The marble staircase gleamed under the morning light as I made my way down, one hand resting on my swollen belly. Three weeks had passed since Jonathan had dismissed my pregnancy as a lie, but my body knew the truth. The tiny life inside me grew stronger each day, despite everything.
I heard footsteps above me and looked up to see Nanzhi descending, her silver-blue eyes fixed on me with calculated malice.
"Elodie," she purred, "still clinging to that pathetic lie about your pregnancy?"
I gripped my cane tighter. "It's not a lie."
"Jonathan doesn't believe you." She smiled, taking another step down. "No one does."
I turned away, continuing down the stairs. My damaged leg ached with each step, but I refused to show weakness.
"He'll never choose you again," Nanzhi continued, her voice dripping with venom. "You're nothing but a burden he keeps out of obligation."
Something in me snapped. I whirled around, my wolf surging forward despite her weakness.
"Enough!" I hissed. "I am still Luna of this pack!"
For a split second, fear flashed across Nanzhi's face. Then her expression changed, calculating. She took a deliberate step forward, then suddenly threw herself backward with a scream that echoed through the stairwell.
"Help! She pushed me!" Nanzhi shrieked, tumbling down several stairs before catching herself. "Elodie attacked me!"
Footsteps thundered toward us. Jonathan appeared at the top of the stairs, his face contorted with rage as he took in the scene—Nanzhi sprawled dramatically on the steps, tears streaming down her face.
"What have you done?" he growled, his Alpha aura crushing down on me.
"Jonathan, I didn't—" I began, but his hand struck out faster than I could finish.
The blow caught me across the face with such force that I crashed into the wall. Stars exploded behind my eyes as I crumpled to the floor, my hand instinctively covering my belly.
"She tried to kill me!" Nanzhi sobbed, clinging to Jonathan as he helped her up. "She's jealous because you chose me!"
Jonathan didn't even look at me as he ordered the guards who had gathered. "Take her to the dungeon. Three days."
---
The dungeon beneath the pack house was a relic from darker times. Cold stone walls wept with moisture, and the iron bars of my cell were rusted with age. They threw me inside without ceremony, my cane clattering to the floor beyond my reach.
"Alpha's orders," the guard muttered, not meeting my eyes. "No special treatment."
I huddled in the corner, wrapping my arms around myself for warmth. The thin blanket they'd given me did little to ward off the chill that seeped from the stone.
"Please," I whispered to the guard as he turned to leave. "My pup needs warmth."
He paused, his shoulders tense. "I'm sorry, Luna. I can't help you."
The door closed with a heavy thud, leaving me alone in near-darkness. Only a single torch in the corridor provided dim light.
I pressed my hand to my belly, feeling the slight swell. "We'll be okay," I whispered, though I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince—my unborn pup or myself.
Hours stretched into days. They brought me water and meager portions of food, barely enough to sustain me. My wolf retreated deeper inside, conserving what little strength remained after the blood donation.
On the second day, I felt something change. A subtle shift in the rhythm of my body. The tiny heartbeat that had been so strong seemed to falter.
"No," I whispered, tears freezing on my cheeks. "Please, little one. Hold on."
But I could feel the bond weakening. My pup was dying.
---
On the third day, voices drifted through the corridor outside my cell. Two guards, their footsteps echoing on the stone floor.
"Big celebration tonight," one said, his voice carrying clearly in the damp air. "Alpha's announcing Nanzhi as his chosen Luna."
"What about the real Luna?" the other asked quietly.
"Still in there." He gestured toward my cell. "But after this, everyone will know where the Alpha stands."
They moved closer, unaware I could hear them.
"Nanzhi's pregnant," the first guard continued. "Alpha's heir on the way."
"Already? That was fast."
"She announced it this morning. The whole pack's talking about it."
Their voices faded as they moved away, but their words remained, cutting through me like claws.
Nanzhi. Pregnant. The pack celebrating.
I pressed my forehead against the cold stone wall, feeling something inside me break completely. My wolf, once proud and strong, curled into herself and went silent.
And in that moment, as my pup's heartbeat stuttered and failed, I made my decision.
The mate bond could die.
I could die.
But I would not suffer this anymore.
