Chapter 1

I walked out of the examination room, clutching my "infertility" report. I saw my Alpha pinning another woman against a hospital bed, caressing her swollen belly. His child.

That woman was his brother's mate.

He once said I was his only Luna in this lifetime.

But the next second, he was choking me by the throat, forcing me to my knees to apologize. All for her sake.

That's when I finally understood: the cruelest betrayal isn't a change of heart. It's his gamble that I would never leave.

The smell of disinfectant in the corridor stung my nose. But the cold report in my hand was even harder to bear.

"Extremely low conception probability."

I, Amelia, Luna of the Ironclaw Pack, had been sentenced to death once again.

To bear an heir for my husband, Alpha Leo, I had swallowed countless bitter medicines over the past three years. Enduring one painful attempt after another.

I took a deep breath, stuffed the report into my bag, and prepared to leave.

Just as I reached the VIP ward, I found the door slightly ajar. I caught Leo's familiar scent of pine, but now it was tangled with another's. A cloying rose fragrance that made my stomach turn.

That was Grace's scent.

The mate of Leo's late brother, and the former Luna of the Ironclaw Pack.

I froze in place. Through the gap in the door, the scene before me made my blood run cold.

Leo had Grace pinned against the hospital bed, his large hand possessively stroking her prominently swollen pregnant belly.

He lowered his head, kissing her neck with fervor, drawing breathy moans from Grace.

"Leo... be gentle."

Grace purred coquettishly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear. I could clearly see the triumphant gleam in her eyes.

"If Amelia saw us like this, she'd definitely be jealous. She's still desperately hoping to conceive your heir. Aren't you afraid she'll cause trouble?"

Leo let out a cold laugh, his tone dripping with contempt I'd never heard before.

He nuzzled Grace's neck with his nose.

"She doesn't need to know. And even if she did, so what? She's a useless Luna. I've given her more than enough time. If she dares to cause problems for you and our pup, I can reject her anytime and make you my Luna, fair and square."

My heart felt as though an invisible claw had crushed it. My wolf cried out in anguish.

This was the man who had once knelt before me, vowing to love me forever?

I touched my flat abdomen, my heart aching.

Images from these past months flooded my mind unbidden. All the humiliation.

Back then, the Council of Elders had pressured me relentlessly, citing "the pack needs an heir."

And when Leo decided to hold a marking ceremony with Grace, he had held me tight, his eyes red.

"Amelia, I only love you. Marking Grace is just to satisfy the Council of Elders, just to produce an heir for the pack. You'll always be my only Luna."

I had believed him.

From that point on, Leo frequently stayed overnight at Grace's place, barely spending any time with me.

Whenever Grace used the mind-link, he would drop everything and rush to her side.

He even brought her to pack gatherings, as if Grace were his Luna.

I had complained to him many times.

But each time, he gave me the same excuse. Everything he did was to ensure Grace bore the pack's heir quickly, nothing more.

I kept telling myself he was just fulfilling his duty as an Alpha.

I firmly believed our mate bond remained solid.

Now, not only had he successfully gotten Grace pregnant, he was even ready to strip me of my Luna status at any moment.

My grief receded, replaced by complete clarity.

I, Amelia, was no one's doormat.

I pulled out my phone and dialed that familiar number.

"Father."

I took a deep breath.

My father's low, authoritative voice came through.

"My princess, you've finally contacted me. Has that idiot from the Ironclaw Pack been mistreating you?"

"You were right. He doesn't deserve my devotion. I want to break the mate bond with Leo."

I stared coldly at the two people still entangled in the hospital room.

"Dad, I want to come home."

"Good. The Princess of the Silver Crescent Pack doesn't need to waste time on trash. I'll send our finest guards to bring you back."

I hung up the phone.