Chapter 1 Chapter ONE

Eileen's POV

"Luna, I'm sorry, but you've been confirmed as infertile."

I sat in the sterile white waiting room of the Wolfpack Hospital, clutching the final report in my trembling hands. *Still.* This was the third time I'd come here to check my fertility since giving birth to Amber. As the Luna of our pack, I'd never missed a single training session, so I knew my body was healthy. Yet, despite following the pack nutritionist's advice—shifting from a vegetarian diet to one rich in meat—nothing had changed.

A tear slipped down my cheek, and the nurse's eyes widened in alarm. I quickly wiped it away with the back of my hand, forcing a smile to reassure her I was fine.

Leaving the hospital, I tried to focus on the silver lining: I already had Amber, my sweet, quiet daughter. But her silence weighed heavily on me. The pressure of being the heir to the pack was a mountain crushing both me and Jason, my husband and the Alpha of the Stoneheart Pack, the second-largest pack in North America. While Jason had never outright said Amber couldn't be his successor, the pack would never accept a silent Alpha.

I had to find him. We needed to fix this—for Amber's sake.

Lately, Jason had been coming home less and less, and Amber's condition had worsened. I wasn't sure if his absence was the cause, but I knew our relationship was crumbling. He avoided me, his silence growing more pronounced. Except for pack business, he was almost never home. I'd tried to convince myself he was just busy, but deep down, I couldn't shake the unease.

The pain of infertility felt like a boulder on my chest, suffocating me.

Tonight, I had to confront him. Our relationship couldn't continue like this—not for Amber's sake.

If only she could grow up like other children… No, I couldn't be so cruel. Amber was who she was meant to be, and her future would be brighter than mine.

Back at home, I took a deep breath and pushed open the door to my five-year-old's nursery, longing to hold her in my arms.

"Luna, you're back so early… Is everything alright?" the nanny greeted me with a warm smile.

I nodded, forcing a smile of my own, my eyes immediately drawn to the small figure on the bed. Amber was curled up in the corner, clutching her teddy bear, her eyes vacant, as if she'd shut out the world.

At the sound of my voice, her eyes flickered open briefly before darting away. My heart sank. There was no warmth in her gaze, no recognition of her mother—only cold detachment.

Tears welled up, but I quickly wiped them away and moved to the bed, gently pulling her into my arms. Her body stiffened, but she didn't push me away. At least I was the only one she allowed close—even Jason couldn't get near her.

"The doctor came this afternoon. He checked on Amber and suggested she needs her father's presence. An Alpha's genetic influence can help ease a pup's anxiety. There's a chance it could help her recover."

The nanny's words sparked a flicker of hope in me. If I could just talk to Jason, I was sure he'd come around for Amber.

But first, I had to find him.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. You'll get better soon, okay? Mom and Dad will make sure of it," I whispered, cradling her head against my chest.

Her body gradually relaxed, and soon, I heard the steady rhythm of her breathing. I looked down at her angelic face, tears streaming down my cheeks once more. Was all of this my fault?

"You're a curse, Eileen! Everyone around you suffers because of you!"

"You're the one who should die, Eileen! You shouldn't even have been born!"

The scars of my past tore open again—the people I'd once loved had looked at me with disgust, as if I were their nightmare. Their hatred was so vivid, so suffocating.

Pain lanced through my chest like a steel rod, and I clutched my heart, nearly collapsing. Tears poured out uncontrollably. No! I wouldn't let Amber suffer the same fate. I refused to believe Jason would be so cruel to our daughter.

Suddenly, the front door slammed open. I knew it was Jason. I quickly got up, quietly closing Amber's door, and headed to the living room.

Jason's tall frame filled the doorway, but his eyes immediately shifted away from me, as if I were invisible. What shocked me more was the woman standing behind him—clearly pregnant.

Her belly was round, and she wore a triumphant smile.

"Jason, who is she?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"This is Lena, my new mate," Jason replied coldly, his eyes devoid of warmth.

Lena stroked her belly, giving me a smug look before leaning into Jason and declaring, "I'm carrying Jason's son."

My world shattered. Breathing became painful, and my voice shook as tears streamed down my face.

"Your son?" I stared at Jason in disbelief, but his expression remained icy.

"Yes, she'll give me an heir," he said flatly. "We confirmed it today at the Wolfpack Hospital."

"Also, I found out something else—you're still infertile," he added, his tone indifferent.

My eyes widened, my heart constricting. Of course, the Wolfpack Hospital was Jason's domain. I should've known nothing about me was a secret to him.

"What about our family? What about Amber?" I felt dizzy, my palms slick with sweat.

Jason frowned, his voice cold and firm. "To me, Amber doesn't exist. She's a sickly pup, incapable of bringing any value to the pack. You two need to leave. As for the child Lena's carrying, that's my heir."

My heart was torn to pieces, each fragment burning with pain. I couldn't bear this betrayal, this blatant disrespect, this cruelty toward Amber. I glared at Jason, fury blazing in my eyes.

"How could you do this to us? Amber is your daughter! She's just sick—she needs you! She needs her father!"

Jason's eyes flashed with impatience. "Listen, my decision is final. From this moment on, you're no longer the Luna. Take your bastard and leave the pack. And if you try to come back, I'll take her from you and end you both."

"You wouldn't dare!" I clenched my teeth. No one would hurt Amber!

"Eileen, let's tear this scum apart! We can do it!" my wolf, Nora, roared in my mind.

"Stand down! You're not worthy to challenge me!" Jason's eyes turned red, his claws extending as he lunged at me!

"Ahh!" Suddenly, Amber's scream echoed through the living room. I turned to see her standing in the doorway, clutching her teddy bear, barefoot, her eyes filled with fear and hatred.

I retracted my claws and rushed to Amber, pulling her into my arms. Had she heard Jason call her a monster? My body trembled. No, my little Amber couldn't suffer any more.

"Amber, no! It's nothing! Mom and Dad were just playing a game," I soothed, but she kept screaming, her face contorted in pain. Jason's eyes were cold, devoid of compassion.

My pain deepened. "No, sweetheart, Amber, stop." I held her tightly, trying to calm her thrashing, kissing her cheeks to soothe her.

It felt like an eternity before Amber finally passed out in my arms. I collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down my face.

"Accept my rejection," Jason's icy voice cut through the silence.

My heart turned to ice. I'd been foolish to hope he'd change his mind. He hadn't. He'd watched Amber's suffering with cold indifference, shattering my last shred of hope.

I closed my eyes, numb. "I, Eileen, Luna of the Stoneheart Pack, accept your rejection. Jason, Alpha of the Stoneheart Pack."