Chapter 2

"I'm moving to the villa in the northern woods."

I said at the breakfast table.

Lucas paused, his steak knife hovering mid-air. His brow furrowed—the first sign of an Alpha's displeasure.

"Why? The pack house has the best staff and doctors."

"My wolf is restless," I said, letting a hint of vulnerability into my eyes. "It's too loud here. Sarah's piano practice, all the parties… I'm worried it will be bad for the baby."

The word "pup" changed everything.

It was the most important piece of his plan—the scapegoat.

"Alright," he said, his tone softening. He even placed his hand over mine in a fake show of affection. "You're the Luna. You need absolute quiet. I'll have someone escort you."

He was lying.

I saw the relief in his eyes.

Sending me away meant he could be with Sarah without any interruptions. He wouldn't have to worry about me hearing her moans from the room next door.

I moved into the northern villa.

It was remote, surrounded by a dense pine forest. The perfect hiding spot. And the perfect training ground.

I ordered the staff to spray high-concentration scent blockers around the property.

The excuse: my pregnancy made me sensitive to smells.

The truth: I needed to hide the fact that I didn't smell like milk and motherhood. I smelled of blood and sweat—the scent of a true warrior.

The next months were a ridiculous one-woman show.

Lucas visited every two weeks to play the part of the "devoted husband."

But the gifts he brought betrayed him.

For me, cheap supplements from the corner store.

But according to the pack's financial records—which I had hacked—he'd taken the century-old "Moon Grass" from the vault.

It was a sacred herb that could bring someone back from the brink of death.

Its destination? Sarah's apartment, of course.

Clearly, the vampire parasite was draining the life right out of her. Sarah was fading fast.

Staring at the massive expense on the screen, I remembered my last life. I was dying in pupbirth, begging him for a piece of Moon Grass to save me.

What did he say then?

"That's a strategic asset for the pack. It can't be wasted on a woman who might be birthing a vampire bastard."

And now, he gave it to the woman carrying a monster without a second thought.

I smirked and finished my last set of push-ups.

Sweat dripped from my chin.

My muscles were toning, and power surged through my veins.

I was once the only female warrior with a real chance of challenging for the Alpha position.

For Lucas, I'd clipped my own wings, content to be a doting housewife.

Now, the warrior I once was had finally woken up.

"Luna, you're looking radiant lately," Mary, the pack healer, said during a routine check-up.

She was an old, experienced wolf with sharp eyes.

"Thank you," I replied coolly.

Mary hesitated, then lowered her voice. "I saw Alpha Lucas taking Sarah to the Sacred Pool again yesterday. The pack is whispering… They say Sarah is carrying the true Alpha heir, and that you…"

She trailed off, her eyes full of pity.

"Luna, your mother once did me a great kindness. I only trust what I see. If you ever need anything, I will always be on your side."

She thought I was the poor, clueless wife.

I stood up from the yoga mat and threw on a loose robe, hiding my toned stomach.

"Let them talk, Mary," I said, picking up a teacup. "Lucas is the Alpha. He knows what he's doing. As long as my pup is born safely, I'll be at peace."

Mary looked like she wanted to say more, but she kept her mouth shut.

If she knew what I was really thinking, she'd probably die of shock.

I couldn't care less about Lucas and Sarah.

In fact, his obsession with her was my greatest advantage. It kept him from using his Alpha senses to check on me.

Otherwise, even with the silicone belly and the regular doses of potion, he might have discovered the 'pup' in my womb was nothing more than a phantom.

Six months flew by.

As my due date approached, Sarah was clearly getting desperate.

That night, the villa door was thrown open.

Lucas stormed in, soaked from the rain, his face pale with a sick, frantic energy.

He was in a hurry.

My spies had told me Sarah's water broke half an hour ago. The vampire pup was tearing her uterus apart, and the pain was killing her.

Lucas needed my "pup" to switch with hers. Now.

"Elena!" Lucas strode into the bedroom, holding a goblet.

The liquid inside was a strange, deep purple, and it gave off a chilling vapor.

"Darling, I know you haven't been feeling well," he said, his voice trembling. Not from concern, but from nerves. "Drink this," he urged. "It will ensure our pup has the strongest wolf spirit."

I sat on the edge of the bed, watching him.

My sense of smell was sharper than ever.

That wasn't an energy drink.

It was a mix of belladonna, high-concentration oxytocin, and wolfsbane.

It would force a she-wolf into violent contractions and leave her helpless after birth—a puppet on his strings.

In my last life, I drank this. I passed out on the delivery table, allowing him to swap my pup.

"This is for the good of the pup, right?" I asked, taking the goblet, my fingers tracing its rim.

Lucas swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on the cup. "Yes. For our heir. Drink it. Be a good girl."

He was terrified. If I didn't give birth tonight, his precious Sarah would be executed for birthing a monster.

I raised the goblet to my lips.

The acrid smell of poison filled my nostrils.

In that moment, I saw the flicker of cruelty and anticipation in his eyes.

"Lucas," I asked, my voice dangerously low. "Are you sure this is for 'our' pup?"