Chapter 1

CHLOE'S P.O.V.

The evening is lively with chatter and laughter, a far contrast from the turmoil brewing inside me as I pick at my food. We were having a small birthday banquet gathering in honor of my son, Lucas. To anyone else, we looked like the perfect family. A mother and father celebrating their son, together with his grandma and aunt. A perfect family gathering.

“Look how strong he’s growing up to be; this one’s fit to be a warrior and an alpha. You’ve done a good job with him, Jasper," Catherine, Jasper's mother, quipped.

My fingers tightened around my cutlery; easing it, I placed it down gently.

“As he should be; after all, he is my son," Jasper boasted with pride.

My palms slipped onto my dress, gripping tightly at my dress, my heart pounding. It was time. Memories of how I’d come to find out about what set me off on my decision resurfaced in my mind.

****

‘Luna, just a heads up, but you might not like what you’d see.’ The investigator said carefully, reluctant to hand over the file, which I eagerly snatched up.

Oh, how I wished I hadn't; the contents turned my blood cold. How could they do this to her? To my child. They were supposed to be her family; they were supposed to protect her! At that moment, I made up my mind. I was going to take her away. I’d be damned if I let my pup suffer at the hands of these wretched bastards.

****

“If I may, I’d like to say something.” I chip in, interrupting their conversation. All heads turned to look at me.

“Chloe? What is it?” Jasper asked, his tone slightly impatient and irritated at my initial silence.

Summoning the courage, I look him in the eye as I speak in all seriousness, “I can’t do this anymore, Jasper. I need space; I need time away from everything.”

The table is swept up in silence, not a single word for what felt like the longest seconds. Then Catherine blurts.

“It seems you’ve had too much to drink; you’re mumbling absolute nonsense. As Luna, I must say this is utterly unacceptable. You’re supposed to lead by example.” She chided, like I was a petulant pup.

“I am not drunk, Mother," I counter firmly.

“What nonsense is this, Chloe? And that too at an important event such as this? Is this you trying to be funny?” Jasper asked in annoyance, his eyes slithering narrowly, angrily.

“It is not nonsense, Jasper.” I fire back, determined not to back down despite their heavy glares. “I want respite, Jasper. I need my child with me. I want to be with Sophia.” I declare, with a tone of finality. “At the very least, if her father fails in his duty, her mother shouldn’t.”

Almost immediately, Jasper slams his hand down on the table, his rage unconcealed. He would not stand for such embarrassment; that I knew.

“How dare you, Chloe? How dare you utter such words in front of my son and our family?”

I nearly scoff at his words. “How dare I? No, how dare you, Jasper?”

“Chloe, stand down. Stop with this nonsense, you’re going too far," Catherine warns.

“Too far? I haven’t even done anything. I haven’t said anything, yet you all are unanimously against me.” I mutter, not the least bit surprised. I had expected this much. I return my gaze to my mate. “My daughter, our blood daughter, was sent away by you. Away from her mother, away from her father for reasons best known to you. While your son, who is adopted, by the way, remains with us, enjoying yet the same fatherly love and familial affection that you have denied our daughter.” I explode in rage, each word spurring on my anger.

Angered by my words, Jasper rose to his feet, his chair flung back harshly by the force with which he stood as he made his way over me, striking me hard across my face, not minding the fact that our son was watching or the fact that we had company. Tears welled up in my eyes, which I forced back. As expected, no one spoke up. They wouldn’t dare speak against their Alpha.

Roughly grabbing me by my arm, Jasper forced me to look up at him. “How dare you speak to me in such a manner, Chloe? How dare you utter such words about our son? You might be Luna, but I am your Alpha. Know your place.” He hissed venomously.

I chuckled bitterly. “Hit me all you want, Jasper, but we both know I’m saying the truth. Don’t pretend to not know why I’m doing this. Why I’m fighting for my daughter, who’s being abused.” I spit, shrugging away from his hold.

Tilting his head, he asks, “What the hell are you on about?”

Without a word, I fish out pictorial evidence of Sophia's bruises, slamming the picture down for all to see. I had secretly employed a spy to report everything concerning my daughter to me. Hell if I’d let her remain in the care of Jasper's’s so-called family without me watching over my daughter.

Jasper's gaze hardens as he glances at the pictures, with Jasper's aunt, Kayleen, scoffing at the pictures. “Really? This is your take? You had to go so low to claim your child is being abused just so you could claim respite, and what? Run away and have some fun with your lover?”

I stared daggers at her, wanting nothing more than to be away from the bloody lot of them, but not before teaching them a good lesson. “Because she is! The pictures are enough evidence! What? Are you going to deny the fact that I’ve been constantly denied the right to see my child at my own free will because I might find out about what was going on?”

“That is enough, all of you. Jasper, dear, why don’t you calm down? We have a child in our midst," Catherine said calmly. Reluctantly, Jasper complied. I knew he was just itching to unleash his anger on me.

“Sit, Chloe," Catherine ordered. I did as told.

“Now, I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours to have done what you did tonight. But I’d like to think of it as you being unwell.”

“With all—“ I interrupted.

“Keep your mouth shut.” She snapped. “You have said enough; the show is enough. We will forget the ridiculous display that happened here today. Your daughter isn’t being abused; she is simply being trained to become better, to become stronger. Do you have any idea how distasteful it is for an alpha to birth an omega pup?”

With a roll of her eyes, she added, “I knew from the onset that nothing good could come from you.” My chest hurt at her words, with Jasper's aunt snickering spitefully.

“Now, you will apologize to your mate, and this nonsense should never repeat itself. Understood?” A cold numbness spread across my body, my eyes tightly shut as a single tear escaped, which I quickly wiped away.

“I will not repeat myself, Luna.” She warned.

Forcing my head up, I answered, “I understand, Mother. My apologies.”

Then, I looked at Jasper. “I apologize, Alpha; I was out of line. I must have lost my senses; I was simply feeling overwhelmed.” Each word tasted sour as I spoke, angrily fisting at my clothes. I’d let them have the win today. I needed a better strategy if I needed to win this war against them.

A satisfied look in his eyes, Jasper nodded once. “This mustn’t repeat itself, or you’d have yourself to blame.”

Forcing a smile, I nod. “Of course, and while we’re at it, why don’t I handle the preparations for our son’s party?”

The table fell back into chatter while my rage simmered. I needed a better strategy, and the next time, they won’t have me cornered.

With the last shred of defiance in me, I speak up, staring dead at him. “Also, Jasper, I want a divorce.”