The morning sickness had barely subsided when I slipped into the pack kitchen, hoping to brew some ginger tea before anyone else woke. The quiet solitude was all I needed—just me and the gentle hum of the kettle.
"Making breakfast for your Alpha?"
I flinched at Eliana's voice, sharp as a blade slicing through the peaceful morning. She leaned against the doorframe, her silk robe hanging open to reveal the curve of her breast. Even in the early light, her makeup was flawless.
"Just some tea," I murmured, keeping my eyes on the kettle. "For the nausea."
Eliana's laugh was cold as winter frost. "Oh, the little broodmare needs her morning pick-me-up."
My wolf bristled at the word. *Broodmare*. Like I was nothing more than a vessel for Garrett's heir.
"You should be more careful, Emily." She moved closer, her floral scent suffocating me. "Did you really think he'd choose you? A little Omega with no power, no connections?"
I gripped the counter to steady myself. "The Moon Goddess chose me for him."
"The Moon Goddess made a mistake." Eliana's fingers trailed across the marble countertop, leaving a trail of her scent. "Garrett tells me everything, you know. Every night you cry yourself to sleep. Every time you vomit. Every pathetic little prayer you whisper to that useless wolf of yours."
My stomach clenched. Those were private moments—our private moments.
"He says you're so desperate for his attention you've started leaving little gifts on his pillow." Her eyes gleamed with malice. "How cute. How pathetic."
The kettle whistled, its shrill cry matching the scream building in my chest.
"Once you pop out that pup," Eliana continued, leaning in close enough that I could smell Garrett's cologne on her skin, "he'll have no use for you. Just you, your sad little wolf, and a nursery full of baby things no one will ever want."
I pushed past her, the empty mug clutched in my trembling hand. "I have two weeks," I whispered. "Catherine promised."
Eliana's laughter followed me down the hall. "Promises are for children, little wolf. And you're nothing but a means to an end."
---
Garrett's office was empty when I slipped inside later that day. I needed to find the pack territory maps—anything to distract myself from Eliana's words echoing in my head.
The massive oak desk dominated the room, its drawers neatly labeled. I found the maps in the second drawer, but as I closed it, something caught my eye.
A small brass key, partially hidden beneath a stack of reports.
My fingers trembled as I picked it up. What was Garrett hiding that required a lock?
The key fit perfectly into the bottom drawer—the one I'd never seen him open. Inside lay a wooden box, polished to a gleam and tied with a silk ribbon.
I shouldn't look. This was private.
But Eliana's words pushed me forward. *He tells me everything.*
With shaking hands, I untied the ribbon. The lid opened smoothly, revealing a shrine that shattered what little hope I had left.
A scarf—Eliana's scarf—folded carefully and tied with her scent. Photos of them together, some recent, some from years ago. And beneath them, letters.
Love letters.
"Dearest Eli," I read, my voice barely audible. "Another night pretending to love her while my heart belongs to you..."
The date on the letter was three days *after* our mating ceremony.
I sank to the floor, the letters scattered around me like fallen leaves. Each one more intimate than the last. Each one proof that Garrett had never intended to honor our bond.
"My wolf howls for you," one read. "Not for the little Omega who shares my bed out of duty."
My wolf whimpered inside me, the sound so pitiful it brought tears to my eyes.
---
The forest was quiet as I followed Eliana's scent toward the eastern border. Something about her smug confidence had set off warning bells—what was she planning?
I stayed downwind, my footsteps silent as I tracked her to a small clearing just beyond our territory lines.
A man waited there—rough, scarred, with the unmistakable scent of a Rogue.
"The information is accurate," Eliana was saying, her voice low but clear. "The training session is tomorrow at noon. The northern path will be unguarded."
The Rogue nodded, his yellowed teeth flashing in what might have been a smile. "And the price?"
"Create a distraction," Eliana said. "Something big enough to draw attention away from the training grounds. I need about ten minutes."
"What's your endgame, Beta's daughter?" the Rogue asked, curious despite himself.
Eliana's laugh was cold as winter ice. "Let's just say I need to eliminate some... competition."
My blood ran cold as I realized what she was planning. Not just to hurt me—but to endanger the entire pack.
I backed away slowly, careful not to make a sound. Whatever game Eliana was playing, it was far more dangerous than I'd imagined.
And Garrett was either part of it—or completely blind to the threat growing right under his nose.
