's security gates if he tried. What makes him qualified to take over?"
"How dare you!" Grace slammed her hand down on the wheelchair's armrest.
Arthur gave a couple of fake coughs, pretending to be generous.
"Joanna, I know this is hard for you, but I'm doing this for the pack.
"Now that Logan is gone, I'll take care of you in his place," he said.
"Don't bother," I said, resting my hand on my flat stomach.
"I'm carrying Logan's pureblood pup.
"According to the Blood Bond Code, my child is first in line to inherit everything."
The entire hall fell completely silent.
Every guest gasped in shock.
Arthur twitched violently.
He obviously hadn't expected me to announce my pregnancy right then.
Beverly jumped in immediately, pointing her finger at my face and screaming insults.
"Who knows if that's Logan's pup? A lowlife like you has probably hooked up with who knows how many guys behind his back," she said.
I swung my hand and slapped her hard across the face.
The sharp crack echoed through the hall.
"Who do you think you are, yelling at me like that at Logan's funeral?" I snapped.
Beverly clutched her cheek and whined dramatically as she threw herself into Arthur's arms.
"Arthur, did you see that? She hit me," she cried.
Arthur shot to his feet, completely forgetting that he was supposed to be a severely injured man.
"Joanna, you're asking for it," he roared.
"Oh, so your legs are suddenly fine, Arthur?" I said, giving him an icy stare.
He froze and then slowly sat back down in the wheelchair.
Grace hurried over to smooth things over.
"Joanna, you're vicious. Beverly is Arthur's mate. How could you hit her?" she said.
"His mate?" I shot back. "Arthur barely escaped death yesterday, and now he's already gotten a mate?
"Is this how you guys mourn Logan?"
I kept pushing forward, not giving any of them a moment to breathe.
Arthur clenched his jaw so hard that it looked like it might crack; his chest heaved with rage.
"That's enough, Joanna. Don't push your luck.
"I don't care whose pup you're carrying. You will hand over that seal today," he barked.
He pulled a thick syringe out of his jacket.
"Beverly was shaken up by the attack yesterday. She needs pureblood wolf blood to calm her down.
"You were Logan's mate. This is what you owe the pack," he snarled.
He raised the syringe, closing in on me.
"Roll up your sleeve, Joanna," he demanded.