Chapter 3
After William’s brother passed, everyone in Ember Claw Pack whispered the same thing behind closed doors: William needs an heir.
And I heard every word.
I watched the pressure weigh him down, and even though my heart broke for him, I pushed my own pain aside. I became a woman on a mission:hunting down every Pack Doctor, every healer, every witch rumored to possess ancient magic. I paid in blood, gold, and sleepless nights.
And for what?
To earn his love?
To become more than just a placeholder in his life?
To thank me, William handed over all his passwords—his phone, his laptop—telling me he wanted transparency, that he had nothing to hide. I believed him. Goddess, I believed him.
When I found out I was pregnant, I thought… maybe now, he’ll see me. Maybe now, he’ll be happy.
But nothing could have prepared me for what came next.
William’s eyes were ice-cold when he turned to me.
“I’ll do anything you want,” he said flatly. “Except ask Quinn to abort the pup.”
Then he actually added, like it was a gift, “Once she gives birth, I’ll let you raise him. He’ll carry my bloodline, and it’ll be like you had him yourself.”
He was serious.
“And from now on, you won’t have to see any more doctors or take those disgusting herbs. This is the best outcome for everyone. You’re not losing anything, Caroline. Nothing.”
He stepped closer, eyes hard. “Unless you want to be cursed forever as the Luna who couldn’t bear an Alpha heir?”
I felt the air leave my lungs.
Then he had the nerve to check his watch.
“I still have to prep for Mom’s discharge banquet,” he muttered. “You should head back.”
Like we’d just had a polite conversation.
Quinn stepped toward me, her voice syrupy and fake. “Please don’t be mad at William. This was all my idea. I—I didn’t mean for things to get so messy.”
“I promise, once the pup’s born, I’ll disappear. You won’t ever have to see me again.”
Behind her, William paused and looked over his shoulder. For a split second, guilt flickered in his eyes.
Then he took her hand and walked away with her.
And just like that… the sky darkened.
Thick clouds rolled in, throwing shadows over the half-built amusement park. It felt fitting. The place we once dreamed of building together now stood hollow, just like us.
I bent down and picked up the crumpled pregnancy report from the dirt, brushing it off with shaking hands.
I walked away.
Alone.
The recovery banquet was held at Ember Claw Pack’s luxury estate hotel. I sat silently in the back of the taxi, watching the familiar streets blur past.
It all looked the same. The city hadn’t changed.
But I had.
Memories hit me like a wave.
I’d chased William for four years in college. He was already the crown jewel of Ember Claw Pack—the Alpha heir every she-wolf wanted. To stay close to him, I turned down a prestigious graduate program my parents had arranged. I worked at his side, watching him shine, while he barely noticed I was there.
Then the crisis hit. Ember Claw Pack nearly collapsed.
And me?
I sold everything—my parents' inheritance, my future—to keep the pack from falling apart. To save him.
When the deal closed, and Ember Claw Pack was safe, William dropped to one knee and proposed with a diamond ring.
I thought it was love. I thought I had finally earned my place beside him.
But now I know…it was gratitude. Nothing more.
Our Moon Ceremony was broadcast for three days. Three whole days of joy I thought was real. I stepped into the role of Luna, ran the pack’s affairs, buried my own dreams just to stand by him.
And now… I was just another disposable woman he had to manage.
A pawn to be blamed for her own broken womb.
Tears welled up, but I blinked them away.
I picked up my phone and made the call.
“Hello? I’d like to schedule a termination.”
By the time I arrived at the hotel, the banquet was already winding down.
Laughter echoed through the hall. But when I stepped in, it died.
My mother-in-law was beaming. She grabbed Quinn’s hand like it was a lifeline.
“Quinn is a blessing to this family,” she declared, loud enough for everyone to hear. “She’s carrying the only Alpha heir Ember Claw Pack has left!”
She cast a sharp glance in my direction.
“Not like some people,” she snapped. “Three years of marriage, and not even an egg to show for it.”
The crowd laughed.
Then she reached down and removed a gleaming jade archer’s ring from her finger—Ember Claw Pack’s Luna ring.
She placed it into Quinn’s hand with reverence.
“From this moment forward,” she said with pride, “you are Ember Claw Pack’s Luna. And if anyone dares question it, they’ll answer to me!”
Applause broke out. Cheers. Congratulatory words.
And then silence, as everyone turned to me.
Their expressions were a mix of disgust and pity.
“She’s actually here,” someone muttered.
“How shameless can one woman be?”
“I heard she’s barren. Poor William, he must’ve been suffering these last three years.”
“She should’ve left ages ago. She’s clinging to the Pack like a leech.”
“She’s cursed. I swear it. Everything went wrong the moment she showed up.”
My nails dug into my palms until they bled.
But I didn’t flinch.
Because I had already made my decision.
This was the last time they’d ever look down on me.
The last time they’d ever laugh behind my back.
I may have walked in alone…But the next time I came back—They’d all kneel.
