Chapter 1 Chapter 0001

Fiona I hurried down the corridor toward Baron’s hotel room, dragging my wedding dress's heavy layers. Irritation rolls off my skin like a thick fog. Who disappeared before their wedding rehearsal? Especially with all the guests the wedding had attracted. It wasn’t every day the daughter of the Alpha from the Red Moon pack married the son of the Alpha from the Blue Moon pack. I reached Baron’s hotel room, and a female voice rose to my sensitive ears. "Oh honey, you're awesome. I'm going to be pregnant with your cubs!" I blinked hard with confusion. Was I at the wrong room? I tugged my dress up and pulled my phone out from the silk garter on my thigh, and checked the email with all the hotel rooms and who they were assigned to. I looked at the gold plate with thick black numbers reading 505 on the door. It was Baron’s room. I put my phone back and pushed the handle down, and to my surprise, the door opened without a key card. I peered in, and there on the sofa was my fiancé exercising his passion vigorously with another woman. Her hair was in long waves the color of sunlight, and her skin was smooth and unmarked, like a caramel treat. Baron was eating her up. My jaw dropped in disbelief. He was having an affair the day before our wedding. Betrayal cooled my blood from my head to the soles of my feet. The walls that held my emotions fell, and anger heated the blood in my veins. I clenched my fists, snapped my jaw closed, and straightened my spine, doing my best to hold back my anger. I was a Luna. Baron and I belonged to a family marriage, or what some called an arranged marriage. We grew up together, and I knew very early that I would be his wife. As the daughter of an Alpha, my marriage was a tool to develop a stronger pack. Like many aristocrats, I received an elite education with no fun and no friends. Nevertheless, I was a perfect Luna. In fact, I outscored many males in school, in class, and in combat. Clearly, that meant little to Baron and afforded me no respect. I did not choose my groom but I was going to have the perfect wedding and Baron was trying to take that away from me. I poured over all the details of this wedding to ensure it would be perfect. And he was mess it up with his disappearing act to play with another woman. I don’t make a scene; too many guests are attending the wedding rehearsal in the main hall. So, I silently closed the door, having not been seen. I glanced down the corridor to see who was mingling near the main hall. No one was there. If I don’t arrive with Baron soon, people would ask questions. I fidgeted with the top ruffle of my dress, trying to figure out what to do when the door opened. I dropped the ruffle and crossed my arms under my chest. I leaned into my right hip. My fiancé was topless, with bruises, bites, and scratch marks covering his body. His black hair was loose and skimming his shoulders. "Don't you think you should explain something to me?" I said, cold and calm, raising a thin eyebrow at him. I pointed to a bite mark on his shoulder. "But let’s face it. There's no good explanation for that." Baron’s black eyes looked at me in disgust, his tone impatient, "I'm tired of your cold attitude toward me. We have known each other since childhood. I thought by now, with our wedding tomorrow, you would show some hint of fondness toward me. But look at you. Even now,” He ran a hand over the marks, “with this before you, you’re a cold, emotionless robot. It disgusts me.” “You want me to care about you? To desire you when I was never given a choice.” I run a hand over my silver hair pinned up in curls. “How can I care about you when you have an affair the day before our wedding?” “Wedding?” Baron sneered, "There will be no wedding. I won't marry you. Lily is the one I love. Not you.” I exploded with anger and slapped Baron across the face as hard as I could without full-on punching him. “You bastard!” My teeth clenched. “You can’t do this to me. It will bring me dishonor. This wedding is about our packs becoming stronger. Not if we love each other.” His eyes grow round, astonished. I heaved my long skirt up and turned to leave. The wedding has captured so much attention for the strength the union would bring, but now the nobles would talk about it for an entirely different reason now. I held back the tears that stung my eyes, maintained my composure, walked past the main hall, and finally returned to my hotel room. I grabbed the whiskey provided by the hotel for every room and chugged. First, it burned my throat, and next, my stomach. I never drank. I didn't know how to face my father. Lying on the bed in a sea of ruffles, I watched the room slowly spin. My leg vibrated several times before I realized it was my phone in the garter. I blinked at the phone. It was too bright, and I could hardly focus on it. It was a text message from my only friend, Nina. I sat up and read her text. Nina: Where are you? Everyone is looking for you. I tried to get my thumbs to work right. Me: Drunk in my room. Nina: Without me! Not cool. Why are you drunk? Me: Baron called off the wedding. Nina: What for? Me: I am cold and heartless. Nina: What a jerk. I didn’t like him anyway. You are better off without him. Hold on. I have to text someone else quickly. I dropped the phone and peered at myself in the room's wall mirror. Half my curls had fallen around my face. The silver of my hair made the blue in my eyes glow. I glanced at the dress, squeezing my body too tight. I pushed to my feet and swayed. My fingers searched for the stupid zipper, and I yanked it down. The dress fell to the floor, and I kicked it. “I didn’t really like you anyway, so there.” I sighed, again looking at myself. Why didn’t Baron care about me? Am I not desirable? My body was lean, with tight cords of muscle. I worked out every day fighting males in my pack. Every day I showed them I was worthy of being their Luna. I ran a hand over a few of my scars. My body wasn’t smooth and unmarked like the woman that had been with Baron. My phone vibrated and lit up. Nina: I called a Call Boy for you? He has an eight-pack of abs and skin the color of wheat. He can give you everything you want! He is right here in the hotel. Room number 705! Go have some fun. Unlike other nobles, Nina was a deviant, and I love her for it. Usually, I would have ignored this message. But after what Baron said today, I picked up the phone and replied to the message. Me: Okay. I wore the sexy dress Nina forced me to bring and walked toward room 705. Bumping into a wall here and there, and then a table I finally made it to the Call Boy’s room, where the door was partly opened. Curious about what a golden God looked like, I opened the door further and poked my head in. The wooden door creaked loudly, and I paused. A moment later, a half-naked man wrapped in a towel appeared. As Nina said, the man was very handsome. He was a foot taller than me and powerfully built. My body hummed with desire. Wow. He is way sexier than Baron. I smiled and tiptoed my fingers up his hard chest to lace them into shaggy golden hair. His eyes were as golden as the rest of him, like warm honey I wanted to lick. Unable to resist my growing desire, I pushed him deeper into the room. “Time to do your job, boy, make me fun.”

Chapter 2 Chapter 0002

Fiona The door clicked closed behind me. The rigid plate of muscle under my fingertips flexed, and my wrists were firmly clamped by large hands and pulled away from the beautiful body I wanted to lick. A deep rich voice caused my blood to hum with delight. “Hold on there. Who are you?” The Call Boy held my arms out wide, and his warm honey gaze slowly and seductively glided downward, lingering at my breast and then hips. A whistle sounded smoothly into the air, and I shivered. “You’re something to look at, aren’t you. But I think you are in the wrong room.” I twisted against his hold instinctively, sidestepped him, and shoved him back over my leg. Surprised, he stumbled to the floor and peered up at me. A handsome smile broke across the sharp plains of his face making him look young and playful. I gasped and covered my mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.” The words came out in a slur hiccup, and I blinked. Wow. I’m drunk. I giggled to myself and then snorted. I shook my head, the remaining pins fell free, and my hair tumbled down my back. The Call Boy on the floor rose to an elbow. “That is the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard and seen.” He reaches a large hand toward my thigh and caressed it. Sexy? Baron never called me sexy or even tried to put the moves on me. Anytime I wanted to show him an interest in having sex, he refused me. A girl can only be rejected so many times before she starts to think something is wrong with her. The Call Boy's hand skimmed under the edge of the short blue sequined dress from Nina. His rough hand caused my heart to jolt and my pulse to pound. I ran a hand through my hair and licked my lips. My wolf was just under my skin, urging me to act. Encouraging me to feel everything. I shoved the call boy to the floor with my bare foot. He didn’t resist. He placed his hand behind his head and watched me. I liked it. I knelt and straddled his waist. Shimming the dress up. “I don’t know who you are, but I am happy to assist you in any way.” The Call Boy's smile grew larger, taking up his entire face. It made my toes curl, and I melted a little. I touched his lips, wondering if they were as soft as they looked. A fire ignited in his eyes, and I wanted to feel all of him. I leaned down and placed a kiss on his chest. Then I realized his chest and torso were littered with scars resembling fang marks and slashes. Just as I began to wonder how he had gotten such wounds, he pulled off his towel and then gripped my hips, rubbing the strength of his desire between my legs. All thoughts vanished only to reveal the heat of passion. I rocked my hips against him. He sat up and unzipped my dress, pulling it over my head. Breast freed, he placed light kisses over them. Next, he rolled me onto my back, where he gently pulled off my panties. He leaned back, watching me again. My body arched toward him, needing him. Slowly he covered my body with his. He went to kiss me, and I turned my head so then he kissed my neck, moving lower and lower. I moaned as he left trails of fire under my skin. My core tightened, and I pressed into him, needing more than he gave me. I gripped his hips and placed the tip of his passion where I needed him most. Slowly he entered my wet heat, and I moaned. Initially, the rhythm was slow and seductive, but desire rose swiftly and forcibly. I held on to his broad shoulders as he lifted me from the floor and leaned me against the wall driving deep. My nails dug into his skin, holding him firmly in place. I met his thrusts with my own desire. Together we tumbled over the edge of ecstasy and release. Panting, I leaned against him, all my energy spent. He carried me to a large bed covered in golden silks. He really was a golden God. Stretched out beside me, he grinned. “Did that meet expectations?”“Oh yes.” My eyes grew heavy, and sleep was a breath away when a faint voice entered my mind. “What is your name?” A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “Fiona.” Sunlight baths my skin, and I wiggled against the sheets. Every part of my body screams at me not to move. I blinked against the light and tried to work through the fog in my mind. Where the hell am I, and why am I naked? I carefully sat up and rubbed my eyes. As the room came into focus and the large golden male next to me, I bit my lips and remembered our time together. I wanted to reach out and touch him to make sure last night was real, but the day's weight hit. My wedding day. I didn’t tell my parents about Baron calling off the wedding. I prayed he told everyone, so I didn't have to. Where is my phone? Everyone is going to be freaking out. What was I thinking coming here? Oh, that’s right, I wasn’t. I slipped off the bed, tiptoed to the bathroom, cleaned up, and dressed. When I came out, a sigh took hold. It was a great night. I put a pile of money and a note on a small table by the door. That read, “Thanks for all the fun. Keep the tip.” Careful not to be seen by anyone, I got to my room, where I found Nina lying on the bed reading a magazine wearing tight jeans and a crop top. Her short blue hair is now fire red. “So, how was the call boy I set up for you?” An unwelcome blush crept into my cheeks, and I searched for my phone. There are over fifty-five texts from my family and Baron’s. Crap. I hurried into the bathroom, stripped, and jumped into the shower, not wanting to discuss my bad choices. The toilet lid dropped, and Nina’s voice rang out. “Your sad, pathetic fiancé told the Blue and Red Moon packs this morning at the wedding breakfast he was calling off the wedding. Told everyone he was in love with some Omega, Lily. Can you believe he really thinks he can call off the wedding?” I peeked past the shower curtain. “At least he told everyone, so I didn’t have to. My father is going to skin me alive.” Nina’s heart-shaped face grew serious. “So, how was the top male escort I picked? I was going for the opposite of Baron, large and muscular, not tall and skinny?” An image of the call boy’s well-developed body took hold, and I sighed. He was beautiful. Suddenly, there was a commotion coming from outside the hotel room. Nina popped up to have a look. She opened the room door to see what was happening. With a towel wrapped around me, I glanced down the hall behind her. The hotel manager rushed past, looking disoriented. Nina leaned against the door frame and whispered, “I wonder if it is Alpha Alexander. I heard he lives here.”“Really? I thought he was off fighting the vampires that were trying to take over the outer rim of King Pack. He is never seen in public unless he is fighting with his wolves. He is supposedly wild, grotesque, and terrifying.”“Or maybe for once, your father has your back, and he is beating the crap out of Baron for calling off the wedding.” I rolled my eyes. “Wishful thinking,’ I say. “I met this sexy guy yesterday in the lobby, and he accidentally let it slip that he is Alexander’s beta and best friend. The Alpha King is getting old and weak. So Alpha Alexander will announce that he is returning to take the throne.” Nina closed the door, and I dug for a change of clothes. I needed to read all the texts and see how much trouble I was in. Nina held up her phone. There is a photo of a side profile of a large man that is very blurry. I stared at it, feeling like I had seen this person somewhere before, but I was too worried about my family to care about the picture.

Chapter 3 Chapter 0003

Fiona Having changed into smart-looking black slacks and a pale blue blouse, I sat down to read all my texts. Many spoke of the shame I brought the Red Moon pack. Anger twisted in my chest. I hadn’t called off the wedding Baron had. I had been ready and willing to fulfill the wedding contract my father had set with Baron’s pack. If anyone should be ashamed, it should be Baron. He could have kept Lily as a mistress as most alphas did, but instead, he had chosen love over the obligation to his pack. I didn’t understand it at all. There was never a time when a male tempted me to turn away from my duty as a Luna. After about the twentieth text from my father, I stopped reading, feeling empty and numb. I put on oversized sunglasses and a floppy-brimmed hat and told Nina goodbye. I kept my head down as I checked out at the front desk. The grand reception hall I had so expertly decorated yesterday with silk, lace, and lights emptied out one Tulip floral arrangement at a time. My heart ached at all the work that had gone into designing the hall, and I pressed my lips. I peered around, hoping not to run into anyone, but to my surprise, the lobby was as empty and cold as my chest. When I returned home, my parents and younger brother, Liam, were waiting in the living room. I hurried past them, going straight to my room, but my father caught my arm in his meaty grip. I dropped my bags. “Don’t you run past me, young lady. It is unacceptable. You are a Luna. You have explaining to do,” says my father sternly. “What is there to explain? Baron called off the wedding.” I tugged my arm free. Red marks are already forming. I placed a mask of indifference upon my face. I will not let him see how his words cut me. “You disappeared before the wedding rehearsal. Everyone started to ask questions. That kind of behavior is damaging to the family's reputation and to your brother. I am an Alpha; I must have control of my family.” In an even tone, I say, “Father, Baron didn’t show up to the rehearsal, or did you not notice? I went to go find him. How does that look poorly upon Liam or you? When I found Baron with another woman, he said the wedding was off. So I went to my room. What else could I do?”“You should have come to me. I should not have found out the day of the wedding at breakfast with everyone else. As if I was some Omega.”“Father, he doesn’t want to marry me. Please let it go. We can find another pack to form an alliance with.” My father's face darkened with disgust. I took a step back. “Do not speak to me about forming a different alliance. You have no idea what this alliance means to our pack. No low Omega will break the alliance.” My eyes narrowed. “Did you already know about Baron and Lily's affair?” He turned his back to me and locked his hands behind it. “You did.”“Some Alphas have one or two lovers among the nobles. It is a normal thing. If you didn’t want to share him, you should have kept a better eye on him.” I clenched my teeth. “I don’t care if he has a mistress. I know my duty to my pack. But Baron loves her. He doesn’t want me at all. Not as a lover or a Luna. There is nothing I can do.”“We can find another alliance,” cries my mother across the room. Pushing to her feet to come to stand beside my father. “No, we can’t. She must marry Baron.” He walked past my mother. “Without the support of the Blue Moon pack, Liam can't maintain his position as the new Alpha.” My mother grew pale and sat back down on the couch. Not making another sound. My brother frowned at the news of his father's confession. “You will marry Baron. I have already spoken with his father. If he does not marry you he will be turned away from the Blue Moon pack and then you will marry his cousin.” My father turned and glared at me. My blue eyes dig into his matching ones. “No.” A screaming pain rips through my mind, and I can’t breathe. I staggered back, grabbing my head. I knew it was my father’s Alpha control. I tried to fight him, but it only brought more pain. It was no use. I couldn’t push his hold over me away. He stood over me and growled low. “You will marry Baron whether he loves someone else or not. The wedding is already rescheduled for two weeks from now. So you will be there at the altar looking poised and perfect.” My mother was at my father’s side. She rested a hand on his forearm but didn't say a word. My father’s alpha control is released. And I pulled in a breath. That is the first time he used his power against me, and my heart broke. He didn’t care that Baron didn’t want me as a lover or a Luna. I didn’t care about being Baron’s lover. But I was one of the strongest Lunas among the nobles. I had done everything to ensure my pack's well-being, and my parents not understanding that, disappointed me in a way I could not recover from. I picked up my bags and walked to my room. I could not respect those who did not see my value. I was done listening to my family. Third-person In the presidential suite on the hotel's top floor, the hotel manager wiped the cold sweat from his brow while apologizing to the man sitting on the couch before him. The handsome man had a pile of money on the table and held a note up to the manager's face. “I don't want to hear an apology. I just want to know who the girl was that came to my room yesterday,” he said, looking irritated. He pointed at the money. “She thought I was a call boy.”“I searched through the hotel database and found one guest named Fiona. She was here for her wedding,” said the manager. “Wedding,” cried the handsome man. “Yes, sir, she is from the Red Moon pack and was supposed to marry into the Blue Moon pack.”“What do you mean supposed to marry? Did something happen?” The manager cleared his throat and adjusted his bowtie. He took a step closer to the handsome man. “The wedding was canceled this morning but was then rescheduled a few hours later for two weeks from now.”“I see. Thank you, you can go.” After the manager left, a lean, tall male entered the room. Hair as black as night, a warrior's braid running down the center, the sides cut to the skin. “So, what now, Alex?" said the man, leaning against the wall biting into an apple. “Are you looking for revenge against the Red Moon pack so soon? We have only been home for a few days. I hoped to have a little fun before another war broke out.” He took another bite of the apple. “For a beta, Kayden, you sure are a whiner.” Alexander pushed to his feet and read the note for the tenth time. He inhaled the scent that lingered on the note. His body hardened like a rock. All he could think about was last night and the woman that had broken into his room, looking sexy as hell in that dress and all that silver hair. His wolf form pushed at his skin, wanting to shift. Alexander pushed his wolf urges down. He scrubbed a hand down his face. The Red Moon pack's Alpha had conspired with the king’s father’s mistress, Scarlet, to persuade Alexander’s father, King Alpha, to send him to fight against the vampires. So that he might die and Alexander’s half-brother, Lucas, could gain the throne. After Alexander had been sent away, his mother, Queen Luna died, and he didn’t get to say goodbye. Alexander took a final whiff of the note before emotionlessly scrunching it into a ball. With a sarcastic chuckle, he remarked. "Oh, how intriguing. The wedding of the Red Moon's luna – such an enthralling affair. How could we ever pass up attending it?"

Chapter 4 Chapter 0004

Fiona I spent my days leading to the eve of my wedding clearing up grievances among the pack or in combat training with Nina. Desperate to work off my frustration about being forced to marry a man that didn’t respect my Luna status. I shot in low at Nina’s hips, lifting her off the ground and onto her back. I circled and pinned her shoulders to the mat, but I felt weak. She wiggled and kicked out of my hold. She spun into a roundhouse kick and landed it squarely onto my jaw. I went down hard. The world blinked in and out around me. I rubbed my jaw. Ouch. Nina had never gotten the drop on me before. I was faster and stronger than her, so why was I laying on the mat disoriented? I tried to remember if I had eaten breakfast. No, I had felt sick. I sat up. Sick! Werewolves rarely fell ill. I recalled the last few days and realized my energy levels were in a slow decline. I ran my hands over my hair. What is happening? Nina bounced over and sat beside me. She shoved me in the shoulder. “I nailed you. You didn’t even duck or try to. What’s that all about?”“I . . . I don’t know. I feel so tired. And . . . I think I’m sick.” Nina’s gray eyes went round. “Sick. Werewolves don’t get sick.” Nina was quiet for a minute, then turned to sit directly in front of me. She took my shoulders in both hands. The look of concern on her face caused me to frown. “Come on, Nina, I’m not going to die. I’m just off. I’m sure it’s because of the wedding.”“Don’t freak out. But . . . by chance, did you use protective measures with the call boy?”“Of course,” I said. “Maybe. I was drunk.” I swallowed hard, recalling the events of that night. I buried my face in my hands. “No. No, I didn’t. What is wrong with me? I know better than that. Oh, God. Do you think I could be pregnant?” Fear struck hard and fast. Nina rubbed my back and looked away. Nobles pursued pure bloodlines and did not allow the existence of illegitimate children. Unwed pregnancies were considered a shameful existence. Only children born to married couples who had undergone the marking ceremony could be considered blessed by the Moon Goddess. I can’t be pregnant, it would ruin me. No Luna status would help me. My heart beat fast, and my wolf pushed under my skin. I want to shift. I want to run away. But I don’t. I had to stay calm. I’m a Luna. I don’t know anything yet, so no reason to panic. Nina rose and pulled me with her. “Come on. We have to go to a doctor.”“How? My father has been watching me. He thinks I will run off at any moment and dishonor him.” Nina and I walked toward the main house of the villa. “It is the day before the wedding. I’ll tell him we’re going to get our nails done. A Luna must look perfect on her wedding day, right?” To avoid suspicion, I wore a loose dress, pulled my recognizable hair into a high bun and placed a large hat over it. Nina did the same. Before we walked out the front door, she slipped glasses onto my face as well. My father sat on the living room couch reading the newspaper. He peered over the top of it and stared questioningly. I smiled sweetly and hurried out, surprised he didn’t stop us. Just to be safe, Nina and I entered the Half Moon pack territory that neighbored my families territory to the east. Scheduling an appointment, I used a false name to see the doctor. Alone in the closet size room, I sat on the table not able to breathe. “Congratulations, you're pregnant,” said the doctor with a smile. I didn’t look up. “Run another test.”“But we already ran two tests?” I looked up, tightening my fingers on the edge of the table. “Do it again.” The doctor nodded and walked out. I couldn’t keep this child. Once my father found out, I would be expelled from the pack. The power of the Red Moon pack was great, and if I offended my father, no pack would accept me. The doctor came back in. This time his enthusiasm was gone. “You are pregnant.” A tear ran down my cheek, and I wiped it away. “Do you want to abort the child?” I tried to reply, with a “yes,” but it was impossible to get the word out. I knew it was what I should do. Had to do, yet, I could not take the life of a child that had done nothing wrong. “No. I will keep the baby. Thank you.”“You can get dressed,” said the doctor and left. There had to be a way to hide the pregnancy long enough to have the baby and take it somewhere safe to find a home where I could be part of its life. But how could I do that? When I walked out to the waiting room Nina popped up out of her seat. We locked eyes and she hurried over and gave me a hug. “It will be okay. We will figure it out,” she says. On the way back to the car, I caught a glimpse of someone that seemed to be following us. I got into the car. “Nina, back there.” I pointed over her shoulder. “That blonde woman. See if she follows us. Sure enough, when we pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road, the woman followed. Nina took a right, then sped through two lights and took a left. The car with the woman was gone. “Who do you think that was?” Nina asks. “I don’t know. But whoever it was, she knew I was at the doctors. We have to go to the hotel. I want to talk to the Call Boy.” My stomach rolled and I fought the urge to get sick. I rolled down the window for fresh air. “Why? How is it going to help? He is a call boy. You can’t marry him. You’re a Red Moon Luna.” My head dropped back, and I growled. “I know that. But if I keep this baby and anyone finds out I wouldn’t be a Red Moon Luna anymore. It wouldn’t matter who I married. I have to have a plan B. Maybe he is it.” Nina stared at me, and I knew she knew I was right. “There will be people we know at the hotel. The wedding is tomorrow,” she said, looking grim. “I have to talk to him.”“Fine. But I think it is a bad idea.” At the front desk, Nina asked for the same call boy she had requested before. As they walked to the room together, I started to shake. What was I doing? Talking to this guy wasn’t going to help anything. At the door, Nina knocked loudly and the door swings open. “Hello, ladies. How can I serve you?” The young man had golden hair but was the same height as me. There were no scars on his upper body at all and his eyes were dark brown. I’m stunned into silence. Nina pokes the man in the chest. “Listen here, buddy, don’t you use protection when dealing with drunk women?” I took her finger off his chest. “That’s not him.”“What do you mean? That’s not him. This is the guy. Look, abs, gold hair, nice shoulders. Just like I said.” I moved Nina behind me. “I’m so sorry for bothering you. Have a good day.” The guy shrugged and then closed the door. “If he isn’t the guy who is?”“Not him,” I said confused. We walked toward the elevators and I rubbed my temples trying to remember how I had gotten to the Call Boy’s room. “I must have gone to the wrong room.”“Great. What do you want to do? We can’t just wander around. One of the guests for tomorrow will see us.” Frustrated, we got in the elevator, and I hit the next level. “I have to find something familiar.” It wasn’t until they reached the top floor of the hotel that the decor seemed to match my memory of that night. “I remember bumping into that table. I stubbed my toe because I didn’t have shoes on.” Finally, we stood in front of a dark door. The room number was 905, and then it clicked. “I mistakenly took the 9 for a 7.” I took a deep breath, trying my best to remain calm, and then knocked on the door. “Coming, wait a moment!” came a voice from inside the room, and the door handle began to turn. The door opened slowly.

Chapter 5 Chapter 0005

Fiona My breath caught when the door opened. There was a round little man in a hotel staff uniform. “How can I help you?” I couldn’t speak. Nina pushed me aside. “I’m looking for my friend. He was staying in this room about two weeks ago?”“This is a residential suite. We don’t rent it out. You must have the wrong floor.” The staff member started to close the door in Nina’s face. She shot out a hand to stop him. We need to talk to whoever lives here?” The staff member pushed her fingers off the door. “I can’t release personal information. You can check with the front desk to see if they can help you.” The door clicked closed. I stood in the hotel hallway for a long time, feeling numb. Nina looked like a bomb had gone off on her. “Great. Just great.”"Nina, it's okay. I'll figure something out," I said, taking a deep breath and trying to remain calm, but the room was spinning before my eyes. Nina hugged me tightly as we walked back towards the elevator. I rested my head against her shoulder and we both sighed. The price of one night of reckless abandon was far greater than I could have ever imagined. I had slept with a stranger and was now carrying his child. "How can this be okay?" Nina's eyes widened in disbelief. Being unmarried and pregnant was a great shame for nobility, and if anyone found out, my vain father would likely banish me from the pack just to save face. If I became a rogue, my unborn child would have no chance of survival. I put my hand on my flat belly and made a resolution to do whatever it takes to keep this secret hidden. The next day I sat in front of the mirror, watching the makeup artist prepare me for the wedding disinterestedly. My father had taken control over my mind and body. I couldn’t resist him. I was just a puppet at his mercy. With my silver hair once again pinned up in loose curls and my makeup perfectly placed. The makeup artist exclaimed, “You look beautiful. Baron is a lucky dog.” I nodded kindly at her and walked out of the room toward the most beautiful garden in all of King Pack. With all the cherry blossoms opened in their pale pinks and whites it had been the ideal setting for every noble’s wedding for generations. The layers of my dress rustled against the grass and the breeze cooled my hot skin. To think only a few weeks ago I was in this dress headed this very way to practice saying my vows when Baron had come up missing. So much had changed in such a short time. The wedding had been canceled, rescheduled and now I was pregnant by another man. The girl that had last worn this dress seemed a million miles away. Now here I am walking past Baron in a handsome tuxedo holding another woman in a dark corner of the garden. Lily was crying, looking pitiful and helpless, and Baron comforted her with a pained expression. When Baron noticed me, he looked resentful. His marriage was also related to his position as heir. Although Baron didn’t want me, he didn't dare contradict his father. Baron was embarrassed and his expression twisted with anger. However, Lily gave a strange smile and a sick feeling washed over me. "Don't think you've won yet. Just wait, the real show is yet to come," she said, her voice firm and cold. I felt a sense of anxiety wash over me, but the next second Lily pulled Baron along and they walked away. I tried to push down my feelings of unease and walked with a furrowed brow towards the end of the path where the ceremony would begin, and I would find my father waiting. My father appeared and pulled the wedding veil over my face. As the music sounded and my father and I began to walk toward the rows of guests, gasps of amazement sounded all around. My father enjoyed the flattery of others and squeezed my hand pleased. I couldn't help but find it a bit ironic that it was only in public settings like this that my father was willing to show any affection towards me. As I took my place across from Baron, my father and Baron’s gave short speeches about the union of these two packs and how things would be better together. Lily suddenly burst across the garden in front of my father. “No. No. Fiona cannot marry Baron. She is not qualified to become the next Luna of the Blue Moon pack.” Baron reached out and pulled her away from the Alphas. “Fiona is pregnant, but the child isn't Baron's. I have evidence! ”“......！” My heart jumped into my throat. Did he hear me? No, that's impossible! I checked everything, and I know Nina won't betray me. My body began to tremble involuntarily, and my palms were sweaty. I bit my lower lip hard, trying to calm myself down and stay composed. “I don’t believe you,” said, my father. “Baron, drag Lily away.”“You may not believe me, but the doctor that saw her is here. He can tell you.” Lily pointed to a man in the back row. My father snapped his fingers and two of his betas took hold of the man in question. I suddenly understood everything. It was the doctor! Lily must have paid him off! I swallowed hard as my father’s power over me tightened so that I could not stop them. “Did my daughter come to you? Is she pregnant?” My father’s voice boomed over the guests. The doctor choked out the word looking scared. “Yes.”“Is the child Baron’s?” demanded my father. Lily wrapped her arms around Baron looking pleased with herself. “I will not marry Fiona,” said Baron. “We have not slept together for a long time. The child is not mine.” A commotion broke out as all the guests began to chatter. My father glared at me with anger, his face contorted with bulging veins. "Is it true what they say?" he demanded. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn’t speak, his hold was too much. My bones were about to break with his anger. My father refused to hear my explanation and slapped me hard across the face. His strength was immense, and I felt a sharp, tearing pain on my cheek. “Who is the father?” He roared at me, almost as if he wanted to tear me apart. "I say, WHO is the father of this damn child?!" I close my eyes. I knew it was over. I would be discovered and I would be expelled from my pack. "It was me." A voice interrupted my father's increasingly crazy roar, and then a tall, handsome blond man in a high-end suit walked into the garden with his hands in his pockets, not a care in the world. He was flanked by two other men. Undoubtedly, this man caught the attention of everyone in the room, especially with his handsome appearance causing several female guests to gasp in admiration. I stared in surprise at the man who was getting closer and closer to me, almost unable to believe my eyes. It was him! He was the call boy from that night and the father of my child. How could he be here? I wanted to ask him, but my father's power was suppressing me, and even breathing felt particularly difficult. "Who are you?" Lily asked, annoyed as she stepped forward. I knew Lily had been trying to pull me down to hell herself, and she was almost successful. However, this man in front of us interrupted her. The man, however, did not even look at Lily, but stared straight at me. There was a storm brewing in his eyes, and the pressure emanating from his body made it hard to breathe. "Hey, you rude..." Lily tried to stop him, but my father pointed at him in shock. "You are... Alpha Alexander!" The guests erupted into a commotion. "What! He is that Alexander!""The royal crown prince Alpha Alexander!" Alexander casually strolled over to me, large and brooding. I wanted to take a step back but couldn’t. Alexander arched an eyebrow mockingly. “A call boy?”