CHAPTER1

ELSA

I managed to hold the smoke on my face as my son runs into the living room, jumping excitedly at the sight of his birthday cake. Seeing him so excited means everything to me.

“Mom!” He yells, “I can't be it, you actually got the perfect birthday cake!”

I smile and glanced across the room as Alpha Leo, my husband and Alpha of the Black moon pack walks in. I could feel his aura miles away, causing goodbye to litter my skin like confetti. He carries a brooding look on his face that breaks partly into a brief, emotionless smile as he picks up our son.

He doesn't even bother to look at me as he carries him to the table where the huge cake is placed.

“You got what he wanted right this year,” Leo says, his thick black eyebrows furrowing as he glanced at me.

Alex giggles as he grips the knife on the cake and Leo stabs a stare ate, a silent signal for me to join him behind Alex. My heart lurches and I rushed to his side, but he doesn't hold me, just a huge had that he rests on Alex's tiny shoulder.

I gulp down the emptiness I feel and smile down at Alex.

“On three, Alex,” his deep voice rumbles,

“Three, two-”

Suddenly, Leo's phone rings and the cheerful air ceases as if life itself has been sucked out of the room.

“Dad! We were almost at one!” Alex whines.

“I'll be back,” Leo says flatly, walking towards the door.

I lean over Alex's shoulder and whisper to him, “come on ,Alex. Cut your cake.”

“No!” Alex exclaims stubbornly and his voice sends ripple through my heavy heart, “not without dad.”

I glance at Leo who is standing at the door. Clearly, he hears Alex's cries but he does look back. I try to comfort Alex until Leo returns, but the latter only comes back with Terrible news.

“I have to leave,” he says coldly and my heart tumbles to my stomach, “something came up that I must attend to. Happy birthday, Alex “

“Dad!” Alex cries, “are you really going to leave on my birthday? I wanted to spend tonight with you and mom.”

Leo impatiently glances at the door, “Not tonight. Maybe some other time.”

I quickly catch up to him as he walks out of the door. “Leo, you can't leave our son now. He begged for this all week. Just the three of us tonight, that was his birthday wish.”

Alex also wants a special edition watch that Leo had promised him two weeks ago, bit o won't dweel on that. Leo's presence males Alex more excited than anything else.

“I know, but it is urgent, Elsa. I have to leave.” He glances at his watch again. “I'm sure you can handle things here.” He says and walks out of the room briskly.

Alex sighs loudly and I turn around to see that he already cut his cake. My heart aches badly as I rush to his side.

“Here, Alex, let me cut a slice of it for you. It's just the two of us tonight, daddy's busy. Okay?” I coo, holding a storm of tears back.

“I don't want it, mum. I have school tomorrow, so I have to go to bed early.”

I stare at him in shock. I always have to force him to go to bed and I feel so terrible as I watch him stroll put of the living room. This is his dream night and because of Leo, every thing is completely ruined.

I drop sluggishly on the couch, s defeated sigh escaping me. How long can I continue living with Leo like this?

How stupid I was to have been excited when I found out that I would be the Luna of the pack, Alpha Leo's wife. It didn't make sense to anyone, not even to me that a rogue slave turned out to be the mighty alpha's mate, more shockingly that he had married and made me his Luna.

I don't even have a wolf, no rogue slave does, the Bloodmoon pack makes sure of that. When I was younger, I had been captured by Leo's father men and taken into the torture room where rogue slaves are de wolfed.

I didn't have my wolf when I was capy, which meant that they couldn't extract my canines like they did to everyone else or tear out my claws, because I had none of that but after what they did to me, I stood no chance of ever having a wolf.

A drop of tears rolls down my cheek when I remember the excruciating pain I felt that dreadful night. They had coated aetal rod with liquid silver and heated it up and one of the men placed the hot silver coated rod on my back, just above my spine to kill my wold or my chances of ever having one. It was brutal and deadly, but it was effective.

My heart aches whenever I remember that I will never be able to shift into my wolf, bit ever since getting married to Leo, I always try to focus on the future and what could be, but Leo.

I scoff bitterly and shake my head in regret.

He never treats me like a Luna. Why should he? After all he only married me because the mate bond is sacred to him.

“Mom, you don't have to drop me off in front of the school gate. Now, everyone will see that I'm still a mummy's boy.” Alex whines as I switch off the ignition.

I beam at him and pinch his cheeks softly. “Oh, but you still are, my dear Alex. Come on, let me give you a kiss.” I lean in and peck his forehead gently and he pushes me away giggling.

A classmate of Alex Roshe's towards us with a smile as we step on the pavement.

“Happy birthday, Alex!” The cute little boy exclaims, “I saw it on my ipad, your birthday party was mad lit!”

Birthday party? I scrunch my brows in confusion just as another child, a girl, rushes to the scene, “Yeah! You saw it? I'm quite disappointed you didn't invite me, Alex. I had to watch everything on social media,” her frown spreads into a smile, “but I like you, so you are forgiven. Did you bring the bracelet?”

I am so confused that I can't even utter a word.

Alex frowns, “what bracelet?”

“Your birthday gift!” The girl stresses, “everyone saw it. Why didn't you wear it?”

I swallow as I see the disappointment on Alexi face. Alex never had a party, nor was any gift received.

“Mom, what are they talking about?” AAlex asks, his confused, depressed eyes staring up at me.

The girl's eyes widen and she points behind issuddenly. “Look! There is the bracelet!”

I turn around to see the beautiful blonde walking into the school with her son and on her son's left wrist is a beautiful, limited edition diamond bracelet.

I know who the woman is, and the sight of her sends a chilly down my spine. Sarah Haven, Leo's childhood lover who he never stops talking about. She had broken up with him for her mate five years ago and left the pack but still kept in touch.

When did she come back?

Seeing Sarah's child with Alex's dream bracy could only mean that she was the one that had called vLeo last niy, she was what had been urgent! And instead of making Alex happy, Leo had decided to go to a child that wasy his, even giving him Alex's birthday gift instead.

Each pulse of my heartbeat send a new wave of agony and disbelief into me, I can't believe Leo can be so heartless to his own child.

“Luna, you're here,” Sarah says excitedly, a spurious smile curled across her full, red lips, “goddess, I didn't think I'd meet you so soon and this charming young man of yours,” she waves Alex who hides behy me and I cannot hide my displeasure at her presence.

“Why do you look so sad? I thought vmy presence would lighten your mood, especially since we'll be seeing each other more often very soon.” She smirks at me.

I frown at her, “ Excuse me?”

Her perfectly trimmed brows furrow and she leans in and whispers, her voice carrying sarcasm, “Didn't Leo tell you? I'm divorced now and I will be moving in with him,” she grins mischievously, “I can finally be with the love of my life.”