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Chapter 1
ARIA
That she-wolf had given birth to my mate's pup.
I already knew the news before anyone officially came to inform me.
“Selene has given birth!”
The Omega servant's voice came from the doorway, carrying unmistakable panic.
“She... she gave birth to a wolf pup.”
I sat quietly beside the towering window of the Alpha mansion, my gaze fixed on the moonlit forest beyond.
“He has betrayed us completely!” My wolf snarled with rage inside me.
I closed my eyes and gently calmed her.
“When?” I asked softly.
“Just now. A little alpha.”
The omega hesitated before continuing.
“The Alpha Matriarch is overjoyed. Luna Victoria won’t stop praising how strong and handsome the pup is. Even Alpha Rowan is—”
She cut herself off abruptly. A long sigh escaped her lips as she looked at me with pity before leaving the room.
The moment the door closed, a familiar ache settled heavily in my chest.
For the past several days, the entire Blackthorn Pack had remained gathered at the healer’s den, waiting for the birth. Including my mate. Especially my mate. He hadn’t left her side once. Not even for me.
The door opened. Alpha Rowan Blackthorn stepped inside. The first thing I noticed was the smile on his face. A genuine smile. Not the cold, distant expression he usually reserved for me.
“Selene gave birth,” he said immediately. “The pup weighs nearly nine pounds. He’s incredibly strong. You should have seen him.”
Excitement radiated from every word.
“The birth was difficult. The little guy was stubborn and kept Selene in labor for hours. The healers suggested magical intervention, but she insisted on doing it naturally.”
He chuckled softly.
“Grandmother and Mother nearly cried watching her suffer.”
I remained silent.
The Selene he spoke of so fondly was Selene Silvermoon. The former Luna of Rowan’s younger brother.
Three years ago, the same day I became Rowan’s mate, Selene had mated with his brother, Alpha Keiran Blackthorn.
The double mating ceremony had become the talk of every major pack across the territory. Back then, everyone believed the pack ruled by two Alphas will only grow stronger. They were wrong.
Keiran died less than a year later. The reckless Alpha had joined a dangerous rogue hunt despite promising Selene he would stay away from such missions.
No one ever understood why he changed his mind. One night he left. The next day his body returned. And Selene became a widow.
The Blackthorn Pack was consumed with guilt. They treated her like something precious and fragile. When they encouraged her to find her second chance, she refused. Instead, she chose to remain within the Blackthorn Pack.
That decision earned endless admiration from the pack. Soon their affection for her became obsession. Eventually, they devised a way for her to produce an heir carrying Blackthorn blood.
Keiran was gone. So, the only suitable bloodline came from his identical twin brother.
My mate.
I lowered my eyes and stared at my hands. “Congratulations.”
The smile vanished from Rowan’s face. “What kind of response is that?”
I looked up. “The response of someone offering congratulations.”
His expression darkened. “You’re congratulating me?”
“Yes.” I met his gaze without flinching. “She gave birth to a heir carrying your blood. Shouldn’t I congratulate you?”
The room instantly turned cold.
“Selene did this because she loved Keiran,” Rowan snapped. “He’s gone, and she needed something to keep living. Something that belonged to him.”
His voice grew sharper.
“Is that wrong?”
I released a slow breath. “Did anyone ever ask for my permission?”
Months ago, when Selene first announced her pregnancy, I had assumed the pup somehow carried Keiran’s preserved sperms.
I had treated her with kindness, respect and sympathy. Then the dates stopped making sense.
Eventually Rowan told me the truth.
“The pack elders approved it,” he had said. "The pup Selene is carrying was conceived through artificial insemination. The healers used the sperms I had preserved years ago. The Alpha Matriarch and the elders all approved it. I hope you can understand."
I almost laughed remembering it. The entire family had hidden something so enormous from me. Then expected understanding after the fact.
Rowan sat across from me and poured himself a drink. The moonlight highlighted his sharp features. The same handsome face that had once made me believe I was fortunate to become his mate.
Now I only felt foolish.
He rubbed his temples. “Selene begged me. The elders supported it. She was falling apart after Keiran died.” His voice softened. “She only wanted a pup. A reason to keep going. For me, it was simply helping family.”
Helping family.
What a convenient phrase.
I remained silent. Nothing I said now would change anything.
For a brief moment, Rowan seemed uncomfortable beneath my gaze. Before he could speak again, his phone vibrated.
Selene.
His expression immediately softened.
“I'm back at the manor.”
“Yes, I ate already.”
“I'll shower before returning.”
A pause. Then a smile.
“Of course. Get some rest.”
“I'll be there soon.”
After ending the call, he looked at me casually.
“Grandmother chose the pup’s name. Leo Blackthorn.”
I rose from my seat. “Then you should hurry back.” I smiled faintly. “Your widow and your son are waiting.”
Rowan's face darkened instantly.
“Aria!” His voice thundered through the room. “Can you stop acting childish?”
I laughed softly. “Am I wrong?”
“At least the pup carries Blackthorn blood,” he argued. “Would you rather prefer it came from some stranger?”
I tilted my head. “I'm curious. How exactly did you provide this sperms?”
My wolf detected the panic hidden beneath his composure, but only for a split second.
“The artificial insemination used sperms I preserved years ago. You know that.”
I did know. Long before I became his mate, Rowan had stored his sperms for future lineage.
His tone grew accusatory. “How could you doubt me?”
I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “I merely asked a question. Why are you nervous?”
His jaw tightened. “There is nothing between Selene and me. I never betrayed you.” Then he continued. “Besides, Grandmother and Mother have suffered enough after losing Keiran. Leo will help heal the pack.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “We've been mated for three years. If only you had given them a pup first...”
There it was. The real wound. Three years. Three years without producing an heir.
The Luna of the pack never missed an opportunity to call me barren. To remind me that I had failed. Yet I secretly visited the healers months ago. There was nothing wrong with me.
The truth had never been about fertility. And I couldn't even remember how long it had been since Rowan and I had sex.
The Blackthorns no longer saw value in me.
“Visit Selene tomorrow,” Rowan said as he headed toward the door. “She’s sensitive. Don't let her think you're avoiding her.”
Then he left.
The room fell silent. I returned to my chambers and opened the drawer beside my bed. Inside lay a single photograph. An anonymous sender had delivered it a month ago.
My fingers tightened around the image. In it, a man and woman stood locked in an intimate embrace outside a luxury lodge.
Even beneath the shadows, their faces were unmistakable.
Alpha Rowan Blackthorn.
Selene Silvermoon.
A bitter smile touched my lips. So, this was the way of my mate’s help .
Made love with his dead brother’s mate directly!
Chapter 2
ARIA
Inside the luxurious recovery suite, Selene rested comfortably against a pile of pillows. Her complexion was radiant. There was no sign she had endured the difficult labor everyone kept talking about.
“A cunning she-wolf...” my wolf sneered mockingly.
And my mate sat beside her bed, carefully feeding her a bowl of broth. Every spoonful was cooled before he offered it to her. As though he feared she might burn herself.
I couldn't stop comparing it to our three years together. In all that time, Rowan had never shown me such care. Our mating bond had always been distant.
Even when we made love, he was always distracted.
For years, I thought that was simply who he was. A proud Alpha. A powerful male who had never learned how to lower his head for anyone. Then Kieran died. And I finally learned the truth.
Rowan was capable of devotion. He simply reserved it for Selene.
I pushed open the door and stepped inside. Both of them looked up.
"Aria!" Selene's face lit up immediately. "You came!" Her enthusiasm made my skin crawl.
“Hypocrite,” my wolf muttered.
The next second, Ronan raised his hand and gently wiped the trace from her lips.
Seeing that scene, the pain of betrayal pierced through my wolf instantly. It almost couldn't hold itself back from breaking free.
I closed my eyes and tried my best to calm it.
“Just wait a little longer.”
“Once we take back everything that belongs to us, I will immediately sever the mate bond.”
Rowan stared at me for a while before he stood.
"Stay with Selene for a while. I'm going downstairs."
Selene blinked. "Why?"
"You mentioned wanting moon grapes." His voice softened. "I'll get them myself."
A shy smile appeared on her face. "You could send an omega."
"I know exactly which ones you like." His expression was almost tender. "I'll be back soon."
Selene lowered her eyes bashfully. "Okay."
As Rowan walked past me, his gaze landed on the bouquet in my hands.
"Leave those outside."
He frowned.
"Selene dislikes sunflowers."
For a moment, I wanted to shove the flowers straight into his face. Instead, I forced a smile. "Fine."
The door closed behind him.
Selene extended a hand toward me. "Come sit beside me, Aria."
I ignored the gesture and pulled a chair over myself. Her smile faltered.
"Are you still angry with me?"
The words had barely left her mouth before tears appeared in her eyes. It was an impressive performance.
"I know using Rowan's sperms hurt you..." A tear slid down her cheek. "Before Kieran and I completed our mating ceremony, we talked about waiting before having pups."
Her voice trembled. "I never imagined losing him." More tears followed. "I loved Kieran. I love the Blackthorn Pack. I only wanted to leave behind a piece of him."
She wiped her eyes. "Rowan and Kieran were identical twins. That's why I begged him." Then she looked directly at me. "We're both she-wolf, Aria. You understand how much pain I've suffered, don't you?"
She clasped her hands together. "So please don't hate me anymore."
I stared at her. The truth burned at the back of my throat. Before I could respond, another voice interrupted.
"Selene!"
The door burst open.
Luna Victoria Blackthorn strode inside carrying the newborn pup.
"You just gave birth. Why are you crying?"
Then her eyes landed on me. Instantly, her expression hardened.
The pup was tiny. Too tiny to tell whose features he had inherited. But one thing immediately caught my attention. The silver pendant hanging around his neck.
My chest tightened. I knew that pendant. The Moonfang Relic. One of the Blackthorn Pack's most treasured heirlooms. There had only ever been two.
Years ago, the Alpha Matriarch gifted one to Rowan and the other to Kieran after their mating ceremonies.
Now Rowan's heirloom rested around this pup's neck. That told me everything.
Victoria glared at me. "You came here just to upset Selene?"
I stared at her in disbelief. I hadn't even spoken. Not a single word.
"Everything was approved by the pack!" Victoria snapped. "If you ask me, you're jealous." Her eyes narrowed. "You've shared a bond with Rowan for three years and still haven't produced an heir. It’s Selene helped you!"
My wolf let out a low growl inside me.
Ice settled in my veins. I looked directly at her.
"So, what you're saying is that Selene didn't have this pup to honor Kieran's memory." I paused. "She had him to succeed me as Rowan's Luna."
Victoria froze.
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
She opened her mouth before shutting it again. For once, she had no answer.
I smiled faintly. There was no point arguing. Victoria had despised me since the day I entered this pack.
Selene quickly intervened. "Mom, please don't argue with Aria." Fresh tears filled her eyes. "If people hear us fighting, they'll think I'm causing problems."
Victoria immediately softened. "Fine." She patted Selene's hand affectionately. "I'm only protecting you."
Then she shot me another cold look. "Some people take advantage of kindness."
Selene accepted the pup from Victoria. Her eyes filled with affection. And something else.
Satisfaction.
Since old Alpha's death, the Blackthorn Pack had been dominated by females.
The Alpha Matriarch. Victoria. Selene. Myself. Even Rowan's younger sister was away trainning in another territory.
Rowan had become the only adult male alpha. Now there was another. A new heir. The pack naturally adored him.
After feeding the pup, Selene handed him back. Just then, her phone lit up. She answered quickly. A smile spread across her face after the brief conversation ended.
"My parents are coming this afternoon."
Victoria brightened. "That reminds me." She lowered her voice. "Did Alpha Sterling secure the territory in the southern borderlands?"
Even I knew how valuable that territory was. Many packs wanted it. None had succeeded.
"I think so," Selene replied. "Father mentioned it recently."
Victoria's smile widened. "The Silvermoon Pack is growing stronger every year." Her voice dripped with meaning. "The Blackthorn Pack will always be an ally of the Silvermoon Pack."
Selene laughed softly. "Mom, we're family. There is no difference between your pack and mine."
Those words delighted Victoria. She looked positively radiant. Then her eyes shifted toward me. The message was clear.
Leave.
I stood without a word. No one tried to stop me. I left the room like a ghost wandering through a place that no longer belonged to me.
Outside, I encountered Rowan returning with several bags.
"Leaving already?"
"Yes."
He nodded.
"Selene doesn't want to recover in a healing sanctuary. We'll bring her and the pup home. The Pack's finest healer will be sent to care for her."
I looked at him without patience.
"What does that have to do with me?"
His brows furrowed.
"I'm simply informing you."
A bitter laugh escaped me.
"Informing me?" I looked at him calmly. "You make it sound like I have any influence over the decisions in your life. Do whatever you want."
His expression darkened.
"Aria—"
I cut him off.
"Rowan."
For a moment, he fell silent. Then I smiled. One that seemed to confuse him.
"I forgive you."
I forgave his indifference. I forgave his betrayal. Because neither mattered anymore. Without waiting for a response, I walked away.
My back remained straight. My steps never faltered. Behind me, Rowan continued watching.
I could feel his gaze. As if he sensed something changing. Something slipping beyond his grasp. But by the time he realized what it was, it would already be too late.
I didn't return to the Blackthorn Pack manor. Instead, I drove toward another healer's sanctuary on the opposite side of Moonveil Territory.
Because I might also be pregnant with Rowan's pup.
Chapter 3
ARIA
I sat alone in another healer's sanctuary, staring at a report that had just changed my entire world.
“This is insane,” my wolf whispered.
“Believe me, this isn’t what I wanted either,” I answered her in my mind.
The elder healer smiled warmly.
"It wasn't easy, but the artificial insemination was successful! The Alpha bloodline has bonded well with your body. Be sure to rest and take care of yourself when you return to the pack."
My fingers tightened around the parchment.
"Congratulations, Luna. You're carrying a pup."
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
A pup.
After three years of trying. After three years of ridicule. After three years of being called barren. I was finally carrying a pup.
My pup.
A small life growing inside me. My eyes burned. Tears blurred my vision. Part of me wanted to laugh. Part of me wanted to cry. And neither emotion felt strong enough for what I was feeling.
Three years.
I had dreamed about this moment for three years. Yet now that it had finally arrived, all I felt was heartbreak.
The healer continued speaking, offering advice about rest and recovery.
I barely heard any of it. My thoughts remained trapped in one cruel reality. I was pregnant with Rowan's pup.
The same Rowan who had just fathered another pup with Selene. The same Rowan who had chosen her over me every single time. The same Rowan who probably wouldn't even care.
By the time my best friend arrived, I had been sitting on the bench outside for nearly an hour.
"Moon Goddess, Aria!"
Lyla Stormfang practically ran toward me.
"My Alpha kept delaying me. It took forever to get permission to leave!"
Despite everything, a small smile appeared on my face. Lyla and I had been friends since our academy days. More sisters than friends. She snatched the report from my hands and scanned it.
At first, her eyes widened. Then confusion replaced her excitement.
"Wait."
She blinked.
"How is this possible?"
Her gaze shot toward me.
"Has it really been over a year since you and Rowan last mated?"
I groaned.
"Lyla."
Her mouth dropped open.
"Don't tell me..."
She lowered her voice dramatically.
"You found another Alpha?"
Despite myself, I laughed. The sound came out shaky and broken.
"It's Rowan's."
"What?"
"The process used Rowan's preserved sperms." I looked down at my hands. "I used it without telling him."
Lyla stared at me. Then stared at the report. Then stared at me again. The silence stretched.
"What?!"
Several wolves in the waiting area turned toward us. Lyla immediately lowered her voice.
"You secretly used Rowan's preserved sperms?"
I nodded.
When Selene became pregnant, the Blackthorn Pack had celebrated endlessly. At the same time, the pressure on me became unbearable.
Alpha Matriarch Evelyn. Luna Victoria. Every gathering. Every meal. Every conversation. They never stopped reminding me that I hadn't given Rowan an heir.
The invisible chains around my neck grew tighter every day. Eventually, desperation led me to remember the preserved sperms Rowan had stored years ago.
So, I made a choice. A choice I never told anyone about.
I smiled bitterly.
"I wasn't even sure it would work."
"So, I kept it secret." I swallowed hard. "I thought I could surprise Rowan."
The irony made my chest ache. I wanted to give him wonderful news. Instead, he had shattered my world first.
If I had known the truth about him and Selene... I would never have done it.
Lyla cursed under her breath.
"That Alpha doesn't deserve you." Her voice shook with anger. "He couldn't even stay away from his own brother's mate."
I closed my eyes briefly.
"He loved her before she became his brother’s mate."
Lyla nearly choked.
"What?"
A bitter smile touched my lips.
"I wasn't even a second choice."
The realization still hurt. Maybe it always would.
Lyla looked ready to tear someone's throat out.
"Does Rowan even realize everything you've done for him?"
I remained silent. Of course he didn't. And he never cared about.
For years, I foolishly loved him and devoted everything I had to his pack.
When the Blackthorn pack’s defense network was on the brink of collapse, I was the one who secretly restored it.
When his negotiations with other packs reached an impasse, I was the one who found the way forward.
When the pack faced resource shortages and even the elders had no answers, I was the one who solved the impossible problems again and again.
I did it because I loved him. Not because I wanted recognition. But Rowan never knew.
And now, he no longer deserved to know.
Lyla folded her arms and looked at me for a long while.
"You're a genius."
“Agreed,” my wolf immediately raised a paw in complete agreement.
I rolled my eyes.
They both ignored me.
"At the academy, you were already outperforming wolves twice your age."
A faint laugh escaped me.
"That was a long time ago."
"I'm serious."
Her expression softened.
"You're one of the smartest wolves I've ever met."
I looked away. Before becoming Rowan's mate, I had dreams. Ambitions. Projects. A future built with my own hands.
Somewhere along the way, I abandoned those things and made Rowan my entire world. What a mistake that had been.
Lyla wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"He's an idiot."
I laughed softly. That much was true.
"Thank you."
She squeezed my shoulder. Then her expression became hesitant.
"What are you going to do now?"
I knew exactly what she meant.
The pup. My pup. The tiny life growing inside me. For years, I had prayed for this blessing.
How could I possibly give it up?
Yet keeping the pup meant staying tied to Rowan forever. It meant remaining connected to the very wolves who had humiliated me.
The choice felt impossible.
For a long time, neither of us spoke. Then my thoughts slowly settled. The answer became painfully clear.
I looked down at the report one final time. My voice came out barely above a whisper.
"I refused to keep paying the price for a mistake I had already made."
Lyla froze.
The tears I'd been fighting finally surfaced. I placed a hand over my stomach.
"I'm ending the pregnancy."
The words shattered something inside me the moment I said them. My wolf let out a furious roar.
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