Chapter 1

Damon Shadow was the strongest in the Shadow pack. He was the Alpha.

However, he had a peculiar reaction whenever I came near. His muscles would stiffen, his breathing would become shallow, and he would sometimes retch.

We had been to countless hospitals, but none of them could help.

Finally, the High Priest of the Moon Goddess Temple, Jasper Lane, gave a diagnosis. According to him, it was a miswired fated mate bond.

He said, "This happens once in ten thousand years. You're indeed a fated pair, but the bond had formed incorrectly. Damon's body instinctively rejects you, yet his wolf cannot leave you.

"Forcing a separation would strip Damon of his wolf within three months, possibly killing him. The only solution is to maintain the bond and let time slowly repair it."

"How long will it take?" I asked.

Jasper shook his head. "Maybe a year, maybe ten, or maybe a lifetime."

At that moment, I should've understood that our marriage had been a curse from the start.

Damon couldn't live without me, yet he loathed me. And I loved him enough to become his remedy.

For six years, we kept a marriage without physical contact, except during unavoidable heat cycles.

His wolf needed my presence to remain stable, but his body couldn't endure my closeness.

On the sixth anniversary of our marking, I found out I was pregnant.

The two lines on the test froze me for a long moment.

This pup was a miracle, conceived during the last heat period.

The doctor said, "Ms. Stone, congratulations. You're having twins. Both pups have strong heartbeats, but your body is too weak to support them. Don't strain yourself, don't overstimulate, and avoid overexertion.

"Also, your estrogen levels are unstable. Avoid using suppressants for now and let your body regulate naturally."

I stood at the hospital entrance, clutching the ultrasound report. I stared at it for a long time.

Maybe this was a gift from the Moon Goddess.

Maybe the arrival of the pups could fix the broken bond between us.

I sold the last keepsake my mother had left me, an old brooch. The jeweler said it wasn't worth much and gave me only 300 dollars.

It was enough to get me across three thousand miles to see Damon.

I also stopped by a craft shop, where I bought the softest cashmere yarn. I was planning to knit tiny socks for the pups myself.

I even prepared a bouquet of his favorite moonflowers.

My wolf stirred restlessly, as if warning me of something, but I assumed it was just a typical pregnancy symptom.

Then, I saw it at the entrance of the Overseas Alliance headquarters. Damon was crouched in front of a she-wolf, carefully removing her rain-drenched boots.

His movements were gentle and focused.

I had never seen him like this in six years.

He wiped the mud off her calves and even laid his coat under her feet.

Rain soaked his clothes, yet he smiled warmly.

At that moment, I realized the so-called rejection syndrome might never have been an illness at all.

It was simply the most direct way his body could tell me he didn't love me.

I stood in the downpour, holding the bouquet of moonflowers. I had only finished knitting one of the little socks; the other ball of yarn rolled to my feet.

A sudden pain ripped through my lower abdomen, sharp and tearing.

I gritted my teeth and braced the wall with one hand. With my other hand, I protected my belly.

"Sweethearts, don't be afraid... I'm here…" I murmured. Sweat and rain mingled on my cheeks, impossible to tell apart.

After a long moment, Damon noticed me standing in the rain.

He tucked away his smile, spoke briefly to the she-wolf, and then approached with an umbrella.

He didn't shield me with it, though. Instead, he frowned and stopped three steps away.

"What are you doing here?"

He instinctively stepped back half a pace, his throat convulsing—it was the familiar rejection reflex that always flared when he came near me.

I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Happy sixth anniversary."

I handed him the moonflowers, reaching with my other hand into my bag for the ultrasound report. "Damon, I have something very important to tell you—"

Before I could finish, the she-wolf's voice broke through softly.

"Damon, I feel so dizzy…"

Damon's face changed instantly. He immediately spun around.

"Ella!" he shouted and strode back to support her. His eyes were full of worry.

I stilled, and my hands were frozen in mid-air. The ultrasound report was still in my bag.

The bouquet slipped from my hand and got drenched.

Damon glanced back at me, annoyed. "Go back. Don't cause me trouble."

Ella Zimmer, whom he was cradling in his arms, said gently, "Damon, it's my birthday today. If she has something to say, why rush her away?"

I stood rooted to the spot, stunned by the display of their intimacy.

Then Damon's irritated voice rang out once more. "What are you standing there for? Don't you know how to walk on your own?"

By the time I snapped out of it, they were already at the car. Rain poured down, yet Damon's umbrella kept it from touching her.

I bent down to gather the flowers and saw that rain and careless feet had already flattened half the petals.