Chapter 1

I was the beloved Luna of the Nightshade pack, cherished for my grace and kindness. Everyone said so. The thought almost made me laugh now—how naive I had been, how completely, utterly blind.

As I stood on our bedroom balcony, watching the moon rise over the dense forest surrounding our territory, I rested my hands on my swollen belly. Eight months pregnant with the future heir of the Nightshade pack. My miracle. My joy.

"The little one's active tonight," I murmured to myself, feeling a strong kick against my palm. The cool night air carried the scent of pine and wild jasmine, a combination that had once brought me comfort. Now it only reminded me of how isolated I truly was.

Darius should have been here. My Alpha. My mate. My husband.

But he wasn't. He rarely was anymore.

"Luna Elara?" A soft voice called from the doorway. "I brought you some chamomile tea. It might help you sleep."

I turned to see my younger sister Myra, her delicate features arranged in an expression of concern as she carried a steaming mug toward me. Her golden hair caught the lamplight, making her look almost angelic.

"Thank you, Myra." I accepted the mug gratefully, breathing in the soothing aroma. "You're always so thoughtful."

She smiled, reaching out to touch my belly. "My little niece or nephew is going to be so beautiful. Just like their mother."

I returned her smile, warmed by her words. Myra had always been my rock, especially these past months when Darius had grown increasingly distant, citing pack business for his frequent absences.

"Has Darius sent word about when he'll return?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.

Something flickered across Myra's face—so quickly I almost missed it. Annoyance? Guilt? But then her features smoothed into sympathy.

"He mentioned a border dispute with the Eastern packs. You know how these things can drag on." She squeezed my hand. "Don't worry about him. Focus on staying healthy for the baby."

I nodded, taking a sip of tea. "You're right. I just... I wish he could be more present. The baby could come any day now."

"Men," Myra said with a light laugh. "They never understand what's truly important, do they?"

After she left, I settled into the rocking chair by the window, one hand resting protectively over my child. The mate bond between Darius and me had felt strangely muted lately. I'd asked the pack healer about it, and she assured me it was normal during pregnancy—the bond sometimes quieted to protect the mother from the Alpha's more intense emotions.

I wanted to believe her. I needed to believe her.

A sharp pain suddenly radiated through my lower back, making me gasp and spill tea onto my nightgown. I set the mug down with trembling hands, waiting to see if it would pass.

Another pain came, stronger this time.

"No," I whispered. "Not yet. Not when I'm alone."

But my body had other plans. I struggled to my feet, bracing myself against the wall as another contraction gripped me. I needed to find someone—Myra, a healer, anyone.

I made it to the hallway before doubling over, a warm gush of fluid running down my legs. My water had broken.

"Help," I called, my voice weaker than I intended. "Please, someone help!"

The pack house seemed eerily quiet. Where were the guards who usually patrolled the corridors? Where were the servants?

I needed Darius. Despite everything, despite his distance, he was my mate. He would feel my distress through our bond, wouldn't he?

With shaking hands, I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed his number. One ring. Two rings. Three.

"Come on, Darius," I pleaded. "Answer me."

Then, finally, the call connected. But instead of Darius's voice, I heard... something else. Heavy breathing. A woman's high-pitched moan. Rhythmic sounds that were unmistakable.

"Oh, Darius," a breathless female voice gasped. "You're so much better than my sister ever imagined..."

My sister's voice. Myra's voice.

"Myra," Darius groaned in response, his voice husky with pleasure. "You're so tight, so perfect..."

The phone slipped from my numb fingers, clattering to the marble floor. The sound seemed to echo through the empty hallway, but the call continued, the sounds of their betrayal filling the silence around me.

Another contraction seized me, this one so powerful I had to lean against the wall to stay upright. My vision blurred with tears—from pain or heartbreak, I couldn't tell anymore.

I didn't make a sound. I didn't confront them. What was the point? They had made their choice, and now I needed to focus on my child. Our child. The innocent life that deserved better than this web of lies and betrayal.

Somehow, I managed to push myself forward, one hand on the wall for support. The treatment room was on the ground floor. If I could just make it there...

I stumbled, my knees hitting the hard floor. My nails scraped against the marble as I tried to pull myself up, breaking and leaving bloody streaks. The contractions were coming faster now, barely giving me time to breathe between them.

"Luna Elara!" A deep voice called out in alarm. Strong arms lifted me before I could register who it was.

I looked up into the concerned face of Kaelan Thorne, our Beta warrior. His usually stoic expression was replaced with genuine worry as he cradled me against his broad chest.

"The baby," I managed to gasp. "It's coming."

"I've got you," he said firmly, already striding toward the treatment room. "Just hold on."

For a brief, strange moment as he carried me, I felt a flutter of... something. A warmth that seemed to spread from his touch, momentarily dulling the pain of my contractions. His eyes met mine, widening slightly as if he felt it too.

But then another contraction hit, and the moment was gone.

As Kaelan rushed me to the treatment room, I could only think of one thing: my child would be born into a pack led by traitors. My mate and my sister had betrayed me in the most fundamental way possible.

And they would pay for it. Somehow, they would pay.