After My Mate Betrayed Me, I Stole His Heir

The morning light filtered through the tall windows of the Pack House as I arranged the fresh-cut lilies in a crystal vase. My fingers lingered on the delicate petals—just as Greyson had lingered on my skin last night, his touch passionate but somehow distant. I pushed the thought away. Today was important.

"Perfect," I whispered, stepping back to admire my work. The grand hall sparkled with silver and blue decorations—Silverclaw Pack colors—for Greyson's birthday celebration tonight. Everything had to be flawless. I was Gianna Hayes, the Luna of Silverclaw Pack, and my Alpha deserved nothing less than perfection.

My wolf, Aria, stirred within me. *He seems distracted lately.*

"He's busy," I replied silently. "The northern border dispute requires attention."

But even as I thought it, doubt crept in. Greyson had been distant for weeks now—coming to bed late, leaving early, his scent sometimes carrying traces of pine and jasmine that weren't from our shared gardens.

"Luna Gianna?" A young Delta appeared in the doorway, bowing respectfully. "The caterers need your approval on the menu."

I straightened my shoulders, adjusting the silver crescent moon pendant that marked me as Luna. "Of course."

As I moved through the Pack House, pack members nodded respectfully. I had worked hard to earn their admiration—learning their names, remembering their birthdays, supporting their families when needed. The role of Luna wasn't just a title; it was a sacred duty I took seriously.

"Everything looks wonderful," I told the catering team, tasting a small bite of the venison stew. "Though perhaps a bit more rosemary?"

My phone buzzed in my pocket. A message from an unknown number. I waited until I was alone in my office before opening it.

The video loaded slowly, pixel by pixel, until my heart stopped.

Greyson—my mate, my Alpha, my everything—pinned beneath him a woman with copper hair and a warrior's build. Briana Lane. His personal assistant. Her head thrown back in ecstasy as he marked her neck with kisses that should have been mine alone.

"He's magnificent, isn't he?" Briana's voice came through the video, though her face wasn't visible. "So powerful. So hungry. Does he ever look at you the way he looks at me?"

Aria howled in agony inside me, clawing at my chest. The mate bond—that sacred connection blessed by the Moon Goddess herself—twisted painfully, as if someone had taken a knife to it.

"I thought you should know what your Alpha does when you're not around," Briana continued, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "He says you're too...proper. Too perfect. He needs someone who can handle his wolf."

I dropped the phone as if it had burned me. The video continued playing, but I couldn't bear to watch anymore. My hands trembled as I picked it up and deleted it, though I knew the image was burned into my mind forever.

Aria whimpered. *He betrayed us. Our Alpha betrayed us.*

"No," I whispered, though tears streamed down my face. "There must be an explanation."

But deep down, I knew better. The scent on his clothes. The late nights. The way he'd stopped looking into my eyes during lovemaking.

I pressed my palm against my stomach, feeling the faintest flutter of something I hadn't noticed before. Could it be? No, it couldn't be that time already...

A plan formed in my mind—desperate, perhaps, but necessary.

---

"Greyson," I called softly that evening, watching him adjust his tie in the mirror. "I need to speak with you."

He turned, his handsome face unreadable. "What is it, Gianna? I have a council meeting in twenty minutes."

"It's important," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady. "I think I might be pregnant."

His eyes widened slightly—a flicker of something crossing his face. Guilt? Fear? Or simply surprise?

"Pregnant?" he repeated, his voice carefully neutral.

"Yes," I lied, watching him closely. "I've been feeling...different. The healer thinks it might be early signs."

He approached slowly, placing his hands on my shoulders. "We'll see the healer tomorrow to confirm it."

"Of course," I smiled, though it felt like breaking glass. "I just wanted you to know first."

He nodded, kissing my forehead briefly before leaving for his meeting. No excitement. No joy. Just...calculation.

---

"The Luna requests your presence at the healing den," a young pack member told Elena, the pack healer, as I waited nervously in the antechamber.

Elena entered with her usual calm demeanor, but her eyes widened slightly when she saw me. "Luna Gianna, what brings you here?"

"I need to know if I'm pregnant," I whispered, glancing at the door to ensure we were alone. "And I need you to keep it confidential if I am."

She nodded solemnly, placing her hands on my abdomen. Her eyes closed as she connected with her healing abilities, sensing what I couldn't yet confirm.

"Luna," she said finally, her voice gentle but firm. "You are carrying the Alpha's heir. About six weeks along."

The world seemed to tilt beneath me. A child. Greyson's child. Our child.

And a mate bond tainted beyond repair.

Aria growled inside me. *We must protect the pup.*