Chapter 1 Chapter 1

The two-day hot spring trip wasn’t enjoyable at all. I was constantly worried about my daughter. So, the evening I returned, I straightaway rushed to my daughter’s room and scooped her up from the cradle. “Oh, my sweetheart, I missed you so much. Did you miss Mommy?” I kissed her forehead gently. But she started crying loudly. Alarmed, I turned on the light, only to discover a large bruise on her forehead. “Blake!” I called my husband while rushing to the living room, where he was playing a game. He glanced at me over his shoulder. “What happened to her forehead?”I asked. “Oh, she bumped it. Relax, It’s nothing serious. Kids get bumps and bruises all the time,” he said nonchalantly. “This big bruise?”I suppressed my anger, cradling my daughter and softly stroking her forehead. “This is your idea of ‘nothing serious’? She’s only one year old, Blake!”“You’re overreacting.”He put down his glass of whiskey.“Don’t forget, I broke my leg when I was three. She has my Alpha blood—she’s strong. This little bump is nothing.”“Strong?”My voice trembled.“She’s a preemie, Blake! Her body is fragile, and she has colic!”“I’m not dismissing your concern,”he replied, frowning“I honestly don’t know what happened. Ivy and I were taking care of her the whole time. Maybe she bumped into something.” Ivy was my therapist, hired by Blake months ago at a high salary to treat my postpartum depression. This trip had also been her idea. “I’m calling Ivy to find out what happened,”I said, grabbing my phone. “It’s late. You shouldn’t disturb her ,”Blake replied hesitantly.“Ivy has done so much for you. Calling her now might make her feel like you’re blaming her for not taking care of Ava properly.”“But Ava is hurt!”I said, clutching my daughter tightly as my anger boiled to the surface. “Nina, listen to me. It’s late. Tomorrow, we can take Ava to the hospital for a check-up. You’ve just returned and need to rest.” He pulled me into his arms, his embrace firm and familiar. Reluctantly, I nodded. The night deepened, and the house fell silent. Blake’s breathing was steady, and my daughter slept peacefully in her cradle. Yet, I lay wide awake. I couldn’t sleep, wondering how Ava got hurt. So, I put on a coat and tiptoed to the study room. There, I turned on the surveillance system and played the footage from 3 p.m. I saw Blake kissing my daughter in the living room and entering the bedroom, followed by Ivy after a few minutes. Ava then began crawling and accidentally bumped into the edge of the table. She was crying hard, but neither Blake nor Ivy walked out to check. What the hell were they doing inside? I fast-forwarded the video, and I found it was almost an hour Blake and Ivy took to come out. And as I watched Ivy’s face, my chest tightened. Her face was completely flushed！ I stormed back to the bedroom, yanking Blake out of bed. “What now?” His tone laced with irritation. “Tell me what you and Ivy were doing in our bedroom yesterday at 3 p.m. Why was Ava crying outside for so long, and you didn’t care?” He froze for a moment but quickly regained his composure. “Ivy was discussing your condition with me. We had music on, and it might’ve been too loud for us to hear Ava crying. Besides, Ava’s usually a quiet child. Not hearing her isn’t unusual.”“You think I’m going to believe that?” I snapped. “What do you want me to say?” He said, feigning innocence.“Do you think I’d intentionally neglect her? Don’t forget—I’m her father too.”“There are no cameras in our bedroom, so I can’t prove you’re lying. Who knows what you and Ivy were doing in there?” Blake’s expression hardened, his voice dropping to a serious tone. “I think your postpartum depression is getting worse.”“I may have depression, but I’m not an idiot!”

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

"I’m sure...""Stop it, Nina.”He cut in.“Stop making rubbish stories in your head. There is nothing going on between us. Anyways, Let me sleep.” He hopped back onto the bed. “Tomorrow morning, I have an urgent meeting. Rogues has attacked the pack's borders, and two wolves have already died. I have a lot to handle and have no energy to argue about these meaningless things. “ When he mentioned the pack's crisis, my anger was doused with cold water. I regretted doubting him. He was not just my mate; he was the leader of the Shadowbite pack, and the weight of responsibility on his shoulders was heavy. Blake pulled the blanket over him and turned away while I kept tossing and turning all night. The following day , as dawn broke, I drove Ava to the hospital. "Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious. The bruise will fade in a few days,” the doctor said, and I sighed with relief. "Mom won’t let you get hurt again, no matter what happens," I whispered as I looked down at her in my arms. Her tiny hand gripped my clothes as though responding to my promise. Although I never wanted to be apart from her, I had to visit Ivy every Monday for my session. I sent Ava home, handed her to the nanny, and then drove to Ivy's office. But this time, I wasn’t there for therapy. I was going to confront Ivy face to face and ask her what she and Blake were doing at 3 PM yesterday. When I reached, Ivy greeted me warmly. Her smile was as bright as ever as if nothing had happened. "Hi, Nina, how was your trip? Did you enjoy it?" she asked, hugging me. "I shouldn’t have listened to your suggestion to go on that trip. Ava got hurt. Did you know?" I tried to keep my anger in check. "Oh, yes, I know, but it’s just a small injury. You’re overreacting. Kids fall all the time. " she said, her voice calm and measured, just like Blake's words last night, which made me furious. "So you’re saying it’s no big deal?" I controlled my voice. "Fine. But there’s one more thing you need to explain! That day, what were you and Blake doing in the bedroom at 3 PM? Why didn’t you come out when Ava was crying?" A flash of panic appeared in her eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. "Sweetie, we were just discussing your condition. That’s all.""Really? Just discussing my condition for an hour? Was that really necessary?" I retorted sarcastically. "Yes, because I had to explain a lot of medical terms to Blake. He’s very concerned about you. I wanted to make sure he understood everything clearly." She pulled out a book on postnatal depression from her desk. "I even bought Blake a book on it. Look, I was planning to ask you to take it back for him today." I didn’t know how to respond. These reasons sounded so perfect! "Can we start today's session?" She skillfully changed the subject when I was at a loss for words. I reluctantly nodded. "You didn’t sleep last night, did you?" she asked. "Yeah, I was too worried about Ava.""I’ll prescribe you some more sleeping pills," she said. I nodded again, but her next question caught me off guard. "Do you and Blake still have a sexual relationship?" My face immediately flushed. That question was far too invasive. "Why would you ask that?" I blurted out, slightly irritated. "I’m asking because I want to understand your situation. Many women with postpartum depression lose their libido, which affects their intimacy. I want to make sure I can help you as much as possible.""I’ve been taking care of Ava," my voice trailed off, "I’m always so tired. I don’t have time, I don’t have the energy to... with Blake.""You’re a new mother. It’s very common." I felt a slight release of tension, but it wasn’t enough to fully shake off the embarrassment. Ivy remained calm, professional, and focused. Then she reached into the desk drawer. Ivy pulled out a bottle of pills and placed it on the table. "This medication is specially designed for werewolves. It helps with anxiety... and also..." Ivy gave a mysterious smile. "...helps with increasing your libido."

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I looked up at Ivy, her gaze sincere. Could it be… she genuinely wanted to help me? "Alright, I’ll give it a try," I said, still skeptical. "You have to trust me. I promise you’ll feel better!" After leaving Ivy’s office, I told myself to stop overthinking. For my family, especially for my child! When I got home, the nanny handed me a crystal box. "Luna Nina, this is from Alpha Blake." I opened the box to find a pair of emerald earrings. "Alpha Blake is so sweet to you," the nanny smiled and said I smiled faintly. Blake knew I loved green. Sweet memories flooded my mind. Perhaps I really misunderstood him. Maybe it's time for me to make some changes for Blake. I decided to follow Ivy’s advice and try the new medication！ But after searching my pockets and the car, I couldn’t find it. I slapped my forehead—I'd definitely left it in her office. Ever since I was diagnosed with postpartum depression, my memory has gotten worse. My hearing and sense of smell were also deteriorating. I had no choice but to drive back to Ivy’s clinic to retrieve the medication. As I approached the clinic door, I heard strange moans and the sound of something hitting against a surface. It didn’t take long for me to understand what was happening. My face flushed red. Ivy was inside the clinic, having sex with someone. Although her behavior seemed highly unprofessional, I had no right to interfere with what she did in her own clinic. I turned to leave quickly, but then I heard a familiar voice that stopped me in my tracks. "Who makes you feel better, me or Nina?" Ivy asked. "Why even bring her up? You know we haven’t done anything in ages." The man replied. That voice—Doesn’t it sound like Blake’s? With all my strength, I pounded on the door, and the sounds inside abruptly stopped. After a few seconds, Ivy’s voice called out, "All appointments are full today. Come back tomorrow." Oh really? Is it because Blake scheduled a "special treatment"? I said nothing and kicked the door open. Ivy finally cracked it open, leaving only a sliver of space. "Nina..." Her face was flustered, peeking out with disheveled hair. "Move!" I shoved her aside. Behind her, Blake was buttoning up his shirt. On the floor lay a glaringly red lace thong. "Nina, you... you’re back again," Ivy stammered, her usual elegance and composure completely gone. Blake looked up, staring at me in shock. My body trembled slightly as I fought back tears. "Nina... it’s not what you think. It was just... an accident," Blake said, stepping toward me, trying to calm me down. "When did it start?" I demanded, shaking off the hand he extended toward me. "So you brought Ivy into our pack not to treat my postpartum depression but to make it easier for you to have your affair!""It’s not like that," he said softly, struggling to find the right words. "At first, it really was for you. It was for you.""For me?" I scoffed coldly. "You just wanted to satisfy yourself with this slut’s mouth and her pussy!""You..." Ivy began to speak, but Blake touched her arm, signaling her to stop. "So you’ve been together for a while now!" My eyes were red as my voice quivered. "The day before yesterday at 3 PM, you were having sex in my bedroom, weren’t you?""I didn’t mean to... I just couldn’t control myself. You know it’s been so long since we..." Blake’s face was filled with guilt. "So from the start, you two planned it, didn’t you? Sending me on that trip so you could freely carry on your affair in my bedroom!" I screamed, fury igniting every inch of me. "Blake, that’s my bedroom!" I thought of the pink bedsheets and pillows—ones Blake and I had bought when we first got married. A wave of nausea swept over me. I slapped Ivy across the face and was about to hit her again, but Blake grabbed my wrist. "You’re protecting her?" I shouted. "If you can’t meet Blake’s normal needs, what’s wrong with me helping him?" Ivy taunted. "You’re too anxious, too uptight! That’s why you developed postpartum depression!""Shut up! There are plenty of men in the Shadowbite Pack without a sex life. Why don’t you go help them?" I snapped, glaring at Ivy. She was so furious she couldn’t even respond. "Ivy wasn’t trying to destroy our family," Blake interjected. "You’re still my mate and the Luna of the Shadowbite Pack. Ivy just wanted to help us! I’m a normal man, Nina. Like Ivy said, I need a normal sex life.""Do you even hear yourself, Blake?" Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. "You even let Ava get hurt just so you could sleep with her. You’re unworthy of being her father.""I’m going to reject you!"

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Our loud argument echoed down the hallway, and curious onlookers began to gather. "We should go home! Don’t stand here letting them gossip about us," Blake grabbed my arm. "The ones being gossiped about are you and Ivy, not me!" I shook his hand off. My resistance seemed to attract even more attention from the crowd. "Isn’t Ivy Luna Nina’s therapist?" a woman whispered. "This is so unprofessional! A therapist having an affair with her patient’s husband? That’s disgusting," another voice echoed, filled with criticism. "I can’t believe Ivy would do something like that," someone muttered. "I went to her for therapy. Now I’m creeped out.""What’s the big deal?" A man laughed quietly. "Alpha Blake has always been a playboy. Haven’t you heard the rumors about him in high school?" Ivy heard these comments and didn’t dare to say a word, hiding behind Blake. Blake’s expression darkened, and with the authority of an Alpha, he turned and ordered the onlookers, "Get out of here! All of you!" He then turned to me, his eyes glaring at me, and tightly held my arm. "You’ve made your point! Now, come on." I struggled to get rid of his grip, but my strength couldn’t match his. Postpartum depression had drained me physically and emotionally. He dragged me down the hallway, and I stumbled behind him, breathing heavily from frustration and exhaustion. When Blake dragged me back home, shame, betrayal, and helplessness intermingled. The nanny was holding Ava, looking at us with a hint of fear. "Take Ava back to the nursery," I calmly told the nanny. Even though Ava was just one year old, I didn’t want to argue in front of her. Werewolf children are more sensitive to changes in their parents’ emotions than human babies. "We’ll talk in the bedroom," I said without looking at Blake, heading straight for the room. "How dare you bring her into our home? And onto my bed! Do you remember? We picked this bed out together. Even the sheets and pillows were bought after we got married!" I angrily yanked the sheets off the bed, tearing them apart. I remembered this bed—Blake had invited top-tier furniture designers to create a custom King-size bed just for me. Now, when I looked at it, all I could picture was Blake and Ivy fuck on it. "Nina, I swear, it was just a moment of impulse. The only person I truly love is you. You’ll always be my mate. I was a playboy before, but I’ve been loyal to you after we got married," Blake's tone softened. "How dare you even talk about loyalty!""I know I was wrong, but you have to understand—Ivy and I have no love between us. It was just... physical. That’s all. I swear, if you want, I’ll completely remove her from my life. I’ll never see her again." His words only fueled the fire of anger inside me. "Once a cheater, always a cheater!" I gritted my teeth. "I want to reject you!""Calm down first. We have Ava now, and this isn’t just our problem. Ava needs a complete family! Are you really going to leave all of this behind?""You abandoned us first... The moment you slept with Ivy, you abandoned us!" Blake’s expression grew complicated. The proud man finally lowered his head. I stopped listening to him and began packing my things. "What are you doing?" Blake blocked me. "This bed is already tainted. I won’t stay here. Whether or not you agree to break the mate bond, I’m leaving with Ava.""No! Ava is my daughter, I won’t let you take her!" Blake snatched my suitcase from me. "If you’re going to leave, leave alone. But you’re not taking Ava! And don’t even think about breaking the mate bond!""Are you going to leave her here so your mistress can bully her?" My eyes were red, my voice trembling. "How many times do I have to tell you, Ivy is not..." Just then, there was a hurried knock on the door, and soon, I heard Ava crying. "Ava just threw up again, she looks really uncomfortable!" The nanny was at the door, speaking in a panic.