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On the day my fiancé, Mattew, was crowned Alpha, he was supposed to claim me as his mate. Instead, he stood before the pack and claimed Claire.

She was pregnant with another man’s child.

“Without a mate to sponsor her, she’ll be forced to leave Riverdale,” he told me. “Once the baby is born and they’re registered as pack members, I’ll end the arrangement. We won’t even complete the mating mark.”

“You’re the Alpha. You could give her protection without taking my place away.”

“Protection won’t stop people from talking. Being my mate will.” He sighed. “Georgia, we’ve been together seven years. Can’t you wait a few more months?”

He was worried about Claire being humiliated. I was still wearing the dress I had chosen for our mating ceremony.

I left that night.

Three years later, I returned to Riverdale for a tour of the territories with my mate, the Alpha King. David had been delayed by council business and arranged for someone to collect me.

At the private terminal exit, I spotted a sign that read “Luna of Blackwood Pack.” Mattew was holding it, with Claire beside him and several familiar wolves gathered around them.

“Georgia?” Marcus noticed me first and nudged him. “Looks like someone finally decided to come home.”

Mattew turned. His eyes widened before he glanced at my suitcase and smiled.

“I knew you’d come back eventually.”

Claire slipped her arm through his and looked me over. “Is that what you’re wearing? Things must have been difficult without a pack.”

David had ordered the dress with my pregnancy in mind. I had chosen it for the flight because nothing pressed against my stomach, and I hadn’t bothered with makeup. There had been a time when Claire’s remark would have sent me looking for a mirror.

“You could have called ahead,” Marcus said. “Mattew’s been asking about you for years.”

Mattew’s smile stiffened. “I asked whether she’d come to her senses.”

Claire tightened her grip on his arm. I looked at the sign again. David and I had kept our family life private, and this was my first official tour beside him as his Luna. They had no idea who they were waiting for.

“Come home, Georgia,” Mattew said. “Claire’s son needs a nanny. I’ll pay you an omega’s wages.”

I stared at him. Three years ago, he had asked me to give up my mating ceremony for Claire’s unborn child. Now he wanted me to come back and raise him.

“You came all this way,” he continued. “There’s no point pretending you don’t want to stay.”

“I didn’t come here for you.”

“You’re still angry about the ceremony?” He glanced at Claire. “I told you it was an arrangement. I never marked her.”

“You still sent me away.”

“I asked you to wait. You chose to leave.”

Claire rested her hand on his chest. “Don’t argue, Mattew. Georgia, you’ll have meals and a room in the pack house. There’s nothing wrong with accepting help.”

“I have a home.”

“Then why are you standing here alone with a suitcase?” Mattew asked. “You always said you wanted children. You’d be good with him.”

Once, we had stood in an empty room in the pack house and talked about where we would put a crib. He had asked me to wait until he became Alpha before we started a family.

Now he wanted me to care for Claire’s son in the home we had planned to share.

“Don’t worry,” she added. “If my son gives you trouble, I’ll speak to him. I won’t let him treat you badly.”

“You’re being generous,” Marcus told her. “After all the trouble she caused when she left, I wouldn’t want her back in the house.”

Mattew watched my face as he drew Claire closer.

“She’ll behave. She knows she won’t get another offer like this.”

Three years ago, seeing his arm around her would have made me cry. Now I thought of David carrying our sleepy son back to bed that morning, promising they would join me as soon as his meeting ended.

I already had the family Mattew still thought I needed him to give me.

“Well?” he asked. “You’ve been angry long enough. Besides me, who’s going to take care of you?”

I met his eyes. “And the baby I’m carrying?”

His arm slipped from Claire’s waist.

“You’re pregnant?”