1. An Intimate Photo

July 24th marked their second wedding anniversary. Catherine stared blankly at the date circled in red on her calendar, her heart heavy with mixed emotions.

'Two years, and he still hasn't fallen for you! I'm starting to doubt if he's really your destined mate,' Leora's voice echoed in her mind.

Leora was Catherine's wolf, a fierce battle wolf. But since Catherine herself avoided solving problems through fighting, no one knew about the battle wolf within her.

Catherine remained silent, her hand resting on her belly as she absorbed the pack doctor's words.

"Congratulations, Luna. You're one month pregnant. Everything looks normal," the pack doctor said with a smile. "Alpha will be very happy to learn the good news."

"No, don't tell him!" Catherine blurted out, not wanting Hansen Hurst, the Alpha of the Silverspring Pack, to know just yet. She quickly forced a strained smile and explained, "I want to tell him myself on our anniversary. I want to give him a big surprise. Please keep it a secret until then; otherwise, the surprise will be ruined." Her mind raced as she tried to convince the pack doctor.

With that, Catherine clutched the pregnancy test result and trudged home in a daze, struggling to believe she was actually pregnant.

The news filled her with both excitement and fear. If they were a common pair of mates, they would have shared this joy together by now. But her relationship with Alpha...

Catherine's gaze fell, her once-bright gray eyes now dim.

Ding!

A notification pinged on her phone.

She opened it to see a striking photo-an unknown woman kissing Alpha's cheek.

Don't jump to conclusions. Maybe it's just a friendly gesture... Leora said, though even she felt a pang of doubt.

Everyone in the pack knew Hansen had a cleanliness obsession and didn't allow random women close, let alone kiss his cheek.

'Catherine Zyla! You stole my Alpha two years ago, and now it's time to give him back to me!'

Catherine received a text from an unknown number, likely from the woman in the photo.

Should I ask Alpha about this photo? Catherine's mind raced, feeling both anxious and scared, and turned to Leora for help.

Ask him! It's better than guessing on your own, Leora urged.

I can't. What right do I have to ask... I'm just a lowly maid. Catherine reflected on her past and felt insecure. Even after two years as Luna, Hansen's mother, Victoria, still saw her as a mere maid.

Listen! You're his mate, his Luna. You have every right to ask.

Encouraged by Leora, Catherine mustered the courage to message her alpha. 'Come home for dinner tonight. I have something important to discuss.'

The wait was agonizing. Hansen didn't like being disturbed during work, and she worried her message would be ignored as before. But this time, her phone lit up in the next moment with a brief reply that read, 'Sure, I also have something to discuss.

In the evening, a black luxury car pulled into Hansen's estate. Hansen stepped out, his suit jacket casually draped over his arm, his tall, rugged frame and intense black eyes making a stark impression.

He entered the living room to find Catherine waiting on the couch. In his hand was a file that he handed to her. "I'm here today to address our relationship," Hansen said, loosening his tie as he sat down opposite her. "You can voice any demands you have."

At that moment, Catherine felt as though the Moon Goddess, Diana, had played a cruel joke on her. 

'Hansen has actually proposed to dissolve our bond! So, the intimate photo and the message are real...'

The stark whiteness of the paper stung her heart deeply.

Hansen adjusted his tie, looking tired from work. He glanced at his Luna of two years. She had a face like an angel but a body as perfectly curvaceous as an hourglass-an angelic face with a devilish figure.

He felt no love for her, only a sense of obligation. His grandfather and former Alpha, William, liked her, and she helped improve his health, each getting what they needed. Had it not been for the accident a month ago, he wouldn't have realized they had been married for two years. He had been reflecting on their relationship since and knew he did not love Catherine.

Initially, he married her to please his ailing grandfather. Also, he had lost his wolf at the time, and no woman wanted a mate without a wolf.

Catherine, as William's maid, had volunteered to be his mate. He was grateful, yet he understood her choice was driven by financial needs for her uncle's medical bills.

"I don't want to wa your youth. I know you only became my Luna to pay for your uncle's medical bills," Hansen continued, changing his position. "But don't worry, even after the divorce, your uncle can continue treatment at the pack hospital. I'll cover the costs."

Catherine forced a smile. "Is that the only reason?"

"Why else?" Hansen frowned, not understanding what more Catherine wanted to ask. Had he not made himself clear?

Ask him, Cathy! Leora encouraged her to voice her questions. But Catherine knew continuing would only bring her more discomfort. Did she need Hansen to say, "I don't love you. I love someone else. Get out" outright?

Though she was often labeled as a poorly educated maid by other pack members, she still had her pride. She didn't want to hur te herself by asking if she mean.. anything to him.

Catherine placed her hand gently on her abdomen, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. "Alright, let's dissolve the bond."

Hansen's gaze fell on her stomach. He frowned slightly, his instincts telling him that Catherine's gesture was unusual.

"You-" Hansen began, about to ask if she was pregnant.

"You're right. We shouldn't trap ourselves with someone we don't love," Catherine interrupted, trying to match Hansen's cold demeanor. But she couldn't manage it. Just looking at his face made her tears well up.

She had been an orphan, cast aside by her adoptive parents after they had a pair of twins. She was sent to live with her adoptive aunt, Maggie, who had treated her kindly.

"Fine, as you wish," Hansen said without hesitation, signing the bond dissolution agreement before leaving the estate.

Once Hansen signed, they could officially dissolve the bond under the full moon in 19 days.

Catherine's greatest wish was to have a home. Even knowing Hansen didn't love her, she had tried for two years to be a compliant mate. But it had proved impossible to warm a cold, hard stone.

Late at night, as Catherine was preparing to sleep in the master bedroom, she received a call from Victoria. The tone was extremely harsh. 

"Catherine, where have you been? Why did it take you forever to answer my call? Have you any manners, taking such a long time to pick up the phone? Have the maids prep the guest room on the second floor tomorrow. A distinguished guest will be staying ove you better entertain them well." 

Before Catherine could ask who it was, Victoria hung up.

She forced a smile, having long grown accustomed to Victoria's disdain.

Victoria had always resented her for becoming the Luna of the Silverspring Pack, constantly trying to get rid of her for a new Luna.

The next afternoon, a young woman with an unfamiliar presence walked into the house. Catherine recognized her as the woman from the previous day's message. She bitterly realized that Hansen and this woman had it all planned out. They had just signed the bond dissolution agreement last night, and the woman was already moving in the next day.