Olivia
The flames flickered hungrily, devouring every trace of the past I had once clung to.
Silk dresses, fine jewelry, delicate perfumes—all the gifts I had received throughout my engagement with Alpha Sean, all reduced to ashes. Not because they meant anything to me, but because they never had. None of them were given out of love, only obligation. Sean had never chosen them himself; his parents had forced him, pushed the illusion of a perfect union while he barely even looked my way.
I had been a fool once. I had thought that even if he did not love me, time would change things. I had believed that duty and loyalty would eventually turn into something more.
But love did not grow where there was only hatred.
The fire crackled as I watched the last of the silk ribbons curl and blacken. Yet, among the destruction, there was one thing I did not burn.
The Crescent Pack’s heirloom.
A pendant, heavy with history, adorned with the sigil of the pack. The symbol of the future Luna. A title I would never bear.
I clenched the pendant in my fist. This was never mine to keep. With the heirloom in hand, I turned on my heel and made my way toward Sean’s chambers.
The corridor was dimly lit, the soft glow of the torches casting flickering shadows along the stone walls. My footsteps were silent, my presence concealed, instincts sharpening as I approached his room.
The door was ajar.
Voices drifted into the hallway, hushed but urgent. I stilled, my breath caught in my throat. Isabelle was inside.
I could already picture it—the omega curled in his arms, seeking his warmth, his comfort. Just like she always had.
My fingers tightened around the heirloom as I stepped closer, remaining hidden in the shadows.
“I-I’m scared,” Isabelle’s voice trembled, thick with tears. “What about… what about our baby? What if Olivia gets pregnant after the mating ceremony? What will happen to our child then?”
My blood ran cold.
Baby?
I swallowed, my pulse hammering as I braced myself for Sean’s response.
His voice was steady, reassuring. “She won’t.”
Isabelle sniffled. “But—”
“I’ve already taken care of it,” Sean interrupted, his tone eerily calm. “She’ll never have my children. The potion is ready. She won’t even know when she drinks it, but it will make her infertile forever.”
I couldn’t breathe. The walls felt like they were closing in, the air thick with something suffocating.
Infertile. Forever.
He had never even considered the possibility of a future with me. I had never been more than an obstacle to be removed, a duty to be tolerated until he could rid himself of me completely.
I had been blind. In my past life, I had believed he simply didn’t love me. That he was cruel, yes, but not… this. Not capable of poisoning me, of ensuring that I could never bear children, just so he could keep his omega without complications.
I should have felt rage. I should have stormed in and thrown the heirloom at his feet, demanded an explanation, screamed, fought—
But I did none of those things. Instead, I stepped back, one foot after the other, retreating into the darkness as silently as I had come.
I inhaled sharply and reached for the other phone hidden in my bedside drawer. My fingers dialed the number with familiarity, and after a few rings, a voice answered.
“Olivia?” My father’s voice, deep and commanding, filled the silence.
I closed my eyes. “I’m coming home, Father.”
There was a beat of silence before he responded. “What about the ceremony? Did something happen?” He sighed then asked another question, “Are you certain?”
“Yes,” I said firmly.
I heard his exhale, a mixture of relief and something else—something unreadable. “Then come home. We’ll be waiting for you.”
A weight lifted from my chest. But before I could hang up, another call came through.
Alpha Theron. I hesitated for only a second before answering.
“Olivia,” his voice was smooth, confident. “Everything is ready. Just say the word, and we will ruin your mating ceremony with Alpha Sean as planned.”
