Chapter 3 Unworthy Luna

Valerie's POV

When I saw the name flashing on my screen, I realized it was a call from my best friend, Constance.

The moment I picked up, her excited voice filled the line.

"Valerie! So? Has Aaron heard the news yet? Was he thrilled? When are you two announcing that the Black Shadow Pack finally has its Alpha heir? I must be the first to send my congratulations!"

Her joy was genuine. I could hear it in every word. But reality had already dealt me a merciless blow.

A wry smile tugged at my lips, and when I spoke, my voice came out rough and broken, startling even me.

"Constance, Aaron and I are severing our mate bond."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end.

"What did you just say?!"

After a sleepless night of tears and silence, I'd had time to accept the pain.

No matter the pup growing inside me now, I couldn't let myself cling to Aaron any longer. He had never loved me. Three years together hadn't changed that, and the more I struggled to hold on, the more disgusted he'd become.

It was better—for both of us—to end things cleanly.

"How could this happen? Why all of a sudden? You've loved him for so many years, and now that you're finally carrying his pup, everything should be getting better, not worse!"

Constance couldn't understand. How could she? I had never hidden my love for Aaron from her.

"We agreed before our union," I said quietly. "If Lily ever came back, he'd end things with me."

I drew in a shaky breath before forcing out the truth.

"Constance… Aaron loves Lily. The one he wanted to be together with was always her—never me."

By the end, my voice was trembling, tears catching in my throat.

Constance's outrage burst through the receiver like fire.

"Lily is back? Damn it! That bastard Aaron! He's blind! He'd rather chase after the one who dumped him than cherish his mate who's stood by him for years!"

Her fury spilled over.

"Do you remember the battle against those rogues? If you hadn't risked your life to save him, you never would've been wounded by silver. You wouldn't have lost your wolf, or been forced to drop out of the academy! Before that, you were one of the top warriors—talented in combat, fashion design, herbalism, and even coding! You were brilliant, Valerie! And because of Aaron, you threw your future away!"

Her voice cracked, and the sound of her stifled sobs twisted my heart.

"Constance, I'm fine," I said. I didn't want her to suffer because of me. "Rather than waste more years chasing something hopeless, it's better to cut my losses now. If Aaron loves Lily that much, then I'll do him—and myself—a favor and set him free. That way, he'll have no reason to blame me for standing in the way of their happiness."

Constance sighed, then asked anxiously, "And the pup? What about the pup you're carrying? You haven't told Aaron yet, have you?"

I hesitated.

"No… I didn't get the chance. But what does it matter? He loves Lily. Why would he care about my pup?"

"How could he not care?" Constance protested. "This is his first pup—your first pup! The heir to the Black Shadow Pack! You've spent three years trying to conceive, searching every pack for healers, even seeking out witches, enduring all that pain and those awful brews—how can he not care?

"Besides, you're his fated mate. You've been bonded for three years. I don't believe he feels nothing for you. If he knew you were pregnant, maybe—just maybe—things could change."

Her words left me tangled in uncertainty once more.

"Valerie," she said gently, "I just want you to be happy. Don't give up until you've tried everything. Otherwise, you might regret it forever."

Even after we hung up, her voice echoed in my ears.

I knew she was right. She wanted me to fight for my own happiness, but courage was something I no longer had. I didn't know what would happen if I told Aaron the truth.

A small, quiet fear took root in my heart. Fear of being hurt again.

I lowered my gaze and placed a hand over my abdomen. The warmth beneath my palm steadied me.

Not just for myself—but for this fragile life I carried—I had to try, at least once more.

So in the end, I decided to find Aaron and speak to him face-to-face.

The guards at the estate told me he was in his office at the Pack Affairs Hall. As the Alpha of the Black Shadow Pack, his private residence wasn't far from where he worked, which suited me fine; after a sleepless night, I didn't have the strength for a long journey.

Though I was his mate, Aaron had never announced our union publicly. For the past three years, I'd merely been known as his "assistant."

I swiped my access card and took the elevator to the top floor—the Alpha's private office.

Strangely, I didn't encounter anyone along the way. Normally, this place was heavily guarded. Even odder, his office door wasn't fully closed.

Frowning, I raised my hand to knock.

But before my fingers touched the door, a soft, sultry voice drifted out from inside.

"Aaron…"

In an instant, my heart sank.