I felt the weight of my belly pressing down as I sat on the couch, sifting through a stack of mail absentmindedly. That’s when I spotted it—a bank statement with Cale’s name printed at the top. A quick scan of the lines sent my pulse racing. Every month, a steady sum of $30,000 had been going to the same account. That was no small amount. My husband, my Alpha, was supporting someone… someone important. My stomach twisted. I could feel my baby shifting inside, as if sensing my turmoil.
A message alert popped up on my phone, pulling me back from the rising dread. Someone named Cali had added me on Facebook. Curiosity got the better of me, and I accepted her request. Almost immediately, a flood of photos and videos started arriving in my inbox.
At first, I thought it might be some strange mistake or a cruel prank. But as I opened each message, reality seeped in. The woman in the videos was with Cale. His smile was wider than I’d seen in years, his eyes bright with a warmth he hadn’t shown me in… ages. They looked happy—so damn happy that it turned my stomach. Their hands intertwined, his arms around her as they laughed, played, bonded. It was clear these weren’t recent; this started long ago, right around the time I lost our first baby.
Pain clawed its way up my throat, but I kept watching. Cali flaunted her expensive clothes and jewelry in another video, her voice high and smug as she waved a diamond ring at the camera. "Thank you, darling for buying this for me." She said with a big smile on her face.
And then, the final blow—a grainy ultrasound photo. A heartbeat. Cali’s smirk as she held it up to the camera, announcing she was pregnant with Cale’s child. I felt the air punch out of my lungs. My hands went numb, and the phone slipped from my fingers, clattering to the floor.
I forced myself to my feet, needing something to steady me. I saw Cale’s shirt in the laundry basket, the faint smell of lavender clinging to it. Lavender. Not my scent, not even close. Cali’s scent. I had believed, so naively, that our bond was unbreakable, that wolves were loyal to their mates. But this proved that loyalty was a fragile thing, and ours had shattered into pieces.
A cold ache spread in my chest, but I didn’t have time to drown in my heartbreak. Cale was home sooner than I expected, his presence filling the doorway as he looked me over, a crease forming between his brows.
“What’s wrong?” he asked softly and kneeled in front of me and held my hands.
I forced a soft smile, though my voice was barely holding together. “I… I just wanted some dumplings,” I whispered, hoping for some hint of the old Cale. “The kind from that place an hour away.” I stared at him, desperately hoping he’d take my hand and say yes, that he’d make the effort, that he’d see my longing and reach back to me. Maybe… just maybe, I could look past everything else if he could show me a shred of love.
But instead, his face twisted in irritation. “Can it wait until tomorrow?” he snapped, waving a dismissive hand. “I’ve had a long day, Jasmine. Can’t you see that?”
My heart shattered a little more. I managed a nod, even though tears prickled my eyes, and my voice was nothing more than a whisper. “Sure… tomorrow.”
He turned away without another word, leaving me in the quiet ache of our broken bond. I felt the soft kicks within me, and I placed a hand on my belly, feeling the strength of my baby pressing against my palm. We’re going to be okay, I murmured, feeling the tiny heartbeat steadying my own. We’ll fight this together.
I wiped my tears, determination settling in the hollowness left by Cale’s betrayal. The road ahead would be brutal, but I wouldn’t let myself drown in the sorrow he’d left me with. My child and I would survive this. Because while Cale may have chosen another, I would choose us—again and again.
Chapter 2Dinner was quiet tonight, almost painfully so. Cale was caught up recounting the latest pack news, every small detail of his work and the burden it had become since I stepped back. I nodded along, my mind drifting, replaying all the pieces of what I’d discovered over the last few days. Each word he spoke felt hollow, like he was just going through the motions.
"I'm going to take a bath," He said and went to the bathroom. I felt my pulse quicken, waiting until I heard the water running before I dared to move.
With a shaky breath, I picked up Cale’s phone. I knew it would be locked with a series of passwords—he’d made sure of that. But I’d learned enough by now to make an educated guess. One by one, I tried the obvious codes, feeling my patience thin with each failed attempt. On my last try, I entered Cali’s due date, the very same date she’d smugly sent me in a picture of her ultrasound.
It unlocked.
My hands trembled as I swiped through the messages, taking in every word of his hidden life. It wasn’t long before I found Cali’s messages. He called her his soulmate, his “true fated one.” My heart clenched with a deep, gnawing pain. I’d been his chosen mate, bonded by tradition, bound by choice—but to him, she was something different. Something real, something sacred.
The moon goddess had given us the option to sever our bond with our fated mate to allow us to choose a life together if our fates hadn’t aligned. But here I was, paying the price for that choice alone. I scrolled down, the weight of betrayal pressing heavier with every message, every promise he’d whispered to her.
Then, a name caught my eye: Alpha Craig, one of Cale’s closest friends and the Alpha of the Gray Wolves Pack. He had introduced Cale to Cali. My stomach twisted; even his friends had been involved in the deceit. I kept reading, each message a wound that stung sharper than the last. Cale had been showering her with gifts I’d never dreamed of, things he’d never thought to buy for me even now, nine months pregnant. His shopping app was full of baby items, skincare products, luxuries meant for mother-to-be—Cali.
I bit down on the grief that threatened to spill over and began taking screenshots, quietly gathering everything I needed. This was it. This was the end. I would not spend my life bound to a man who had chosen someone else so deeply, so entirely. By the time I’d finished, I felt hollow, like everything good had been wrung out of me, leaving only the raw ache of betrayal. I carefully set the phone down exactly as I’d found it, slipping into bed and lying down, heart pounding.
A few minutes later, Cale emerged from the bathroom, glancing around before spotting me lying there. “I need to head out for a bit,” he muttered with a smile, sitting beside me and patting my buldging belly. “The Betas wanted to go for a run.” His tone was soft, but I knew that he wasn’t going for a run. He was going to her. And he didn’t even have the decency to hide his infidelity to me or I'm just dumb for not noticing.
I forced a small nod, watching as he walked out, not sparing a backward glance. The door clicked shut, and as soon as his scent started to fade, I slipped out of bed, ready to follow. But before I could reach the door, there was a light knock. An Omega informed me that someone had paid me a late visit. She says that it was an important figure. I opened it to find a familiar face, Alpha Jaxon, my closest friend and Alpha of the Moon Gazer’s Pack, standing on her side.
He took one look at me, his expression softening. “I could felt something was wrong,” he said quietly. “I couldn’t ignore it and came to you.”
I swallowed, surprised but grateful. “Thank you for coming, Jax,” I murmured, my voice barely steady.
Jaxon stepped inside, his eyes filled with concern. “What’s going on, Jas?”
A bitter laugh escaped me, one I barely recognized. “I was about to find out. Cale left, and I’m sure it’s to see her. To see them.” My voice broke slightly on that last word, but Jaxon’s expression shifted in confusion but then he nodded.
"Alright, I'm coming with you," he said in resolute. I led him out of the pack house, my steps determined as I caught Cale’s scent trail, and Jaxon matched my pace beside me. The ache I carried was heavy, the weight of betrayal pressing hard on my chest, but with Jaxon by my side, I felt I was not alone.
Chapter 3The night air was cool, but my skin was on fire, a prickling unease traveling with every step. Jaxon and I had been following Cale’s scent trail for miles until it led us right here—to the hospital. In the middle of the trail, we decided to take the car for my sake. I turned to Jaxon, who was seriously driving with creased eyebrows. We arrived at the hospital and there I saw them together.
I held my breath, clutching my coat tighter around my belly. There he was, my husband, the Alpha I had trusted, the man I’d bound my life to. His stance was relaxed as he stood by her side, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. I watched as he leaned in close, his face softened, voice murmuring low words of comfort I couldn’t hear. And there she was, Cali—pregnant, glowing, with a smile that stretched wide and easy, basking in his warmth.
Each gesture felt like a sharp slap. A man I hardly recognized was there, showing a tenderness I hadn’t seen in… I couldn’t even remember. All those nights I had wished for him to be by my side, to care for me in my most vulnerable moments, had all gone to her. I gritted my teeth, blinking back the tears threatening to escape. I won’t let him see me break. Not tonight.
Beside me, I felt Jaxon’s energy shift, dark and fierce, the kind of rage that felt like a crackling storm barely contained. I turned to him and saw his usual warm brown eyes beginning to shift. Gold. An icy, terrifying gold that seemed to slice through the night with a silent promise of retribution. He was angry—angrier than I had ever seen him. He wasn’t just standing there; he was coiled, ready to lunge.
“Jax,” I whispered, reaching out to put a steadying hand on his arm. His muscles were taut under my grip, and he looked down at me, but his eyes stayed gold. “Don’t. He’s not worth it.”
“He’s betrayed you, Jasmine,” he growled, his voice low but vibrating with a deadly edge. “How can you just stand here and watch this?”
The fury in his gaze wasn’t directed at me, but it was still intense, enough to make a shiver run down my spine. His eyes, usually filled with warmth and understanding, were now cold, cutting through the night with a dangerous light. He was terrifying like this, an Alpha in his rawest form. I felt his restraint slipping, and for a moment, I worried he would break, that he would actually follow through on his urge to tear Cale apart.
But I gripped his arm tighter. “Jaxon,” I said, forcing calm into my voice. “He isn’t worth losing yourself over. We’re better than him.”
His gaze flickered back to me, and for a brief moment, the gold softened back into brown. “You shouldn’t have to see this, Jasmine,” he muttered, his voice laced with an anger that bordered on pain. “You should leave him. Let him rot in the mess he’s created.”
A wave of exhaustion washed over me, pulling down every part of my spirit. “I will, Jax,” I whispered, my voice steadier than I felt. “I’m done. After everything, I… I can’t hold onto this bond any longer. It’s killing me.”
Jaxon looked down, his shoulders still tense, but he let out a long, controlled breath. “Then let me help you, Jas. Let’s get you out of here. You don’t deserve to watch him care for her when he’s abandoned you.”
I tore my gaze away from Cale, the man who’d once been my everything. He laughed softly as he brushed a hand over Cali’s shoulder, a gesture so gentle it felt like a final blow. It was then I knew, down to my bones, that this chapter of my life was over. I had given him every ounce of loyalty, of trust. But he had ripped that bond apart, and nothing could piece it back together.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded to Jaxon. “Let's go. I can’t bear to watch any longer.”
He wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders as we turned to leave, his presence solid and grounding beside me. Every step felt like a release, like chains slipping off with each footfall. I was leaving Cale behind—leaving the pain, the betrayal, and the broken dreams. And with each step, I found strength I didn’t know I had. This was it, my moment to reclaim myself, to build a life without the shadows he’d left hanging over me.
We walked back through the quiet night, but something felt lighter in the air, almost freeing. Jaxon glanced down at me, his gaze softened back to its usual warmth, but there was a fierceness there, too—a promise that I wouldn’t be walking this path alone.
I might be broken, but I wasn’t defeated. And as I walked away from the hospital, from the man who had betrayed me, I made a silent vow. My life would no longer be defined by the ruins of his love. I would forge something stronger, something unbreakable, not for him, but for myself and the life I carried within me.
Chapter 4The council’s stony faces were lined with disbelief as I announced my decision. “I’m divorcing Alpha Cale,” I declared, my voice unwavering, even as their expressions turned skeptical, some even offended. They couldn’t fathom it, couldn’t process how I could break away from the Alpha of our pack while carrying his heir.
One elder’s brow furrowed as he shook his head. “Luna Jasmine, you bear the next Alpha. You can’t—”
“I can,” I interrupted, “and I will. Cale’s loyalty belongs elsewhere.” I took a steadying breath, pressing on as I saw their shocked faces. “He has another woman, and she’s carrying his child as well.”
A murmur rippled through the room, their disbelief giving way to shock, their questions hanging thick in the silence. For a moment, the council—guardians of tradition, of power, and of loyalty—were speechless.
Without waiting for more protests, I continued, “I’ve already filed. All evidence has been handed over to a trusted attorney. This decision is final.” Their voices started to rise, but I don't care anymore. I’d made my decision, and there was no turning back.
As I left the council room, my phone buzzed with a message with familiar name. Cali. She wanted to meet. I almost laughed, the absurdity of it catching me off guard. She’d been bold enough to send me those videos and photos—taunting me with her place in Cale’s life. What more could she have to say? I was reluctant, but a part of me wanted to end this on my terms, to see her face as I left this chapter behind. After this, I would be free, no longer bound to her taunts or Cale’s betrayal.
When I told Jaxon on the call, he was immediately protective. “You’re not going alone,” he insisted. “Not with her.”
“Thank you, Jax,” I said quietly. “I’d like that.”
Jaxon came to the pack house to pick me up. We drove in silence to the cafe where I would meet her, Jaxon’s presence beside me like a solid, grounding weight. As we parked, he turned to me, his expression firm. “I’ll wait here. But if anything feels wrong, call me. Well, I will be looking at you from her.” His gaze softened just a bit, a hint of worry there. “I’ll be right outside.”
With a nod, I stepped out and walked into the cafe, feeling Jaxon’s watchful eyes on me. I walked inside and saw that Cali went to the bathroom holding something. My eyebrows knitted and decided to ignore it. I sat down to chair near the widown and waited for her. And there I saw Cali, the mistress of my husband, smugness plastered on her face and there was glint in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off.
“I wanted to thank you, Cali,” I said, my tone deliberately steady, my words carefully chosen. “Thank you for giving me everything I needed to move forward.” I tilted my head, letting the weight of my words sink in. “If it weren’t for you, I might never have had the strength to break free.”
For a second, I thought she understood, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. But then her composure crumbled, her face tightening with something darker. She must have realized what I was saying—her arrogance dissolving into panic.
“Break free?” she repeated, her voice shaking slightly. “What are you talking about?”
"You know what I mean. He's yours, I don't care about you two anymore." I stood up and was about to leave.
"Wait! Answer me!" There is panicked in her voice. In one swift movement, she reached forward and shoved me hard, my balance faltering as pain seared through me, sudden and sharp. My stomach cramped as I stumbled back, clutching it, the world spinning as a wave of agony washed over me.
Through the haze of pain, I heard Jaxon’s voice calling for me, felt his arms around me. He's trembling. He turned back to Cali, his face twisted in fury, a deep, guttural growl reverberating from him. He bared his teeth, his Alpha presence filling the space, cold and terrifying. Cali froze, her bravado gone as she knelt instinctively, head bowed, eyes wide with fear. She dared not look up as Jaxon’s fury bore down on her, his eyes flashing gold with an anger that burned cold and merciless.
Ignoring her, he lifted me carefully, his voice gentle despite the barely contained rage I knew was still simmering beneath the surface. “We’re going to the hospital, Jasmine,” he murmured, his words both an assurance and a promise. “I won’t let anything happen to you or the baby. Hold on.”
The pain came in waves, each one stronger than the last as he carried me outside, his grip protective, his presence a steady anchor against the whirlwind of emotions threatening to pull me under. Jaxon’s jaw was set, his focus unwavering as he placed me in the car, his hand gripping mine as he drove, his calm voice breaking through the chaos, grounding me with each word.
The hospital came into view, and Jaxon’s voice softened, a determination in his gaze that bolstered my own resolve. “We’re almost there, Jasmine."
Chapter 5Pain and exhaustion blurred together as the contractions swept over me in waves, each one pulling me further into an aching darkness I couldn’t shake. I could barely make out Jaxon’s voice beside me, his words steady, his grip on my hand a firm anchor keeping me grounded.
“You’re going to be alright, Jasmine,” he said, his voice as steady as his hand on mine. “Both you and the baby will be fine. I promise.”
I clung to those words as the world faded in and out, my only thought for the child I was about to bring into this world, desperate for him to be safe. “Please… the baby,” I murmured, fighting back tears as the sharpness of another contraction washed over me. “Save him… please, save him.”
Jaxon’s fingers tightened around mine, his voice dropping to a whisper. “He’ll be alright, Jasmine. He’s a fighter, just like his mother.”
As the nurse guided me through each breath, Jaxon had to step aside briefly to fill out paperwork at her request. She’d assumed, naturally, that he was the baby’s father, and though we both knew he wasn’t, he filled out what he could without hesitation, nodding to me through the doorway. He was there for me, for my son.
Hours passed in a fog, my mind racing as I labored, until finally, finally, I heard the faint cry of my baby—a sound so powerful, it seemed to reach into my heart and stitch it back together. Relief washed over me as I fell back against the hospital bed, every ounce of strength gone, yet my spirit lighter than it had been in years.
The nurse placed my son in my arms, his tiny form bundled in a blue blanket, his features a soft reflection of my own. No trace of Cale, nothing but a pure, innocent spirit free of the pain that had brought him here. My heart swelled, a fierce love washing over me as I looked down at him. My child, my son. He was my flesh and blood, my hope for a life that was mine alone.
Jaxon was by my side moments later, his expression unreadable as he looked down at the tiny bundle in my arms. A trace of a smile touched his lips, softened by a hint of awe. “He’s beautiful, Jasmine,” he said quietly. “Strong, too.”
Not long after, Beta Janice, my mother arrived, her presence a welcome warmth in the sterile room. My mother’s eyes welled with tears as she bent down, touching my son’s tiny fingers with a reverence that only a grandmother could know. She squeezed my shoulder, her gaze filled with a silent promise to stand by my side, come what may.
And then, Jaxon spoke, his voice steady but his gaze intense as he looked at me. “Jasmine,” he said, a note of sincerity threading through his words, “if you leave Cale’s pack, you’ll always have a place in mine. Both you and your son are welcome in my territory, safe among people who care about you.”
I looked at him, feeling tears well up in my eyes for the first time. “Thank you, Jaxon,” I whispered. “I… I accept. I want that for myself and my son.”
He nodded, his expression softening, as if a weight had lifted from both our shoulders. My heart felt lighter with the promise of a new beginning, free from the bonds of betrayal that had held me captive for so long.
But just as the room settled, the door opened, and a cold silence fell as Cale strode in, his face a mask of shock and anger. His eyes darted between Jaxon and me, and then to the small form in my arms. The raw emotion in his gaze sharpened as he looked at my son, and the unspoken truth settled over him: this was my son, our son.
Jaxon’s stance shifted beside me, his presence strong, unyielding. He wouldn’t let Cale overstep, and I knew I no longer stood alone.
I looked at Cale, my voice firm, steady as I spoke. “There’s nothing for you here, Cale. I’ve made my choice. My son and I will leave the pack and go back to Moon Gazer Pack. We’re done.”