Chapter 2

From the day I became Luna of the Silvercrest pack, I understood I'd have to learn to endure my Alpha's fickle heart.

As a powerful Alpha, Ethan always attracted other she-wolves—some Omegas seeking status through him, others just assistants looking for a night of pleasure.

I once confronted him the year Joy was born after discovering his flirtation with another Omega.

That was the first time I saw the wolf in his eyes. His cold amber irises flashed with a dangerous glint.

"Victoria Moon, don't forget that I gave you everything you have. I can take it all back anytime," he warned.

I thought of Joy. As the Alpha's daughter, she was destined to inherit the bloodline.

In the end, I chose to be silent.

That storm passed without even stirring a ripple in our household.

After that, I learned to endure.

No matter how many she-wolves Ethan involved himself with, he always came back to the pack—to his home.

Sometimes I consoled myself, thinking maybe the tenderness I saw in his eyes when he looked at me was real.

After all, I was his Luna, his mate. Surely, I held a different place in his heart.

Ethan always kept pack business and his dalliances strictly separate.

At home, I played the proper Luna, pretending not to know what happened beyond these walls.

His she-wolves stayed outside, indulging with him in lavish nightlife.

But then Sophia appeared, shattering that delicate balance.

Shockingly, Ethan allowed her to cross the invisible line between us that we had both silently agreed never to breach.

After putting Joy to bed, I returned to the master bedroom.

Ethan stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at something on his phone, his lips curled into a faint smile.

"You've worked hard. Get some rest."

His voice was unusually gentle, gentler than I'd ever heard him use with any pack member.

Instantly, Sophia's stunning face from earlier that day flashed through my mind.

I walked past him into the bathroom. As I was rinsing off, a heated body suddenly pressed against mine.

There was heat, muscle, and a presence.

In my ear, he murmured deeply, "Did you miss me these past few days?"

I gently dodged his touch, wrapping a towel around myself. "Sorry, I'm a little tired today."

Just as I turned, he grabbed my wrist tightly.

His gaze locked onto me, while one brow arched arrogantly. "My wolf is already restless. Are you sure you want to deny your Alpha?"

It was his usual way of seduction—one that assumed no matter my response, I'd eventually give in.

When I pushed him away a second time, the amusement in his eyes deepened.

"Are you jealous? Nothing's going on between me and her. She just reminds me of a younger you… If it bothers you, I'll keep my distance from her from now on."

He spoke as he kissed right where he'd once marked me on my neck. His lips were burning, but all I felt was ice.

"Ethan, please don't touch me."

Amid the steam, his expression darkened.

"Victoria," he growled. "Don't test me while I'm still willing to coax you."

As I stood frozen, I felt my blood turn to ice.

When he saw that I still wouldn't give in, he picked me up and threw me roughly onto the bed. In the dark, he gritted out, "If you want peace in this house, stop being difficult."

I curled into myself, stiff and trembling as tears silently fell.

The next morning, Joy excitedly ran to kiss my cheek. "Mom, Dad said he's taking me to the amusement park!"

I was surprised. Ethan always hated crowded places, let alone going somewhere like that just for Joy.

While leaning against the doorway, he smiled gently at his daughter. "Ready, my little princess?"

Not long after they left, I went to the pack's medical wing. Last night's intense session had left me feeling unwell.

When the healer told me I was four weeks with pup, I stood frozen in shock.

"The pregnancy isn't stable yet. You'll need to avoid intense activity and intimacy with the Alpha for the first trimester," the healer said calmly.

"If you don't plan to keep the pup, it's best to decide soon. The longer you wait, the more harm it'll do to your body."

To have a little angel come to me should've been a happy surprise. And yet, all I felt was overwhelming dread.

I clutched the report tightly as I sat in my car, staring into space for a long time.