Chapter 1

Kelsey's POV The sharp tang of antiseptic burned my nose. The human doctor handed me the test results, coffee-stained fingers leaving faint smudges on the paper. I stared at the grainy image. A shadow the size of a grape stared back. My ears were ringing. "Five weeks along," the doctor's voice sounded muffled, like he was underwater. "Congratulations. All your levels look perfect." My blood turned to ice. My fingers dug into the stone bench until my knuckles whitened—this couldn't be happening. As an unmated werewolf, that single encounter with Alpha Marcus during last month's full moon shouldn't have done this. Moon madness had made his wolf restless, driving him to seek me out. He'd only left temporary marks on my neck, his fangs never breaking skin. "You... sure about this?" My voice shook. The scent of pine seeped from me uncontrollably, mixing with the sweet lychee aroma of early pregnancy. "Absolutely." The doctor smiled. I trudged through Shadowpine Forest clutching the report. Rotting leaves squelched under my combat boots. Sentries from the Bladeclaw Pack watched me pass—they all knew I was Alpha Marcus' pity-mate. His grandmother, the former Luna, had forced this arrangement. This had to be a nightmare. Pregnant? Really? I texted Marcus before I lost my nerve, "Dinner tonight?" The wait felt endless. He hated being bothered during work hours. Last time I'd texted, he'd left me on read for three days. My phone buzzed. His reply was curt, "Be there. Need to talk." I had the Pack omega prepare his favorite dishes. Placed the ultrasound face-down on the table, then flipped it over. I hid it under a napkin. At dusk, black car lights cut through the fog. Marcus unfolded himself from the vehicle, suit jacket slung over one arm. Every movement screamed power. "Alpha Marcus." I reached for his coat. He shoved a document into my hands instead. My breath hitched when I saw the header—DIVORCE SETTLEMENT. "Make changes if you want." His tone was business-cold. The legal jargon blurred. My bonding scar throbbed. I pressed a hand to my stomach. "What if... what if we had a pup? Would you still—" His gaze snapped to my abdomen. "Impossible. I never fully marked you." I jerked my hand away. This pup wasn't wanted. Marcus gripped my wrist. His nostrils flared. "Are you actually—" "Hypothetical." My voice went flat. He exhaled sharply. "Don't joke about this. You know how rare true mate bonds are. How few pups get born these days." His golden eyes hardened. "I won't destroy a life... but don't force my hand." The message was clear—even for the Pack's survival, he'd reject this child. Our half-formed bond meant nothing. He turned toward the door. "Eat without me. I'm busy." I watched his SUV disappear into the pines. The feast I'd spent hours arranging went straight into the trash. My palm rested on my still-flat stomach. "Daddy doesn't want you," I thought, "but Mommy's got you." Being a rogue meant no Pack, no roots. My human foster parents dumped me at Catherine's boarding school when their "real" kid came along. Becoming Marcus' mate wasn't about power—just craving somewhere to belong. Turns out that was a fairytale too. No Alpha would choose a rogue as his Luna. I scrawled my name on the divorce papers without reading them. Dawn brought stabbing pain behind my eyes—mind-link activating. Marcus' mother Sydney's voice clawed at my skull, "Prep the east tower. Important guest arriving." The connection severed. I hurled a bronze candlestick at the wall. Melted wax blistered my palm as I laughed at the sparks. That afternoon, black horses pulled a obsidian carriage into the courtyard. A redhead swept into the great hall, wrinkling her nose at our banners. "Redo the tapestries," she told our omega. "My servants will instruct you." I blocked her path. "Who the hell are you?" "Angela." Her smile showed too many teeth. "Future Luna of Bladeclaw." My chest tightened. So this was why Marcus wanted out. I used to take care of every detail of this villa, and now this empty shell was finally welcoming its real owner. "Three years you've kept my seat warm." She flicked dust off my shoulder. "Time to return what you stole." "Stole?" I stepped closer. "When rogues poisoned Alpha Marcus during the Blood Moon, where were you? When his wolf was dying and needed its true mate's bond?" My laugh came out jagged. "Oh right—you rejected him. Now you want back in?"