Chapter 2

The first golden rays of sunrise filtered through the infirmary windows as I cradled Emma's sleeping form. Her fever had finally broken around dawn, but the dark circles under her eyes and the needle marks on her thin arms were stark reminders of the night we'd endured—alone.

The door burst open with such force that it slammed against the wall. Michael stormed in, his Alpha aura flaring around him like a storm cloud. The scent of Amanda's floral perfume clung to his clothes.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Nina?" he demanded, his voice carrying that unmistakable Alpha timbre designed to make lesser wolves cower.

I didn't flinch. "Caring for our daughter," I replied evenly, carefully adjusting Emma's blanket. "Something you were too busy to do last night."

His jaw clenched. "I had pack business."

"Pack business," I echoed, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "Is that what we're calling Amanda's latest crisis now?"

"That's exactly what I came to discuss." He stepped closer, lowering his voice but not his intimidating aura. "Amanda's received more threats from her ex-mate. She needs protection—our protection. She's moving into the pack house. Today."

I stared at him, momentarily speechless. "While our daughter lies here recovering?"

"This isn't up for debate, Nina." Michael's eyes flashed with Alpha gold. "Amanda is pack. She's vulnerable. This is my decision as Alpha."

I stood slowly, careful not to disturb Emma. "And this is my decision as a mother. Emma needs peace and quiet to recover. I'm moving her to the private healing room in the east wing."

"The east wing?" Michael's eyebrows shot up. "That's reserved for visiting pack dignitaries. On whose authority—"

"On my authority as your Luna and Emma's mother," I cut him off, my voice quiet but firm. "Unless you're planning to deny your sick child proper care while you accommodate Amanda?"

His Alpha aura flared violently, pressing against me like a physical force. "You forget yourself, Luna. You don't give orders in this pack. You don't make decisions without my approval."

I met his gaze steadily. "When was the last time you made a decision with Emma's welfare in mind?"

"You're being selfish," he hissed, stepping closer. "You've always resented Amanda. Always been jealous of her place in this pack. Now you're using Emma to—"

"Do not," I said, my voice dropping dangerously low, "use our daughter's suffering to deflect from your failures as a father."

Michael's face contorted with rage. "You dare challenge me? Question my leadership?"

"I'm questioning your priorities," I corrected him. "And I'm done discussing this. Emma stays in the east wing, away from Amanda's drama, until she's fully recovered."

I gathered Emma in my arms, her small body still warm but no longer burning with fever. As I walked past Michael, he grabbed my arm.

"This isn't over, Nina," he warned, his fingers digging into my skin.

I looked pointedly at his hand until he released me. "You're right about that."

* * *

Three hours later, I sat across from David Chen in the hidden conference room of my downtown law firm. The space was soundproofed and warded against werewolf hearing—perfect for what I needed to discuss.

"I was wondering when you'd finally come to your senses," David said, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses as he reviewed the documents I'd prepared. "Though I must admit, I never thought it would be under these circumstances."

"Neither did I," I admitted, tapping my finger against my temple—a habit when I was deep in thought. "But I can't protect Emma if I'm bound to an Alpha who doesn't prioritize her wellbeing."

David leaned back in his chair, his expression grave. "You realize what this means? The scandal this will create? You're not just any Luna seeking a mate bond dissolution—you're the region's most successful dissolution attorney. The irony won't be lost on anyone."

"I'm aware of the risks," I said, straightening the stack of papers before me. "But I've spent years building ironclad cases for she-wolves with far less evidence of neglect and emotional abandonment than I have."

"The pack will take sides," David warned. "And Michael has been transferring assets for months—presumably to fund Amanda's 'needs.'"

"I know." I'd been tracking those transfers meticulously. "That's why I need your help. We need to move quickly before he realizes what's happening."

David nodded, his loyalty unwavering. "What's our first move?"

Before I could answer, my phone buzzed with an alert from reception. I froze as I read the message.

"What is it?" David asked, noting my expression.

"Michael is here," I said, disbelief coloring my voice. "He's requesting a consultation with the firm's senior partner regarding a mate bond dissolution."

David's eyes widened. "He doesn't know?"

"Apparently not." A cold, calm certainty settled over me. "He has no idea he's about to consult with his own mate about leaving her."

"Nina, you don't have to—"

"No," I interrupted, standing and smoothing my skirt. "I think it's time Alpha Michael Sterling learned exactly who he's been married to all these years."

I walked to the main conference room where Michael waited, my wolf simmering with a dangerous, vengeful satisfaction. The moment of truth had arrived, and for once, I wouldn't be hiding my power.