Chapter 1

"Honey, give our pup to Roxanne. Otherwise, her mate will beat her to death."

Sebastian Graham's voice was quiet, yet his words cut straight to my heart. The first time he said it, I froze, instinctively wrapping my hands around my swollen belly.

Right then, the pup inside me kicked hard. It was as if he sensed the danger too.

Of course, I refused Sebastian without a second thought.

Still, he didn't give up. Day after day, he whispered the same plea in my ear.

For an entire month, his words haunted me like a nightmare. I had never seen him so relentless about anything.

His request, once cautious, gradually turned into a demand he believed was only natural. It was as though my refusal meant I was condemning Roxanne Coleman, his childhood sweetheart, to die.

But I was the pup's mother. Was it really so wrong to want to keep him with me?

Sebastian's constant pestering drained me of every ounce of strength. I no longer had the energy to argue.

Now, all I wanted was an answer from the man I had once believed would be my mate for life.

"Sebastian Graham! This is your pup too! Do you really want him taken from us?" I questioned. "What if he never gets a proper education? What if he's bullied? What if one day he no longer acknowledges us as his real parents? What should we do then?"

A flicker of conflict crossed Sebastian's eyes. Then, he softened his tone, trying to soothe me. "I know this isn't fair, but I can't just stand by and let Roxanne die. You're so kind. You'll understand why I have to do this, won't you?"

Clinging to my last shred of hope, I asked, "Can't she give up the pup? Didn't the healer already say carrying it was dangerous for her?"

Sebastian sighed, but his voice was firm as he answered, "Roxanne has been frail her whole life. Carrying this pup is nothing short of a miracle. She won't give it up.

"If we give her our pup, we'll still be able to see him whenever we want. If not, we can always have one more."

His words hit me like a splash of cold water, snuffing out the last spark of hope inside me.

I stared at him in shock. At that moment, the face I had known so well felt like that of a stranger. As it turned out, my pup and I came second to Roxanne.

Sebastian looked like he wanted to say more, but the shrill ring of his phone cut him off.

He glanced at the caller ID, and his expression immediately hardened. He picked up before stepping out onto the balcony.

I didn't need to see the screen to know it was Roxanne.

I watched his retreating figure as a wave of bitterness spread through me.

Roxanne was Sebastian's childhood sweetheart, and they had been close since they were kids.

I, on the other hand, was born with powerful soul energy—an oracle of our pack and his fated mate.

I could communicate with the Moon Goddess and receive her visions. With that gift, I had brought blessings to our pack and kept disaster at bay, making Sebastian love me all the more.

Each time I saved our pack from a crisis, he'd hold me close. When I saw the admiration and gratitude in his eyes, I believed every sacrifice had been worth it.

I had naively thought that our mate bond, blessed by the Moon Goddess, was unbreakable.

But the reality was, for Roxanne's sake, Sebastian was willing to give our pup to her.

At that moment, he came back in and grabbed his jacket. Urgency was written all over his face as he said, "Roxanne's mate is tied up today. I can't let her go to the prenatal checkup alone. I have to be there with her."

He added, "Think carefully about what I said earlier. I'll be back later."

His tone left no room for argument, and with that, he walked out in hurried steps.

My blood ran cold. I didn't know how long I stood frozen. It wasn't until my phone chimed with a message that I snapped back to my senses.

It was from Roxanne. She had sent me a photo.

As soon as I opened it and saw what it was, the shock hit me like a bolt of lightning.

It was a prenatal exam report. The pup had been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, but the mother's name listed on the paper was mine.

For a moment, my vision went blurry, and a ringing filled my ears.

I checked the date. It was a month ago.

Sebastian had switched our reports. He had already made his choice.

For a month, he had played this cruel game, pleading and coaxing. All the while, he pretended it was my decision and that he hadn't betrayed me.

Then what was I to him? What did our pup mean to him?

My knees buckled, and I crumpled to the floor. Though it was summer, I trembled uncontrollably.

No wonder Sebastian had rushed to Roxanne's side. Perhaps they were quietly celebrating their victory right now.

I, however, was nothing but a tool for breeding.

As I closed my eyes, memories came rushing back.

Three years ago, I had a vision of an earthquake that could have wiped out our pack. I warned Sebastian in time and saved everyone.

I also foresaw the rogues' midnight ambush, stopping a massacre before it began.

Later, I had a vision of an assassin poisoning Sebastian's drink. Without hesitation, I knocked the glass away, saving his life.

As I prophesied more often, some enemies grew wary of me.

They secretly cursed me with blood magic, and my soul energy slowly withered to nothing. I could barely hear the Moon Goddess anymore, and my gift of prophecy was all but gone.

From then on, I seldom prophesied. Over time, everyone forgot all that I had done.

I had given everything for Sebastian and our pack. But in the end, he disregarded the sacrifices I had made. Worse, he wanted to take my pup and give him to another woman.

…

Right then, my phone rang again. This time, the voice on the other end was different—warm, steady, and wise.

"Olivia, we are still waiting for you. Will you return and take your place as Chief Oracle?"

It was Donovan Zeller, an elder from the Temple of the Moon. This was the third time he had called me this month.

To serve as Chief Oracle meant leaving the pack, severing my mate bond, and moving into the Temple of the Moon.

For Sebastian's sake, I had always refused. But now, I had no reason to hold back.

He had already made his choice, after all. He had chosen to sacrifice me.

I trembled as I drew in a breath. Even so, my voice was steady as I answered, "Yes, I'll take my place."

On the other end of the line, Donovan could hardly hide his joy.

"That's wonderful! Olivia, you've finally come to your senses!" he exclaimed.

I hesitated before speaking again. "But I'm with pup, and I was cursed with blood magic. My soul energy is nearly gone.

"I can hardly communicate with the Moon Goddess. If I move to the Temple of the Moon like this, will I be a burden?"

Donovan chuckled. "Olivia, we have spellcasters who can weaken the curse. We'll help you raise your pup, too. The Temple even has a way to sever your mate bond without pain. If you want, I can send someone with the potion in a few days."

Everything I thought impossible was suddenly within reach. This was a way out and a future of my own.

"Now, the only question is when will you leave?" Donovan asked.

Tears streamed down my cheeks. "Two weeks. I need two weeks to end everything here."

I gave myself two weeks to put the past behind me.

By then, I'd sever my mate bond with Sebastian. From that day forward, he would no longer be my Alpha, and I would no longer be his Luna.