I had imagined this moment a thousand times before. The day I would tell Noah that we were having a baby. I had planned to surprise him in our room, maybe after a long day of training. He would have pulled me into his arms, kissed me like I was his entire world, and then laughed in pure joy when I told him we were going to be parents.
But that moment would never come.
Instead, I stood at the entrance of the Sinclair Pack’s great hall, my heart pounding against my ribs as I stared at the scene before me. The grand ceremony, the hundreds of guests, the golden light spilling from the chandeliers, it was everything Noah and I had once dreamed of for our own wedding. But now, he was standing at the altar with another woman.
Caroline.
My fingers clenched around the small envelope in my hands. The proof. The only thing that could force them to let me stay.
A hush fell over the crowd as they noticed me. Murmurs rippled through the hall, growing louder as people recognized my face. Some in shock. Some in disgust. To them, I was an intruder, a ghost that should have stayed buried.
Caroline turned first. The moment her eyes landed on me, they widened in surprise, then narrowed into pure fury.
Noah… his reaction was worse.
His gaze was blank. Cold. Like I was nothing more than a stranger.
"Audrey?" someone whispered.
Caroline stepped forward, lifting her chin high. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice sharp enough to slice through the silence. "Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?"
I forced a smirk, even though my hands trembled. "Relax, I’m not here to ruin your wedding." I held up the envelope. "I came to deliver some great news."
The tension in the room deepened. Caroline’s eyes flicked to the envelope in my hands, suspicion creeping onto her face.
Slowly, I opened it and pulled out the ultrasound photo. The black-and-white image of my twins stared back at me, small but unmistakably alive. I turned the photo toward the crowd, letting them all see.
"I’m pregnant," I announced, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "With Noah’s twins."
Gasps erupted across the room. The elders at the front turned to each other, whispering in shock. A few pack members exchanged stunned glances, while others simply stared at me as if I had lost my mind.
Noah’s expression didn’t change. He remained still, unreadable.
Caroline, on the other hand, looked like she wanted to rip me apart. "You’re lying," she spat, her voice shaking. "You’re desperate. This is pathetic."
I took a step forward, meeting her glare head-on. "Lying?" I let out a small laugh, shaking the ultrasound in front of her. "This is proof, Caroline. I would have told Noah sooner, but someone made sure he forgot me."
Noah’s body tensed. His brows furrowed slightly, but he still didn’t say a word.
"The accident," one of the elders muttered. "She’s saying the accident erased her from his memories."
Caroline let out a harsh laugh. "Do you hear how insane that sounds? If Noah forgot her, maybe it was for a reason."
I turned to Noah, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Noah, do you really not remember me at all?"
Silence.
He didn’t answer. Didn’t even blink.
My fingers tightened around the ultrasound. "Before your accident, you loved me. You were going to be a father. This should have been the happiest moment of our lives." My voice wavered, but I forced myself to stay strong. "You promised me forever."
Noah finally spoke. "I don’t remember making that promise."
The words cut deeper than any blade.
I sucked in a sharp breath. I knew this would happen, I had prepared for it—but hearing him say it, with that empty look in his eyes, nearly shattered me.
Caroline stepped beside him, looping her arm through his. "Enough of this nonsense. This is our wedding day, and we don’t need some delusional ex trying to ruin it."
I smiled bitterly. "Oh, don’t worry, Caroline. I’m not here to take him back." I turned to the elders, knowing exactly what to say. "I’m here because the Sinclair Pack needs an heir."
Caroline stiffened.
The elders exchanged glances. "She’s right," one of them murmured.
"The Alpha must have an heir," another agreed.
Caroline’s fingers dug into Noah’s arm. "You can’t be serious—"
I tilted my head, feigning curiosity. "But that’s a problem, isn’t it? You can’t give him one."
A deadly silence fell over the room. Caroline’s face drained of color.
Everyone knew. Everyone knew she was infertile.
For a moment, she couldn’t speak, her lips parting in shock. Then, just as quickly, her fury returned. "You little—"
"Enough," one of the elders interrupted. He turned to Noah, his expression firm. "Like it or not, these children are yours. Audrey is carrying your bloodline. This isn’t something we can ignore."
Caroline let out a strangled noise. "You’re saying she can stay?"
Noah finally met my gaze, his golden eyes dark with something I couldn’t decipher. Then, slowly, he exhaled and turned to the elders.
"She can stay," he said.
For a second, my heart leapt. But then, he finished.
"But only until she gives birth." His voice was as cold as ice. "After that, she leaves."
The room spun. I stared at him, waiting for him to take it back. To realize how cruel he was being. But he didn’t.
He meant it. The final knife in my chest.
I forced myself to nod, refusing to let my pain show. "Fine."
