Chapter 1

(River's POV)

My heart throbbed as I looked nervously at the two lines on my pregnancy test.

“Congratulations, Luna River. You're pregnant. It's good news for the pack.”

I pulled up a faint smile and nodded, tears blurring my eyes.

I never expected that this day was coming. I've imagined multiple times that Zed was going to turn over and look at me. But with time, this imagination became just my wishful thinking.

My hands instinctively went to my stomach as I rubbed it gently. He was going to be happy about the baby, right?

I bit my lips anxiously as I tried to hold back my tears.

“Thank you, doctor,” I said, smiling. “But can you please keep this a secret? I want to give you a surprise.”

The doctor nodded, agreeing with me. “It's better to keep it hidden as the first few months of the pregnancy is always dangerous. Luna River, you'll have to follow all the safety measures. This is the heir to our pack.”

I smiled faintly as she kept lecturing me about the safety measures and gave me multiple medicines for the baby’s nourishment.

As I exited the hospital, I sighed, putting a hand on my tummy. 

But did Zed really want the baby?

I closed my eyes and recalled the day it happened. 

Zed was wasted, fully wasted after the elite party. I had only wanted to take him back to his room and leave him there.

But things took a different turn when he wrapped his arms around me and bit my earlobes. 

My heart thumped with excitement at my mate’s touch but I pushed him away. I knew that he'd regret it. 

But instead, he whispered to me that he loved me, that he'd never regret it. 

I let out a deep frown as I remembered his cold eyes the next day. It was full of disdain, and anger. It was as if I betrayed him.

I shut my eyes as I recalled his exact words. “How dare you, River? Do you really think you've become my Luna? How dare you scheme against me? Tsk, even if we've slept together, you're nothing to me, and you're just a substitute. So, remember your position. Amber is the only one in my heart.”

I couldn't utter a single word. At that time, I understood his sweet whispers weren't meant for me but for Amber, my twin sister.

Tears dropped down my cheeks as I nervously looked at the test report. Was he going to be happy that I was having his child?

I shivered at the thought of meeting his cold eyes again. What if he wanted me to abort the baby? 

My lips trembled. I wanted the baby. I didn't want to abort it. It was my child with my mate, Zed.

Even if our marriage is loveless, he still wouldn't bear to kill his child, right?

A million thoughts wandered in my mind. I was excited for the baby, but I also felt nervous and afraid while thinking about Zed.

We had been married for three years. But in these three years, he had never touched me, never even looked at me.

In his eyes, there was only Amber, who left him right before their wedding.

To save both of the family’s reputations, I was married to my mate, Zed. 

Everyone was surprised, and Zed hated the idea. He just wanted to chase Amber back, but he was stuck with me. 

At first, he was always on guard and hated me. It took me years to change that by being by his side and always helping him. But it changed just in a night. The day he became wasted, and mistook me for Amber. Again, he turned cold, and disgusted, even to meet my eyes. 

I sighed and clenched my teeth. 

No matter what, I had to let Zed know about my pregnancy. If he wanted the baby, maybe we would finally become closer. And, if he didn't… I would be my baby’s only parent. 

I was never an important person to someone. My parents? They preferred Amber over me. My mate? He was always in love with my twin. My classmates and teachers? Either they turned their eyes on me or would always compare me with Amber. 

I never understood why I had to face it. We were both the Beta’s daughters, both of us looked the same, but I got better marks than her. 

However, every time I did better than her, my parents would be angry and Amber would still overshadow me somehow.

I like Amber too, but sometimes, I can't help but hate her.

Others even joked that I became the Luna because of Amber’s kind heart of not taking her sister's mate. And… I couldn't even refute it because Zed is still in love with Amber.

Tears blurred my vision as I took a deep sigh. 

Honestly, I didn't want Amber to come back. I have no idea what would happen if she came back. My life had just gone a little better after she was gone, and I helped in restoring the pack’s glory. But if she were to come back, my life would be a mess again.

It was selfish but Amber was the first one to give up on Zed because his position wasn't secured.

At that time, Zed’s uncle came back with his armies to have the Crescent Moon Pack. And, everyone was uncertain about what was going to happen.

In the end, I helped Zed with turning the tides with his uncle and even helped him secure his position over the years. That's how he came to accept my presence, even if he didn't love me.

It took me all to gain Zed’s trust but only a little time to lose it all.

I gritted my teeth before calming myself. But I was now glad that this happened. I was going to become a mom. 

I was finally going to have something of my own, and I was already sure that I'd do everything for my baby. He was going to become my first friend…

I smiled faintly and then sighed, looking at the door in front of me.

I was already back at the mansion. 

Gathering my courage, I decided to tell Zed upfront but as I entered inside, my lips parted with surprise.

Zed was hugging another woman tightly… 

“Amber…?”