Chapter 2

"Felicia's pregnant?"

I opened the booklet. An ultrasound photo was tucked inside.

The Beta's face changed instantly, and he lunged for it. "Luna, that's Miss Smith's private medical information."

"Then why is her private medical information in the Alpha's suitcase?"

"The Alpha just went with her to the appointment."

The call was still connected.

Nate's voice came through, cold and clipped. "Felicia hasn't been feeling well, so I took her to the Pack hospital for a checkup. She doesn't have a mate now, and she doesn't want anyone to know. Don't spread her private business around."

I looked at the date on the ultrasound.

It was the same day as my first prenatal appointment.

That day, Nate had promised to go with me. But when we arrived at the Pack hospital, he told me Felicia's car had broken down and said I should go in by myself.

I waited four hours. When I came out with my results, his phone was off.

So while I was alone in the same hospital, he had finished a full prenatal appointment with another woman.

I asked, "Whose pup is it?"

"That's none of your business."

"You're my Alpha. My mate."

Nate's patience snapped. "Which is exactly why I'm telling you not to ask."

"Wendy, you already have a pup of your own. You don't need to be this hostile to someone who has no one."

"I just asked who the father is."

Felicia's voice came over the line, as if she had just woken up. "Wendy, please don't get the wrong idea. There's nothing going on between me and Nate. He only kept it quiet because I didn't want the pack to know."

"Then what about the pup's father?"

She went quiet for a moment, then started sniffling.

Nate immediately lowered his voice to comfort her. "It's okay. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

When he came back on the line, his voice was full of irritation.

"Enough. She just found out she's pregnant. She can't handle stress."

I looked at the diagnosis on my bedside table.

We were both pregnant.

Felicia frowned, and he worried about her stress.

I was bleeding in the Pack hospital, and all he could think about was making sure I got her wrap cleaned.

"Nate, I can't handle stress either."

"You seem fine to me."

The words came out before he could stop them. Silence stretched between us.

I didn't argue. For the first time, I was the one who hung up.

Nate didn't come back until the next afternoon.

He didn't come to my room first. He took Felicia home so she could rest.

It was seven that evening when he finally walked in with a takeout bag.

"Felicia said you haven't been eating much. She asked me to bring this."

I glanced at the container.

Chicken noodles. Felicia's favorite.

With onions, which I'm allergic to.

"Just leave it there."

He sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze settling on my pale face. "What did the doctor say?"

"Bed rest. Try to keep the pup."

"At tomorrow night's Full Moon banquet, we were going to announce your pregnancy. Since you can't make it, Felicia can fill in for you."

I stared at him. "You want her to stand in as Luna?"

Nate tucked the blanket around me, his tone gentler than usual.

"She's just taking your place for the night. Focus on getting better. Don't make a big deal out of it."

The next second, he pulled an authorization form from his briefcase.

"Sign this. We're announcing the Cloud Cabin project tomorrow night. Since you can't be there, Felicia's name will go on the lead designer credit for now. We'll switch it back after the launch."

I gripped the paper.

The Cloud Cabin was my mother's unfinished manuscript, a project I had spent two years pouring everything into.

"Why can't you just announce it under my name?"

"If you miss the launch, investors will lose confidence. Felicia looks the part, and she'll show up on time. She's a better choice."

"That's my design."

"I know."

He pressed the pen into my hand, his thumb resting lightly against it.

"We're only borrowing her name. Don't be difficult."

I pulled my hand away. "I'm not signing."

His expression turned cold.

"Wendy, the Silverwood Pack is not your personal playhouse."

"You already threw off the flight schedule by showing up late. Felicia's willing to clean up your mess. Why are you causing another scene?"

He smoothed the form flat again. "Sign it by nine. The Beta will come get it."

I stared at his back. "What if I don't sign?"

Nate paused at the door.

"All the R&D files for Cloud Cabin are in my company. If you refuse, I can still decide who presents it."

He knew exactly how much that project had cost me.

I clenched my fist and finally said it.

"I want to break the Mate Bond."

Nate stopped in his tracks.

He turned back, mockery in his eyes.

"Wendy, even jealousy has limits. Don't take this so far you can't walk it back."

His voice was steady, the same way it always was when we fought, calm and certain that I could never leave him.

But this time, I was completely done with Nate. And with the Mate Bond between us.