Chapter 5

I looked up at him. He looked like he had rushed back at top speed. His coat was soaked through with rain, but he didn't seem to care, his face a mask of panic.

I sat on the sofa, casually flipping through a magazine. "How did you find out?"

"The werewolf network exploded. It's all over every pack by now."

Before I could speak, he threw his arms around me, his hands gripping my waist tightly. "Those were my vows to you, our memories... Don't you want me anymore? Are you planning to leave Black Moon?"

"What did I do wrong? Don't leave me. I'll change, I'll change, okay?"

How ridiculous.

When he was rolling around in bed with another woman, did he ever think about our vows?

Now, just because a few trinkets were sold, he was in such a panic.

Was he afraid of losing me, the Luna who could solidify his status, or was he afraid of his perfect, devoted mask being torn to shreds?

I closed the magazine and slowly pushed his hands away.

"You're overthinking it, Aiden."

My tone was flat. "I just outgrew them, Aiden. They take up space and are an eyesore. Our ceremony is just around the corner. Soon, you'll be my Alpha, and the entire pack will be mine. What would I need those old trinkets for?"

I paused, my gaze locked on his eyes. "Unless... you've done something to betray your vows, and that's why you feel so guilty, so afraid I'll leave?"

The first half of my speech settled Aiden's pounding heart. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief when the second half made his expression shift.

He gripped my hand tightly and swore repeatedly, "No! Elara, I swear to the Moon Goddess, my wolf recognizes only you as its mate. I have absolutely never done anything to betray you."

But the guilt pulsing through our mate bond was as sharp as a needle.

He, however, could keep up the righteous act without flinching.

I curled my lips. "If you haven't, then what are you so panicked about? Go take a shower. Don't get the carpet dirty."

That night, Aiden didn't leave.

He kept telling himself, yes, our Luna ceremony was just around the corner.

Soon, Elara would be his.

Nothing would go wrong. Absolutely nothing.

He stuck to my side, becoming unusually clingy.

My strange behavior had left Aiden with a persistent, nagging unease.

He stayed with me all night.

Just as dawn broke, his communication crystal lit up. The moment he opened it, the sleepiness vanished from his eyes.

Thinking I was asleep, he kissed my forehead and left in a hurry.

The moment the door closed, I opened my eyes.

My phone vibrated.

It was a set of coordinates from the mysterious Rogue organization.

[The goods are ready. Please inspect.]

Half an hour later, in a hidden basement on the outskirts of the city.

I looked at the body on the cold slab, my breath catching in my throat.

Her height, her hair, even the tiny mole on her neck were identical. Treated with a special wolf toxin, the body had the deathly pale, poisoned appearance needed to be utterly convincing.

If I wasn't standing right here, I would have thought the corpse before me was myself.

It seemed Aiden wouldn't suspect a thing.

"Perfectly done."

I handed the Rogue a heavy bag of gold coins. "Proceed as planned."

Leaving the basement, I deliberately took a detour past the pack's healing center to avoid being seen.

As I passed the obstetrics building, a familiar laugh made me stop.

Behind the glass doors, Aiden was carefully helping Cassia walk out.

She wore a loose-fitting dress, her hand resting protectively over her still-flat stomach.

And the man who had sworn to me just last night that he had "never been unfaithful" was now hovering over her, his eyes fixed on her feet as if terrified she might trip.

The look of a nervous, first-time father on his face stung my eyes.

In that moment, I felt the blood freeze in my veins.

Cassia was pregnant?

Werewolf reproduction wasn't a simple matter, especially for a high-ranking Alpha's bloodline.

So, their relationship had already reached this point.

I don't know how I made it back home.

In the dark room, only the faint glow of my communication crystal flickered.

Cassia's message arrived right on cue.

It was a pregnancy confirmation from the pack's head sorceress, stamped with a magical seal of authenticity.

[A pure-blooded Alpha heir. Three months along.]

Another taunt followed immediately after:

[Aiden is overjoyed. He said this is the true future of Black Moon. Elara, holding onto the Luna title is useless. I'm the mother of the heir now.]

My numb fingers trembled, the chill from their tips spreading instantly to my heart.

Three months.

So they had already... back when we were preparing for our Luna coronation.

I closed my eyes, feeling an unexpected sense of calm.

Very good, Aiden.

Since you have an "heir," I'll give you both a grand gift.

I hope you can still smile when you're holding my body.