Chapter 1 The evening air carried the sweet scent of moonflowers as I hurried through the pack grounds, my heart light with anticipation. Tonight marked our tenth mating anniversary, and I'd spent the entire day overseeing preparations for the Feast of the Moon celebration. The pack members had shooed me away early, insisting they could handle the final arrangements without their Luna's supervision.

"Go surprise your Alpha," Beta Sarah had urged with a knowing smile. "Ten years deserves something special."

I clutched the small wrapped package in my hand—a hand-carved wooden frame containing a sketch I'd made of Ryan and me from our marking ceremony. My artistic talents were something I rarely shared with anyone but him.

He's going to love it, I thought, touching the Luna necklace at my throat, tracing its intricate moon pattern—a nervous habit I'd developed over the years.

As I approached our private quarters in the pack house, a sharp, unsettling sensation rippled through my chest. My wolf, Lyra, suddenly howled within me, her silver presence agitated and restless.

Something's wrong, she whimpered, clawing at my consciousness.

"What is it?" I whispered, stopping in my tracks.

Follow. Now.

Lyra had never steered me wrong before. I changed direction, letting her guide me through the moonlit grounds toward the garage at the edge of the property. The building was partially open, a sliver of light spilling onto the gravel outside.

I approached quietly, my Luna senses heightened by Lyra's distress. A foreign scent hit me—female, unfamiliar, and laced with something that made my stomach clench. Beneath it was the unmistakable scent of my mate.

My footsteps slowed as I reached the side entrance. Through the gap in the door, I saw them.

Ryan—my Alpha, my mate, my everything for the past decade—had a woman pressed against the hood of his car. His face was buried in her neck, nuzzling and scenting her in the intimate way reserved only for mates. His hands gripped her waist possessively as she arched into him, her fingers tangled in his dark hair.

The package slipped from my fingers, landing silently on the grass.

A white-hot agony ripped through our mate bond, so intense I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. My knees threatened to buckle as Lyra howled in anguish, the sound echoing through every corner of my soul.

No, no, no...

I backed away, unable to process what I was seeing. The woman turned slightly, her profile illuminated by the garage light—high cheekbones, full lips curved in pleasure. A stranger. A she-wolf I'd never seen before.

Somehow, I managed to retreat without being noticed, my body moving on autopilot while my mind fractured into a thousand painful shards. I retrieved my fallen gift, clutching it to my chest as if it could shield me from the truth.

Lyra's rage and grief threatened to overwhelm me, pushing me toward shifting. I fought it down, forcing deep breaths as I stumbled back toward the pack house.

Control. I need control.

I couldn't let anyone see me like this—broken, betrayed. I was still Luna. I had responsibilities. Dignity.

The main entrance loomed before me, and I paused to compose myself, wiping away tears I hadn't realized were falling. With trembling hands, I tucked the package into my jacket pocket and squared my shoulders.

I stepped inside, the familiar warmth of the pack house now feeling alien and cold. I'd barely made it three steps when a sharp voice cut through my haze.

"There you are. I've been waiting."

Former Luna Margaret Mitchell stood at the base of the grand staircase, her posture rigid and her eyes calculating. Even after passing the Luna title to me years ago, she still carried herself with the authority of her former position.

"Margaret," I acknowledged, struggling to keep my voice steady. "I didn't expect to see you this evening."

She approached with measured steps, her gaze clinical as it swept over me. "We need to discuss something of importance. For the pack's future."

Something in her tone sent a chill down my spine. I noticed she was holding a folder of documents.

"The council and I have made a decision," she continued, her voice devoid of warmth. "There's a three-year-old pup who needs to be formally adopted into the Alpha line. You will take him in and raise him as the future heir."

The bluntness of her statement momentarily distracted me from my raw grief. "What? Whose child?"

"That's irrelevant," she dismissed with a wave of her hand. "What matters is that this pack needs an heir, and you—" her eyes flicked to my abdomen, where the scars of my sacrifice lay hidden, "—cannot provide one."

Her words cut deeper than any claw. Three years ago, I had thrown myself between Ryan and a rogue's attack, saving his life but losing our unborn pup and any chance of bearing children again. And now, with the scent of another woman still burning in my nostrils, Margaret's cruelty felt like a calculated second blow.

Lyra snarled within me, but the pain in our mate bond had weakened us both. I stood frozen, trapped between the betrayal behind me and the humiliation before me, as Margaret extended the folder with cold determination in her eyes.

Chapter 2 I stood in the doorway of our pack house, frozen in disbelief as Margaret's words hung in the air between us. The folder in her hand might as well have been a silver dagger aimed at my heart. Before I could formulate a response, the sound of an approaching vehicle drew our attention.

"Perfect timing," Margaret said, her thin lips curving into what could barely pass for a smile. "The child has arrived."

A sleek black SUV pulled up to the entrance. The driver's door opened, and my stomach twisted into a painful knot as Ryan stepped out. My mate. My betrayer. He walked around to the passenger side, opening the door for a woman I now recognized from the garage. She emerged gracefully, her hand in his as though it belonged there.

Lyra snarled within me. Look at how he touches her.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to remain composed as they approached. The woman carried a small bundle in her arms—a sleeping child with dark curls peeking out from a blue blanket.

"Luna Olivia," Ryan said formally, his eyes not quite meeting mine. "I'd like you to meet the child we discussed."

We discussed? The lie was so blatant I almost laughed. Instead, I stepped forward, my Luna instincts flaring as the child's scent reached me.

The moment the air carried his scent to me, Lyra howled in confirmation of what I already feared. The boy smelled of pine and musk—a perfect blend of Ryan and the she-wolf. Not a cousin. Not an orphan from a distant territory. This was their son.

"May I?" I asked, extending my arms toward the child.

The woman hesitated before reluctantly transferring the sleeping boy to me. As I cradled him against my chest, I caught Margaret watching with calculating eyes, gauging my reaction. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing me break.

"He's beautiful," I said softly, meaning it despite the pain tearing through me. The innocent child wasn't to blame for the sins of his parents.

"His name is Leo," the woman supplied, her voice honeyed but her eyes sharp. "Leo Brooks."

"Brooks," I repeated, noting it wasn't Mitchell. Not yet, anyway.

"We should get him settled," Margaret interjected. "The nursery has been prepared."

I nodded, carrying Leo inside while acutely aware of Ryan's hand at the small of the woman's back, guiding her into what had been our home. My territory.

Hours later, after the child had been settled and Margaret had finally retired to her quarters, I cornered Ryan in his study. The space that had once been our shared sanctuary now felt like enemy territory.

"Who is she, Ryan?" I demanded, my voice low but steady. "And don't insult me with more lies."

He looked away, his fingers drumming nervously on his desk. "Natasha is just a friend who needed help."

"A friend," I repeated, the word bitter on my tongue. "Is that what you call the woman you were scenting in the garage tonight?"

His head snapped up, eyes widening. "You—"

"Yes, I saw you. On our anniversary." I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. "That child carries your scent, Ryan. He's your son, isn't he?"

"It's not what you think," he said, still unable to meet my gaze. "Leo is... he's family. A distant cousin who—"

"Stop lying!" My palm slammed against his desk, the sound echoing through the room. "I can smell you on him. I can smell her on him. My Luna senses don't lie, even if my Alpha does."

Ryan's shoulders slumped, but before he could respond, a soft knock interrupted us. The door opened to reveal Natasha, her eyes downcast in a perfect display of submission.

"Forgive me, Luna," she murmured, sinking to her knees before me. "I didn't mean to intrude, but I heard raised voices, and I... I couldn't bear for you to be upset because of us."

Tears streamed down her face as she bowed her head. "Please, Luna Olivia, have mercy on me and my son. We have nowhere else to go. The rogues would kill us if they found us."

As she knelt, I noticed her subtly rubbing her wrist against the leg of a nearby chair, leaving her scent. Marking my territory as her own, even as she begged for my compassion.

"I would never harm your position," she continued, her voice breaking. "I know what you mean to this pack, to Alpha Ryan. I'm just grateful for any kindness you show to Leo."

I looked from her tearful face to Ryan's guilty one, understanding with perfect clarity the performance being orchestrated around me. Natasha wasn't just after my mate—she wanted my title, my home, my life.

And based on the way Ryan was looking at her, she was already winning.

Chapter 3 Days passed in a blur of quiet humiliation. Each morning, I woke to find Natasha already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for the pack as if she were Luna. The first time I found her arranging flowers in the great hall—my weekly ritual—I nearly lost my composure.

"These arrangements are lovely, Luna Olivia," she said with practiced deference, "but I thought perhaps a more traditional style might better honor the pack's heritage."

She'd already replaced my wildflower bouquets with formal arrangements of moonflowers and wolf's bane—Margaret's preferences, not mine.

"The pack seemed to appreciate my less traditional approach for the past decade," I replied, my voice steady despite Lyra's growls vibrating through my chest.

Natasha lowered her eyes. "Of course, Luna. I meant no disrespect."

But the flowers remained changed, and by evening, Margaret was complimenting the "refreshing return to proper pack traditions."

Little by little, Natasha inserted herself into every aspect of pack life. When the monthly pack run approached—an event I had organized since becoming Luna—I arrived at the clearing to find Natasha already there, Leo balanced on her hip as she directed pack members with surprising authority.

"Alpha Ryan thought I might help ease your burden," she explained when she caught my stunned expression. "With your... condition... he worried the exertion might be too much."

My "condition"—my barrenness—had never hindered me before, but suddenly it was being wielded as a weapon against me.

I watched from the sidelines as Natasha ran beside Ryan, their son giggling between them, the perfect family portrait. Several pack members cast sympathetic glances my way, while others seemed taken with Natasha's energetic presence. By the run's end, she was teaching the younger pups traditional pack howling patterns—duties reserved for the Luna.

"She certainly has a way with the little ones," Healer Elara murmured beside me, her eyes sharp with concern. "Almost as if she's been trained for this."

"Or rehearsing," I replied quietly.

At night, the betrayal cut deeper. Ryan began returning to our quarters later and later, always with the same excuse: "Alliance negotiations with the northern packs. Nothing to worry about."

But our mate bond—once a warm, constant presence—now felt stretched and frayed. When he slipped into bed beside me, I could smell forest pine and night air on his skin, not the sterile conference rooms he claimed to occupy.

Lyra whimpered within me, He's lying. Again.

"Where were you really?" I asked one night, my back to him as he settled into bed well past midnight.

"I told you, alliance meetings. They're running long these days." His voice carried that slight edge it always did when he was being dishonest.

"You smell like the forest, not a meeting room."

He stiffened beside me. "We walked the territory lines. Standard procedure."

Another lie. Our bond might be weakening, but it still carried enough truth for me to feel the deception.

The next night, when Ryan announced another "late meeting," I waited until he left before following. I kept my distance, tracking him not by sight but through our damaged bond, feeling the pull even as it pained me.

He drove past the pack borders, beyond our territory, to where the neutral lands bordered rogue territory. A small cabin stood nestled among the pines, warm light spilling from its windows into the darkness.

I crouched in the shadows, my heart hammering as Ryan parked and approached the door. It opened before he could knock, and Natasha stood framed in the doorway, Leo on her hip. The boy squealed with delight, reaching for Ryan.

"Daddy! You came!"

Ryan scooped him up, pressing a kiss to his forehead before stepping inside. Through the window, I watched as they moved around the cabin with the easy familiarity of a routine long established. Ryan produced a small wooden wolf from his pocket—a carving he'd made—and presented it to Leo, who accepted it with gleeful abandon.

They looked like a family. They were a family.

As Ryan pulled Natasha into his arms, pressing his lips to hers with a passion I hadn't felt from him in years, the last thread of denial snapped within me. This wasn't a recent transgression or a moment of weakness. This was a second life, carefully constructed alongside the one he shared with me.

Lyra howled in anguish, the sound echoing through my mind as I stumbled backward into the darkness. We've been replaced.

Not just betrayed. Replaced.

Chapter 4 The morning sun streamed through the windows of the pack house, but it brought no warmth to my heart. I stood in the doorway of what had once been our private guest wing, watching as pack members carried Natasha's belongings inside. Each box, each piece of furniture felt like another violation of my territory.

"The Alpha has ordered the east wing prepared for Ms. Brooks and her son," Margaret announced, her voice carrying the weight of command despite no longer being Luna. "For their protection, of course."

I turned to face her, keeping my expression carefully neutral. "Protection from what, exactly?"

"Rogues, dear," she replied with false sweetness. "The poor thing has been through so much. It's our duty to shelter those in need."

Lyra growled within me. She's marking our territory. Our home.

"Of course," I said, my voice steady despite the rage building inside me. "I'll ensure they have everything they need."

Margaret's smile didn't reach her eyes. "That won't be necessary. I've already seen to it."

Of course she had. I watched as she directed the placement of a child-sized bed in the room adjacent to Natasha's—close enough to the Alpha quarters that Ryan could visit without drawing attention. The calculated precision of it all made my stomach turn.

---

Dinner that night was an exercise in restraint. I sat at my place beside Ryan, the empty chair at his other side a stark reminder of what was about to happen. The pack members had gathered for the evening meal, their curious glances darting between me and the entrance.

Ryan cleared his throat. "Before we begin, I have an announcement."

The room fell silent as he stood. "As you know, we've welcomed Natasha Brooks and her son Leo into our protection. Tonight, they'll be joining us for dinner and all pack meals going forward."

On cue, Natasha entered with Leo balanced on her hip. She wore a simple blue dress that complemented her eyes, her hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders. The picture of innocence and vulnerability.

"Thank you, Alpha Ryan, for your generosity," she said, her voice carrying just the right note of gratitude. "And thank you, Luna Olivia, for opening your home to us."

Several pack members murmured approvingly. I forced a smile, feeling it crack at the edges.

"Please," I gestured to the empty seat beside Ryan, "join us."

As she settled Leo into a hastily placed child's chair between them, I couldn't help but notice how they looked together—Alpha, she-wolf, and pup. The perfect family portrait.

Throughout the meal, Natasha deftly inserted herself into pack conversations, offering insights on territory management that suggested intimate knowledge of our borders. When Leo spilled his juice, she cleaned it with practiced efficiency, earning admiring glances from the younger pack members.

"You're so good with him," one of the younger she-wolves commented. "Have you taught classes with the pups before?"

Natasha's eyes flicked to mine before she answered. "Not formally, but I'd love to help with the pack's education program. If Luna Olivia approves, of course."

All eyes turned to me, waiting. To refuse would make me appear petty and insecure. To agree would surrender yet another Luna duty.

"Your assistance would be welcome," I said, the words tasting like ash.

Ryan placed his hand over Natasha's in a gesture of support that sent a spike of pain through our bond. "Excellent idea. The pups could benefit from fresh teaching approaches."

Lyra snarled within me. He never supported our teaching methods this publicly.

---

The next morning, I found Beta Sarah waiting outside my studio, her expression grave.

"Luna," she said, glancing around to ensure we were alone. "I need to show you something."

She pulled a manila envelope from her jacket and handed it to me. Inside were photographs—Ryan, Natasha, and Leo running together through the forest at night, their wolves playfully chasing one another. The dates stamped in the corner spanned back two years.

"There's more," Sarah said, producing a small ledger. "Financial records. He's been supporting them with pack funds for at least that long."

I flipped through the pages, noting regular transfers to an account in Natasha's name. Food. Clothing. The cabin I'd seen. All paid for with resources meant for our pack.

"Why are you showing me this?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

Sarah's eyes met mine, unwavering. "Because the pack deserves a Luna who puts them first. Always."

I nodded, understanding the choice she was making. Not between her Alpha and me, but between what was easy and what was right.

Before I could respond, the door to the council chamber opened, and Margaret emerged, followed by the pack elders. She spotted us and smiled thinly.

"Luna Olivia, just the person we need. The council is ready for your monthly report on pack welfare."

I tucked the envelope into my jacket and followed her inside, where the elders waited around the ancient oak table. I began my presentation, detailing the pack's health, resources, and needs as I had done every month for ten years.

Halfway through my assessment of the pack's food stores, Margaret cleared her throat. "This is all very thorough, as usual, but perhaps we should address more pressing concerns."

"Such as?" Elder Marcus asked.

Margaret's gaze swept the room before landing on me. "The future of our bloodline. Perhaps what this pack truly needs is leadership that secures our legacy."

Her eyes drifted meaningfully to the doorway, where Natasha stood with Leo, as if waiting for a cue that had just been delivered.

In that moment, I realized this wasn't just about replacing me as Ryan's mate. This was a coordinated campaign to erase me from the pack entirely.

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You were supposed to celebrate ten years as Luna tonight. Instead, you stand frozen in the shadows of the garage, watching Ryan press his face into another woman's neck—the intimate gesture reserved for mates. Your gift, a hand-carved frame with your sketch of their marking ceremony, slips from numb fingers.

The betrayal cuts deeper than the rogue's claws that took your child three years ago. Lyra howls inside you, a sound of pure anguish. You retreat without being seen, clutching the fallen gift like a shield.

Back at the pack house, former Luna Margaret intercepts you. 'The council has decided,' she says, holding out a folder. 'You will adopt Ryan's son and raise him as heir.'

Her eyes flick to your scarred abdomen. 'Since you can't provide one yourself.'

This is your life now, Lyra whimpers. Betrayed. Humiliated. Replaced.

Margaret extends the folder. 'Sign it, Olivia. For the pack.'

The weight of your Luna necklace feels like a noose. What do you do?