Chapter 1

Elena’s pov

I was buried in paperwork, trying to sort out this month’s expenses for the Pack house, when Tina, one of the maids, burst into my office.

Her face was lit up with excitement.

“Luna, Alpha is back!”

My heart skipped a beat. Joy spread through me like wildfire.

I’m Elena, the Luna of the Dark Moon Pack, and my husband, Alpha Hector, had been away for a whole year fighting Rogues.

Our wedding night should’ve been the beginning of our happily ever after, but fate had other plans.

He had to rush to the battlefield, leaving me behind.

Every single night since then, I’d been consumed with longing.

So, hearing he was finally back, I tossed the ledger aside and dashed downstairs, eager to reunite.

But as soon as I stepped out of the villa, it felt like I’d walked straight into a nightmare.

Hector, the man I’d missed so much, was surrounded by soldiers, passionately kissing some woman I’d never seen before.

The cheers and whistles around them felt like knives stabbing into my heart.

I froze, my happiness turning into icy disappointment and rage.

I forced myself to walk closer, even though every step felt like I was wading through quicksand.

As more people noticed me, the noise died down, like someone had hit the mute button.

Hector and his mystery woman were still in their own world until they finally sensed the eerie silence and pulled apart.

When Hector’s eyes met mine, panic flashed across his face, but he quickly masked it.

Holding the woman’s hand, he approached me.

“Elena, this is Vanessa, she’s—”

Before he could finish, Vanessa flashed a confident smile and offered her hand to me.

“Hi, I’m Vanessa, Hector’s partner. We fell in love on the battlefield.”

I laughed bitterly, anger making my voice shake.

“Partner? You mean mistress, right?”

Vanessa’s smile faltered.

Hector glared at me, his voice low and warning.

“Elena, don’t do this.”

I met his gaze, my tone icy.

“Am I wrong? I’m your wife, your mate. We’re still married! If she’s not a mistress, what is she?”

Hector had no answer, but Vanessa squared her shoulders, defiance in her eyes.

“In love, the one who isn’t loved is the third wheel. Hector doesn’t love you, he loves me.”

Her words were like daggers, and I felt them slice through my heart.

My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms.

Vanessa turned to Hector with a triumphant look.

“You promised me, remember? When you came back, you’d end things with her and be with me. Don’t forget.”

Hector’s gaze flicked to me, guilt in his eyes.

Then, he nodded to Vanessa, “I won’t forget.”

Vanessa beamed with joy, "Well then, we can get going. I'm beat and could really use some shut-eye. Will you come with me?"

"He's not coming with you!" I snapped, my teeth clenched in fury, my eyes blazing red as I tried to put a stop to everything.

Hector paused for a moment, gently running his fingers through Vanessa's hair. "You go rest first. I need to have a word with Elena."

Vanessa frowned unhappily, but eventually relented. "Fine, but I'm crashing in your room," she added with a blink.

"Of course," Hector agreed readily, calling for the maid.

Tears poured down my cheeks uncontrollably.

Shaking, I managed to say, "Hector, that's my room too."

"Not anymore," Hector replied coldly.

Vanessa kissed him and walked away, her figure shining in the sunlight like she’d won a trophy.

I stood there, shattered, as everything blurred.

“Come inside, we need to talk,” Hector said, clearing his throat.

In the living room, Hector didn’t waste time.

“I’m sorry, Elena, but I fell in love with Vanessa.”

“You fell in love with Vanessa?” I laughed bitterly, “A year ago, you said you loved me when you proposed!”

Hector scratched his head awkwardly, glancing at me with a mix of guilt and frustration. "So, uh, here's the thing. You're my mate, right? I always thought that meant I should, you know, love you. But then... Vanessa showed up. And, well, everything changed."

He let out a deep sigh, trying to find the right words. "When we're out there fighting together, I feel... something different. What I feel for you, it's not love. It's more like... the unavoidable sexual attraction between mates. But with Vanessa, it's real. It's pure love."

Talking about Vanessa, his expression softened, and it made me feel sick.

“Vanessa is different. You haven’t seen her bravery on the battlefield... I truly love her.”

“So you like her because she can fight and stand by your side in battle?”

“That's part of it,” Hector said, looking at me with disdain， “Vanessa's wolf is super strong. She's never been as weak as you, and she doesn’t need to hide behind a man for protection.”

“You think I've always depended on you to protect me?” I shot back.

“Isn't that the case?” Hector’s patience was clearly running thin， “If it weren't for Vanessa and me fighting bloody battles on the front lines, Elena, do you think you could just relax and enjoy being a carefree Luna with all the perks?”

Relax? Perks?

The Dark Moon Pack loves to fight and has a ton of enemies.

We’re always at war.

When I became Luna, the Pack was broke.

To save money and make sure our warriors had what they needed, I worked around the clock, making deals, doing business, even using my own savings to support the Pack.

Right now, most of the bonuses and subsidies the warriors get come from my pocket!

“Hector, there are some things I think you need to know, I—”

I tried to defend myself, but Hector cut me off.

“No matter what you say, it doesn’t matter. I love Vanessa. Elena, I hope you can understand me, understand us.”

His handsome face was now one I couldn’t stand to look at.

“Understand? How am I supposed to understand?”

Hector sighed.

“I promised Vanessa she’d be the Luna. So, Elena, I need you to step down.”

I stared at him, unable to believe his shamelessness.

“As Luna, I’ve done nothing wrong. While you were gone, I managed everything. Even when you were kissing Vanessa, I was handling Pack affairs!”

“Those are minor things, can they compare to Vanessa’s military achievements? Elena, in our recent battle with the Rogues, Vanessa was a key player in our victory! What do you have that can compare to that?”

I was stunned.

Hector seemed to realize he was being too harsh and softened a bit.

“Of course, Elena, I admit you've done a lot for the Pack, and I appreciate you, but appreciation isn't love. The Pack’s Luna has to be the woman I love.”

I felt sadness and disbelief.

Hector kept talking, “Don’t worry, even if you’re not Luna, you can still stay in the Pack. I won’t reject you. I’ll treat you like a sister.”

Of course he wouldn't reject me. As Alpha, losing a mate would definitely not be a good thing for the stability of the Pack.

I sneered.

His voice turned cold, “If you don’t want that, we can find another way. You can stay in the Pack house, but not in the main bedroom—that’s for Vanessa and me. I’ll come over sometimes, but don’t expect love. It’s just not going to happen.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Come over? So, you want me to be your mistress now?”

“Don’t make it sound so harsh. You’re my mate,” Hector said darkly, “This is my final offer.”

I laughed, incredulous.

Maybe it was the sarcastic smile on my face that made Hector's expression even darker.

He glared at me and said coldly, "Elena, I'm not here to chat. I'm here to inform you. You have three days to process this. After that, Vanessa will be announced as the new Luna."