Chapter 3

"Easy, please..." I winced as my Nanny, the estate’s oldest housekeeper and the only one who had ever treated me like family, carefully dabbed antiseptic on the bruises Eileen had left on my arm. Her hands were slow and gentle, as if she were afraid I might shatter if she pressed too hard.

The sting made me suck in a breath, but I stayed still. I was used to pain like this. It was quiet pain that stayed hidden beneath long sleeves and forced smiles.

"What did you do to make her snap like that again, child?" Nanny sighed, her lined face heavy with worry as she examined the marks. "I’ve told you a thousand times. Do not talk back when she’s in a rage. Do not fuel her fire, or you will always be the one bleeding."

I swallowed hard and stared at the floor. My wolf stirred uneasily, pacing at the back of my mind, sensing danger even here in the supposed safety of my room. "I... I’m pregnant, Nanny," I whispered, my voice barely holding together as I lowered my head.

The room went completely still. Even the soft rustle of the curtains seemed to stop. Nanny’s hand froze midair.

"Your father will kill you, Aubrey!" she gasped, clutching her chest as if the words themselves had struck her. "What were you thinking? To get pregnant right after breaking things off with the Alpha heir?"

I closed my eyes. I knew she was right. The scandal alone could tear the pack’s hierarchy apart. I had been careless, blinded by a bond I had not understood at the time. But when Travis crossed my mind, anger burned hot in my chest. He was the one who was engaged. He was the one who had taken me that night, even with his mating ceremony with my sister looming over us.

What kind of mate does that?

"Ma'am, they’re ready for the family photos," a younger maid announced, poking her head into the room.

I nodded and reached for a structured blazer, slipping it on to hide the finger-shaped bruises along my arms. The fabric felt stiff against my skin, but it did its job. I glanced at Nanny, who looked like she was holding back tears. She knew the law of this house. My father’s word was the pack law, and he did not tolerate weakness or shame.

"Thanks for caring, Nanny. But do not worry about it anymore." I patted her shoulder before turning toward the door and heading down to the grand foyer of the estate.

My plan was simple. Get through the engagement party, then disappear. I did not know where I would go, but it had to be far from the BloodMoon territory. Somewhere my family’s name could not reach me. Somewhere they could not hurt my pup.

"What took you so long? The photographer has been waiting, Aubrey. The high-ranking guests will be here in minutes!" my stepmother, Estella, hissed the moment she saw me. Her sharp eyes raked over me like claws, as if she were looking for another flaw to tear apart.

I scanned the living room for Travis, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"She probably made us wait on purpose, Mom," Eileen remarked, arching a perfectly groomed brow at me. "She knows exactly how to get under our skin."

"That’s not true," I countered, my voice low but steady despite the tension tightening my chest. "The shower in my room is leaking again, so I had to use the guest wing."

My father shot me a cold, cutting glance. Without a word, he walked over to the velvet couch and sat down. Estella settled beside him. My brother Fred, the future Beta, stood stiffly at his side like a guard on duty, while Eileen took her place on Estella’s other side.

I bit my lip. There was no room left on the couch. I stood there, feeling like an afterthought, the extra piece that did not belong.

"You stand in the back. Just stay there and smile," the photographer instructed, already lifting his camera.

I did as I was told, positioning myself behind the couch like a ghost haunting my own family portrait. Even in a simple photo, it was obvious who did not belong. I was the stray in a house of purebreds.

Once the session ended, my father and Estella headed toward the gardens to welcome the arriving Alphas and dignitaries. The sound of voices and footsteps echoed through the halls. I turned toward the stairs, desperate for a moment of quiet, but Eileen’s voice stopped me cold.

"If you think you dodged a bullet with Dad, think again." She stood at the base of the stairs, her gaze sharp and poisonous as she looked up at me. "I’m going to enjoy my night, but tomorrow morning..."

I turned to face her, cutting her off. "Do not bother. I’m leaving. I’ll go far enough that you will not have to look at me ever again. Isn’t that what you and your mother have wanted since I was a child? For me to vanish?"

The words burned on the way out, but they were true. Since I was a pup, they had made sure I knew I was unwanted. If I had the strength to walk away now, it was for my baby. I would not let my child grow up as the stray of the BloodMoon Pack.

"You do not even have to tell Dad. I will not let my existence ruin your precious reputation. Once I’m gone, you can finally have your perfect, untainted life."

I turned my back on her, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. They were the only people who could make me feel this small.

I was walking along the upstairs gallery when I slammed into a solid, warm chest. It felt like hitting a wall made of muscle and heat. I gasped and stumbled back, my heart lurching when I saw who it was.

"Did Eileen hurt you again?" Travis asked. His voice was low, edged with a growl, and the intensity in his dark eyes sent a prickle across my skin.

I looked away, refusing to meet his gaze. "N-No... Just... leave me alone."

I tried to brush past him, but he moved with predatory speed, blocking my path. "What she said earlier about you being pregnant. Is it true?"

My heart jumped into my throat. For a moment, I could not even breathe.

"Am I the father?" he demanded.

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was listening before snapping back at him. "What are you talking about? How could it possibly be you?"

He stepped closer, invading my space, his scent of cedarwood and rain overwhelming my senses. "We slept together, Aubrey. You were a virgin. I know the scent of my own blood."

Heat rushed to my face as memories of that night crashed over me. The way he had claimed me, the strength of his touch, the way the bed had nearly fallen apart beneath us. He had not stopped until nearly dawn, and I had welcomed every second because it was the first time I had ever felt seen.

I forced myself to look him in the eye, even as my hands trembled. "Being the first does not mean you are the only one. I know who the father of my child is, and it is not you."

I did not wait for his reaction. I pushed past him and marched toward my room, my heart pounding hard against my ribs. I did not look back.