Chapter 1

The day I suffered my seventh miscarriage, Alpha Marcelo returned to our packhouse with a young Omega named Virginia. She carried the faintest curve of a baby bump, her youthful face glowing with the promise of new life. The sight of her made my chest tighten, but I forced myself to remain composed.

"Virginia is still young," Marcelo said, his voice cold and detached. "She’s inexperienced with pregnancy. As the Luna of this pack, it’s your duty to guide her."

He paused, his dark eyes narrowing as he studied my reaction. "Since your pregnancies have all ended in tragedy, we’ll claim Virginia’s pup as ours once it’s born. It’s for the good of the pack."

For the first time, I didn’t cry or argue. I simply nodded, my expression blank. Marcelo seemed almost pleased by my compliance, offering a rare moment of false kindness. "If you do well, I might consider giving you another chance."

I smiled faintly, masking the storm brewing inside me. He had no idea that in seven days, I would leave this pack forever, carrying the ashes of my seven pups with me.

“Yes, Giovanna, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.” I ended the call, my voice steady despite the turmoil in my heart.

Marcelo strode into the room, his Alpha aura filling the space. "What’s happening the day after tomorrow? Who are you meeting?"

I didn’t answer, my gaze fixed on the bathroom where I had lost my seventh pup just hours earlier. The memory of the blood staining the tiles made my stomach churn. Marcelo’s irritation flared as he noticed my distant stare.

“Alyssa, Virginia says she’s hungry. Go make dinner! If she or the pup go hungry, you’ll answer to me!”

I wiped away the tears that threatened to fall and, despite the weakness from my miscarriage, dragged myself into the kitchen.

The summer heat made the kitchen unbearable, and by the time I finished cooking, I was drenched in sweat. The blast of cold air from the living room sent shivers down my spine as I stepped out.

Virginia lounged on the couch, her head resting on Marcelo’s lap, basking in his attention. A bowl of her favorite strawberries sat on the table, and Marcelo peeled them one by one, feeding her with a tenderness he had never shown me.

My hand instinctively touched my belly, now empty and silent. Just a few days ago, my pup had been alive inside me. Watching Marcelo dote on Virginia’s unborn child felt like a dagger to my heart. In five months, my own pup would have been born.

But because I was seen as an unfit Luna, and because I had failed to win Marcelo’s affection, even my pup was discarded. I couldn’t help but wonder how different things might have been if I hadn’t called Marcelo immediately when I fell, or if he had rushed home to take me to the pack’s healer.

But he hadn’t. He had simply hung up, his voice cold and dismissive. “I’m busy with Virginia’s prenatal checkup. We’ll talk later.”

So, I had lain there, alone and bleeding, watching as the life within me slipped away. It was a pain worse than death, and it still haunted me.

Perhaps my gaze was too intense, because Marcelo glanced at me with a sneer. “What is it, Alyssa? Are you thinking about your pups again? I’ve already told you, it’s not in the cards for you. Consider it a blessing that I’m letting you look after Virginia’s pup.”

I shook my head. That pup wasn’t mine. Beside him, Virginia giggled softly, her voice dripping with mockery. “Marcelo, don’t upset Alyssa. After all, it’s not her fault she’s like a barren wolf.”

Marcelo chuckled, tapping her nose affectionately. “Our Virginia is lucky—she succeeded on the first try.”

They spoke as if I, his mate and Luna, were invisible. In the past, such scenes would have shattered me. But now, they only felt hollow and exhausting.

I retreated to the bedroom, only to find my clothes scattered on the floor and my belongings tossed in the trash. In their place were boxes of contraceptives and revealing lingerie, alongside an array of brightly colored dresses that belonged to Virginia.

Marcelo appeared in the doorway, his arms crossed. “Oh, I forgot to mention, Virginia needs to sleep with me since she’s expecting. You’ll move to the spare bedroom. Misfortune clings to those who miscarry, and I don’t want any bad luck affecting Virginia.”

Virginia appeared behind him, her smile sickeningly sweet. “I hope you don’t mind, Alyssa. This house has seen the deaths of your seven pups. It’s unsettling. Marcelo’s presence is needed to keep any restless spirits at bay.”

Marcelo wrapped his arms around her, kissing her gently on the head. “Don’t worry, Virginia. I’ll handle any restless souls that come along.”

I couldn’t hold back the retort that bubbled up. “Those aren’t spirits, Marcelo. Those are our pups!”

Marcelo laughed, a cold, cruel sound. “Pups? I don’t recognize them as such! Virginia’s pup is the one I’ll acknowledge and place in the pack’s lineage.”

“Even if your pups had been born, I wouldn’t accept them! Better they’re gone, wandering souls, never to trouble me.”

Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at him. The Marcelo I had once loved, the vibrant and ambitious Alpha, seemed to have vanished. After that accident, the Marcelo who survived was a monster, devouring every ounce of my love, bit by bit.