Chapter 1

I thought I was his destined mate. I never imagined we would end like this.

After five years as Alex’s mate, I thought nothing could shock me anymore. But what I saw froze me in place.

At the entrance of the healer’s ward, Alex stood beside a young, beautiful she-wolf, carefully helping her down the steps. Alarm bells rang in my head. Alex was a prideful Alpha—he wouldn’t even do this for his own sister.

We weren’t standing far apart. His eyes, full of tenderness, met the utter disbelief in mine.

Then he quickly looked away.

The woman beside him noticed his reaction and turned in my direction. The moment her eyes landed on me, tears welled up in hers. Alex gently guided her into a waiting car, murmuring soft reassurances as he helped her in. Only when she was safely seated did he walk toward me.

He wasn’t flustered anymore. Not like when I first caught them. Instead, he approached me calmly, as if nothing had happened.

“Why are you at the infirmary? Are you sick?” he asked, gently taking my hands in his. His voice was full of concern as he reached up, trying to touch my forehead.

I jerked away in shock.

Why was he so calm? Why was he pretending everything was fine?

“Who is she?” I asked, my voice trembling.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he tried to pull me into his arms to soothe me.

“She’s not important. Let’s talk about it when we get home, okay?” he said softly.

I suddenly found it hard to breathe.

If she wasn’t important, why was he avoiding the question?

Tears blurred my vision. Pain tore through me, but I still stubbornly looked up at him, hoping—begging—for an explanation.

I needed something. Anything. Even a lie, if it came from his lips, I might have believed it.

Alex sighed and gently wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes.

“The pup is mine.”

My entire body froze.

My blood ran cold. I forgot how to breathe.

I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood, then pulled away from him, stumbling back a few steps.

When he felt me retreat, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms again, urgency—and anger—rising in his voice.

“Lily, blame me all you want, but don’t hurt yourself.”

I struggled with all my strength to break free. I was just an omega, and his grip was strong. But seeing me fight, he finally loosened his hold, allowing me to step away.

Why? Why would he do this to me?

After everything he promised me… how could he get another she-wolf pregnant?

We stood there, locked in a silent confrontation, neither of us willing to back down.

Then, the she-wolf stepped out of the car again.

“Get back in the car!” Alex barked at her, his voice sharp and cold, stripped of all warmth.

The she-wolf flinched but didn’t move. Instead, she stood her ground, clearly determined to speak.

“Miss, it’s not what you think. The pup… was an accident. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t want it any more than you do,” she sneered.

The air grew too heavy to breathe. A wave of pain crashed over me.

I glanced at Alex—and saw it.

A flicker of something in his expression. It only lasted a second, but I knew him too well.

He had softened at her words.

That realization shattered something inside me.

“Enough. Not another word,” I said, voice breaking with grief. I was just a second away from falling apart right there.

The woman seemed startled by my words. She stumbled backward—and Alex rushed forward, catching her in his arms.

I stood frozen, staring blankly at them.

A fleeting, painful thought crossed my mind.

My vision spun. I staggered toward the she-wolf’s swollen belly—maybe without even meaning to.

But before I could get close, a powerful force shoved me away.

I crashed to the ground, palms scraping hard against the rough stone. I looked down at my bleeding hands, then back up—at the person who had pushed me.

My own mate.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

He had pushed me—for another she-wolf.

Among the three of us, I was the outsider…

Even though I was his Luna.

Alex stared at his own outstretched hand in disbelief, stunned at what he had done.

That day, he brought me home—leaving the pregnant she-wolf behind.

But I already knew…

There was no future left for us.