I sat in my chair, skimming through the latest reports from the pack healers. Each file detailed the medical history of our newest elite warriors. As a Delta warrior, it was my responsibility to monitor our fighters closely. Their identities, lineage, routines, and, most importantly, their health conditions were recorded meticulously to ensure nothing slipped through the cracks.
Closing the folders, I leaned back, massaging my temples as the day’s exhaustion settled over me. A minute later, I stood, craving a glass of water, when my phone chimed with a notification.
Before checking it, my mind drifted to the healer council meeting earlier that morning. The meeting had been intense. Seated around the long, polished table in the healer council room, we had discussed our warriors’ medical needs and the troubling signs we’d observed lately. The head healer, an elder named Kitara, had spoken first.
“We’re seeing more cases of fatigue and stress injuries in our warriors than ever before,” she had said, her voice weighted with concern. “We need to consider restructuring training or giving more downtime between sessions.”
I had leaned forward, catching her eye. “Downtime? Kitara, we’re gearing up for the full moon run with the neighboring packs. You know how critical it is that we show our strength.”
“Yes, but not at the cost of their health, Delta,” Kitara had replied firmly, meeting my gaze with her usual steady resolve. “Several of our top warriors are on the edge of burnout. If they’re not given a chance to recover, we risk them being weaker in actual battle.”
I’d opened my mouth to argue, but another healer, Tessa, had jumped in. “Delta, you’ve always advocated for balance. Surely, even with the full moon event, we need to consider the long-term impact.”
Kitara had nodded, her gaze softening. “It’s not just about this one run. If we don’t look after our warriors now, there won’t be a force strong enough to face future challenges.”
Their words had lingered with me. They were right, but as Delta, I also bore the responsibility of ensuring our strength was visible and unshakable. I’d finally agreed, reluctantly, to a temporary reduction in the intensity of their sessions.
And now, sitting alone, I was reminded of the fine line I had to walk every day.
Just as I returned to the present and reached for my glass of water, my phone chimed again.
I glanced at it. It was past five, well beyond the time I'd usually expect messages. Curious, I sat back down and unlocked the screen. My heart skipped, then began to pound, the weight of an unexplainable dread settling over me.
With a shaky breath, I opened the email. I nearly dropped my phone when the contents loaded—it was a bank statement belonging to my mate, Jaxon Blackthorn.
Confusion swept over me as I scrolled through. Transactions, regular and hefty, moved from his account to another, stretching back for two years. My eyes stopped on the date of the first transfer.
March 28, 2020.
The exact day we lost our first child.
A storm of questions whipped through my mind.
Who was he sending this money to?
I didn’t waste a second. Grabbing my keys, I shoved the phone into my pocket and hurried to the basement—the pack’s secure tech room, where we stored our advanced computers. Only a few of us in higher ranks had access, and I was one of them. I had a feeling there was more hidden within this email.
After logging into the system, I clicked the link in the email. It opened a video file.
The screen displayed a woman raising a glass, celebrating with a man whose back faced the camera. Recognition hit me like a punch to the chest, and my knees went weak. That man… was Jaxon.
My Jaxon.
Tears blurred my vision, but the betrayal cut deep, raw and real. I didn’t need to watch any more to understand. His presence in that video was all the confirmation I needed.
With a broken heart and tears streaming down my face, I fled to our room, hollowed by the weight of what I’d discovered. Just as I reached the doorway, Jaxon walked in, his face still reflecting the ease of his recent meeting with the neighboring pack.
The moment his eyes landed on me, confusion clouded his face. "Why are you crying, my Luna?" he asked using his soft voice.
I stared at him, words lodged in my throat, unable to respond. My silence was met with a dismissive shrug as he pulled out his phone, his attention already drifting.
“Never mind,” he muttered, clearly more interested in whatever message had come through than in my pain. “I need to take this call.”
He stepped out of the room without a second glance, leaving me alone with the ache in my chest—and the quiet knowledge of the life growing inside me, a life he sure didn't treasure as his own.
Chapter 2 - The Pregnancy Check UpDinner was quiet, almost too quiet. I sat across the table, forcing myself to eat, though each bite felt like it might stick in my throat. Across from me, my mate ate peacefully, almost oblivious. After his call earlier, he had settled into dinner as if nothing had happened.
But everything was wrong.
"So," he spoke between bites, "how was the meeting with the healers?"
I took a slow breath, steeling myself. "It was... fine." I reached for my glass and took a long drink, hoping to calm the swirl of emotions beneath my words.
He smiled, genuine warmth in his eyes.
"Of course it was. They’re lucky to have someone as sharp as you, my Luna. Rest assured, everything’s in good hands." His tone was sweet, like honey—and for a moment, I wanted to believe it. How could he say these things so earnestly, as if there wasn’t anything else weighing us down?
His eyes twinkled as he looked at me, amused. "What?" he chuckled, wiping his mouth. "Got something on my face?"
I managed a thin smile, my chest tightening. "Nothing... I just miss..."
He cut me off with a playful wink. "I know, love. You miss me that much, huh?" He got up, casting a quick glance at the kitchen. "Let me check on the food. It’s your favorite tonight." He gave me one last smile before strolling to the kitchen, so casual, so... clueless.
The moment he disappeared, I exhaled sharply. My heart pounded, and I felt a sudden fullness—not from the food but from the weight of his charade.
That’s when I noticed his phone, abandoned on the table, its screen lighting up briefly. Curiosity took hold, and I reached for it, hands steady but my heart racing.
I tried to unlock it. I started with his birthday. Nothing. Then mine. Still nothing. I attempted our anniversary, even the date we lost our first child. Each time, the screen rejected me, and with each failed attempt, the knot in my stomach tightened.
Just as I was about to give up, I remembered the email—the one with that embedded date. My heart dropped. It was the date of his mistress’s first ultrasound.
I hesitated, then typed it in, "09022024."
The phone unlocked.
My breath caught, and suddenly everything felt like a room caging me.
The wallpaper on his phone was a picture of them at a yacht party, laughing together, looking like they didn’t have a care in the world. As reality sank in, tears started to run down my face. Six years—gone, crashing down in an instant.
I couldn’t resist the urge to dig deeper. I opened his social media accounts. One of them was full of their pictures and videos together.
The caption on a recent post read, “My one and only, Mi amore.”
Mi amore. That was what he used to call me during our first year together. Now, the words felt like a cruel joke.
I opened his messages, and my heart twisted as I read their conversation.
"I miss you already, Jax. Can't wait to see you again."
The call history was packed with her number, and the messages were flooded with heart emojis and little notes of affection that made my stomach churn.
All this behind my back? All this while he acted like I was his whole world?
I felt numb, then furious, then back to numb. I forced myself to stay calm, fighting the urge to question what I had done wrong, to blame myself for his betrayal.
No. This was on him. This jerk didn’t deserve the loyalty I had given him from the very start. It felt like I had lost a war, but I wasn’t about to walk away defeated. I was a warrior, even if wounded.
I took a shaky breath and started gathering every piece of evidence—screenshots of his calls, the messages, the photos. I sent everything to my own phone and deleted any trace on his.
Wiping my tears, I placed a hand on my stomach, steadying myself. “I’m sorry, little angel,” I whispered softly, “you have a father who’s a cheater.”
The woman’s face lingered in my mind, unfamiliar yet somehow taunting. She had managed to send me that email, exposing their betrayal so boldly. If she had access to a device like that, it could only mean one of two things: she was a high-ranking werewolf, or Jaxon had made sure she had the means. Either way, this wasn’t over.
The next morning, I found Jaxon in the living room, fumbling with his necktie. He looked up as I approached, flashing a smile. "Hey, good morning, lovely."
I just stared at him, barely managing a nod.
He leaned in, giving me a quick, almost mechanical kiss on the cheek. "I’ll be heading out. Got a quick meeting with the pack," he said, reaching for his coat.
I swallowed, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Another one?"
He chuckled, "Yeah, you know how it is."
Before I could say anything else, he was already out the door. I stood there, staring at the empty space he’d left behind, the calm shattering inside me. How could he keep doing this? Acting so normal, so loving?
I grabbed my keys and headed out, following his car at a distance, my heart pounding with every mile.
My stomach twisted as I watched him pull up to the healer’s office, and then she appeared. His mistress. Jaxon walked over and took her hand, leading her inside with a warmth I hadn’t felt from him in ages. It hit me like a punch to the gut—this wasn’t just a fling. They were here for a check-up, probably for the pup they were expecting.
I felt a dull, throbbing ache in my ring finger, where our bond should have been strong and steady. But now, it was like a broken link, frayed and painful, a reminder of everything I thought we had.
From my hiding spot, I could see Jaxon pause, his face clouding with something like regret. For a moment, I let myself hope he felt even a sliver of the hurt he’d caused. The woman glanced up at him, concerned.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice soft.
He gave her a gentle smile, brushing it off like it was nothing. "Just thinking," he said, then led her inside.
I leaned against my car, my breath coming in shaky gasps as reality closed in.
He’d made his choice, and it wasn’t me. Clearly not me.
Chapter 3 - The PlanI watched in silence, hidden in the shadow of a nearby tree, as Jaxon and Amara laughed together, sharing little touches and stolen glances. My heart twisted painfully when I saw him slide our ring off his finger and tuck it casually into his pocket. It was as if he’d erased every promise, every memory, every word he’d ever said to me in one thoughtless move.
He looked so at ease, so focused on her, that it was like I was invisible. I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to walk over and confront him, but my shift phone buzzed in my hand, breaking me from my trance. I glanced down to see files and reports filling my screen—information on his mistress, her entire background in black and white. Her name was Amara Ironpaw, a lorekeeper associate. She came from an average family, nothing special in status. But her youth, beauty, and that refined air she wore like a crown? Those traits must’ve been what captivated him.
I scrolled through, bile rising in my throat as I took it all in. This was what he’d chosen over everything we’d built. Anger burned hot and fast, numbing the ache in my chest, and I knew what I had to do.
I sent a message to my emissary, my trusted aide for all things legal and confidential.
"The council needs to be aware of what’s happening," I typed, my fingers steady. "Begin the proceedings to sever my bond with Jaxon."
After hitting send, I looked up one last time. My heart screamed at me to walk away, but my legs wouldn’t move. Just then, Amara’s eyes met mine across the road. She wore a smug smile, as if she’d known all along that she would win this twisted game. It was a taunt, one that cut through me deeper than any blade. And Jaxon? He remained at her side, oblivious to the storm that was about to break...
My phone buzzed again, jolting me from my thoughts, and I glanced down. It was my mother. The timing couldn’t have been worse. She’d come all this way to visit, eager to see us—her daughter and son-in-law—together, unaware of the painful truth tearing through my heart.
I felt a wave of dread wash over me, tightening my throat. What could I say? How could I even begin to explain?
With a shaky breath, I pressed the phone to my ear, trying to steady my voice. “Hi, Mom,” I greeted, forcing a brightness I didn’t feel.
“Luna! There you are. I’ve been calling for hours,” she said with a laugh. “I thought maybe we could all have dinner tonight. Just the three of us. It’s been so long since we’ve sat down together.”
Her voice was so warm, so hopeful. She had no idea. I closed my eyes, feeling the bitterness of the lie I was about to tell.
“Oh... we’re, um, already out having dinner, actually.” The words felt sharp and cold on my tongue. I almost choked on them, fighting back the nausea creeping up my throat. It felt like a betrayal—not just to myself, but to her too.
There was a pause on the line, then a soft laugh. “Oh! You two are always one step ahead, aren’t you? Well, enjoy it. And tell Jaxon I say hello. We’ll catch up tomorrow.”
Her voice was filled with so much joy, and all I could do was hold onto my composure, my voice barely a whisper. “Will do, Mom. Love you.”
As I ended the call, my hand fell limply to my side, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. The silence around me felt heavy, suffocating. I wanted to scream, to cry, to tell her the truth and feel her arms around me, telling me it would all be okay.
But I couldn’t. Not yet.
Instead, I stood there, alone, haunted by the lie that now sat between us. My mind spiraled, imagining the questions that would follow if she found out. What would she say if she knew the truth? If she knew the man she’d once trusted, once adored, had been lying to us both?
And then another thought crept in—a terrifying, shameful thought. What would she think of me for not knowing this had been happening behind my back?
Chapter 4 - Face OffThe next day after consulting with my emissary, I felt my resolve solidify. I couldn’t avoid this confrontation any longer. If Amara thought she could taunt me, I’d show her she was sorely mistaken. So I reached out, and, to my surprise, she agreed without hesitation. It was like she wanted this face-off just as much as I did.
But I had another motive other than annoy her.
We met in a secluded clearing on the edge of the pack’s territory, where the trees seemed to close in, isolating us from the world. The air was thick with tension, and Amara stood there, arms crossed, with a smug smirk on her lips as if she’d already won some twisted game. Her eyes danced with satisfaction, relishing every second of this encounter.
"Well, look who finally decided to show up," she sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. "I think I don’t need to introduce myself further, right?”
I held her gaze, refusing to let her see even a flicker of hesitation. "Oh, I know exactly who you are,” I replied, keeping my voice steady, a slight smirk touching my lips.
“Good.” She lifted her chin, eyes gleaming with malice. “So, how did you like the little ‘present’ I sent over? Those pictures, the videos…did they hit hard enough?”
I felt a wave of disgust, but I smirked, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me break. “Thanks for that, Amara. They really helped me see the truth,” I said coolly. “In fact, they almost made me puke.”
Her smug expression faltered, but she quickly recovered, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, Luna…you should know it didn’t take much to have Jaxon wrapped around my finger. The mighty Luna, all alone now, huh?”
Her words stung, each syllable like a needle in my chest, but I held steady. I clenched my fists, letting my anger fuel me instead of weaken me. “You think you’ve won just because you managed to steal what wasn’t yours?” I said, my voice trembling with barely restrained fury. “Enjoy it while it lasts, Amara. Men like Jaxon—they betray everyone. One day, they’ll betray you too.”
Her smirk vanished, and for a split second, her confidence wavered. But then her face twisted into something dark, something bitter. She stepped closer, her voice lowering into a venomous whisper. “You’re just bitter, Luna,” she spat. “Face it. You weren’t enough for him. That’s why he came to me. He wanted someone… better.”
I took a step forward, matching her cold gaze. “You’re delusional if you think he’ll stay faithful to you,” I snapped, my voice rising with each word. “You’re just his latest thrill. Eventually, he’ll get bored, and you’ll be left with nothing—just like the others. And don't you think I didn't know your motive? I've had you checked, a whore and a liar."
"You bitch!"
Her face got drained and in a minut flushed with anger, the words hitting their mark. I barely had time to react before her expression hardened, her eyes flashing with fury. In one swift, furious motion, she lunged at me, her claws extending as she reached out.
She caught me off guard, her hands shoving me with surprising force. I stumbled back, pain flaring in my side as I felt her claws scratch my skin, sharp enough to leave a burning ache. I tried to steady myself, but a wave of dizziness hit me. My stomach twisted painfully, and then—sudden warmth spreading between my thighs, like a physical manifestation of the turmoil that had been building inside me. A dread more profound than I’d ever felt swept over me.
Amara took a step back, her confidence faltering as she registered the look of shock and pain on my face. Her bravado crumbled, and she looked at me with something akin to fear. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean to…” she stammered, her wide eyes betraying her panic. And just like that, without another word, she turned and fled into the forest, disappearing as quickly as she’d come.
I stood there, my breaths shallow and rapid, the world spinning around me as I struggled to stay on my feet. My vision blurred at the edges, darkness threatening to overtake me. Panic bubbled up inside, and my thoughts were a whirlwind. My baby...
The sudden warmth between my thighs sent a wave of horror crashing through me. I stumbled, my stomach turning with fear and dread. No... not again. Not this time.
Just as my knees buckled beneath me, I heard footsteps—multiple pairs. Several pack wolves rushed into the clearing, their faces etched with concern, their eyes scanning me for signs of injury.
I couldn’t focus on them. My mind was consumed with one thought: This can’t happen again.