Chapter 1

The day Alpha Eli Golden is crowned Supreme Alpha of the West Province, my husband kicks me in the stomach, blood trickling down my thighs as I cradle the secret of our unborn child. I should be out there, playing the perfect Luna to our pack, but here I am—trapped, gasping, and wondering if today’s the day he finally kills me.

Out of the twenty-four packs he will now rule over, Eli chose to hold the ceremony in our pack, the Blue Moon pack, in honor of my father, his late best friend. I’ve adored Eli forever—my godfather, my unattainable crush—his presence a rare light in the shadows of my life. My excitement for him should be the headline of this day, but instead, it’s the dread pooling in my gut as the door to my room creaks open.

I stand from my dresser the moment I catch his scent, my heart leaping, breath shallowing as he steps inside. Not Alpha Eli, but my husband—Alpha Myron Golden, the black wolf of the west, as they call him. The only pure black wolf in a province of multicolored coats, and the only one who can make my skin crawl with a single glance.

“What is this you’re wearing?” he sneers, dark eyes raking over me with contempt.

I swallow hard, shuddering under the harsh vibrations of his deep voice.

“I’ll change it,” I reply, bowing slightly.

There’s nothing wrong with my dress, not really—just a loose fit to hide the bump that’s starting to show. I’m pregnant, and after what happened last time, I can’t let anyone know yet. Especially not Myron. He’d never understand.

“You should know better. The people expect to see the Alpha and his Luna, not the Alpha and some skank,” he spits, venom lacing every word.

He’s always like this—cutting me down, treating me like dirt beneath his claws. It wasn’t this way before. I still remember the sweet, charming man I married, but that version of him lives only in my memories now.

“I said I’ll change it,” I snap, sharper than intended, looking away as I mutter under my breath, “you don’t have to insult me.”

“What did you say?” His growl rumbles through the room, his deadly aura swirling as he strides toward me, fury blazing in his eyes.

I realize my mistake and I back up in fear but my butt hits the dresser, showing me I have nowhere to go. I bend backwards and put my hands up to protect my face, knowing what is coming next.

Please Myron, not today, spare me a beating today, today of all days.

My eyes quickly glisten with tears.

He yanks me by my hand and my watery blue eyes lock with his dark and spiteful ones. He grabs a fistful of my silvery white hair and pulls me close to him.

“You want me to shut this broken tap you call a mouth, eh, is that what you want?”

“No…please…I’m sorry,” the words fly out in a slow yet frantic manner as the tears cascade down my face from the pain his strong hold on my hair is agonizing my skull with.

He scoffs and lets me go roughly but he doesn’t move away.

I can already feel the huge sigh of relief that desperately wants to escape from me once he backs away but he holds my face again, trapping my mouth between his hands.

“Get on your knees and make this useless mouth of yours useful,” he takes a few steps back and unbuckles his belt.

“I have to be out there Myron, we’re hosting and you don’t finish quickly, can we do this when— after the ceremony? Please…” I reply cautiously, watching his eyes.

Myron never takes no for an answer but his beta just mind-linked me that my presence was needed outside before he stepped into the room and if I don’t carry out my duties as Luna effectively during the ceremony and our pack gets any form of embarrassment, I’m still the one who’s going to suffer for it.

“Myron..we’re hosting..” he mimics my voice, drawing quotes in the air. “You know I’m so dumb and don’t remember.”

“Myron, pl—”

His huge arms wrap around my throat, shutting me up.

“You do as you’re told Emerald. Don’t get so bold because your godfather is around. You know, I would have divorced you a long time ago if it wasn’t for him, you pathetic bitch.”

What does he mean by divorce me?

I’m the Alpha’s daughter, my father was the former Alpha of the blue moon pack, I only married him at Alpha Eli’s request plus I liked him then, I saw him as a younger version of Eli, a decision I greatly regret now.

I tap frantically on his hand as his hold tightens and I can feel the air being cut from my lungs.

“My— my— ple….”

He doesn’t let go. Does he want to kill me? Has he forgotten I’m with child?

I tap harder, faster, but he only tightens his hold, the hatred in his eyes growing.

What the hell is wrong with him?

“You disgust me,” he says in contempt and at this point, my head is heavily starved of oxygen.

I don’t care if he beats me to death, I have to do something. For me and for the life growing inside me.

I summon what little courage I have and with all my strength, drive my knees up, perfectly connecting with his crotch.

He yells, letting me go and crouching to the floor. I desperately gasp for breath even as I leap over him, knowing I’m dead if he lays a hand on me but before I can reach the door, he has already recovered.

He lunges at me, pulls me back by my hair and yanks me to the floor.

“You silly bitch!”

Before I can do my routine of curling into a fetal position and wait for him to finish unleashing hell on me, he kicks my stomach hard.

My insides churn with a jarring pain and my eyes bulge from it.

My baby!

No!

“Myron, stop! You know I’m—”

Another kick and I fold like a blanket, the pain in my abdomen becomes terrible and unbearable.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” he yells, about to kick me again when the door flies open and I feel blood trickling down my thighs as my eyes flutter open and close.