Chapter 3

My chest tightens painfully.

Just to officially claim his whore, Kael would rather wear a dead man's identity than acknowledge his own flesh and blood standing right in front of him.

"Be good, sweetie. That's not Daddy. Daddy is gone forever." I crouch down, stroking his hair as I force the words out of my throat.

After calming him down, I change my route and head straight for the Elder Hall.

I slap the Return to the Tree cancellation document directly onto the long table.

"Nullify Kael's Alpha registry," I demand, staring dead into the High Elder's eyes. "Seal his Alpha authority and private assets. The Elders' Council is taking full control."

The High Elder freezes, his staff thumping against the floor. "That will create a power vacuum. We need a buffer period of at least a month—"

I plant both hands on the edge of the table and lean in, locking eyes with him. "The Codex states a fallen Alpha's registry must be struck within seven days, or his lingering aura will pollute the Sacred Tree's roots. Do you want to strip the entire pack of its blessing? Stamp it. Now."

No one dares to shoulder the blame for rotting the Sacred Tree. Gritting his teeth, he yanks out his seal and slams it onto the parchment.

"While you're at it," I say, blocking his hand before he can pull it back. "I'm taking my pup to the Royal City to mourn at the Holy Tree's branching roots. Issue an exit permit."

I return home with the exit permit tucked away.

Only to find my son huddled in the corner. His tiny hands are desperately gripping a rough, sacrificial Thorn Stone, grinding it furiously against the floorboards.

His soft, uncalloused paw pads are split open, smearing fresh blood across the wood. He is shaking violently from the pain, yet biting his lips so hard to hold back his whimpers.

Just a few steps away, Seraphina is lounging on the velvet sofa, casually sipping a cup of warm milk.

"Without an Alpha backing you, you two need to learn the rules," she sneers. "Useless trash better learn how to serve the new Luna early, so you don't get beaten later."

My brain buzzes with pure rage. I cross the room in one stride, snatch the bloody stone straight from my son's hands, spin around, and hurl it violently at her!

"Ah!" she shrieks, jumping back. "Are you insane?!"

I wrap my son's bleeding hands tightly. "Touch my son again, and I will rip your throat out with my bare teeth."

I stand up, towering over her. "We are leaving very soon. Keep your disgusting games to yourself."

Seraphina brushes the debris off her face, letting out a cold scoff. "You think you can leave?"

"I’m pregnant, and I need round-the-clock care. You’re a widow. Staying to serve me is the least you can do to earn your dead mate some good karma."

Kael, disguised in Elias's skin, approaches us.

He puts on a sickeningly patient and noble face. "Seraphina needs you to stay. Besides, my brother's dying wish was for me to protect you and the pup. The outside is full of rogues. You must stay."

Staring at his face, all that flashes through my mind is the memory of my water breaking prematurely.

I lay in a pool of my own blood, nearly passing out from the agony, while he refused to even come downstairs—all just to stay by Seraphina's side.

My face goes ice-cold. I shoulder past him hard. "Seraphina is your mate. Take care of her yourself."

Deep into the night, after coaxing my son to sleep, I head back to my room. Through the thin walls, I hear Kael and Seraphina arguing in hushed tones.

"When are you finally going to seize power? Our child cannot be born a Beta! I want to be Luna!"

"Once I use Elias's identity to empty out the Elders' Council, our child will inherit the throne legitimately."

"What if Elara finds out you're not dead?"

Kael lets out a dark chuckle. "Elias's corpse burned to ashes; there's no proof left. Even if she figures it out, Mother already knows everything and she will back me up. The second Elara dares to run her mouth, Mother will claim she went mad from grief and lock her directly in the dungeon."

So the bastard in Seraphina's belly belongs to Kael. I was kept entirely in the dark, played for an absolute fool until this very moment.

Thinking of my son, I force myself to swallow the sick feeling. For his sake, we will be out of this hellhole very soon.

At the first light of dawn, the Council's messenger knocks on the iron ring of our gate. The exit permit is active.

I don't pack a single valuable item. I only take one suitcase, stuffed with a few essential clothes.

The moment I step down the front porch, Kael's massive frame blocks my path.

His eyes lock onto my suitcase like a vice. "Where are you going?"

"Move out of the way, Elias. Remember your place."

That single name stomps directly on his frayed nerves. He lunges forward and violently snatches my suitcase.

"You're not going anywhere!"

"You have no right to control me!" I glare at him. "You are my brother-in-law, not my mate!"

A flash of golden rage ignites in Kael's eyes. The absolute, crushing weight of his Alpha aura slams down onto my shoulders.

He invades my space, his hot breath hitting my face. "Why leave? If you stay, your pup will never go hungry."

His gaze turns frantic and sickeningly greedy. "My brother is dead, and you're desperate for a man, aren't you? Seraphina will give me a pureblood heir, and the two of you... you can both serve me. We'll still be one big family."

Intense nausea floods my throat.

Using every ounce of strength in my body, I slap him viciously across the face.

"You are absolutely repulsive."

That slap completely snaps the last thread of Kael's sanity.

He lets out a feral growl. Pouncing like an enraged beast, he grabs me and yanks me brutally against his chest.

"You aren't leaving!"

Right at that moment, a sudden loud commotion erupts outside, and the heavy doors are shoved open.

Seeing the person standing there, Kael freezes in absolute shock—