Kaia’s POV
I should have felt joy. Nine moons carrying a life inside me, I should’ve been glowing—celebrated, cherished.
Instead, every step through the pack infirmary felt like I was trudging through ice.
The healer’s voice still clung to me, soft but laced with gravity.
“We need to prepare for all possibilities,” she had said. “These signs… they’re not common for expecting mothers. Let’s hope for the best, but we must be ready for the truth when the results return.”
Her words haunted me more than the sterile walls or the faint scent of herbs meant to soothe.
Something was terribly wrong in my body—and in my life.
I wasn’t trembling because of fear alone.
I was trembling because the one who vowed to stand beside me was nowhere to be found.
Alden should’ve been holding my hand.
My Alpha. My fated mate. My husband.
But duty, he always said, came first.
Pack duties. Reports. Patrols. Meetings.
Excuses layered like armor shielding a lie.
I rounded a corner—and the illusion shattered completely.
“…you don’t have to carry this guilt,” his voice murmured, gentle in a way I hadn’t heard in months.
A woman answered, her tone silky with practiced sorrow.
“I never meant to intrude on your life, Alden. If the Moon Goddess hadn’t taken my mate from me, I wouldn’t be leaning on you like this.”
Marinal. The ghost from his past who suddenly walked back into his future.
And his voice—soft, reverent, a vow that wasn’t meant for me—
“You’re not a burden. I told you I’d look after you—and I stand by that.”
My wolf growled inside me—betrayal echoing in my bones before my mind even caught up.
Two pregnant she-wolves.
One adored. One abandoned.
Funny how destiny was supposed to be sacred… but it felt like a cruel joke instead.
I tried to move—just escape before my heart ripped completely—but a healer stepped into the room, bright-voiced and unsuspecting.
“Alpha, what a surprise! And Luna, you and the baby look wonderfully healthy!”
Marinal flushed, lowering her lashes.
“Oh—I’m not the Luna.”
The stunned look on the healer’s face twisted a blade straight through me.
“He attends all your check-ups,” she murmured. “I simply assumed…”
I didn’t stay. I couldn’t.
I walked away before I broke in front of them, hand gripping my belly like it was the only thing anchoring me to this world.
A memory hit—sharp as claws.
Me, collapsing on the cold tiles one night, coughing blood.
Begging him to come.
And him saying, “Marinal strained her leg. She needs me more.”
That was the night something inside me died.
Whispers followed me through the pack grounds—some pitying, most cruel.
When I reached our den and smelled her scent mixed with his, my knees nearly gave.
I sat on the bed that used to feel like sanctuary and dialed the one Alpha who never failed me.
“Dad…” My voice cracked open.
“Kaia?” Alarm instantly flooded his tone. “Tell me what happened.”
And so I did. Every wound, every humiliation, every moment I felt myself disappearing in a place I once called home.
“I want to come back,” I breathed. “I want my child born someplace safe. I’m cutting the bond. I can’t stay here anymore.”
Silence—steady, strong—then his voice wrapped around me like armor.
“Leave them. You belong to us. Neither that pack nor that Alpha deserves you.”
Tears slid down my face, warm and freeing.
“I’ll make arrangements. One week.”
“You and your pup will always have a place here,” he promised. “Never doubt that.”
When the call ended, I pressed a hand to my belly. A small kick answered—a promise, a plea, a blessing.
“We’re leaving,” I whispered, tears trembling with determination. “I’ll protect you. I won’t fail you.”
And this time, the vow belonged to me alone.
Kaia’s POV
The doctor’s assistant approached the moment I stepped into the clinic the next morning, holding a sealed envelope gingerly between her fingers.
“Luna Kaia,” she spoke softly, offering it to me, “these are your test results. The doctor will need to discuss treatment plans and medical steps with you.”
The envelope felt as if it weighed a hundred pounds when I accepted it. My fingers trembled while she continued, almost whispering, “She mentioned your symptoms don’t correlate with pregnancy. You’ll understand once you read it. Let’s hope things aren’t as bad as they seem, alright?”
Hope. Everyone kept repeating that word, gently, like I might shatter if it wasn’t there to cling to. Maybe they were right. I pressed the envelope to my chest, terrified of the truth hidden inside the thin paper.
Nothing stayed down when I ate anymore. My body ached constantly, as though every muscle had been wrung dry. My spine screamed with pain most days, and the dizziness made even breathing feel heavy. My wolf—usually fierce and alert so late in pregnancy—had gone eerily quiet, as though she knew something and didn’t want me to panic.
I sat outside on the bench, exhausted just from walking. I stared at the envelope, too afraid to break the seal. My gaze drifted toward the adjoining wing of the hospital.
And that’s when he appeared.
Alden.
My husband. My mate. The Alpha the Goddess chose for me.
He walked slowly down the corridor beside Marinal again, one hand resting protectively at the small of her back, guiding her like she was something precious and fragile. His head inclined toward her, voice low, gentle.
Tender.
Loving.
A tone I hadn’t heard directed at me in months.
They paused at a desk. Alden disappeared into a physician’s office to retrieve her medical chart. Marinal remained outside, dramatically stroking her bump like she was posing for a portrait.
My throat burned. I looked away before tears could spill. The envelope in my grip felt like it might burst into flames. Swallowing my nausea, I forced myself to stand. I refused to fall apart where anyone could see.
But fate had other plans.
Marinal’s eyes found me. Her lips curled, pleased to have an audience. She sauntered over, every step fueled by arrogance.
“Luna,” she greeted syrup-sweet, “wandering around staring like this won’t bring your bond back. It’s pathetic, really—holding onto something already dead.”
I didn’t flinch. “Interesting words coming from someone who crawled back after a failed mateship just to sink her claws into mine.”
Her composure cracked. Briefly. Then she lifted her chin smugly.
“I was his first. You? Just a filler. A temporary Luna. And now that I’m carrying his pup—maybe it’s time you step aside.”
The sting was sharp and instant. My wolf snarled, low and dangerous. I clutched the envelope.
“You’re vile,” I hissed. “If your fated mate rejected you, go back to him. Don’t tear apart someone else’s bond because you couldn’t keep your own.”
Her eyes glittered with venom.
“Oh, Kaia. Still pretending? That little baby inside you? He’ll forget soon enough. Why would he bother raising two pups when he could raise one with the woman he truly loves?”
A tremor ran through me. No. Alden promised me. He said her pup wasn’t his. He swore he was only helping her. He looked me in the eye and—
Then why did her words strike so deeply?
My hand protectively touched my belly. My wolf whimpered, but I straightened.
“Step away,” I warned. “You don’t want this getting ugly.”
But Marinal’s gaze flicked to the envelope.
“What’s that?” Her hand shot forward faster than I expected.
“Stop—give it back!”
Too late.
She ripped it open. Her eyes danced over the first page. Slowly, her mouth curled into triumph.
“Oh. Goddess above.” She laughed—actually laughed. “You’re sick. You have cancer?”
I froze.
And she laughed harder—cruel and delighted.
“How poetic. The Luna dying. Maybe the Moon Goddess favors me after all. You and your precious pup… might just fade away together.”
Something inside me shattered, sharp and violent.
My hand flew before I thought. Crack. My palm met her cheek.
Marinal stumbled, gasping theatrically. She crashed into a small table behind her; glass exploded as a vase broke. Then—deliberately—she slammed her palm into the shards, slicing herself.
Blood splashed.
“Help!” she screeched. “The Luna attacked me!”
A door burst open instantly.
Alden stormed out, eyes locking on Marinal first. He rushed to her side without sparing me a glance.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Kaia?!” He shoved me back, my balance wavering as I shielded my belly.
“I didn’t touch her—she staged it!” I protested desperately. “Alden, listen—”
“Alpha,” Marinal whimpered, leaning into him, “don’t blame her… she’s just emotional. I’m sorry. I don’t want to cause trouble.”
“She owes you an apology,” Alden snapped at me.
I lifted the test paper, stained with her blood. “Please. Read this. I’m— I’m sick. I have cancer—”
He slapped the paper out of my grasp. It slid across the tiles, sinking into the spreading blood. The letters blurred, drowning in red.
“I don’t have time for your theatrics,” he growled. “I am done tiptoeing around you.”
My lungs burned. “You’re choosing her. Even after this.”
“If you apologize to Marinal,” he replied coldly, “I will accompany you to your check-up. Say sorry first.”
I stared at him—this stranger who once promised to love me. Worship me. Protect me. My mate now demanded I bow to the woman who destroyed my life.
I looked at the ruined diagnosis on the floor. Then at him.
“No.”
“Kaia—”
“No.” My voice rose, strong and trembling. “You have broken me in ways even the Goddess would weep over.”
My pup kicked softly—as if reminding me why I had to stand tall.
“I won’t beg for crumbs of your affection anymore. And I will never apologize for defending my dignity.”
I turned away, spine straight, refusing to look back as I walked. This time, I would not crumble for him.
Kaia’s POV
As soon as I turned away from the hospital and stepped outside, everything around me faded into a dull hum. My wolf whimpered inside me—hurt, exhausted, silent—too drained even to bare her teeth. I should have shifted and run until the earth tore beneath my paws. But I was empty. Numb.
I had cancer.
The words still didn’t feel real. They floated in my head, blurry and surreal, like a nightmare I hadn’t woken from. And Alden—my mate, the father of the child growing inside me, my Alpha—had treated me like I was meaningless. Less than a stranger. He lifted the woman who shattered our life and carried her like his world revolved around her, while I stood alone, accused, dismissed, humiliated.
I was carrying his pup.
Yet he chose her.
Every step toward the Moonspire Packhouse felt heavier, like the ground wanted to swallow me whole. The breeze cut colder. Leaves rustled not in comfort, but like they whispered about my fall. The pack felt unfamiliar, foreign… hostile. As though the entire world witnessed my heartbreak and simply watched.
I reached our home—no, his home now—and hesitated in the doorway. The familiar blend of cedarwood and honey, Alden’s scent, was faint… already replaced by something floral. Lavender. Lilac.
Marinal.
Her smell clung to the house like rot beneath perfume.
My gaze landed on the photo from our mateship ceremony. His smile had been bright, real. His hand at my waist, our foreheads touching like fate was sealed between us. Slowly, I lifted the frame from the wall. My fingers did not tremble.
The crash when it hit the trash bin echoed across the silent room.
I didn’t react.
Quietly, methodically, I began to pack. Shirt by shirt, memory by memory. My body ached; every muscle felt inflamed, bones heavy with illness. The fatigue was bone-deep, the nausea constant, like poison threading through my veins. The sickness felt alive, pulling at me from within.
My pup fluttered beneath my palms, sensing my distress.
“I’m so sorry, little one,” I murmured, pressing both hands protectively against my belly. “We’ll leave this place soon. Somewhere safe. I swear.”
After a long soak—hot water attempting to calm the burn under my skin—I wrapped myself in a thick robe. I summoned the pack healers. Time was slipping through my fingers; if I wanted this child to live, I needed guidance. Even if I didn’t survive, I had to give my pup a chance.
The scent of wolfsbane tea and eucalyptus greeted me downstairs. The healers were already gathered, heads bowed respectfully. Elder Matteo stood among them—steady, wise, loyal. If anyone would fight for me, it was him.
“Luna Kaia,” he greeted, voice full of quiet concern. “We arrived as soon as we could.”
“Thank you,” I replied softly, my voice barely steady. “We need to discuss my condition…”
The front door swung open.
Alden entered, carrying Marinal in his arms like she was made of fragile crystal.
I stepped forward, blocking their path. “I told you not to bring her here.”
His expression hardened instantly. “She’s injured. Because of you.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “She threw herself into glass and bled on purpose. You think I can’t smell deceit? I’m sick, not blind.”
Marinal whimpered delicately. “I only came because I didn’t know where else to go… I would never burden you, Luna. I’m just thinking of my baby.”
A growl formed in my chest.
“You don’t belong in this house.”
Her lashes lowered, trembling dramatically. She slid Alden’s hand onto her stomach—barely swollen.
“If you want us gone, Alpha… we’ll leave. Even if I feel faint. I would never defy your Luna.”
Viper. Manipulative and cunning.
Alden’s tone cut through the room. “What happened to your compassion? She’s expecting a pup.”
My composure cracked. “And I’m not? Did you forget I’m your mate and the mother of your firstborn?”
Alden stared at me like I was a stranger he despised.
“If she makes you uncomfortable, Kaia… maybe you should go.”
The room stilled.
He said it.
He actually said it.
In front of the healers.
Some dropped their gazes in shame. Elder Matteo’s jaw tightened in silent anger, but even he remained still. No one moved. No one spoke.
Words lodged in my throat. My voice felt trapped beneath grief and disbelief.
Slowly, I inhaled.
“Very well,” I whispered. “Do as you please.”
I turned away. I would not crumble—not here, not for him.
Marinal’s voice floated behind me, honey-coated poison.
“Oh, Alpha, did she break your mateship photo? That’s such a pity… it looked so beautiful where it was.”
My steps paused—but I did not turn.
“She’s being dramatic,” Alden muttered. “She always comes back after she cools off.”
I walked out of the house without looking back. A single tear slid down my cheek.
And it was the final tear I would ever waste on Alpha Alden.
Kaia’s POV
I spent the night tucked away in a tiny lodge at the very edge of pack territory—just me, the freezing wind, and the echo of a mate bond I could no longer feel. I thought distance might numb the ache clawing through me, but all it did was make the silence louder. Space didn’t heal me; it reminded me how completely I’d shattered.
When dawn crept in, I returned to the packhouse. One hand instinctively cradled my belly as I stepped inside. I paused at the threshold, breath catching. The scent wasn’t the one I left. Marinal’s perfume—sweet lilac rolled in synthetic rosewater—hung in the air like poison, weaving through the home that used to be mine.
My wolf rumbled with warning, her ears pinned back.
I climbed the stairs slowly, dread tightening around my ribs. Voices drifted from my room—healers’ low tones, nurses murmuring softly. And her voice. Marinal’s. In my space.
My pulse thundered so loudly it drowned everything else. That room held every tender dream I ever had—warm evenings curled on the window seat, quiet nights whispering plans for a family, love painted in soft colors and candlelight.
All of it soiled.
I swallowed hard, steadied my wolf, and pushed the door open.
The world tilted.
She was sprawled across my bed like it already belonged to her, wrapped in the sheets I’d chosen—my sheets. The vanity I used every morning had been scrubbed clean of me, now cluttered with her perfumes and brushes. Her photos sat smugly where my journal and crystals used to rest.
Rage detonated inside me. My vision tunneled red. I marched forward and seized her arm, yanking her upright.
“What are you doing in here?” My voice erupted like a snarl.
Before I could drag her from the bed, strong arms ripped me backward.
“Alpha!” she screamed dramatically. “Help me!”
And as if summoned by her tears, Alden appeared, storming toward us.
“Kaia, stop!” he barked, voice cracking with anger. His grip on me was iron cold, pulling me out into the hallway. “You’re losing your mind.”
I ripped myself free, tears burning. “This is my room. Mine. You—”
“Enough,” he snapped, slicing his hand through the air. “Marinal likes this room. I offered it to her. Find another.”
I stared at him, stunned. “Those healers are here for me. I’m sick, Alden. I’m dying—”
He cut me off. “She fell. You hurt her. She needed care, so I brought them. And if you keep acting like this, maybe being mated to you was a damn mistake.” His voice dripped with disgust. “You’re exhausting to deal with. You don’t listen to me at all.”
Something inside me turned to ice.
“You don’t mean that,” I whispered, barely breathing.
His gaze was flat. “If you can’t behave, then leave. Raise your pup somewhere else.”
The world scraped away beneath my feet. My knees hit the ground before I realized I’d collapsed, arms wrapped around my belly like I could shield my unborn child from his cruelty. My throat burned but no sound came out.
I didn’t plead. I didn’t scream.
I simply stood, legs trembling like they might snap, and walked toward the hall.
Later, lying on the stiff guestroom mattress he told me to use, I didn’t have anger left—not for him, not for her. Weariness soaked into my bones. The illness gnawed through my body, my joints stiff, skin feverish. My wolf curled close within me, little presence pressed against my soul like she wanted to shield me too.
My phone buzzed. I lifted it weakly.
A message from Marinal.
I opened it.
Alden brought little postcards for the baby. Isn’t he the sweetest father?
Something inside me cracked.
Another recording.
Marinal, I hope you’re resting. Kaia acted up again but don’t worry, I scolded her. This stress isn’t good for you.
His tone—tender, gentle—was like a blade sinking into my back.
A third.
I hesitated. Then hit play.
Alden’s voice poured out, warm, devoted.
Don’t worry, love. I made you chamomile tea. Our pup is healthy. You’re glowing.
My hands trembled so violently the phone nearly slipped.
Everything that was supposed to be mine—our Luna suite, the shared study, our bed—felt like a memory. A script. I had been the rehearsal. Marinal was the final performance.
A laugh scraped out of my throat—too hollow to be humor. My wolf whimpered, and I wrapped both arms around my belly.
“It’s alright,” I whispered to my pup, voice shaking. “It’s just us now.”
A soft kick answered beneath my palm.
“I’ll protect you,” I vowed quietly. “Whatever it costs.”
No tears came. I refused to give him another piece of me.
I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly.
Freedom was rising on the horizon. I wasn’t there yet—but I was moving toward it.
For now, I had my unborn child. My failing body. And a heart still beating despite every fracture.
And soon, I would have my life back—far away from a mate who never deserved me.
Kaia’s POV
Ever since Marinal settled into the rooms that were once ours, everything between Alden and me shifted—quietly, like a storm changing direction before anyone noticed the sky darkening. He haunted the edges of my existence, torn between remorse and whatever twisted devotion he felt for her. Even during my cancer infusions, when I lay weak and aching in a sterile bed, he wasn’t there for me—he was beside her. Stroking her hair. Whispering comfort. Treating her like the Luna that I was.
He only learned about my cancer today. Not because he cared enough to ask—but because he finally overheard what he’d refused to listen to all this time.
And by then, I had stopped hoping. My heart had already slammed its gates shut.
That evening, after another wave of treatment left my bones aching like they were turning to dust, I dragged myself through the pack hospital halls. Every step felt like it scraped something raw inside me. The magic was harsh, fast, unforgiving—pushing me toward survival while draining the life right out of me.
I should have stayed away—gone anywhere but home. Yet somehow, instinct pulled me back to the place that once felt safe.
I walked the corridor toward the Alpha wing, half praying he wouldn’t be there and half terrified that he would. A warm glow spilled from beneath his door. Marinal’s voice floated through the crack, soft as sugar-coated venom.
“Alpha… may I wear the Moonspire Moonstone?” she murmured—sweet, innocent, pleading. “The one you gave Kaia when you pledged your lives together? I only want to feel cherished… just like she did.”
My breath hitched, and I pressed myself against the cold wall.
The Moonstone.
The Luna heirloom passed down generations—placed at my throat under moonlight as Alden vowed loyalty and forever. My symbol. My vow. My future.
I listened to history crumble in two sentences.
“Of course, sweetheart,” Alden whispered, a gentle tone that had once been mine. “It would look beautiful on you. At least until the baby arrives.”
A quiet kiss brushed her cheek. The impact felt like a blade sinking into my ribs.
Then his voice dipped low. “I’ll talk to Kaia. She’ll understand.”
That was the moment I finally felt the bond snap—not with a scream, but with a silence sharp enough to bleed.
Footsteps shuffled behind the door. Our eyes met in that sliver of light. And for the first time… I felt absolutely nothing for him.
I turned. My legs buckled, and the hallway spun. My wolf whimpered deep inside me—hurt, furious, abandoned.
Then everything blurred and I found myself pulled into his room, his hands steadying me.
“Kaia—did you hear—”
“Go ahead,” I interrupted softly. “Give it to her. Let her wear it as long as she likes.”
His brows lifted, shock flickering. “You… truly don’t mind?”
“I don’t,” I whispered.
Relief washed over him like he’d escaped a punishment he deserved. “I knew you’d be reasonable.”
He threaded his fingers through mine with false tenderness, as if he thought this half-hearted touch could erase betrayal. My gaze swept the room, landing on the small table where divorce documents—termination of Luna title and bond—sat unfolded and waiting.
He hadn’t even bothered to hide them.
“Alden.” My voice steadied. “Just sign.”
He blinked. “You’re sure? You don’t want—anything? No demands?”
I placed the papers in his hands. “Sign.”
He didn’t read. Not a single line. He simply scribbled his name—careless, blind, exactly as I expected.
When he set the pen down, he sighed. “I know you’re doing this for leverage. It’s fine. But don’t ever doubt your place here.” He touched my wrist lightly. “Or in my heart.”
A hollow smile curved my mouth. Lies taste bitter when you’ve stopped needing them.
I slowly unclasped the Moonstone at my throat. The chain slid over my fingers—cool, final. He stared, startled, but I placed it gently in his palm.
“She can have it,” I murmured. “Forever, if that makes her feel complete.”
He hesitated, something like longing flickering in his eyes. But it died quickly, replaced by duty—or whatever he chose to call that weakness.
Then he hugged me.
My body went rigid, my wolf silent. There was no comfort in him anymore—only memory and suffocation. I eased backward, slipping free from his arms.
“Go to her,” I whispered. “That’s where you belong now.”
He obeyed. Without hesitation, without looking back. The door shut behind him as he entered her room. Marinal’s delighted laughter echoed through the hall when the clasp clicked around her neck.
I stood there for one heartbeat. Then I turned and walked away.
Hours later, I sat alone by the frost-kissed window in the forgotten guestroom. Moonlight spilled over my trembling hands. Not from sorrow—sorrow had burned itself out—but from the quiet battle between my body and illness. My wolf curled inside my spirit, wounded and loyal, pressing herself against me with soft, desperate need.
“It’s over,” I whispered to her. “It’s time to go. We’ll be safe soon.”
A tiny kick stirred beneath my ribs—soft, brave, alive.
My child. The only heart that truly mattered.
I cradled my belly with both arms. “I’ll protect you,” I vowed. “No more pain. No more humiliation. Just us.”
The moon dipped behind clouds. My breathing steadied.
Tomorrow, I would walk out of this place for good. No hesitation. No looking back.
On my calendar, I drew a circle around the date.
The day I would leave.
The day I would finally reclaim myself.
Goodbye, Alpha.
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