Chapter 1

I held my barely month-old pup, eyes red, watching Ashton carefully help Kathy settle onto the couch across from me.

Kathy glanced at me, then instantly wrapped her arms around Ashton's waist, her voice choking with tears.

"Ashton, does Luna not want me living here? I can feel her hatred burning into me. Maybe I should just leave... I don't want to cause trouble between you two."

Ashton patted Kathy's back gently, his cold eyes fixed on me with undisguised irritation.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kathy. You're carrying my pup—this is your home now." His voice turned sharp as steel. "Elaine, don't give me that look. I'm informing you, not asking!"

"This is the Silver-Moon Pack House. I make the decisions! You have no right to refuse!" His voice rose with each word. "You seem to have forgotten your place in this pack."

His suddenly raised voice startled the pup into wailing, the sound piercing through the tension-filled room.

I quickly lowered my head, softly soothing my baby, whispering gentle lullabies under my breath. "Shh, little one, mama's here. Everything will be alright."

Kathy's mouth fell open as she watched me, her expression a mixture of curiosity and disdain. "Ashton, will our pup cry and fuss like that too? It sounds so... unpleasant. I had no idea babies were so loud and demanding."

Ashton chuckled at her, his voice warm in a way it hadn't been with me in months. "Silly girl, all pups cry, don't they? It's perfectly natural—nothing to worry your pretty head about."

"If you don't like it, we'll just have Elaine take care of it for you after it's born. She has experience now, after all." He gestured dismissively toward me and my child.

My head snapped up toward Ashton, fury blazing in my chest like wildfire.

"Ashton Silver, I am your Luna, your fated mate—not your mistress's nanny!" My voice trembled with barely contained rage. "I will not be relegated to caring for the offspring of your infidelity while you play house with her!"

"Have you forgotten the vows you made at our mating ceremony? The promises you swore before the Moon Goddess herself?"

The Silver-Moon Pack's ancestor had offended the Moon Goddess and fallen into darkness, bringing a curse upon the entire bloodline—each generation would struggle to produce heirs and die terrible deaths.

Only a she-wolf with the Goddess's blessed bloodline could bear the Silver family pups and protect them from ruin.

But such blessed wolves were extraordinarily rare. Every Alpha can only find one female wolf like this in their lifetime.

In this generation, they found me when my parents had just passed away, and I was wandering alone, destitute and without support.

I'd been raised in the Silver-Moon Pack House since childhood. Ashton knew I was destined to be his mate, and from the very first day we met, he'd protected me fiercely.

On our mating ceremony day, he'd grasped my hands, trembling with emotion.

"Lainey, I've finally made you mine!" His voice had cracked with overwhelming joy.

"I swear—if I ever betray you, may I die a wretched death! You are my everything, my salvation, my eternal mate!"

Back then, Ashton's eyes had been clear and sincere, moving me to tears. I had believed every word, trusted in our bond completely.

But now, he looked at another she-wolf with those same eyes, spoke to her with the same tender tone.

Ashton laughed carelessly, the sound cold and mocking.

"Elaine, why can't you let this go even now? Why must you cling to these ancient superstitions like some desperate fool?"

"There's no curse at all! Kathy is descended from witches, and she told me everything—our curse disappeared long ago, you lied just to get the pack to protect you!" His eyes blazed with conviction. "You've been living a fantasy, feeding me stories to secure your position!"

"Have you told the lie so many times you've started believing it yourself? How pathetic."

Kathy stroked her belly smugly, smiling with cruel satisfaction. "Exactly, Luna Elaine! You should listen to the truth for once."

"If there really was a curse, how could I be carrying Ashton's pup? Explain that with your precious bloodline theories." Her laugh was sharp and vindictive. "Face reality—you're nothing special. Just another she-wolf who got lucky for a while."