Chapter 3

Selene POV:

Pregnant. The Healer's words echoed in my head, a cruel symphony of joy and despair. This pup was a part of me, a product of my bond with my fated mate. But it was conceived in a web of deceit. It deserved better than a father who was a liar and a mother who was a fool.

My mind was a chaotic storm as I walked down the medical center's quiet corridor. I had to leave. Now, more than ever, I had to protect this child from the poison of Damien's double life.

As I rounded a corner, I froze. There, not twenty feet away, was Damien. He was holding Cassandra, who was sobbing dramatically into his chest. He was stroking her hair, murmuring to her in the same gentle, reassuring tone he always used with me.

"It's alright," he was saying. "Don't worry."

I quickly ducked behind a large stone pillar, my heart pounding a sick, heavy rhythm.

"But what if she finds out?" Cassandra wailed, her voice carrying clearly in the empty hall. "What if I ruin your position as Alpha?"

Damien let out a low, dismissive chuckle. "She trusts me completely. Selene is a brilliant architect, but she doesn't understand the complexities of pack politics. She'll never know."

My blood ran cold. He thought I was simple. Naive.

"When will you make me your Luna?" Cassandra pressed, her voice turning sharp. "When will you get rid of her?"

"I can't reject her," Damien said, his tone firm. "She is the Moon Goddess's will. Rejecting a fated mate, especially one so... pure... would be seen as a weakness by the other Alphas. It could shatter my authority. I have a responsibility to her."

A responsibility. Not love. Not devotion. A celestial chore.

"But I will always take care of you and Rory," he promised, his voice softening again. "You gave me a strong heir, Cassandra. That is something I will never forget."

He kissed her forehead and then walked away, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

Cassandra stayed for a moment, a slow, triumphant smile spreading across her face. Then, her eyes flicked directly to the pillar I was hiding behind. She knew I was there. She had known the whole time. She held my gaze for a beat, her expression a mixture of victory and pure malice, before turning and gliding away.

That was it. The last fragile thread of hope I'd been clinging to snapped. In his eyes, I was an obligation. She and her son were his choice.

A cold, hard resolve settled in my soul. I couldn't bring my child into this. I couldn't let my pup be the unwanted second choice, a constant reminder of a broken bond.

I made two calls. The first was to a private clinic in the human world, scheduling an appointment I never thought I'd have to make. The second was to my lawyer, instructing her to draft the official mate rejection and bond dissolution papers.

I was sitting in the moon-laurel grove outside the center, trying to breathe, when Damien's voice invaded my mind.

*My love, I just heard the news! The new west wing you designed for the pack house is officially complete. It's magnificent. You are a genius.*

I didn't respond.

*I'm sorry I was so busy last night,* he continued, his mental voice oozing charm. *We had a serious rogue problem on the northern border. It's all handled now.*

Lies. All of it.

*To make up for my absence, I'm throwing a grand gala in your honor at the new wing tonight. A celebration of my brilliant mate. You deserve it.*

My insides felt like they were carved from ice. I was numb.

*That sounds wonderful,* I sent back, my voice a hollow echo of its former self.