Chapter 2

I nodded, my face a blank mask.

"Fine."

Without another glance at them, I turned and went to my bedroom to pack my few belongings.

Since I was cutting all ties, I didn't want to leave a single trace of myself behind.

The sounds of their cheerful celebration seeped through the heavy wooden door. My hands stilled as I folded an old cloak.

"Liana, let's name the pup Ana, shall we? That way, even if he calls someone else Mother, he'll never forget you, his birth mother."

Even without seeing it, I could picture the look of deep affection on Kaelen's face as he said those words.

My heart was already in shreds, torn apart by his betrayal. My wolf soul whimpered within me, echoing my agony.

I suddenly remembered my return fifteen days ago. I had been filled with so much hope, carrying a pouch of rare herbs I'd spent all my savings on—herbs that could enhance an Alpha's power.

But at the pack entrance, I saw Kaelen and Liana walking back from a stroll.

Unlike the panic on Kaelen's face, Liana just looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if I were a stranger who had wandered into the wrong place.

"Who are you? Are you lost? This is the territory of the Silvermoon Pack."

I said nothing, my eyes fixed on Liana's swollen belly.

Away for ten month, and my mate, my Alpha, had moved his first love into our home, and she was carrying his child.

What had happened in my absence was painfully clear.

Kaelen finally stammered out an explanation, shielding Liana with his body.

"This is my Luna, Elara."

I thought that hearing this, Liana might show a hint of shame. But instead, she acted like the lady of the house, even feigning an invitation for me to come inside.

As she passed me, she whispered in a voice only I could hear.

"I heard you've been mated to Kaelen for three years? A replacement is just a replacement. You can't compare to the real thing."

"The moment I came back, you had to step aside."

In that instant, ten months of longing and hurt curdled into disgust.

I stood frozen, staring at her, but Liana's eyes suddenly flashed with malice.

"You're in my way," she hissed, raising her hand to slap me across the face.

My instincts kicked in, and I took a sharp step back.

Liana's hand hit nothing but air, and the momentum sent her sprawling to the ground.

She immediately clutched her stomach and let out a piercing shriek.

"Elara! Why did you push me? My baby!"

Pack warriors rushed over at the sound and pulled us apart.

We were taken before the Elders' Council, but they deemed it a domestic affair for the Alpha to handle and refused to intervene.

The moment we returned to the main house, Kaelen's parents descended on me, showering me with insults.

They screamed at me for causing a scene the moment I returned, making the entire pack a laughingstock.

The former Luna stepped forward, her face twisted with cruelty.

"Stop acting so shocked! We knew about Kaelen and Liana for months. Hell, we told him to go to her!"

"Did you think we would let the Alpha line end with a barren wolf like you?"

"We needed an heir, and we encouraged him to do whatever it took to get one!"

In just one year, Liana had become their perfect daughter-in-law.

And I was the fool, kept completely in the dark.

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

Kaelen approached me then, his eyes red, and tried to take my hand.

"Elara, I never meant to betray our bond. It's just... Liana is unwell. The healers say she has six months at most. Her only wish was to have a child of her own."

"She saved my life, after all. I couldn't bear to let her die with that regret..."

"I wanted to call and discuss it with you, but you were so focused on your studies. I didn't want to distract you. I thought I would explain when you got back."

"If you're willing, we can raise this child together, alright?"