Chapter 1

Seven months pregnant with twins, I ran into my husband kissing his mistress at the hospital.

The moment I rounded the corner to the prenatal ward, I saw Alpha Damon Reed pressing his lips against Sophia's mouth while his hand caressed her swollen belly.

Sophia pulled back with fake concern. "Damon, we shouldn't be doing this here. What if Luna Aria sees us? She's carrying your heirs. Won't the pack be furious if they find out?"

Damon's eyes turned cold as ice. "The pack will accept whatever I decide. And if Aria causes problems, I'll just reject her as my Luna."

Since my own mate didn't want his pups or me anymore, I'd rather raise them alone than stay in this mockery of a bond.

I mind-linked my father, who was leading a pack alliance overseas.

"Dad, I've made my decision. I'm breaking the mate bond. I'm taking the pups and coming to live with you."

After cutting the link, I booked the first flight out. Two weeks—that's all I needed. Two weeks and I'd be free from Damon's betrayal forever.

But then why...did that same Alpha show up at my mating ceremony with another, tears streaming down his face, begging me to come back?

Seven months pregnant with twin pups and the moment I stepped into the hospital corridor, I saw my mate Alpha Damon Reed kissing his first love, Sophia Kane, while tenderly stroking her pregnant belly.

"Damon, if Luna Aria catches us like this, she'll be devastated. She's carrying the pack's future heirs. Aren't you worried about her reaction?" Sophia whispered against his lips, but I could see the triumph gleaming in her eyes.

Damon nuzzled her neck, marking her with his scent. "Aria doesn't need to know about us. Her pregnancy hormones have made her impossible to deal with lately. I won't let her stress you out."

"But we can't keep meeting in secret. Aria's so far along with the twins. If she discovers our bond, I'm afraid she might—"

"There's nothing to fear. You're carrying my pup too, and that makes you just as important. If Aria wants to challenge this, I'll simply reject her as Luna and choose you instead."

The casual cruelty in Damon's voice when discussing our mate bond made my wolf whimper in pain.

If my Alpha had already decided to discard us, then I would leave before he could destroy us completely. I would raise these pups without a father rather than watch him choose another.

I pressed my hand to my swollen belly, feeling my twins kick restlessly as they sensed my distress. With my heart shattering, I pulled out my phone and mind-linked my father overseas.

"Dad, I can't do this anymore. I'm breaking the mate bond with Damon. I'll bring the pups and join your pack."

"Finally," his voice rumbled through our connection. "The Reed pack may be powerful, but our bloodline is just as strong. If staying there only brings you pain, then yes—leave him and raise those pups with dignity."

"You're right, Dad."

After ending the link, I immediately booked the next flight to his territory.

I remembered this morning when I'd asked Damon to come to my ultrasound appointment. He claimed he had pack business to handle—turns out he was just accompanying Sophia to her own appointment.

Seven months of carrying his heirs and not once had Damon ever come with me to see our pups.

Sophia had returned to our territory three months ago after her engagement to another Alpha fell through. Ever since then, Damon had been sneaking around with her constantly. From the moment she came back, he barely spent any time with me.

Whenever Sophia called or texted, Damon would abandon whatever we were doing and rush to her side.

He even held her publicly at pack gatherings, right in front of me and the other wolves.

I'd confronted him about it multiple times. But every time I did, he gave me the same excuse—that Sophia was struggling emotionally and needed support as a fellow pack member.

According to him, everything he did was out of duty to help a distressed wolf. She was pregnant and vulnerable, he said, and he had an obligation to protect her.

But Damon seemed to forget one crucial detail: Sophia wasn't the only pregnant female under his protection. I was carrying his heirs, his twin pups. And I was further along than she was. If anyone deserved his care and attention, it should be me.

For months, I suspected the pup Sophia carried was Damon's.

I tried asking him indirectly. I even told him that if he'd found his true mate in her, he needed to be honest with me.

But every single time, he'd shut me down—impatient, angry, dismissive. The one time I dared ask whose pup Sophia was really carrying, he flew into a rage.

He kept denying it, reassuring me over and over, until I forced myself to believe him.

I told myself he was just being a good Alpha to his pack members. That our mate bond was still strong.

But standing here now, watching him kiss her so tenderly, it's crystal clear—Sophia's pup has always been his.

They'd been carrying on behind my back for months, and I was nothing more than the convenient Luna keeping up appearances.

When Damon mentioned rejecting me, I caught the way Sophia's eyes flashed with satisfaction, a cruel smile tugging at her lips.

"I never meant to come between you and Aria," she said, her voice trembling with fake remorse. "It's just... if my engagement hadn't failed, none of this would've happened. I needed somewhere to go, someone to turn to. Thank the moon goddess you were there for me, Damon. I don't know what I would've done without you."

Tears filled her eyes, and Damon immediately pulled her closer, his touch gentle and protective.

"I told you I'd take care of you, Sophia. If it weren't for you saving my life years ago, I would've..." He stopped himself.

"It's only right that I protect you now," he continued. "Aria is my Luna, so she should understand why I'm doing this. And even if she finds out about us, I'll still choose you."

Damon rubbed soothing circles on Sophia's back, comforting her like he used to comfort me.

As the doctor emerged from the examination room, she looked at them with obvious admiration. "You're so fortunate, Mrs. Reed. Your mate never misses an appointment and he's so devoted to you and your pup."

Sophia blushed and smiled shyly while Damon nodded as if it was perfectly natural.

I watched this disgusting display, my claws extending as my wolf raged inside me, demanding we challenge the female who dared steal our mate.

But I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me break down.

Two more weeks and I would disappear from Damon's life

forever, taking his precious heirs with me.