Chapter 1

I was chosen by the Moon Goddess to be Alpha Ryan Larson's mate, but he never acknowledged it.

On my birthday, a group of rogues dragged me into an underground cellar. I was tossed onto a floor covered in wolfsbane.

The toxic fumes ate into my lungs and organs. The pain was unbearable.

"Start a mind-link with your Alpha." The rogue leader kicked me in the ribs. "Let him hear how much it hurts."

I clenched my jaw and shook my head.

He grabbed me by the hair and pressed my face against the wall.

In the shattered mirror, I saw a bloodied, barely recognizable face staring back.

"Start the link," he whispered into my ear. "Or I'll cut open your stomach right now and see if that little mutt inside you survives."

My whole body trembled as I activated the mind-link.

The moment it connected, I heard Ryan's irritated breathing.

"Ryan." I broke into sobs. "I'm in the lake cabin's underground cellar. Rogues kidnapped me. I've been poisoned with wolfsbane. Please he–"

"Jennifer Scott." He cut me off coldly. "Do you really think that I'll believe you just because you cry?"

I froze.

"Fiona had a nightmare. I only came to keep her company for a while, and now you make up something like this?"

He snorted. "Wolfsbane? If you were really poisoned, you wouldn't even be able to speak."

"I'm not lying! I rea–"

"Enough." I heard rustling on his end. "You're someone who lies as easily as breathing. I don't believe a single word you say."

I heard someone else's soft voice. "Don't be so harsh. It's Jennifer's birthday, after all."

Ryan went silent for two seconds.

"Birthday? More like her death day," he said.

The link was severed.

A sharp ringing swallowed everything.

The next second, a heavy boot came down on my abdomen.

That pain wasn't from wolfsbane. It was blunt force.

I curled up instinctively to protect my stomach.

There was a two-month-old pup inside me.

That night, Ryan had been drunk.

He pressed me against the wall and took me seven times.

The next morning, he left with a cold expression.

I never dared to tell him about the pregnancy.

I had planned to wait until the Moon Festival.

Under the watchful eyes of the Moon Goddess, he might have accepted the child.

But now, it didn't matter anymore.

He would rather my birthday become my death day than believe a single word from me.

"Did you hear that?" The rogue burst into laughter. "To him, you're not even as important as that Omega."

I wanted to argue, but all that came out of my throat was a hoarse growl.

The wolfsbane had already burned through my vocal cords.

My consciousness began to fade.

With the last trace of wolf spirit left in me, I sent one final message through the mind-link.