Chapter 1

He'd been my mate for three years and spoiled me rotten.

Everyone called him the perfect mate.

The pack's full moon banquet had just ended when he stopped me at the door, begging:

"Iris, I was drugged. Lily's pregnant with my child."

I smiled and forgave him. Then I turned around, rushed to get my passport sorted, and rejected him.

Before leaving, I took one last look at our home.

He had no idea I'd already overheard him whispering to Lily:

"Iris is so boring in bed. You're way sexier."

He also had no idea that at this very moment, in a London airport, a man who'd been waiting five years for me was opening his arms wide.

Charles, congratulations. Your dream of losing the love of your life is finally coming true.

Iris POV

Everyone said Charles loved me more than life itself.

When I was eighteen, he saw me for the first time in London.

He said one look was all it took for him to know I was his.

Not just because I was his fated mate.

But because he'd fallen in love with me.

After that, he made me the most respected Luna in Shadowmoon Pack.

He wouldn't let anyone criticize me or talk back to me.

He even pushed past everyone's objections to give me command authority over every guard unit in the pack.

In our three years as mates, we never once fought.

The way he looked at me was always burning hot.

But this same Charles betrayed me on the most important night for werewolves—the full moon banquet.

The first time Charles begged me, it was because he'd been drugged at the pack's full moon banquet and ended up sleeping with Lily.

The next day, he canceled everything and came home, asking for my forgiveness.

"Iris, I was wrong. Someone drugged me. I don't even know how it happened with Lily... You can hit me, scream at me, anything. Just please don't leave me."

He handed me a whip and told me to go ahead.

I struck him a hundred times. His back was streaming with blood, but he never once cried out for mercy.

He just looked at me with eyes pleading for forgiveness.

In the end, I forgave him.

I told myself it was just an accident. Charles wouldn't really betray me.

The next day, I caught Lily forcing a kiss on Charles in the garden.

A second later, Charles shoved her off and slapped her across the face:

"Lily, that night is settled between us. If you keep pulling this nonsense, I'll have your father send you away!"

He turned and walked off without looking back.

I stood behind a tree, saying nothing.

That night he was extra passionate. His blazing embraces and lingering kisses made it feel like he wanted to fuse me into his blood.

I thought, Thank God. He only loves me.

But that illusion shattered fast.

Lily showed up at our door, clutching a pregnancy test.

"Charles, I'm pregnant."

Charles froze, like every ounce of strength had been drained from him.

He carefully scented Lily, confirming there really was a pup of his growing inside her.

Then he stepped forward and pulled Lily tight against his chest.

"I'm sorry."

His voice cracked.

"I'm sorry..."

His apologies were so cheap.

I thought to myself.

After comforting Lily, Charles dropped to his knees in front of me.

"Iris, I'm asking one thing of you."

His eyes were rimmed red.

"Let Lily keep the pup. You'll always be my only mate. There's no future for me with her. After the pup is born, my grandmother will raise it, and Lily will be sent back to her own pack. She'll have nothing to do with us. Please—just let this innocent pup live."

I looked down at him.

He was kneeling at my feet, abject as a dog.

But every word out of his mouth was begging me to accept the child another woman was carrying for him.

I bit back the bitterness rising in my chest, ignored the panic in his eyes, pulled my hand away, and went back to the bedroom.

I opened my laptop and clicked on an email I'd received three days earlier.

It was from the European Werewolf Academy. They'd been inviting me for a month now to come on as a junior combat instructor.

Because I'd graduated with top marks in every combat course, they thought I'd be perfect for the position.

Back then I still had hopes for Charles, so I kept turning them down.

Now...

I typed out a few words and hit send.

[I accept.]

That afternoon, while Charles was at a meeting in the pack council chambers, I went to Linda's place.

Linda is my human friend—a medium.

I needed her help to prepare a few things.

I knew Charles would never accept a rejection. I needed a way to bypass him and complete the rejection ritual.

Linda put together a contract document quickly.

She said as long as Charles signed it, it would count as his consent to the rejection.

I tucked it into my bag and went to find Lily.

Lily was sunbathing in the courtyard. The moment she saw me, she switched on her fragile, wounded look:

"Luna Iris, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I—"

I cut her off and set the document on the coffee table.

"Get Charles to sign this. I'm sure you can manage."

Lily paused, then dropped the innocent act and curled her lip into a scheming smile.

She picked up the document, flipped through it, and the helpless softness vanished from her eyes:

"Iris, you should've cleared out a long time ago. Charles and I grew up together. We were supposed to be married. But the Moon Goddess assigned his fated mate to be you instead of me!"

I wasn't angry:

"Then you'd better hurry. Seven days. I'm giving you seven days. Handle it, and you'll be Luna of Shadowmoon Pack."

Without bothering to look at Lily's twisted expression, I turned and went home.

Back home, I started packing.

We'd only been married three years, so I didn't have much.

Important documents and certificates went in one box. Everyday items in another.

I called a courier and shipped both boxes to the small apartment my parents had bought for me on this side of the country.

Once that was done, I took a look around at all the luxury items in the house.

Charles had been generous these past three years, I'll give him that.

Dozens of designer bags, a closet full of haute couture, three full glass cases of jewelry.

Throwing it all away would be a waste, so I texted a secondhand dealer. Within two hours, they'd cataloged everything and said they'd come pick it up the next day.

"Good," I replied. "Once it sells, donate all the money to the children's shelter."

The dealer paused, then quickly agreed.

Just as I was about to rest, there was a commotion downstairs.

I went out and saw Charles walking in with Lily, with Elder Luna Elizabeth right behind them.

Elizabeth had Lily by the arm. When she spotted me, she rolled her eyes hard:

"Charles, you've been married to Iris for three years and her belly's still flat."

"Good thing Lily's pregnant. Otherwise I'd start wondering if something was wrong with you."

Charles's face darkened:

"Grandma, don't say things like that!"

Lily's cheeks flushed:

"Don't talk like that, please..."

Charles pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Listening to them call me barren, I stayed silent.

After watching for a moment, I turned and went back to my room. I pulled out my phone and texted Lily:

[Seven days.]

After sending it, I tossed my phone on the bed and walked to the window.

Outside was his garden. When we were eighteen, we'd planted roses there together. He told me our love would bloom like those roses.

I stood there for a long time, until the sun finally sank.

Seven days. They'd pass quickly.