Chapter 2

Lucius didn't come home until late that night.

I pretended to be asleep, ignoring him.

But then my wolf caught a faint, foreign scent of omega on him.

Disgusting.

I shifted away, moving to the far side of the bed.

The next morning, Lucius was waiting for me at the breakfast table.

"You look tired today, my love."

I had to bite back a bitter laugh.

His lies were so effortless.

I gave a weak nod, then asked casually, "Did something happen yesterday? You came home late."

Lucius met my eyes without a flicker of guilt. "Just a few small things. Some of the Northern packs are voicing... disagreements."

"With the Silver Moon Pack at your back, no one would dare challenge you."

"But," I paused, watching him closely, "power is a fragile thing. The second they smell weakness, the wolves will be ready to tear you apart. You, of all people, should know that."

His fingers, which had been drumming a steady rhythm against his coffee cup, stilled. He was annoyed. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying maybe I should be more involved in your work." I put down my fork, my eyes locking with his. "As your mate, it's my responsibility to ensure our Alliance is stable."

A flash of irritation crossed his face.

"That's not necessary, Anya. I told you, you should rest. I can handle everything."

"Like you 'handled' the pack's resources?" I gave a small, sharp laugh. "I'm going to the headquarters today. We can discuss election strategy. After all, we're mates. We should fight side-by-side."

Lucius’s body went rigid.

He was furious that I was interfering with his plans.

He opened his mouth to argue, but my gaze pinned him.

He swallowed his words, forcing a doting tone.

"Of course... if you insist."

"I do." My fingers traced the mate mark on his neck.

His body gave an involuntary shiver.

"Watching my mate work is my greatest pleasure."

An hour later, my car pulled up to the Alliance Headquarters.

The guards rushed forward to salute. "Luna Anya, the Chairman is waiting for you."

"No rush." I adjusted my gloves, deliberately slowing my pace. "I'd like to see how the headquarters is running first."

A hush fell over the lobby.

Every employee froze, their eyes locked on me with a mixture of fear and awe.

This was the power of my bloodline. The power of a true Alpha female.

My gaze swept across the room, finally landing on a figure at the front desk.

Clara Winters.

She wore a loose, dark blue uniform, trying to hide her growing belly.

But to my keen senses, the scent of a pregnant omega was unmistakable.

But what sent a white-hot bolt of rage through me was the moonstone necklace glittering at her throat.

I recognized the design. It was the one Lucius had promised to buy for me.

He later claimed it was lost during an attack, apologizing and giving me a bracelet I hated instead.

When she saw me, her face went white.

"Luna Anya!" She shot up from her chair, nearly knocking it over. "What... what are you doing here?"

I walked slowly toward her desk. With every step, the pressure in the room mounted, the air growing thick with my power.

"I'm here to see my mate." My voice was soft, but held undeniable authority. "Is there a problem?"

"N-no problem." Her voice trembled.

She subconsciously wrapped her hands around her stomach. "I'll inform the Chairman right away."

I moved closer, my body almost touching the front desk.

Clara’s breathing grew ragged, sweat beading on her forehead.

"Are you a new assistant?" I asked, as if making small talk. "You look... young."

"Y-yes, Luna. I'm Clara. I joined last year."

"Clara." I repeated her name. "A lovely name. Are you enjoying the work?"

"Yes, very much!" Her voice was on the verge of a sob. "The Chairman is very good to us."

"Is he?" A slow, cold smile spread across my lips. "That's good to hear. After all, not just anyone can work at the Alliance Headquarters."

Just then, the elevator chimed, and Lucius strode out.

He'd obviously gotten Clara's panicked message.

"Anya! You're here." He wore a flawless smile. "I thought you were coming this afternoon."

I immediately went to him, linking my arm through his intimately.

"I wanted to surprise you." I rose onto my toes and whispered in his ear, loud enough for Clara to hear. "And I wanted to have lunch with you. Just like when we were first mated."

I put extra emphasis on the word "mated" and watched Clara from the corner of my eye.

Her face was paler than ever, her eyes filled with fear and jealousy.

Her hands were clenched into tight fists.

"Of course." Lucius wrapped a possessive arm around me, leading me to the private elevator. "Let's talk in my office."

Inside the private elevator to the Chairman's office, it was just the two of us.

I turned to face him, my eyes locking with his.

"That new Omega assistant... Clara, was it? Such a pretty name, isn't it?"

Lucius froze for a second when he heard the name, then let out a soft laugh.

He reached out and playfully tapped the tip of my nose.

"What's this? Is my Luna getting jealous? She's just a new assistant. I can't even remember what she looks like."

His Alpha scent wrapped around me—calming and all-consuming.

"Darling, your focus should be on me, not some random girl."

He played his part so perfectly. His honesty and devotion were so convincing, I almost believed everything I'd heard yesterday was just a nightmare.

The elevator doors chimed open. He wrapped a casual arm around my waist, guiding me toward the lavish chairman's office.

"Alright, stop fixating," he urged, his voice low. "Let's talk about something more important—our future."

I leaned into him, obedient, but my heart was a block of ice.

Our future?

No, Lucius. My future.

And you don't have one.