Chapter 1

I walked back to my room. Half an hour later, Lucien arrived—freshly showered and dressed in a sharp black suit.

He remained tall, commanding. His jacket was perfectly tailored, yet it highlighted a cold, aristocratic air. So much so that he still seemed like the restrained gentleman I had once fallen for.

"Where have you been?" Lucien asked urgently. "The warriors told me you never went to patrol the pack borders. You didn’t answer my calls, and you shut me out of our mindlink."

I didn’t answer him, only turned to step away.

Then he noticed my pale face, gently touching my cheek as his voice grew even more anxious. “What really happened? Why do you look so terrible?”

I hid the miscarriage papers and told him it was nothing, just a chill.

He leaned in to kiss my cheek. I turned away subtly and asked why he had come.

"Silly," he said, tapping the tip of my nose with playful affection. "Tomorrow marks five years since our bonding. I want to throw you an anniversary celebration."

I told him not to bother—old couples like us didn’t need such gestures.

His smile faded briefly. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face. "What time did you get back?" he asked, watching me closely.

"Just three minutes ago," I said flatly.

He relaxed visibly and tried to kiss me again. His voice dropped to a whisper near my ear. "I actually have a surprise for you tonight. You’ll love it."

From eighteen to twenty-five—two years in love, five years married—Lucien had given me so many surprises. And until that day, I truly believed I was the luckiest woman alive, envied by every she-wolf in the pack.

I was the Beta’s daughter of the Gilded Moon Pack. Lucien, our Alpha, and I had grown up together. At eighteen, the Moon Goddess herself declared us mates. Everything felt destined. Even when my parents died in battle three years ago—a loss that shattered me—Lucien’s presence helped me heal. I still believed my life was blessed, complete.

Until that day.

On the very morning I had planned to tell him I was pregnant during our anniversary celebration, a message from Irina destroyed everything.

The photo showed her in sheer lingerie, sprawled across the bed in her Omega maid’s quarters. Her text read: May I come to your room tonight? Same as always. But I promise I’ll be even hotter this time.

I scrolled up. Their chat was filled with explicit exchanges.

Once, after Lucien and I had made love in his bed, Irina had taken my place the very next morning—same sheets, same position—while I was tending the garden downstairs.

Lucien’s response to that: So thrilling. You never fail to surprise me, Irina.

I had no idea what he replied to her that day. I only knew that when he saw her message on his phone—left carelessly on the coffee table—he sent me out into the midday sun to patrol the pack borders.

He wanted me gone.

I went. A desperate part of me still hoped he would call me back, confess everything before I walked out.

He didn’t.

My heart broke. The moment I stepped outside, a cramp tore through my lower abdomen. I hailed a cab to the pack infirmary, where the pack healer told me I had lost the child.

As cold instruments scraped inside me, silent tears of despair washed everything away.

I swore then I would let go of every last hope, every last love I still held for Lucien.

I would leave him and everything about him behind. Forever.

Now, Lucien kissed me again, guiding me toward the bed. His hands slid over my curves, his voice rough with desire.

"Let’s try something new," he murmured. "You’ll use a toy, back turned to me. I’ll take you from behind. I won’t stop, and you won’t let go of that vibrator—that’s our pact. What do you say?"

My stomach turned.

It was the same position he had just used with Irina.

I pushed him away, disgust tightening my throat.