Chapter 1My world shattered when my pup disappeared from summer camp. The kidnappers demanded fifty million for his return.
I called my Alpha mate, Henry, in a frenzy. His response left me cold.
"You're just staging this to compete with Jenna for attention. Today is her birthday. If you need drama, couldn't you pick another time?"
Jenna, pressed against his side, purred, "Henry, Leo is your blood pup. Your Luna wouldn't fake something this serious. Maybe we should call the pack enforcers."
Hearing that, I actually believed she was helping me.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
She didn't call anyone. Instead, she tipped off every gossip channel in the pack.
Within hours, the story exploded - the Alpha heir had been kidnapped.
My wolf panicked. I dropped to my knees, begging everyone not to alert the abductors.
Henry didn't even blink. "Jenna is helping you. Stop being so dramatic, sweetheart."
Three days later, a package arrived.
Inside was my son's tiny finger. The blood had already darkened.
That was the moment my hatred for Henry and Jenna turned feral.
They will pay the BLOODY PRICE. The TWO of them.
...
I stared at my pup's severed digit. Rage and grief shot through my brain. My vision blurred. My chest tore open. Blood rushed into my mouth as my wolf let out a silent scream.
Outside, reporters swarmed our pack mansion.
"Breaking - Alpha Henry Thorn's heir has been murdered!"
"After three days of searching, the pup couldn't be saved."
"Enforcers have reached the scene. The kidnappers vanished."
Their voices turned into a deafening ring in my ears. I knew - if not for the leaks, the kidnappers wouldn't have killed my pup so fast. I'd promised them the fifty million.
But I couldn't blame the reporters.
My hatred belonged to Jenna Hayes. And above all, to Henry Thorn - the father who couldn't be bothered to save his own pup.
Because over the past three days, everything I thought I knew about my Alpha had shattered.
Day one. I begged Henry not to let the online uproar reach the kidnappers. If I could deliver the fifty million, we might still save Leo.
He answered with maddening calm. "Rachel, of course I'll save the kid. But fifty million isn't pocket change. Let's wait."
Day two. I waited. Instead, I learned he'd bought Jenna a luxury estate in a resort - worth over a hundred million.
I confronted him, my wolf nearly breaking through. "Our pup's life means nothing? That estate could save Leo four times over!"
His voice stayed cold. "Rachel, stop overreacting. Leo is a boy - a little character building won't hurt him. Maybe he'll escape on his own."
"Those rogues wouldn't dare touch my son. I told you, once I gather enough money, I'll save him."
I couldn't listen anymore.
Once I gather enough money? Henry was the richest Alpha in the city. He could sell one property and save Leo immediately. He just didn't want to.
Day three. Henry disappeared.
Desperate, I sold every designer bag, every jewel, every luxury item. I raised less than ten million.
I called his allies, his business wolves. They either hung up or politely declined - as if they'd been warned.
Then the reporters banged on my door again.
I wiped my tears. Wrapped my pup's tiny finger in gauze. Opened the door. Fell to my knees.
"Please help me find my son's body. And stop reporting. I can't keep reopening my wounds."
I knocked my head against the floor until blood appeared. A compassionate reporter finally pulled me up.
Right then, Henry returned. Jenna at his side.
"Well, well. Quite the commotion, little wolf."
Chapter 2
Jenna wore bright red lipstick and a matching red bikini. Like she'd just rolled off some beach.
She pushed through the crowd and swayed toward me. Then she screeched.
Buried herself in Henry's arms. Pointed at the gauze in my hand.
"Henry, what's that? There's so much blood!"
I pulled back instinctively. That made Henry's wolf suspicious.
He snatched the gauze from me, frowning.
When he unwrapped it - saw the tiny, bloody finger - Jenna let out a real scream.
"What the hell is this?" Henry's voice came out as a low growl.
"It's your son's finger. The kidnappers cut it off. Leo is dead."
My voice was raw from crying. Tears streamed down my face.
But Henry's frown vanished. A mocking smile replaced it.
"Rachel, you've really outdone yourself with this performance."
"Hiring all these actors. Dyeing your hair white. Even making a fake model of our pup's finger."
"Let me guess - I spent Jenna's birthday with her and bought her an estate, and you're this jealous?"
That's when it hit me.
Henry had believed I was faking everything from the start. He never trusted me.
Jenna heard "model" and her fear evaporated.
She snatched the finger from Henry's hand. Waved it around like a trophy.
"Wow, Rachel, which company did you use? This looks super realistic."
"My Barbie doll is missing an arm. You should hook me up."
"Look at the bone texture! They'd make a perfect Barbie arm."
I ignored her. Reached for it.
"This isn't a model. It's my son's finger. Give it back."
Jenna's face twisted. She hid behind Henry, putting on a wounded act.
"Henry, I thought you said your mate was generous? Why is she so aggressive over a prop? I was just curious."
Something inside me snapped.
"GIVE IT BACK!" My wolf surged forward. My voice shook the walls.
She clutched the finger to her chest. Let fake tears roll down her cheeks.
Henry saw her cry. His eyes flashed.
He shoved me to the ground.
"Enough of this bullshit, Rachel!"
"Jenna just thought it was cool. Stop pretending it's real. Don't get carried away."
"I'm not pretending! Give it back NOW!"
I screamed until my throat bled. The taste of copper filled my mouth.
Henry's wolf glared at me, eyes reddening.
"You know Jenna has a kind heart. When you called, she cut her own party short to help you contact the pack enforcers."
"These people aren't even from the outlets she called. Those outlets said no story existed. They scolded her for wasting their time."
"If something really happened to our pup, why hasn't anyone contacted me? Why only you?"
"Rachel, I know I've neglected you and Leo because of pack work. I'll make it up to you both when he gets back from camp."
"Now send these actors home. Stop embarrassing yourself."
"And dye that white hair back. You look like this? People will think I mistreat you."
His words dropped me into a frozen pit. My heart stuttered.
I dragged myself up from the ground. Ground my teeth.
"One request. Give me back the finger."
They didn't move.
So I lunged.
Henry blocked me, but not completely. I almost grabbed it -
Jenna shrieked and threw the finger away.
It landed on the lawn. I scrambled after it.
Dirt stuck to it. I tried to clean it off.
Then Henry charged. Ripped it from my hands.
Before I could react, he hurled it.
"If that's how it is," he snarled, "nobody gets it."
The little finger arced through the air.
Splash.
It fell into the lake by the entrance and sank beneath the dark water.
Chapter 3
I watched the finger sink.
Then I spun around and jumped into the lake without thinking.
I'd underestimated the depth.
The moment I hit the water, I choked. Disoriented. My wolf thrashed inside me, but I couldn't shift. Couldn't swim. Just raw survival instinct.
I struggled until my lungs burned. Then everything went dark.
When I woke, Henry was at my bedside.
He'd changed out of that matching swimwear with Jenna.
"For Moon's sake, Rachel. Can't you act like an adult?"
"Jumping into a lake that deep? You can't even swim."
"Risking your life for a prop? To scare me? Was it worth it?"
He still thought it was a model.
Of course. Only the media and I knew the truth. And not one of them had spoken up for me.
I suddenly understood why.
They were all afraid of Henry Thorn.
If he'd stepped in when the coverage started, he could have shut it down. The kidnappers wouldn't have killed Leo out of panic.
Everything could have been prevented.
But those thoughts were useless now.
I spoke coldly. "Henry. I want to sever our bond."
He couldn't believe his ears. His wolf growled low.
"You're going too far, Rachel."
"Over something this trivial? You want to break the mate bond?"
"Are you jealous? Think I was protecting Jenna?"
"She was wearing a bikini. If you'd grabbed her like that, she'd have been exposed. That's why I stopped you."
"You're both she-wolves. Can't you understand each other? Why do you always make things hard for her?"
Same answer as always.
In his eyes, Jenna could do no wrong. I was just being unreasonable.
But Jenna was the one who inserted herself into our pack. Into our den. Then taunted me after my pup was taken.
My wolf wanted to tear something apart. But I was too drained to argue.
He saw my silence and tossed a medical report onto the bed.
"You're pregnant. Your wolf hormones are high. Causing mood swings."
"I understand you lashing out at me. But don't drag innocent wolves into this."
"Have the pup. Afterward, I'll buy you whatever you want."
"Remember how Leo always wanted to vacation in Hawaii? After the baby's born, the four of us can go."
I laughed bitterly inside.
Henry. Your little fantasy will never happen.
His phone rang. Jenna.
"Henry, how's your mate doing? I feel terrible about losing her finger model. All my fault."
"I contacted the prop company to make her a new one. I hope she can forgive me."
Henry's lips curled. He looked at me, expecting praise for Jenna's generosity.
Her voice turned coy. "Um... could you come over? I have good news to share."
He hung up. Hesitated. Searching for an excuse.
"Just go," I said.
"That's more like it. Take care of yourself, little wolf."
He hurried out.
The moment he left, I took a taxi to the nearest pack hospital. Scheduled to end the pregnancy.
Ten years as his mate. And I'd lost two pups.
Lying on the operating table, I sobbed. My wolf whimpered deep in my chest.
The pack doctor saw my distress. Suggested I could stop if I wasn't ready.
I shook my head firmly.
I loved both my pups. But Leo was just murdered. His body still missing. And the wolf responsible for all this - Henry - was tangled with his she-wolf right now.
I needed time. Energy. To get justice for Leo.
I couldn't let this unborn pup become Henry's future leverage.
Hours later, the procedure ended.
I dragged my exhausted body home. Turned on my phone.
Media coverage exploded.
News photos showed two silhouettes - clearly Henry and Jenna. But they'd mistaken Jenna for me.
The headline:
"PACK HEIR BRUTALLY MURDERED, BODY NOT FOUND. ALPHA COUPLE RUSHES TO HOSPITAL TO PROTECT PREGNANCY."
