Chapter 2

Zinnia’s POV

June walked slowly into Maelis’s arms.

I felt it like a knife in my heart. My five-year-old son stepped toward her. He let her wrap her arms around him even though she was still half-dressed. The heavy smell of sex still hung in the air.

"No," I whispered. My voice broke.

Draven’s hand caught my arm. His grip was tight. Cold.

"Let him go," I said. I tried to pull away, but he held me in place.

Maelis stroked June’s hair gently. She looked at me with a sweet smile that did not reach her eyes.

"Hello, sweetheart," she said softly to my son. "Did you bring that cookie for me?"

June held up the cookie with a shaky hand. His eyes kept moving between me and her.

"I… I saved it for Mommy," he said in a small voice.

Maelis took the cookie from him. "That is so kind of you. You are such a thoughtful boy."

She pulled him closer. June rested his head against her shoulder like he had done it many times before.

The mate bond inside my chest twisted hard. It felt like it was tearing apart. Pain shot through my body. My hands started to shake.

"June, come to Mama," I said. Tears burned my eyes. I reached out my free hand toward him.

He looked at me. His small face looked confused and scared. He did not move.

Draven’s fingers dug deeper into my arm. "You are causing a scene, Zinnia. In front of our son."

I turned to him. My voice came out rough. "You were inside her while our son was right outside. And you say I am causing a scene?"

Maelis laughed quietly. She stood up slowly, still holding June’s hand. "Alphas have needs. Needs that a quiet little Luna like you cannot meet."

Draven let go of my arm and touched Maelis’s lower back. "Enough. Go clean up."

She gave me one last look. As she passed me, she leaned close and whispered, "He never loved you. You were just easy. A warm body and a babysitter."

Her words cut deep. I felt my wolf Selene push forward. My hands grew hot. A soft golden light started to glow from my palms.

"Get away from my son," I growled.

Maelis only smiled and walked out with June. My son looked back at me once. His eyes were wide and full of questions.

The door closed behind them.

Now it was just me and Draven.

I turned to him. My chest rose and fell fast. "How long?"

Draven buttoned his shirt. His face stayed calm, like we were talking about the weather.

"Two weeks," he said.

Two weeks. For two whole weeks, this woman had been touching my son. Smiling at him. Taking my place while Draven slept with her.

"Why?" I asked. My voice cracked. "Why her? Why now?"

Draven looked at me. His ice-blue eyes were empty. "She understands what an Alpha needs. You never did."

Each word felt like a stone dropped on my chest.

I stepped closer to him. "I gave you five years. I gave you a son. I gave up everything to be your Luna. I hid my wolf. I changed myself every day to make you happy."

Draven sighed. "You were useful, Zinnia. You gave me an heir. You played the role well enough. But love was never part of our deal."

The mate bond snapped harder. I gasped and pressed both hands to my chest. It felt like something inside me was breaking into pieces.

Draven watched me. He did not move to help. He just watched.

Tears ran down my face now. I did not try to stop them.

"What am I to you?" I asked. "Tell me the truth."

He looked straight into my eyes.

"A convenient wife. A babysitter until June is old enough for real training."

The pain was too much. I cried out and fell to my knees. The golden light in my hands grew brighter. Selene howled inside me. She wanted to come out. She wanted to fight.

Draven stepped back. For the first time, I saw a small flash of surprise on his face.

"Control yourself," he said sharply.

I looked up at him through my tears. "You let her call herself Mommy. You let her take him. How could you do this to us?"

He did not answer.

I pushed myself up from the floor. My legs shook, but I stood tall.

"I am leaving," I said. "I am taking June and we are leaving this pack."

Draven’s eyes turned cold again. "You cannot. Pack law says you need my permission to leave. If you run, you become rogue. And I will keep June. He is my heir. He belongs here."

I stared at him. The man I loved for five years. The man I waited for every single night.

"You would take my son from me?"

"If you force me to," he said. "Stay and be quiet. Or leave and lose everything."

My wolf pushed harder. The crescent moon mark on my shoulder blade started to burn. I felt power rising inside me. Something I had hidden for years.

Draven felt it too. He took another step back.

For one moment, real fear crossed his face.

Then the door opened.

Aunt Vespera walked in. She looked at me on the floor, then at Draven.

"What is happening here?" she asked.

Draven answered quickly. "Zinnia is not feeling well. The full moon is affecting her."

Vespera looked at me for a long time. Her eyes were sharp. She saw everything.

"Leave us," she told Draven.

He hesitated, then walked out.

Vespera closed the door. She came over and helped me stand.

"Listen to me, child," she said quietly. "You have three days. After that, he will take June from you. He will make the pack believe you are unstable."

I held onto her arm. My body still shook.

"What do I do?" I whispered.

Vespera looked toward the door. Her voice dropped even lower.

"Be careful. Maelis is not what she seems. There is more happening here than just an affair. I have seen things. Strange meetings. Money moving in the dark."

She squeezed my hand.

"But right now, you must go get your son. Before it is too late."

I wiped my tears and walked out of the room.

The hallway felt longer than ever. My heart pounded as I searched for June.

I found them in the common room.

Maelis sat in a chair. June was on her lap. Pack members stood around them, smiling and talking like everything was normal.

June saw me. He looked scared.

"Mommy?" he said. But his eyes went back to Maelis.

I walked forward slowly. Every eye in the room watched me.

"June," I said softly. "Come with Mama. It is time to go home."

Maelis smiled and stroked his hair.

"He wants to stay with me tonight," she said sweetly. "Don’t you, little one?"

June looked at the floor. His small hands held Maelis’s dress.

Then he whispered the words that broke me completely.

"I want to stay with… new Mommy."

The entire room went silent.

My wolf howled in pain inside me. The mate bond shattered even more.

And in that silence, I felt something else.

A new presence. Someone watching me from the shadows near the back door.

A tall man I had never seen before.

He was smiling.