Chapter 1

Three years ago, while saving my mate, Ryder Blackwood, I was poisoned by Silverblood. But he believed his childhood sweetheart, Isabelle Morrison, was the one who had saved him. Now, I learned that he wanted to give her a pup.

I called off the bonding ceremony I'd been dreaming of, booked a flight out for that very day, and braced myself to face death alone.

…

"I need to give Isabelle a pup."

Ryder's words cut through the quiet of morning.

Two weeks ago, I felt that something was wrong. After a checkup at the infirmary, I learned that Silverblood had been in me far longer than I'd realized.

I meant to tell Ryder about the diagnosis today. But when I heard him, I opened my mouth and said nothing.

The thorns of the white roses pricked my fingers, and crimson drops found their way onto the petals.

I turned toward Ryder, praying it was only a cruel joke.

He was in a black suit, dressed for Bluemoon Group's board meeting. His expression was set like stone, and the Alpha presence he held was palpable.

"Lyra, we'll use artificial insemination," he said, adjusting his cufflinks without so much as a glance at me. "You shouldn't take offense. This is a reasonable arrangement."

My knees went weak. Silverblood burned through my veins.

The healer said I had, at most, a month to live. For that one month, all I wanted was to complete the bonding ceremony with my fated mate.

"Why?" I asked, holding the bouquet so tight the stems snapped. "I'm your fated mate, Ryder, chosen by the Moon Goddess."

"That's exactly why you should understand," he said. His voice was ice cold as he straightened his tie. "This is about the pack's future and keeping our stability intact."

Pain ripped through my chest. But this time, it wasn't Silverblood. It was a boot pressing down, grinding against my heart.

I took in the hard line of his profile and remembered his gentle smile from our first meeting. I remembered the vow he'd made to protect me for life.

My voice was barely a whisper. "What about me? Where do I fit in your plan?"

He finally looked at me. Impatience was flickering in his eyes. "You're my mate. That doesn't change. But duty comes before personal feelings."

I gathered what little strength I had left and cried, "No! I won't agree to this!"

Ryder's gaze turned predatory in an instant. "If you won't consider the good of the pack, do you deserve to be my pack's Luna?"

His phone rang. Isabelle's name lit up on the screen.

When he picked up, the ice in his voice thawed into tenderness. "What's wrong? Don't worry, I'll handle it. Alright, I'll be right there."

The gentleness he reserved for her and the care he lavished on her was all I'd ever dreamed of and never had.

When he hung up, he said, "I'm not coming home tonight. Isabelle isn't feeling well. She needs me."

"Ryder!"

I reached for him, but he'd already turned away.

The door slammed shut, leaving me alone among scattered petals.

I crossed to the fireplace and fed the ruined white roses to the flames. The petals curled, blackened, and turned to ash, like our love.

I thought Ryder would let it go after my outright refusal, that he might reconsider. After all, we'd been unshakable until then. We were fated mates, blessed by the Moon Goddess.

But two days later, a courier delivered an unmarked package. I opened it to find the pregnancy test results from the infirmary.

"Patient name: Isabelle Morrison.

"Gestational age: Five weeks.

"Authorized by: Ryder Blackwood."

It was dated three weeks earlier.

I laughed. It was a bitter sound edged with despair. There had never been a choice. What I got was nothing but a notice, long after it no longer mattered.

Everything had been scripted long ago, including my reaction, my pain, and my final surrender.

The bonding ceremony I'd once longed for now felt pointless. If Ryder wanted another she-wolf's pup, how could I stop him with my dying body?

I picked up my phone and started making calls. I canceled the ceremony venue, called off the florist, and scrapped the last alterations to my gown.

Then, I retrieved the bonding tokens I'd crafted myself—a pair of gemstone rings engraved with the Moon Goddess' blessing. I cast them into the flames.

The fire swallowed their silver gleam and burst in a blinding flare.

By the time Ryder came home that night, I'd already finished everything. He sank onto the couch. His expression was grave.

"We need to talk about Isabelle," he said.

I watched him in silence.

Ryder's tone turned severe. "She's terminally ill. She doesn't have much time left. Her final wish is to leave behind a pup bearing the strongest Alpha blood. But more than that…"

His eyes went cold as he continued, "Three years ago, Isabelle stepped in front of a silver dagger meant for me. I owe her my life."

"So what?" I asked.

There was command in his eyes, a weight I could feel. He went on, and his voice was still solemn. "As my mate, you should put the greater good first. This pays what is owed and binds two families in blood.

"You need to understand. We can still raise that pup as our own. And you'll remain the Luna. Don't worry."

"As the Luna, why should I raise a pup you had with someone else?" I asked. My heart had gone cold.

I finally saw it for what it was. To Ryder, the pack, power, and that so-called debt would always matter more than the mate the Moon Goddess gave him.

His phone rang again. It was Isabelle.

Ryder answered. His voice went soft in a heartbeat. "Isabelle? What's wrong? Don't cry. I'll be right there. Wait for me. I'm on my way."