CHAPTER 1

MEGAN'S POV

The envelope in my hands might as well be a ticking bomb.

I'm currently sitting alone in Xarion’s pack office, my heart pounding and the silence pressing down on me like a heavy blanket.

The paper inside the envelope feels heavier than anything I’ve ever held. I ran the test three times.

Three times.

Each one said the same thing. I’m pregnant.

I hold the edges tighter with trembling fingers, not from fear of the baby but from my mate.

Xarion’s been colder and more distant lately. Like I’m nothing more than a pest in our home. But a part of me feels this will definitely matter to him.

The door finally swings open, and Xarion steps in, pausing the moment he sees me. His eyes narrow and I can see his surprise and annoyance.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto the couch like he’s done with the day and everything in it.

“I needed to talk to you,” I say, rising to my feet.

He glances at his watch. “I thought I told you to stop showing up unannounced.”

“I know. I’m sorry. But… this is important.”

“Fine,” He sighs. “Make it quick.”

I squeeze the envelope hard, my throat tightening.

“I… I’m pregnant, Xarion.”

He freezes just for a second. Then he turns, slowly.

“You’re what?”

“Pregnant,” I whisper. “I’m carrying your child.”

A sharp and tense silence falls between us. Then his jaw tightens so hard I swear I hear his teeth grind.

“Abort it.”

I stumble back as my breath catches in my throat. I must've misheard. I definitely misheard.

“What?”

“You heard me,” he says flatly. “Get rid of it.”

My knees instantly weaken as I stare at him. “This is your child, Xarion. Our child.”

He doesn’t budge. Instead, he walks to his desk and slaps down a folder that has my name printed on the front in bold letters.

Oh goddess. Divorce papers.

“We agreed this marriage was temporary,” he says. “You knew that. So this changes nothing.”

Tears burn behind my eyes. “But we… we made love. You came to me, you...”

“I was drunk, Megan,” he cuts me off. “You seduced me. Or have you forgotten?!”

“That’s not true!” I choke out. “You kissed me first. The way you held me that night…”

“You’re naive,” He scoffs. “It was a mistake. You read too much into it, like you always do.”

A tear slips down my cheek before I can stop it.

“How can you be so cruel, Xarion?”

“Cruel?” He laughs bitterly, like I’ve just told the world’s most pathetic joke. “You ruined my life, Megan. You think I wanted this? A contract marriage to a wolfless girl? The only reason I agreed was because you gave me your kidney.”

“One favour for another,” he continues coldly. “Nothing more.”

I’m shaking right now, my heart breaking open with every word.

“I thought…”

“You thought wrong,” he interrupts. “And just so you know, Danielle is back.”

My stomach drops as that name shatters the little strength I have left.

Danielle. His first love. The woman he loved before he met me. The woman he never stopped loving. She's back.

So that’s why. That’s why he’s been colder than usual.

Everything makes sense now.

“She’s the one I want,” he says. “Not you. And I’ll be damned before I let a wolfless nobody like you carry my heir.”

My hand instinctively moves to my stomach in shame.

“You… you don’t mean that.”

“I do,” he says without holding back. “And you’ll either sign those divorce papers and terminate that pregnancy by tomorrow, or…”

He steps closer, his voice dropping into something dark and dangerous.

“…you won’t like what I’ll do to you.”

A cold chill runs through me. For the first time since I met Xarion, I’m afraid.

Truly afraid.

His eyes are dark and wild, like the man I thought I knew was just a mask and this is what was underneath all along.

“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, Megan,” he growls. “You were never meant to stay.”

Just then, he turns around and walks out, leaving me standing there, utterly shattered.

…

The next morning, I’m sitting on a cold hospital examination table, my hands clenched, and my mind numb. Xarion's standing at the door like a warden overseeing a sentence.

Dr. Phillips, our pack doctor, throws me a brief, apologetic glance.

“So, are we clear, Doctor?” Xarion says tightly.

“Yes, Alpha. I understand,” the doctor replies.

“Good.” Xarion turns to me, his face emotionless. “I want no mistakes.”

Then, he leaves without another word.

I’m left alone with the doctor and a grief so deep it feels like drowning.

“I’m so sorry, Luna,” Dr. Phillips says gently.

“Just get it over with, doc,” I whisper.

He nods and moves quickly and I lie back and stare at the ceiling. 

A soft buzz fills the room and I close my eyes, letting the tears roll silently down the sides of my face and soaking into the pillows.

“It’s done,” Dr. Phillips says quietly after what feels like an hour.

Done.

Just like that. 

…

On the way back home, the silence between me and Xarion is deafening as the SUV pulls into the driveway. 

I step out slowly on unsteady legs and follow him into the house.

And that’s when I see her.

Danielle.

She appears at the top of the stairs, looking radiant in one of Xarion’s shirts. Her grin widens when she sees him.

Just then, she runs down and kisses his cheek. “Welcome back, baby. I’ve been waiting.”

The air leaves my lungs that instant. I've definitely had enough of this.

I turn without a word and climb the stairs.

In my room, I see the divorce papers waiting on my desk.

I sign them, shove them back in, then I grab a suitcase and start packing whatever I can reach. Ten minutes later, I’m heading for the door when his voice stops me.

“You’ll receive three million dollars in the divorce settlement, Megan,” Xarion says from the living room.

I turn slowly in bitter anger. “Keep your filthy money, Xarion.”

“Oh,” Danielle gasps in pretense. “I didn’t think she’d be the ungrateful type, baby.”

I want to tear the smug look off this witch's face, but I ignore her.

I look only at him. Straight into the eyes of the man who broke me.

And with everything inside me, I declare, “I, Megan Pierce, reject you, Xarion Luther of the Aethonix Pack, as my mate.”

There's silence as Xarion's face hardens. But Danielle smirks.

I don’t wait to hear him accept the rejection, I walk out, badly hurt.

Outside, I quickly call a cab.

I don’t know where I’m going but it will be far enough that his shadow can’t touch me anymore.

The cab arrives and I climb in.

Finally, I’m alone. 

My phone rings and I reach into my purse for it but something falls onto my lap, it's a folded slip of paper. I slowly open it with slight confusion.

“Luna Megan, I didn’t do it. I couldn’t bring myself to end your pup’s life. Please keep this between us. I gave Alpha Xarion a report saying it was done. But your pup is still safe. Please be careful.” - Doctor Phillips

My breath catches and my eyes widen as my hand flies to my mouth.

My baby… is alive?

A sob escapes me as the tears I've been holding finally break freely.

I clutch the note to my chest, my heart pounding with something I thought I’d lost forever.

Now, I’m not just running.

I’m protecting something far more precious than myself.

And I swear on every ounce of pain in my soul, Xarion will never take this child from me.

Never.