Chapter 1 The Scent of Betrayal

The notification of my successful hospital appointment glowed on my phone as I slowly awoke. My mate, Karl, leaned in to scent my neck as he did every morning, but I shifted away, pretending to check my phone. Karl froze, his Alpha pheromones suddenly spiking with confusion. When his eyes fell on the phone next to my pillow, his brow furrowed into a frown. "You need to spend less time on that device," he said, his voice carrying that commanding Alpha tone he used when concerned. "It's not good for our pup." I offered a bitter smile and nodded, quickly closing the prenatal appointment page on my screen. Despite being an Omega, I'd learned to mask my scent well enough that Karl didn't notice my distress. He merely glanced at my phone before the corners of his lips curled almost imperceptibly. He dressed quickly, his powerful frame moving with practiced efficiency as he buttoned his shirt. "There's an important pack alliance meeting today. Don't wait for me tonight." He strode out before I could respond, his Alpha authority filling the room even after he'd gone. In the past, whenever he had pack business, I would rise early to prepare his favorite breakfast and fuss over him, reminding him to be careful around other unmated Omegas. I would spend the entire day restless, my Omega instincts making me yearn for his return. But now I just lay in bed, exhausted. His words from last night echoed in my mind like a cruel mantra. The happiness I'd believed in was nothing but a cruel joke. The Alpha who had sworn to be my mate for life had been lying to me all along. I'd discovered Natalie's Instagram account yesterday—an Omega from a neighboring pack—and found countless photos of her with Karl. For three years, all those "diplomatic missions" he claimed to be on were actually trips to see her in the Northern territories. My attention was drawn to a user with the same avatar as Natalie in the comments section. When I clicked on their profile, my breath caught in my throat. The profile had only a few videos, but they showed me a side of Karl I'd never seen—genuinely happy, unguarded. In one video, he nuzzled the Omega girl's neck tenderly, promising her "years together until our fur turns gray." My phone vibrated with a message from Karl, telling me to take care and eat well. In the past, such concern would have made my Omega preen with joy. Now, I wondered if he'd just finished sending similar messages to Natalie. Thinking of the pup growing inside me—a pup I'd fought so hard to conceive despite my "faulty Omega biology" as the pack doctor had called it—I forced myself to send a loving reply. Almost immediately, Natalie updated her status. The Alpha who was supposedly at an alliance meeting was actually decorating a Christmas tree with childish ornaments. When he tilted his head, I could clearly see the mating bite he'd left on her neck—fresh and raw. "Karl promised me the most beautiful tree in the territory," her caption read. I could imagine his devotion and tenderness through the screen. Yet just yesterday, when I'd mentioned wanting to decorate our den for the winter solstice, he'd dismissed me coldly: "How childish can you be? If you have too much energy, join the pack's prenatal classes instead of wasting time on human traditions." Karl had always been stern, a powerful Alpha focused on pack business. I'd grown accustomed to his lack of affection. But the photos before me cut like silver blades into my heart. He wasn't incapable of romance—he'd simply never wanted to share it with me. I still couldn't understand why he maintained our mating if he'd found his true mate in Natalie. Was I just a political alliance? A broodmare for his lineage? As these thoughts swirled, sharp pain lanced through my abdomen. I gently stroked my belly, silently apologizing to the tiny life within. Now that I knew the truth, how could I allow this charade to continue?

Chapter 2 Silver Wounds

I arrived at the pack clinic and completed the necessary paperwork, my hand trembling slightly as I signed. Lying on the examination table, I felt the cold antiseptic liquid being spread across my abdomen. Tears slid silently down my cheeks as the procedure began and consciousness slowly slipped away from me. When I awoke, a beta nurse was removing the IV from my arm. Seeing me stir, she quickly helped me sit up, her kind face creased with concern. "You young Omegas never take care of yourselves properly," she chided gently. "Last winter solstice, I saw your Alpha bringing you here for fertility treatments.""I watched him accompany you for prenatal checks last month and thought the Moon Goddess had finally blessed you. Why would you terminate the pregnancy now?" I stared at her in disbelief, too shocked to speak. The younger nurse behind her made a subtle gesture and smiled awkwardly. "She's confused you with someone else. The medication can sometimes affect memory." She pulled the older nurse from the room, but I could still hear their hushed argument: "What are you doing? I remember correctly—it was that Alpha with the scar on his—" My entire body trembled as I struggled to hold my phone steady. Karl and I had only decided to try fertility treatments three months ago after years of failing to conceive naturally. The pack healer had told us my Omega biology was slightly irregular, making conception difficult. How could it have been last winter solstice? I frantically opened Natalie's Instagram and found a post from exactly that time. Her location tag showed she was indeed at this very clinic. "I've always wanted pups," her caption read, "but my body is too weak. I wanted to try treatments, but my sweet Alpha Karl wouldn't hear of it when the doctor mentioned the risks during delivery. He's too protective sometimes..." The comments praised Karl as the perfect mate. I read them and suddenly laughed bitterly, feeling the cold tears sting my cheeks. I remembered Karl's joy when I told him I was pregnant. He'd actually lifted me and spun me around, pressing his face into my neck and inhaling deeply. He promised to be the best father any pup could hope for. He swore we would run together under the moon until our paws grew weary with age. Karl, usually so reserved and taciturn, had spent the entire night talking about the future he envisioned for us. It had been the happiest night of my life, and I'd believed every word. But now I understand. His joy wasn't for our pup—it was because my successful pregnancy meant Natalie wouldn't have to risk fertility treatments. I wanted to howl in anguish. When he spoke of "forever," whose face appeared in his mind? Mine or Natalie's? My phone vibrated with a voice message from Karl. I forced myself to open it and heard him say he'd finished his meeting late and would be back tomorrow. In the background, I could hear soft feminine whimpers that unmistakably belonged to Natalie. She called Karl's name in that needy Omega tone that Alphas find impossible to resist. Moments later, Instagram updated with new photos of them. Natalie sat regally on plush cushions while Karl knelt before her, kissing her ankle in worship. His expression held a tenderness I'd never witnessed. "When I misbehave, Alpha Karl gets punished!" her playful caption read. Karl had liked it almost instantly. I couldn't hold back anymore and released a muffled sob into the hospital blanket. In my daze, I remembered our first winter solstice together. Karl had finished his patrol early and waited for me outside the pack boundary. Snow surrounded him, but his eyes remained warm when they found mine. When I emerged, he walked toward me with purpose and took my bag from my hand. Back then, I believed we would grow old together, watching our pups and grandpups run under the same moon. But that peaceful dream shattered with Natalie's arrival. She was a young Omega our pack had sponsored before Karl and I completed our mating ceremony. She'd lost her parents in a territory dispute. "She speaks the old tongue like you did during the full moon gathering," Karl had said. "It reminded me of you." That was the second winter we spent together. Soon after agreeing to sponsor Natalie's education, we completed our mating. After that, every holiday became about the three of us. Karl claimed Natalie was too vulnerable as a lone Omega during festive times, so he always insisted she join us. Eventually, we prepared a permanent room for her in our den, and she became Karl's shadow. He indulged her every whim, even bringing her to pack council meetings without consulting me. When she failed her training and was asked to leave the pack's education program, I decided we should stop supporting her. Karl and I had our worst fight that night. I became so upset that I collapsed. When I awakened, Karl was kneeling beside our bed, apologizing profusely. That's when we discovered I was pregnant. He stopped supporting Natalie publicly and even stepped back from his translation work with other packs to stay close to me. I thought we'd moved past our disagreements. I never imagined he was secretly betraying me. I wiped my tears, removed the mate-mark ring from my finger, and dropped it into the medical waste bin. Karl, since you've broken our bond, I won't wait for you any longer.

Chapter 3 Lone Wolf

After being discharged from the clinic, I returned to our den alone. I lay in bed for a long time before finally picking up my phone to call my old pack mentor. "Fiona, is the pack translator position still open?" I asked, hoping my voice sounded steadier than I felt. Fiona hesitated before answering uncomfortably, "Alpha Karl arranged for Natalie to handle all translation duties. I don't think there's anything available right now." I forced a smile she couldn't see and thanked her before ending the call. As the screen went dark, I heard Karl push through the door, his Alpha scent filling our den before he even appeared. He was typing on his phone, a faint smile playing on his lips. When he looked up and met my gaze, the smile vanished instantly. "Why aren't you resting?" he asked, confusion and a hint of irritation in his voice. I sat on the sofa across from him and asked casually, "The pack has a new translator? I heard their family name is Northwood. Do you know them?" Guilt flashed across Karl's face before his features smoothed into neutrality. "The candidates you recommended lacked the necessary skills, so I asked my beta to recruit someone new. Northwood? I haven't formally met them yet.""It's late, you should be resting. The pup needs you to sleep properly." He sighed, stepping closer. "I'm sorry for all these pack duties lately, but isn't this all for you and our pup to have a better life?" I suppressed the urge to snarl and instead returned to our bed. Karl's body pressed against mine from behind, his familiar scent now tainted with Natalie's Omega pheromones. "Sleep, my Luna. I'm exhausted today." His words made me physically ill. Climbing back from Natalie's bed in the middle of the night, still carrying her scent on his skin, he had the audacity to claim everything was for me and our nonexistent pup. It was as if I was seeing the true face of my mate of eight years for the first time. Karl didn't notice my rigid posture as he wrapped an arm around me. I couldn't bear it anymore and bolted to the bathroom, retching violently into the toilet. My eyes were red and raw by the time I finished. Karl, thinking I was experiencing typical pregnancy symptoms, rubbed my back with what appeared to be genuine concern. I flinched away from his touch and activated the air purifier, desperate to eliminate Natalie's lingering scent. "Our pup is quite the troublemaker," he said with a gentle laugh. "I'll have to scold them properly when they arrive for tormenting you like this." I could barely force my lips into a semblance of a smile. Karl finally seemed to sense my mood. The next morning, he worked from home instead of attending his usual "pack business." My body appeared to physically reject Karl's presence. Whenever he touched me, nausea would overwhelm me. I vomited repeatedly until my complexion turned ashen. Karl nervously suggested taking me to the pack healer, but I firmly shook my head. "No need." I no longer needed his false concern or pretended devotion.

Chapter 4 Primal Truth

Karl stared at me, momentarily stunned by my refusal. His brow furrowed with impatience, Alpha dominance flaring in response to my defiance. He opened his mouth to insist when his phone suddenly rang. A familiar voice spoke in the old tongue: "Karl, want to have some fun? I'm waiting in your car." Karl hastily silenced his phone, but guilt flashed across his features when he looked at me again. "Something urgent has come up at the pack border. Will you be alright alone? Don't worry too much—I'll return soon." I sneered internally but kept my tone light. "It's fine. I trust you." I forced a pale smile and turned toward our bedroom. Karl rushed out, so distracted he didn't even notice his phone slipping from his pocket. When I picked it up, the screen showed an incoming call. True to his meticulous nature, Karl had no contact name saved, but I knew exactly who was calling. I answered with bitter amusement and heard unmistakable sounds of intimacy through the speaker. Natalie's voice came through, sweet and teasing: "Didn't your little Luna satisfy you?" The sounds paused briefly before Karl's cold laugh reached my ears. "How could she compare to even a fraction of what you give me?" The passionate sounds resumed, and Natalie's delighted giggles cut into my heart like silver-tipped claws. I silently transferred the recording to my phone and returned to our bedroom. When Karl returned hours later, I was preparing for bed. He approached carefully and took my hand, his skin still carrying traces of Natalie's scent. I pulled away in disgust, but Karl's attention fixed on my bare finger where my mate-claim ring had once been. "Where is your ring?" His voice dropped an octave, Alpha authority seeping into his tone. I rubbed the hand he had touched and replied casually, "I took it off during my bath. The pregnancy makes my fingers swell. I forgot to put it back on.""It's just a ring. You've gone without yours before." Karl's face hardened, rendered momentarily speechless. We'd never had a traditional pack ceremony. No binding run beneath the full moon, no witnesses to our mating vows. Only these rings when we formalized our bond. Yet Karl had always refused to wear his, claiming he didn't want neighboring packs to gossip about our relationship when he was on diplomatic missions. Now I understood—he wasn't protecting me from gossip. He was hiding our bond from Natalie. After a long silence, Karl spoke again, his tone uncharacteristically soft. "I was wrong. I'll wear mine from now on. I won't remove it without your permission." Karl rarely softened his demeanor, but his hypocrisy only increased my revulsion. "Let's hold a formal mating ceremony at the next full moon. The pup will still be small enough that you can participate in the traditional run.""I'll announce your position as Luna to every pack in our alliance to prevent any... misunderstandings in the future." I knew this was guilt talking after his affair. I couldn't help but frown with irritation. Karl mistook my expression for emotion and pulled me against his chest. Later that night, I heard him slip from our bed and pad into the living room. Through the cracked door, I watched him speak into his phone, his tone apologetic. "I just need to placate her for now. She's carrying our pup, after all...""Don't be upset. I'll come to you soon, alright?" His words echoed clearly, nearly bringing me to my knees. The pup I had struggled so desperately to conceive had been part of his calculation all along. I returned to bed in a daze, took out my phone, and booked passage to the Northern territories for the night after the supposed mating ceremony. When Karl returned, he gently caressed my belly, whispering tenderly. "Rest now. There's a situation at the border. You and our pup wait for me here." As the door closed behind him, I slowly opened my eyes. Karl, you can anticipate your mating ceremony. I'll be preparing a surprise of my own.