Chapter 1My closest pack sister slapped a pregnancy test onto my pup's first-birthday cake.
Two pink lines.
"Lottie, baby - guess what? Auntie's giving you a little brother. I'm carrying your Alpha's pup."
I looked at my Alpha. Pack General Eric Reynolds.
He didn't even twitch an ear.
"That milk I fix you every night? Yeah, I've been lacing it with sleeping powder." His voice was flat, dead calm.
"Cynthia screams pretty damn loud when we're in my den. Right next to your bed. You never heard a thing."
My wolf went still. Paws ice-cold.
Lottie tore open her next present - rejection papers.
Cynthia bared her teeth in a grin. "So? You like it?"
Everyone in the pack stared.
I snatched the pen with my claws.
Marked it.
One slash.
"Get out of my den."
The second I marked it, Eric's wolf went pale under his skin.
"Valerie - what the hell? Cynthia was joking. Those papers aren't real."
"Joking?" My voice came out as a low growl.
"You drafted rejection papers. Signed them. Had her wrap them for our pup's first hunt-day."
I let out a cold, hollow howl-laugh.
"Am I supposed to think that's funny?"
Cynthia waved a hand.
"Oh my Goddess, Val. It was Truth or Dare at Theo's bar last week. Eric lost the game. We all thought it'd be hilarious."
She reached for the papers.
"Here - I'll just rip them up. See? No harm done."
Eric rubbed his temples.
"Jesus, Valerie. It was a stupid joke. Why are you being like this? I'll tear them up myself if that's what you want."
"Stop."
Something in my chest cracked, and my wolf let out a silent keen.
"It's always a joke with you two."
When we mated, Cynthia flushed my bonding token down the drain. Shredded my ceremonial gown with kitchen shears.
Just a prank, babe.
When I was seven months along, she "accidentally" spilled dish soap across the kitchen floor.
I slipped.
Lottie came two moons early.
She didn't mean it.
Last moon, she stuck a dead hare in Lottie's crib while I was out hunting groceries.
My pup screamed for hours. Ran a fever for three days straight.
Cynthia's just got a weird sense of humor.
And now - on my pup's first birthday - he was still calling it a joke.
I looked Eric dead in the eye, my wolf bristling.
"What if I dropped wolfsbane in her mimosa right now? Would that be funny?"
His hand shot out - inhuman speed - and knocked the champagne flute clean out of Cynthia's grasp before she could blink.
Crash.
Glass shattered everywhere. A shard sliced into my ankle.
Blood pooled across the floor.
Eric didn't even glance at me.
He was too busy checking Cynthia's hands for cuts, sniffing for any wound.
I felt nothing.
I shoved the papers against his chest.
Picked up Lottie.
Walked toward the door.
"I'll be at the Council Clerk's office tomorrow. Dawn."
He grabbed my wrist before I could leave, claws pricking my skin.
"What's your problem? You know how Cynthia is. She's loud. She doesn't think. That's just who she's always been."
When I didn't answer, his voice softened.
"Look - I'll tell her to tone it down, okay? Will that work?"
He still didn't get it.
This wasn't anger.
This was done.
"You do remember this is Lottie's hunt-day, right?" I yanked my arm back. "Not your bonding ceremony with Cynthia?"
I stared at him.
"Because honestly? The matching pelts. The inside growls. The way you two finish each other's hunts."
My voice dropped.
"Packmates probably think she's your Luna and I'm the pack nanny."
I searched his face for guilt. Regret. Anything.
Nothing.
Just: "We've been den-siblings since pups. She's like my litter-sister. You're seriously gonna be jealous of that?"
"Sister." I glanced at the bite-mark on his collarbone. The one he said came from sparring.
"Yeah. Sure."
"Valerie!"
Cynthia's voice cracked behind me - tears already streaming down her snout.
"I came here to celebrate your pup, and you're gonna accuse me of - of what? Sleeping with your Alpha?"
She whipped around to face Eric, holding up her phone.
"You know what? I'm done. I'm blocking you. Right now."
She tapped the screen. Showed it to both of us.
"There. Now Little Luna Perfect can stop acting like I'm trying to wreck her precious mating."
Chapter 2
She made a whole show of grabbing her stuff. Snatched the bra and sleep-pelt she'd "left behind" off the bathroom counter.
Then walked out.
"Cynthia - wait!"
Eric moved to follow - but Lottie's scream cut through his wolf like a blade. Froze him mid-stride.
His pack-buddies didn't wait. The second Cynthia was out the door, they turned on me.
"What the hell's wrong with you? Cynthia came for your pup's hunt-day and you chased her out?"
"Classic move. You really think Eric would've mated you if Cynthia wanted him? You sold petals on the damn street-corner."
"Eric - we don't care if Cynthia's cool with this. We're not. You two don't go make it right? We're done here."
Ten minutes. That's all it took.
Empty den. Broken glass. Trampled wildflowers. Lottie howling in my arms.
Eric kicked the orchid pot. It shattered into dirt and shards.
"This what you wanted?"
I didn't say anything. Just stared at the mess on the floor, my wolf curled tight and silent.
I was seventeen when I met him.
Eric stood in the rain with me. Pushed my flower cart. Snarled at people to buy roses.
Called his pack-brothers. Used his own coin. Bought everything I had.
Helped pay my mother's healing-den bills.
We courted. Mated. Had Lottie.
He said he'd never let me stand in the rain again. Never let me struggle.
He'd stay.
Then Cynthia came back from Paris.
Profile picture changed. No more matching pelts.
The wolf who was scared of heights started skydiving. Bungee jumping. Racing cars.
Everything she liked.
Bit by bit, he became someone else.
And somehow he thought my wolf wouldn't scent the difference.
Eric grabbed my hand. His was warm. Mine felt like dead wood.
"I'm sorry, Val. Shouldn't have yelled. Not today."
His voice went soft.
"Look - Cynthia and I are just den-siblings. That's it. The rejection papers were stupid. A joke. I never wanted to leave you or Lottie."
He squeezed.
"I'll stop seeing her so much. I promise."
He looked like he meant it.
Three days ago? I would've said yes.
For Lottie's sake.
But I kept seeing it. That first fight with Cynthia.
She ghosted him for a week.
He logged into my social feed. Posted a public apology in the group chat.
Begged her to come back.
She did.
I became the punchline.
Then there was the night Lottie's heart stuttered.
Eric was at the human amusement park. With Cynthia.
I was screaming at the ER healer. Called him thirty-seven times.
Nothing.
My wolf howled alone in the waiting room.
I pulled my hand away.
"No. I want the severance."
His face changed fast - shock, panic, then his wolf bristled.
"Are you out of your mind? You're really gonna tear this pack apart?"
"I didn't tear it. You did."
The door flew open.
One of his enforcers stumbled in, panting.
"Alpha - Cynthia's been in a car wreck!"
Chapter 3
I stood there watching his truck disappear down the street.
Lottie's little body pressed warm against my legs - that's when my wolf finally crawled back into my chest.
I kissed the top of her head. Walked inside. Started packing.
Clothes. Passports. Lottie's formula. Shot records.
One thing at a time. Clearing out every scent of me from this den.
The second I booked those plane tickets, something heavy lifted off my ribcage. My wolf exhaled for the first time in months.
Eric came back when the sun was creeping up.
Walked in and stopped dead. Eyes locked on the suitcase gaping open in the middle of the floor.
I didn't look up. Just kept folding Lottie's sleep-pelts.
He grabbed my wrist. Claws pricking.
"Cynthia got in a wreck last night. Your fault." His voice was low. Mean. "She's at the healing-den right now and she won't even look at me, Valerie. So what now? You happy?"
I looked at him. Didn't say a word.
"You gonna keep pushing till I snap? Is that what you want?" He squeezed tighter. "You want me to throw away fifteen years of den-bond? For you?"
Fifteen years.
I actually laughed - a dry, hollow sound that made my wolf twitch.
So that's what I was competing with. Me and our pup versus fifteen years of whatever the hell they had.
"Then why'd you chase me down in the first place?"
He went still.
"I already said I'd sever. I already said fine." My voice cracked. "What the hell else am I supposed to do?"
"Sever! That's all you talk about! You got anything else to say?!"
He swung his arm out. Knocked the suitcase flying.
Everything scattered across the floor.
Lottie jolted awake. Started screaming - that high, piercing shriek that made my wolf's ears flatten.
I ran for her. Tripped over a pile of clothes. Hit the floor hard.
My lower back slammed straight into the corner of the coffee table.
Pain ripped through me so sharp I couldn't breathe. My vision went white. My wolf nearly shifted just to escape the agony.
Years ago, when Cynthia made me fall, I went into labor early. Messed up my spine real bad. Even now, picking something up off the floor hurts like hell. My wolf still flinches at the memory.
"Val - shit, you okay?"
Eric grabbed Lottie. His voice got tight. "Did you hit your back? Come on, I'll drive you to the healer."
He bent down. Started reaching for me.
His phone went off.
"Sir - get over here. Miss Vaughn's awake. Says she's gonna go get trashed at some bar if you don't show."
Eric's hand froze mid-reach.
Forgot I was on the floor.
"Wait - she'll see me now?"
He jumped up. His whole voice changed - lighter, eager, his wolf's tail practically wagging through his posture. "Tell her to stay there. I'm coming."
Shoved Lottie back in my arms. Bolted.
SLAM.
Door hit so hard the pictures rattled off the walls.
I called a ride-share. Held Lottie tight. Got myself to the healing-den.
Got X-rays. Picked up meds.
Walking past Cynthia's room on my way out, I saw it - packed with packmates, flowers everywhere, balloons tied to the bed rail. Everyone crowding around her like she was the Alpha's chosen.
And Eric?
On his knees. Tail tucked. Barking like a submission ritual. Making her laugh.
My wolf turned away. Couldn't watch anymore.
I checked my phone.
Text from him. Sent six minutes ago.
"Hey babe ordered u some pain cream. should get there soon"
"got base stuff tonight. not coming home"
I almost laughed.
