Chapter 5: Crossing Enemy Lines

Nathaniel's POV

Vivian's laptop glared at me from my desk, the screen showing proof I should've noticed months ago. Emails to unknown people, details about patrol routes, area weaknesses, alliance talks I'd told her about in secret.

My mate. My carefully picked political move. A spy.

I slammed the laptop shut, the sound cracking in the quiet office. It was 3 a.m., and I was alone with the mess of every choice I'd made this past year, each one worse than the last.

Security footage filled in the gaps. Vivian met with reps from the Northern Coalition, the packs I'd been trying to beat for land. Her dad wasn't joining forces with me; he was using his daughter to take me down from the inside.

And I dumped Ella for this. Turned away my true mate, embarrassed her in public, treated her like she was nothing because I fell for Vivian's act. I thought power came from political marriages instead of real feelings. What a damn idiot.

"Alpha?" Harrison showed up in the doorway, looking as beat as I felt. He'd driven straight back from Shadowmere, bringing news I didn't want to hear. "The Council's waiting for your statement about reversing the rejection."

"Tell them to wait." I opened another file, this one with money info my head of security tracked down. Cash moving from Vivian's accounts to info sellers, to hired guns, to anyone who could mess with Crescent Moon. "Tell them we have bigger problems."

Harrison walked to my desk, his eyes going wide as he read the files. "How long has she been doing this?"

"Since before we got engaged. Maybe since before she even came back from Europe." I gave a sad laugh. "She fooled me well. Made me think I was winning when I was letting the enemy in."

"What about Ella?"

Her name stung. I'd spent the time since Harrison got back trying not to remember her face when I rejected her. The way her scent changed from sweet vanilla to something bitter with hurt. The sound of her heart breaking as our bond fell apart.

"Ella was the only real thing I had," I said slowly. "And I blew it for nothing."

Harrison looked uneasy. "She won't come back. Kane Winters offered her protection."

Of course he did. Kane had been looking for any opening for years, any way to mess with my power. And I gave him the perfect weapon by throwing away the one person who actually cared about me.

"She's still my mate." It was a weak, desperate comeback.

"You rejected her, Nathaniel. In front of everyone. You can't just undo that."

"The Council approved the paperwork to reverse it."

"Paperwork doesn't fix a broken bond." Harrison was gentle but firm. "You know that. The damage is done."

I stood up fast, heading for the window that looked out over the land I'd screwed everything up to protect. Dawn was hitting the forest, the gold color reminded me of Ella's eyes.

"Then I'll do whatever it takes to get her forgiveness."

"Even if that means war with Shadowmere?"

It hung heavy between us. Pack law was clear about land rules, about one Alpha butting into another's… what? Guest? Prisoner? I didn't even know what Kane was calling Ella being there.

"I'm not starting a war." I turned to Harrison. "I'm going to talk to my mate."

"She won't listen. She made her choice clear."

"She made that choice thinking I picked Vivian over her. I have to tell her the truth." I grabbed my jacket from the chair. "She needs to know that everything I said was based on lies."

Harrison looked sorry for me, which was worse than if he'd been mad. "You think that makes it better? That you didn't mean to hurt her, you were just too dumb to see you were being used?"

That hit hard because it was true. I'd been so into building power, making alliances, and one-upping my rivals that I missed the plot happening in my home. I let ambition blind me to the only thing that mattered.

"I have to try," I said, hearing the desperation in my voice. "I can't just let her go."

"You already let her go. You threw her away." Harrison's voice was hard. "And now she's found somewhere that makes her feel safe. Maybe the best thing you could do is leave her alone."

Leave her alone. Let her start over with Kane Winters, let her forget the jerk who promised forever and then broke it in the worst way. Let her heal without me.

I should do that. I should be strong enough to walk away.

But I wasn't. I was a selfish jerk who wanted his mate back even though I didn't deserve her forgiveness.

"Find out everything you can about her situation at Shadowmere," I told him. "I want to know who she's talking to, what she's doing, if she's…" I stopped, not sure what I was asking.

"If she's moving on?" Harrison finished quietly.

Moving on. It made my wolf growl with anger. She was mine. Always would be, no matter what papers we signed or what bonds we broke. The connection might be messed up, but parts of it still tugged at me, telling me where she was and that she was upset.

That worried me more than I wanted to say. Even with the bond damaged, I could feel her mood. And she was scared, worried, something more than just hurt from being rejected.

"Get me everything," I repeated. "And tell the Council I'll make my statement about Vivian tomorrow. They need to know they're protecting a traitor."

Harrison nodded and left, his footsteps fading. I turned back to the window, watching the sunrise—it would never look the same without Ella to see it with me.

My phone buzzed. Unknown number. I almost skipped it, but something made me check.

The photo that came up made my blood run cold.

It was Ella, a sneaky shot taken through a window. She was standing to the side, her hand on her stomach like she was protecting it. And there, under her loose shirt, was a small curve that hadn't been there before.

No.

No way.

But even as I tried to deny it, I knew. It made sense. The way she looked so broken during the rejection, the way she signed those papers shaking while crying.

She'd been pregnant. With my kid. And I threw her out without even knowing.

The phone buzzed again. Another text from the same number:

*Time's running out, Alpha. Some things can't stay secret forever. Who else knows?*

I crushed the phone, plastic breaking as rage and fear fought in my chest. Someone knew. Someone had been watching Ella close enough to see what I'd missed!

And if they knew, how long before Kane Winters found out? How long before he realized that Ella carried not just any child, but the heir to the Crescent Moon pack?

I was moving before I knew it, grabbing keys and heading for the garage. Harrison could handle the Council, deal with Vivian and her lies. All that mattered was getting to Shadowmere before Kane knew the truth.

Before he used my child as a bargaining chip like Vivian had used her connections.

The drive to Shadowmere felt like forever, every mile reminding me how far I'd pushed Ella away. My wolf paced under my skin, wanting me to hurry, to get to our mate and protect what was ours.

Our child. Our baby. The family I broke before it even started.

The sun was up when I got to Shadowmere, and I could see guards moving to stop me. Kane would know I was here the second I crossed the line. Would probably be waiting with that smug look that made me want to rip him apart.

But I couldn't think about pride now. Couldn't worry about showing who was boss.

My mate was pregnant, in danger, surrounded by wolves who had every reason to use her against me.

And I was done making the wrong calls.