1.First Encounter

Eira’s POV

“Luna! The Alpha has returned from his trip!”

The door swung open, and my maid’s voice jolted me out of my thoughts. I turned to her, a smile spreading across my face at the news of his arrival. It had been two long months since Kieran left the pack for an important matter, and now, finally, he was back.

I had missed him more than I’d liked to admit.

Closing the book in my hands, I rose to my feet as quickly as possible. I needed to see him.

“Okay,” I said to my maid, a hint of excitement in my voice. “I’ll go welcome him.”

But as the words left my lips, I noticed something was off. There was a strange look on her face—sad, almost concerned. This wasn’t the first time my husband had been away for so long, but she had never looked like this before.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

She flinched slightly before shaking her head. “The Alpha… he returned with a woman,” she said hesitantly. “She looked like she might be his mistress.”

Her words hit me like a blow. My eyes widened in shock, but I quickly shook it off. No. There was no way he’d betray me.

“You must be overthinking it,” I told her firmly, reassuringly touching her shoulder. “There’s no way Kieran would cheat on me. Just make sure not to say something like this in front of anyone else.”

She hesitated but nodded, her gaze dropping. I offered her a small smile before turning and hurrying out of the room.

I made my way downstairs, my heart racing—not with worry, but with excitement. Two months apart had felt like an eternity, and all I wanted now was to see him, to hold him. I brushed off the maid’s concerns. Kieran wouldn’t betray me. He loved me.

As I stepped into the grand hall, my eyes landed on him immediately. He was standing there, tall and imposing as always, but my heart faltered when I saw the woman by his side.

She was stunning—beautiful in a way that commanded attention. Her laughter filled the air, and Kieran… he was smiling at her.

My steps slowed as I watched them. My stomach twisted painfully when she placed a hand on his chest, leaning into him as if she belonged there.

And then it happened.

He leaned down and kissed her.

Right there, in front of everyone, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

I stopped dead in my tracks, unable to breathe. My heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. The man I had loved, the man I trusted more than anyone in this world, was standing there, holding another woman in his arms.

I forced myself to stay rooted, to keep my composure, even as my world began to crumble.

“Kieran…” I whispered under my breath, my voice barely audible, as if saying his name would bring clarity to the chaos unfolding before me.

Heart pounding and vision blurring with unshed tears, I hurried toward them, ignoring the growing whispers around me. My emotions surged—anger, confusion, and heartbreak swirling into one unbearable storm.

“Kieran!” I called out, my voice trembling. His gaze snapped to mine, and for a moment, I searched his green eyes for some kind of explanation, some reassurance that I’d misunderstood what I had just seen. “What is going on here?”

The woman by his side didn’t even flinch. Instead, she clung to him, her hand resting possessively on his arm. Kieran, however, seemed completely unbothered.

“I came back home,” he said simply, his tone cold and detached, “and this is what happens.”

He took a step toward me, his hand reaching out, but my body reacted on instinct. I moved back, putting space between us as the sting of betrayal tightened in my chest.

His expression darkened, his brow furrowing. “Two months, Eira,” he said, his voice lowering, laced with irritation. “I’ve been gone for two months, and this is how you welcome me? By ignoring me?”

“Ignoring you?” I repeated, disbelief dripping from every word. “I came down here to welcome you, and this is what I see? You’re with her!” I gestured sharply toward the woman, who stood there with an infuriating smirk, clearly enjoying the scene unfolding.

Kieran sighed, as though I was the one being unreasonable. “Eira, you’re blowing this out of proportion.”

“Blowing this out of proportion?” My voice cracked, my chest heaving as I fought to keep control. “You’re standing here with another woman—kissing her! And you expect me to act like it’s nothing?”

His jaw tightened, his gaze hardening. “This isn’t the place to have this discussion,” he muttered, clearly annoyed.

“No,” I shot back, my voice firm. “This is exactly the place. Everyone is already watching, Kieran. They’ve already seen you flaunting this—this woman like she means something to you.”

“She does mean something to me,” he said coolly, his words cutting through me like a blade. “Eira, I suggest you calm down and listen before you embarrass yourself any further.”

The audacity of his words left me speechless for a moment, my hands curling into fists at my sides. “Embarrass myself?” I whispered, my voice trembling with fury. “The only one embarrassing themselves here is you, Kieran. You’re the Alpha of this pack, my husband, and you’re standing here like this… with her.”

His gaze softened for a split second, but it was gone as quickly as it came. “Let’s talk in private,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

However, I wasn’t ready to let him control this narrative—not after what I had just witnessed.

“Let’s talk about it here!” I snapped, struggling to keep my voice steady. “I want that woman out of this house.”

He tilted his head to the side, a frown crossing his face. “I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

“What do you mean, impossible?” I demanded.

He sighed as if I was some unruly child throwing a tantrum. “Eira, don’t make this harder than it has to be.” He gestured toward the woman by his side, who looked far too comfortable. “This is Vanessa,” he said, his tone almost casual. “She’ll be staying with us from now on. Think of her as a younger sister.”

My jaw dropped, disbelief hitting me like a slap. “A younger sister?” I repeated, my voice rising with incredulity.

“Yes,” he said firmly, as though it was the most reasonable thing in the world. “I care about both of you, Eira. I like you both, and I’ve decided that we’ll all live together from now on. She’s pregnant with our child. Since you couldn’t conceive for three years, her child will be ours too. The three of us.”

‘Pregnant?’ The words hit me hard, and I tried hard not to laugh bitterly but failed. My laughter filled the room, echoing around the place.

The audacity, the absolute gall of his words, left me stunned. Around us, the maids lingered, their expressions heavy with pity and sorrow for me. I could feel their eyes on me, their quiet heartbreak mirroring my own.

For a moment, I simply stared at Kieran—the man I once loved, the man I trusted with my heart. And then, with a deep breath, I straightened my spine and squared my shoulders.

If he thought I’d grovel, if he thought I’d beg or accept this humiliation, he didn’t know me at all.

“You’re disgusting,” I said, my voice calm and steady. The words were like a whip, lashing through the tension in the room.

His eyes flickered with surprise, but I didn’t stop. “You think you can parade this—this ridiculous excuse for a relationship in front of me and expect me to accept it? You’ve underestimated me, Kieran.”

I took a step closer, my gaze never wavering. “I want a divorce,” I said firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument. “I will not share my husband. I will not share my dignity. And I refuse to stay in a marriage where I am so blatantly disrespected.”

Gasps echoed around the room, and I felt the weight of the maids’ admiration and sorrow. But none of that mattered.

What mattered was reclaiming my self-respect.