Chapter 1

My pup Asher had been sick for six months.

I finally believed the witch's prophecy: I was cursed. My very existence would harm my own pup.

I went to the moon temple and prayed that the moon goddess would lift the curse and ensure my pup's safety.

Until I received an anonymous video.

Damon knelt in front of a woman, kissing her swollen belly.

Asher turned to Damon, his young face bright with pride. "Dad, I faked being sick pretty well, right? Mom really believed that curse stuff. Went up the mountain all on her own."

"But what if Mom finds out? Won't she be mad?"

Damon didn't seem worried. "Don't worry. I've got the whole mountain sealed off. She won't find out."

Only then did I understand.

Everything had been a lie, planned by my mate and my son.

I turned around and knocked over the Hope Flame that I had lit for Asher without hesitation.

This flame was lit at the cost of my wolf’s strength, offered to the Moon Goddess so that she might bless Asher with health.

Through the flames, a familiar figure sprinted toward me.

When I woke up, I was in the Pack Infirmary.

The smell of antiseptic stung my nose. My whole body ached. Every bone was screaming.

"Ivy, you're awake... does anything else hurt?"

Damon looked at me. His eyes went red instantly. A fresh wound scabbed across his face, his left hand wrapped in bandages.

I stared at his hands. The memories came back slowly.

He'd shielded me in the fire and carried me out.

I searched his eyes for any trace of a lie.

There was none.

His panic was real. His worry was real.

If not for the stabbing pain in my abdomen, I would've thought it was all a dream.

I opened my mouth. My voice was wrecked. "You... cheated on me?"

Damon's hand hovered in the air for a long time. Then it dropped, tucking the blanket around me.

"I did," he said.

His voice was flat, like he was talking about the weather.

My fingertips went white. Every drop of blood in my body stopped moving.

Damon lowered his eyes. "It's better that you know. Hiding it every day was getting boring."

"She's a simple girl. If you have a problem, come to me. Don't give her a hard time."

"Don't worry. You're still Luna. She won't try to take that from you."

"If you can't handle it and want to sever the bond, that's fine too. I won't shortchange you."

I stared at him. Tears poured down my face and I couldn't stop them.

"You don't love me anymore?"

"Of course I do." He said it without hesitation.

"Ivy, my love for you has never changed."

"But life is long. Loving only you gets a little boring."

He said the cruelest words in the gentlest voice, and reached out to wipe my tears.

I slapped his hand away and hit him across the face.

"Get out. Don't touch me."

Damon didn't move. He let me hit him. Blood seeped through his bandages, dripping down, staining the sheets.

His face darkened. He grabbed my hand. "Ivy, calm down. You'll hurt yourself."

The infirmary door burst open. Serena rushed in.

She threw herself in front of Damon, shielding him. "You psycho! Come at me if you have a problem. Don't you dare hurt my man."

Damon stood behind Serena and rubbed her head, smiling at her adoringly.

He looked at me. "See? Who could resist loving her?"

I stared at the two of them. My chest burned. My whole body shook.

I grabbed the glass from the bedside table and threw it at Serena.

"Serena, watch out!"

Damon's face changed. He reached for her.

But someone was faster.

A small body shot in from the doorway, arms spread wide, blocking Serena. The glass hit his shoulder. Water soaked his clothes. He stumbled but didn't dodge.

My son looked up at me. His eyes were cold in a way I'd never seen before.

"Bad Mommy! Don't you dare bully Aunt Serena!"

I froze.

My son. The pup I carried for nine months. The boy I spent three years on a mountain praying for. Over a thousand nights aching to hold him.

He was protecting the other woman.

"Asher..."

I reached for him.

He stepped back.

"I hate you." His voice was small, but every word cut deep. "Why didn't you die on that mountain? Why did you come back? If you were dead, Aunt Serena could be my real mom."

My blood went cold.

"What... what did you just say?"

Damon finally moved. He walked over and pulled Asher away from Serena. "Is that how you talk to your mother?"

Serena pulled Asher to her side. "He was just protecting me. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

She took Asher's hand and left in a huff.

Damon rubbed his forehead, looking helpless. "She's just got a temper. Don't take it personally. Let me go calm her down."

He headed for the door.

I called after him. "Damon, did you know we lost our pup?"

His hand froze on the door handle.

When he turned around, his face was full of shock.