Chapter One

Elara's POV:

The sharp pain in my chest came out of nowhere, wrenching a gasp from my lips as I stepped out of my bed. The world seemed to tilt, and my trembling hands reached for my phone on the nightstand. 

My mate, the man I’d given my heart to, was the only person I could think of in that moment of pain. My fingers shook as I pressed his number.

"Please, Damien… Please pick up," I whispered hoarsely. My voice barely rose above a breath. The line kept ringing. But he didn't answer.

Tears blurred my vision as I dropped the phone on the bed. I pressed my hand against my chest, begging the pain to subside, but it only grew worse. I needed help. Summoning what little strength I had, I dragged myself to the door.

"Is anyone there?" I called out weakly. Silence greeted me. The Packhouse was unusually quiet, as if the world itself had turned its back on me.

I gritted my teeth and stumbled into the hallway, clutching the wall for support. Every step felt like a battle, the pain radiating from my chest down to my abdomen. When I reached the top of the staircase, my vision swam, and the edges of my world darkened.

“No…” I whispered to myself. I wouldn’t give in to the pain. I needed to get help.

But my foot slipped on the edge of the step, and I tumbled down, my body colliding with each step. By the time I hit the bottom, I was already weak.

Suddenly, warmth spread between my legs, and when I looked down, I saw blood.

"No….no, no, no!" I screamed, clutching my stomach. "Not my baby… please, not my baby!"

My scream must have reached someone, because moments later, footsteps thundered down the hall. A couple of Pack members appeared, their faces pale with shock.

“Luna! Someone call the healer!” One of them shouted.

I barely registered their movements as darkness crept into my vision. The only thought that kept me alive was my child—the thought of losing him gave me hope.

When I woke up, the white walls of the Pack clinic greeted me. My body ached in ways I didn’t think were possible, but the emptiness in my soul was far worse. 

I instinctively placed a hand over my stomach, only to feel….nothing.

“She’s awake.” A soft voice said.

I turned to see Amelia, one of the healers, standing by the door. Her eyes were red-rimmed, as if she’d been crying for me.

“Amelia…” My voice cracked. “My baby?”

Her lips trembled, and she avoided my gaze. “I’m so sorry, Luna. We… we couldn’t save him.”

The world shattered around me. My baby. My Child. Gone. Tears welled up in my eyes as I clutched the sheets.

Hours passed—or maybe days. Time lost all meaning. I kept waiting for Damien to appear, for him to storm in and take me into his arms, to grieve with me. But he never came.

When the healers finally discharged me, I clung to the faint hope that he’d be waiting for me at the Packhouse, ready to make amends. Instead, when I arrived at his study, his guards blocked my path.

“The Alpha is busy.” One of them said coldly.

I laughed bitterly. “Too busy for his mate? Too busy for the woman who just lost his child?”

The guards didn’t flinch. Their loyalty to Damien was unwavering, even when he didn’t deserve it. I turned away, tears burning my eyes as I made my way to my room.

Two days later, the pain returned. This time, it was worse. Three times worse. My chest felt like it was on fire, and I could barely breathe. But I couldn’t call for help. No one would listen.

I stumbled through the Packhouse, clutching my chest; my vision was blurry due to the unshed tears. But somehow, I made it to Damien’s office.

The guards exchanged a glance, and for once, they let me through without protest. My relief was short-lived.

The sight that greeted me froze me in place. Damien, my Mate, the Alpha I had devoted my life to, had his dick buried between the legs of Sabrina, his Beta’s sister. 

Her moans filled the room as his hips moved against her. “Umm… yes, Damien.”

I couldn’t breathe. The pain in my chest exploded, searing through every part of me. My hands shook as I gripped the doorframe, unable to tear my eyes away from the betrayal before me.

“Damien.” I called out. My voice barely over a whisper, but it was enough to make him look up.

His golden eyes met mine, and for a brief moment, something flashed across his face. Was it guilt? Regret? It disappeared too quickly to tell.

“Elara.” He pulled away from Sabrina, his tone flat and devoid of emotion. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I… I was in pain.” I stammered, tears streaming down my face. “I needed you… I needed my Mate.”

Sabrina smirked, her arms still draped around him as if she had every right to be there. “Looks like your Luna doesn’t understand boundaries.”

I staggered backward, the weight of her words crushing me. Without another word, I turned and fled, ignoring the sharp protests of my body.

I loved Damien with everything I had. From the moment the Mate Bond snapped into place, I believed the Moon Goddess had blessed me with someone who would cherish and protect me. 

He was the Alpha, the strongest wolf in the CrimsonFall Pack, the man who once whispered promises of forever against my skin.

But those promises felt like ash in my mouth now. I stumbled back to my room, my mind replaying every moment of our relationship. The late-night walks under the moonlight, his rare but genuine smiles, the way he used to wrap me in his arms after a long day. Was it all a lie?

I sank to the floor, clutching my chest as sobs wracked my body. The bond between us, that was once a source of warmth and strength to me, now felt like chains digging into my soul.

How could he betray me like this? How could he claim to be too busy to see me while he had time to bury himself in another woman?

I pressed my hand to my stomach. My baby was gone. And now, it seemed, my mate was too.

Suddenly, my door was pushed open.