Vivienne
“Moonshadow!?” Alistair jumped up from the couch, eyes wide, face glowing. “That’s where my new friend lives!” The word hits me like a slap. Moonshadow. My chest tightens. I feel something get stuck in my throat, like I swallowed a rock. My hands freeze in place. Daisy turns her head slowly, and I feel her stare. She knows. Of course she does. I stayed with her before I left for New York. She always knew where I came from—even if we never talked about it. And she doesn’t know about my baby because I leave too early. I try to speak, but my lips feel dry. “It seems like your son—” “That’s not possible.” The words come out fast, too sharp. I didn’t mean to snap, but it’s too late. Alistair blinks. “Why not, mummy? I wanna play too…” His voice gets softer, like he knows something’s wrong. My heart aches. It’s like a knife twisting inside me. I hate lying to him. But I can’t let him find out everything. Not yet. I don’t move for a second. Just breathing. Daisy’s eyes are still on me. Waiting. I take a deep breath, then force a little smile. I kneel down to Alistair’s level and brush a curl off his forehead. “Well,” I say, gently, “you should be very thankful, baby. I’m only going because you made a new friend.” His face lights up like the sun. “You’re the best, mom!” He throws his arms around me, hugging me tight. I hold him back. Close. I close my eyes for a second. I don’t want to let go. I’d do anything to keep that smile on his face. Daisy walks closer and puts her hand on my shoulder. Her voice is low, almost a whisper. “We’ll talk later.” I nod. Quiet. I watch her turn and walk away. Then I look back at my son. His cheeks are red with excitement. His little hands are fidgeting like he can’t wait another second. “We still have to go home to change, baby,” I say, brushing dirt off his shirt. He grins. “Then I can’t wait!” I smile back. But inside, my heart beats faster. Moonshadow is calling. And I don’t know if I’m ready. *** I walked back into the Lunar Fang Pack. The halls were buzzing—warriors talking in low voices, omegas moving fast, whispers floating around like smoke. The Alpha and Luna were still at the Moonlit gathering, probably dealing with the aftermath of the pack’s gathering. I didn’t want to be seen. Not right now. As one of their honored warriors, I knew people would expect me to show up, shake hands, smile, maybe give a speech. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t stand there while eyes scanned me—a twenty-five-year-old warrior with a kid… and no mate. The questions would come fast. The stares would sting. Who’s the father? Was she marked? I shut the door to my room and started pacing. Back and forth. The floor creaked beneath my boots. My heart wouldn’t stop racing. I can’t bring Alistair to that gathering without someone by my side. I need a name. A face. A fake, even. Anything. If I walk in there alone, Darius might piece it together. And he—he doesn’t deserve to know. He has Lily. A perfect little daughter who he claims in front of everyone. Holds her like treasure. Smiles like he’s the best damn dad in the world. But mine? He left mine to rot in the shadows. Then I remembered. The nerve. The audacity. Inviting his fuck buddy to the gathering? Really? I gasped, out loud. Rage bubbling in my chest like boiling water. “Baby?” I turned toward my son, who sat on the floor, playing quietly with toy wolves. He looked up, blinking with wide brown eyes. “Yes, mommy?” “I need to get something outside. Wait here, okay?” I bent down and kissed the top of his head. “Sure, mom!” He smiled so big, my heart hurt. I walked out fast, needing air. Needing to breathe before I exploded. And then I saw him. Zach. He stood by the hallway, leaning against the wall, dressed in his full warrior gear. His armor hugged his body just right—broad shoulders, sword at his hip, blonde hair messed up like he just got out of training. Our eyes met. My chest tightened again, but differently this time. “Zach,” I breathed. He turned. That crooked grin slid onto his face as he ran a hand through his hair. “Vivienne,” he said, voice low and a little rough. “Didn’t know you were back.” I took a step closer. “Yeah. They just… honored me again. Said I’m still one of the best warriors.” He raised an eyebrow. “You are.” I shrugged. “Not like you.” “Oh?” His smile deepened. “Wanna spar and settle that?” I laughed under my breath, shaking my head. “No. But maybe I’ll do you that favor.” “A favor?” His eyes twinkled. “What, letting you kick my ass in front of everyone?” I grinned, relaxing just a little. “Exactly.” Then— “Mom?” Alistair’s little voice pulled us back. I turned. He was standing at the door of our room, clutching his toy, eyes flicking between me and Zach. Zach’s face froze for half a second. “Holy—” he breathed, eyebrows lifting. “I didn’t even know you were… bonded?” “No.” I cut him off, firm. Not bonded. Not mated. Not anything. Alistair ran over, small hand reaching for mine. He glanced at Zach again, curious. “What about this one?” he asked, voice quiet. And girl, my wolf Shelby was screaming inside me. “Speak! Just say it!” “Hold up,” I answered her back in my head. Zach crouched down to Alistair’s level, smiling kindly. “Hey there, little guy. You’ve got your mother’s face.” And he’s probably just saying that because he have nothing to say. My son almost looks like Darius’ replica. Alistair smiled, warm and easy. “Will you be my daddy today?” My whole body tensed. My face flushed. “Alistair, I told you not to say that to everyone,” I said through clenched teeth, trying not to melt into the floor. Zach laughed, deep and surprised. “Of course, buddy. If it means your mom’s gonna yell at me, I’ll take it.” He looked up at me with that same teasing fire. “So? What is it, Vivienne?” I exhaled slowly, pushing hair behind my ear, avoiding his eyes. “It’s…” My voice cracked. “It’s stupid.” He stood up, eyes never leaving mine. “Tell me anyway.” I swallowed hard. My hands were sweating. My mind screaming. But I looked him straight in the eye. “Will you be my partner?”DariusI don’t know why I can’t contain my jealousy when I have no right to feel it. But it burns. God, it burns. Especially knowing I’m supposed to stand beside one woman… while secretly craving another I can’t even touch.I returned to the packhouse, no mood, no energy. The event was tonight—some elite celebration for diplomatic alliances or whatever bullshit Azaic forced into the calendar.“Hi, babe,” Celestria’s voice dripped with sickly sweetness as she slid up to me, wrapping her arms around mine like shackles.“Yes,” I whispered, uninterested.She tilted her head, lips curling in that smug, seductive smirk she always wore when she was scheming. “You know I can’t wait to have another baby, right?”I tensed. She said it casually, but everything Celestria did was calculated. I swallowed hard. “We talked about this.”“No,” she snapped, dropping the pretense for a second. “You talked. I listened. Like I always do, while you run around making ‘appearances’ and end up in the same plac
Vivienne The mess should’ve ended by now.But no, here I am, sitting across from Zara in a low-lit restaurant, the clink of wine glasses and the low hum of jazz doing nothing to drown out the ache inside me.Zara takes a long sip of her sangria, eyes lazily scanning the couples around us before landing right back on me. “I think he loves you,” she says, like it’s just another harmless observation, like she’s commenting on the weather.I blink at her. “No. He wants me. There’s a difference.”She quirks a brow. “Wanting you that bad? With that intensity? That is love, Vivienne. Just dirtier.”My throat tightens. Dirtier. That’s exactly what Darius makes me feel—ruined, touched in places no one else even dared to look.“It’s wrong,” I whisper, voice barely above the soft jazz. I stir my drink just to avoid her gaze. “He—”“Why can’t you just tell him the truth?” she presses, crossing her legs. Her silver heels catch the light under the table like they’re mocking me.I let out a bitter
Vivienne I stay in the hallway, leaning my body against the wall as I watch my best friend, Kenzie coming towards me with her boyfriend, Rhaziel. I can’t help but run my fingers through my hair, looking wherever I can look but them. It’s weird that she’s dating the guy who I told her was trying to put my life in a hellhole, but I couldn’t blame her. They’re the golden students in Hanvixus — literally their family donated the highest for everything in this school, and both of their families approved of them. “Classy,” A voice pierced through my ear. Of course, it’s her. But he’s gone now. “You’re not hanging out with them today?” I asked, wrapping my chest with my hand. She simply laughs. “We are,” she whispered under her breath, grabbing my hand. “But we are too,” she added, which made me raise her brow. Wow, so she’s two-timing now? Half of her time for her rich friends, and the other half for the girl whom she can act without having to be perfect with, the
DariusAnd I can’t help what Dr. Oliver was trying to tell me… but he was cut off.Because of Vivienne.Because the moment she stepped into the room, everything else blurred out. Even truth. Even clarity.But I didn’t chase after the doctor.Because I didn’t want to be someone who looks desperate. Not even when my world’s unraveling and every damn breath feels heavier than the last.She’s gone now.Vanished the way only Vivienne knows how to—no message, no goodbye, just empty echoes and the scent of her shampoo still clinging to my damn pillow.I told myself I wouldn’t look for her.Told myself I’d be fine.Told myself this kind of love was beneath me.But then why the fuck does every night feel like war?Why do I check my phone, like a fool, knowing there’s nothing there?Why do I walk into rooms half-expecting her to be sitting on the window ledge, bare feet tucked under her, rambling about stars or some stupid dream she had?I catch myself talking to her ghost sometimes.Not her re
VivienneDr. Oliver stood there like a man walking on shards of glass, his hands tucked into his coat pockets, eyes refusing to meet mine. His regret was written in the lines of his face, but regret wasn’t going to save him.Or me.Behind me, the door creaked open and heavy footsteps echoed on the porch.“Vivienne,” Darius’s voice came low and sharp, cold enough to make my skin tighten. “Why won’t you stay inside like I told you?”That damn tone. Commanding. Distant. Like I was nothing but a disobedient pup to him.I turned slowly, facing him with a tight smile, voice silky and sharp. “Tell me, why the hell would I ever do that?”I ran a hand through my hair and looked him dead in the eyes. His jaw flexed. But he didn’t answer. He never did when the truth was ugly.Dr. Oliver cleared his throat, trying to mediate. “I—I’m only here to help your son. His symptoms mirror the Alpha’s history and... Darius is willing to support the healing.”He said it like a rehearsed excuse, like he’d ch
Vivienne“What’s wrong with him?” I ask, feigning innocence while swirling the wine in my glass. My voice is all airy confusion, but my eyes? Sharp as glass.Celestria doesn’t skip a beat. She grins like she’s holding a secret weapon.“Well, don’t mind him,” she says with a laugh, sitting back like she’s hosting a show. “After all, he’s not into double dates. He wants it to be just the two of us.”She lifts her brows, lips curling in a wicked smile. Like she just dropped a bomb and expects me to flinch.As if I care.I give a little shrug, all nonchalance. “Then maybe he should’ve stayed home and played with his ego.”Azaic nearly chokes on his drink, grinning as he sets the glass down. “Ouch. Savage.”“You have to follow…” Shelby is suddenly signaling me from across the room, her face pale and urgent, eyes flicking toward the hallway like she just saw a ghost.My brows knit. I don’t know what’s going on, but Shelby never looks like that. Not unless it’s serious.“I’m sorry, I have to