CHAPTER ONE

"Who's the father of this child?" my mate, Lucas, roared for the third time, his eyes bloody and dark.

His question made me furrow my brows in confusion, my heart pounding hard against my chest.

I had been so happy to tell him about the arrival of our unborn baby. But the moment I told him, he changed, distant, cold, now questioning the very paternity of our child.

I forced a shaky chuckle and inhaled deeply. “Lucas… what do you mean by all this? Come on, let’s not fight today.”

I could sense danger. In one swift movement, Lucas grabbed his sword and pressed the cold, gleaming blade against my neck.

I froze. The air around me seemed to stop.

What was going on?

I tried to call out to my wolf despite the confusion clouding my mind, but she didn’t respond. She was just as stunned as I was.

I tilted my neck away from the blade, but Lucas pressed it deeper into my skin.

Ignoring the sting, I turned to him with pleading eyes. “Lucas… I don’t understand what’s happening. Why are you doing this?”

We’ve ruled this pack together for years. I’ve never seen this side of him before.

“Aren’t you a shameless, disgusting Luna?” he spat. “Maddena, I won’t ask you again. Who is the father of this child?”

His voice boomed across the palace, loud and dangerous. His eyes held a fury I couldn’t recognize.

My breath hitched. My hands trembled.

Shameless? Disgusting?

The pressure from the blade tightened around my throat. I could barely breathe.

“Lucas…” I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. “You are the father. What are you talking about? I’ve never been with anyone else. You know I could never cheat on you. Isn’t that a disgusting act in itself?”

He laughed, brokenly. The sound sent chills down my spine.

“Maddena, I didn’t know you were such a good storyteller,” he said, his tone soaked in sarcasm. Hurt and rage filled his eyes.

This had to be a prank. A cruel one.

Sweat dripped from my forehead as I clutched my dress. I slowly placed my trembling hand over my stomach, instinctively protecting our unborn child.

Tears blurred my vision. “Lucas… be honest with me. Why are you accusing me? You’re the only man I’ve ever been with.”

He suddenly tossed the sword across the room and marched toward me. I panicked as he gripped my shoulders and shook me violently.

“Because I’m infertile, Maddena!” he yelled. “I can’t produce children. My testicles are completely damaged!”

His words hit me like a thunderbolt. My knees gave way. I felt my soul tear in two.

This can’t be real.

“Moon Goddess… no,” I whispered. My entire body trembled.

Lucas shoved me to the floor and spat, “It’s real. And now, the truth is out.”

I winced as my head slammed against the cold floor. Pain surged through me. I tried to get up, but his foot slammed into my back.

I coughed and turned to face him. He looked at me with pure hatred and disgust.

Infertile?

Lucas was the only man who ever touched me, the only one I had ever been intimate with. He was the one who took my virginity when I was chosen to be his mate.

I began to cry uncontrollably. None of this made sense.

If only my mother were still alive. If only she hadn’t died in that rogue attack, maybe I wouldn’t feel so alone now. Maybe someone would believe me.

Lucas suddenly grabbed my jaw, his fingers digging into my skin.

“Maddena, I’ll ask you one last time. Who is the father of this child?” he said through gritted teeth, his voice deadly calm.

I struggled to breathe, to speak. “You… you’re the father,” I choked out through sobs.

He released me and staggered back, laughing bitterly. “You still won’t confess?”

I held my jaw, the pain radiating through my head.

“Lucas, what are you doing?” I cried. “Is this what our bond means to you? To throw away love and loyalty just like that?”

“Blaze!” Lucas roared, his voice shaking the walls of our chamber.

Seconds later, his beta appeared at the door. “Yes, Alpha Lucas. May I come in?”

“Come in,” he commanded coldly.

Blaze stepped in and froze when he saw me crumpled on the floor, tears streaming down my face.

“How may I help?” he asked, eyes flickering between Lucas and me.

“Gather the wolves,” Lucas ordered. “Assemble them at the beheading grounds.”

My heart stopped.

Beheading?

Blaze’s face went pale. “Who… who are we beheading?”

Lucas pointed at me. “Her. This bastard. This cheat. This disgusting thing.”

Blaze looked at me, stunned. “Maddena? What did she do?!”

“She’s pregnant,” Lucas barked. “But not with my child. And you know I’m infertile.”

Blaze turned to me, disbelief in his eyes. “Did you…?”

I shook my head, sobbing. “You know I’d never do that. I love him. The fact that he’s doubting me hurts more than death.”

“Alpha, we can settle this calmly—” Blaze started.

“Silence!” Lucas cut him off. “You don’t get to question me.”

“Guards!” he shouted.

Footsteps thundered in, and the palace guards appeared at the door.

“Take her to the beheading ground,” Lucas commanded.

The guards hesitated, glancing between him and me.

“Did you not hear me?!” he barked. “Take Maddena to the beheading ground!”

Blaze stepped forward. “Please, Alpha, don’t do this.”

The guards exchanged looks, then marched toward me and grabbed my arms.

My legs collapsed beneath me. I couldn’t fight it.

Was this how I was going to die?

Dragged out of the room by the man I loved?

Tears streamed down my cheeks. Lucas didn’t even look back. No guilt. No remorse.

The guards yanked me through the corridors, rough stones scraping against my feet. Murmurs filled the pack as they saw me being dragged away.

Soon, the beheading grounds were full. The moon itself seemed to mourn.

Whispers erupted in the crowd as the guards forced me onto the platform, chaining my hands together.

I sobbed, broken. My only thoughts were of my unborn baby.

Lucas arrived moments later, dressed in his long cloak, followed by Blaze and the pack elders. He stepped onto the platform and turned to the crowd.

“I know you must all be wondering why your beloved Luna stands before you like this,” he began. “But she has proven to be unfaithful and deceitful.”

The crowd gasped.

“What did she do?” someone shouted.

“She cheated on me,” Lucas said coldly. “And now she carries the child of another man.”

Gasps turned into curses.

“Abomination!”

“Disgusting!”

“She deserves it!”

I couldn’t say anything. I was too broken, too lost.

“This will serve as a warning,” Lucas continued. “To any woman who dares betray her mate.”

He nodded at the executioner. “Zackeil.”

Zackeil stepped forward, grabbed me roughly, twisted my chained hands behind my back, and forced my head onto the cold stone.

I glanced up at Lucas, trembling. “Please… don’t do this.”

He didn’t flinch. His eyes were dead.

“Now,” he ordered.

Zackeil raised his sword.

I closed my eyes, bracing for death.

And then..

A voice rang out.

“Wait.”