I Refuse to Be My Alpha’s Second Choice

Beatrice’s POV I thought losing my pup was the worst thing Alpha Logan could ever make me endure. I was wrong. There were apparently deeper places a person could fall after they had already hit rock bottom. I returned to the Silverpine Packhouse just before dusk, my body still weak from the medicine the healer had given me. Every step felt heavier than it should have. The healer had told me to rest for at least two days, but I could not bear the thought of staying in that sanctuary any longer. The walls had witnessed too much of my grief. Every time I closed my eyes, I could still feel the emptiness beneath my palm. There was no tiny heartbeat anymore. I had made my choice. I kept telling myself that it had been the right one. That I had done it to protect my child from a father who had already rejected it before it was even born. But knowing something was necessary did not make it hurt less. I pushed open the door to the packhouse. The familiar scent of cedarwood and burning firewood greeted me. For years, that scent had meant home. That evening, it only made my chest tighten. I had barely stepped inside when I heard crying. Not the quiet kind. It was soft, broken sobbing coming from the sitting room. I stopped. My eyes lifted. Cassandra was sitting on the couch. Alpha Logan was beside her. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders while she buried her face against his chest, trembling as he murmured something into her hair. For several seconds, neither of them noticed me. I stood there silently, watching my mate comfort the woman whose pup he had claimed as his own. Alpha Logan finally looked up. His expression changed immediately. “Beatrice.” Cassandra pulled away from him and wiped her tears. Alpha Logan stood. “Where have you been?” His voice wasn’t relieved. It was angry. I blinked at him. I had just spent hours recovering from an abortion he didn’t even know about, and the first thing he asked was where I had been. “I needed some time to think.” “You needed time to think?” His brows pulled together. “Beatrice, you disappeared the entire night.” “I told you I needed time.” “You should have told me where you were going.” His voice rose. Something inside me flinched, but I forced myself to remain standing. “I didn’t think I needed permission.” Alpha Logan stared at me. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then his expression hardened. “Something terrible happened last night.” Something terrible? I wondered if he had any idea how many terrible things had happened to me since the Blood Moon. “She needs you,” he said quietly. Cassandra lowered her eyes. “The photo…” Logan’s expression darkened. “Yes.” He looked back at me. “A photo was leaked last night.” My stomach sank. “What photo?” He hesitated. Then he said, “A photo from the night you and Cassandra were taken.” The room suddenly felt colder. “There was a photograph?” “It was taken inside the lodge.” I stared at him. My fingers curled against my palms. “What kind of photograph?” Alpha Logan didn’t answer immediately. That hesitation told me enough. “A compromising one,” he finally said. I felt my face go numb. He continued, “The woman’s face is blurred, but the pack believes it’s Cassandra.” Cassandra began crying again. I looked at her. Then at Logan. “And?” He stepped toward me. “I need you to help fix this.” Something in his wording made my chest tighten. “Fix what?” “The rumors. You know what people are saying.” I almost smiled. Of course I knew. The pack had already decided I had been impregnated by a rogue. Now apparently Cassandra had been accused of something worse. Alpha Logan rubbed a hand over his face. “The picture looks bad, Beatrice.” “Then let them think it’s Cassandra.” His eyes widened. “Beatrice.” “What?” “She is already under enough pressure.” “And I’m not?” His expression faltered. I took a shaky breath. “What exactly do you want me to do?” He looked at me. “You need to tell everyone the woman in the photograph is you.” For a moment, I genuinely thought I had misunderstood him. I stared at him. Then I laughed. It was a weak, breathless sound. “You’re joking.” “I’m not.” “You want me to claim that picture?” “Yes.” My throat burned. The photograph. The woman in it looked rugged and disheveled. Her hair was messy, her skin covered in sweat, her clothes torn and disordered in a way that made the image look far more intimate than it probably was. Anyone who saw it without context would assume the worst. It was the kind of photograph that could destroy a woman’s reputation overnight. And Logan wanted me to claim it. Me. His mate. The woman the pack already whispered about. The woman they already believed had carried a rogue’s pup. I stared at him in disbelief. “You want me to say that’s me?” “I need you to. For Cassandra.” I felt something crack inside my chest. “You have got to be kidding me, Alpha.” “Beatrice—” “No.” I stepped backward. My legs felt weak, but anger kept me upright. “Why would I do that?” “Because Cassandra has no one else.” I stared at him. “And I do?” “You have me.” I almost laughed again. “You?” His face tightened. “Yes. Me. And your family. You have a good family background. You can withstand this.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “So that’s what my life is worth to you?” “That isn’t what I said.” “You said I can withstand it.” “Because you’re strong.” “No.” My voice trembled. “You say I’m strong whenever you want to hurt me.” His expression changed. “Beatrice…” I could barely breathe. “Whenever Cassandra needed something, I was strong enough to understand. When you missed our dates, I was strong enough to forgive you. When you abandoned me for her, I was strong enough to stay quiet. When the pack started whispering about my pregnancy, I was strong enough to endure it.” My eyes burned. “And now you want me to destroy the last piece of dignity I have left because Cassandra is crying?” “Are you kidding me, Alpha? Why would I do something that will trample on the last remaining dignity I have when everyone already thinks I got impregnated by a mere rogue?” The room went completely silent. Even Cassandra stopped crying. Alpha Logan stared at me. Perhaps it was the first time he had ever heard me raise my voice at him. For years, I had swallowed everything. I had convinced myself that love meant understanding. But there was a limit to how much a person could swallow before they choked on it. Alpha Logan reached for me. “Beatrice, calm down.” I immediately stepped away. “Don’t touch me.” His hand froze in midair. “You’re exhausted.” “I know.” He lowered his voice. “Just let me explain.” “You’ve explained enough.” He tried to pull me into his arms anyway. I pushed against his chest. His expression became pained. “I’m only trying to protect Cassandra. She doesn’t have anyone while you have me.” I looked at him. For the first time, I realized how ridiculous those words sounded. I had him. But did I really? What was the point of having a mate who would always choose someone else? I wiped the tears from my cheek. “You know what, Alpha?” His eyes searched mine. “I finally understand… how little I mean to you.” His face fell. I turned away. I didn’t want to see the guilt. I didn’t want his apologies. I didn’t want another promise that he would change. Because somewhere between the northern lights, the abandoned dinner, the fever I suffered alone, and the pup I had just given up, something inside me had finally died. And I wasn’t sure it could ever come back. --- The pack assembly was held the following afternoon. The entire meeting hall was packed. Elders occupied the raised seats at the front while warriors and pack members filled the rows below. Whispers spread through the room like wildfire. I sat quietly near the side, my body still weak beneath my clothes. I hadn’t slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the photograph Logan wanted me to claim. I wondered how many people had already seen it. How many had judged the woman in the picture. How many had looked at Cassandra and decided she was dirty. How many had looked at me and assumed I was lying about being untouched by the rogues. The elders began arguing. “This has damaged Silverpine’s reputation!” “We cannot allow outsiders to believe our Luna was involved in something like this!” “What will the neighboring territories think?” “This entire incident has brought shame upon us!” I listened without saying anything. Then Elder Marcus slammed his hand against the table. “The pregnancy and the photograph together are becoming a disaster.” My fingers tightened. And somehow, I knew exactly who Logan would sacrifice. Cassandra sat beside him. She looked pale. Her fingers were trembling. One of the elders finally said her name. “Cassandra’s involvement has to be addressed.” Cassandra gasped. “I didn’t—” The room erupted. Alpha Logan suddenly stood. His Alpha aura exploded through the hall. Everyone fell silent. The pressure of it pushed against my skin. Even the elders stopped speaking. Alpha Logan’s eyes swept across the room. “Cassandra was not the woman in the photograph.” My heart stopped. Then slowly, heads began turning. Toward me. One by one. Dozens of eyes landed on my face. My stomach dropped. Alpha Logan didn’t say my name. He didn’t need to. His words had already done it. I looked at him from across the hall. The man I had once loved more than anything in this world. The man who had promised to choose me for a hundred lifetimes. He had just claimed another woman’s child. And now he was making me look like the woman in a scandalous photograph. All at once, everything became clear. The rumors. The pregnancy. The photograph. Cassandra. The rogue. My reputation. My dignity. He had taken everything from me without ever needing to raise a hand. And the worst part? He still looked at me as if he expected me to understand. As if I was still supposed to be strong. As if I was still supposed to step aside. I felt something inside me go completely still. For the first time since I met Alpha Logan, I didn’t want him to choose me. I didn’t want his love. I simply wanted to be free of him. I looked up at Logan one final time. His eyes met mine. For a brief second, something flickered in them. Regret. Maybe guilt. Maybe fear. I didn’t care anymore.

Beatrice’s POV I called my family that night. It was the first time I had done so in years. My fingers trembled so badly that I nearly dropped my phone twice before the call connected. For a moment, I simply stared at the screen, listening to the ringing on the other end. I had no idea what I was going to say. How was I supposed to explain everything? How was I supposed to tell them that the daughter who had once left the Grassland Pack because she had fallen hopelessly in love had finally reached the point where she wanted to come home? When my father’s voice finally came through, my throat tightened. “Beatrice?” I closed my eyes. “Dad.” There was a pause. I could hear the faint rustling of papers on his end before his voice softened. “Is everything all right?” That question nearly broke me. I had spent years avoiding my family because I had chosen Logan over them. Not because they had forbidden me from loving him. They had simply wanted me to think carefully before leaving. My father had been the Alpha of Grassland for years, and he had never hidden his concerns about my decision. At the time, I had thought they were trying to control my life. I had been young. In love. Certain that I knew what my future looked like. There had been another option back then. A neighboring Alpha. The Alpha of a powerful western territory. But he had been in a deep slumber. No one knew when he would wake. Some said it could take years. Some believed he would never wake at all. I had been given the choice of waiting for a sleeping Alpha whose fate was uncertain or choosing the man who stood in front of me, held my hand, and promised me a lifetime. I chose Logan. Because I loved him. Because I believed love was worth more than a title. Because I believed that if I had to choose between an uncertain future and the man my heart already belonged to, there was no real choice at all. I had been so sure. Now, sitting alone in the darkness of my bedroom, I realized how much that one decision had cost me. “Dad,” I whispered. “Yes?” “I want to come home.” Silence. My father didn’t ask why. He didn’t demand an explanation. He didn’t tell me that he had warned me. He simply asked, “When?” My lips trembled. “As soon as possible.” I couldn’t hold myself together anymore. I cried quietly, turning my face toward the window so no one outside my room could hear. “I’m sorry.” “For what?” “For leaving.” My father’s voice softened. “You were never gone from this family, Beatrice. You simply chose a different path.” The call ended shortly afterward. I sat there staring at my phone. A few minutes later, another message arrived. My flight had been arranged. I would be leaving in a few days. I stared at the confirmation for a long time. I was really going home. I placed my phone down. Then I heard the bedroom door open. I didn’t turn around. I knew who it was. Alpha Logan’s scent filled the room before his arms wrapped around me from behind. I stiffened. He seemed not to notice. He pressed his lips against my forehead. “My Luna.” His voice was softer than it had been earlier. I looked at the reflection of us in the mirror. He looked almost like the Logan I remembered. The man who used to make me feel safe. The man who once crossed territories for a piece of honey cake. The man who had promised me a hundred lifetimes. “You should rest,” he murmured. I didn’t answer. He placed his hand over my stomach. “Our pup will be the next Alpha.” My heart stopped. His hand remained there. “We’ll get through this,” he continued. “Once everything settles down, the elders will accept our heir. You just need to be patient.” I stared at his reflection. “Cassandra needs me right now,” he whispered. “She’s been through a lot.” I swallowed. He kissed my forehead again. “Just be patient with me.” I didn’t have the strength to fight anymore. Then Logan’s fingers pressed lightly against my stomach. He froze. I felt his wolf stir. His expression changed. His brows slowly drew together. “Why can’t I feel it?” My heart sank. I remained silent. Alpha Logan placed his palm more firmly against my stomach. His eyes narrowed. “Beatrice.” I looked at him through the mirror. “What?” “I can’t feel my wolf’s connection to the baby.” My blood ran cold. He moved his hand again as if searching for something. Nothing. Of course there was nothing. The connection was gone because the pup was gone. Alpha Logan’s breathing became heavier. “Why?” I said nothing. His eyes met mine. “Why can’t I feel my connection to my own child?” I looked away. “Maybe it’s too early.” “Don’t lie to me.” His voice suddenly became sharp. I flinched. He stepped away from me. Then his expression twisted with suspicion. “Did you cheat on me?” I slowly turned around. “What?” “Did you sleep with another man?” The accusation hit harder than his hand ever could. I stared at him. “You’re asking me that?” “I would have felt the baby’s connection to me if it were mine!” His voice echoed through the room. I could barely process what I was hearing. He looked at me as though I were a stranger. “You think I cheated on you?” His jaw tightened. “Then explain the pup.” “There is nothing to explain.” “Then why can’t I feel it?” I couldn’t tell him. How could I explain that the pup he was accusing me of carrying had already been gone for hours? How could I explain that I had made that decision because of him? His anger grew. “Tell me the truth.” “I am.” “You’re lying.” He stepped toward me. “Cassandra told me there were always other men around you.” My eyes widened. “Cassandra said that?” “She told me you weren’t as innocent as you pretended to be.” I felt something inside me collapse. So this was what she had been telling him. And he believed her. Of course he did. “Alpha…” “Were you with someone?” “No.” “Then explain it!” “I can’t!” My voice broke. He slammed his hand against the wall beside me. I recoiled. Then he pushed me. Not hard enough to knock me down completely, but enough that my weakened body stumbled backward. My shoulder hit the edge of the table. Pain shot through me. I caught myself before I fell. For a few seconds, we simply stared at each other. “I thought there was an ounce of guilt in you, Alpha.” His expression shifted. “Beatrice…” “Did you really think I could do that?” My voice trembled. “I am not like you.” His brows furrowed. “All my life in your pack, my eyes were only on you.” Tears rolled down my cheeks. “When we were taken, no one touched me.” I pressed a hand against my chest. “No one.” My voice cracked. “So how can you look at me and see a dirty woman?” He said nothing. I laughed bitterly through my tears. “Is that really what you think of me?” His wolf growled beneath his skin. “How can you explain your pup?” he demanded. I stared at him. “Why can’t I feel its connection to me?” I lowered my eyes. There was nothing I could say. His voice became harsher. “Don’t give me an appeal to fucking pity.” My heart shattered. “So everything Cassandra has been saying was true?” I looked up. “You have a thirst for other men behind my back.” I shook my head. “No.” “I was giving you the benefit of the doubt.” His eyes were filled with anger. “But you proved me wrong.” The words echoed in my head. I whispered, “You really don’t know me at all.” He stared at me. For one brief moment, I thought he might stop. I thought he might finally look at me and see the woman standing in front of him instead of the version Cassandra had created in his mind. But he didn’t. He turned toward the door. “I’m not staying here tonight.” I didn’t move. He opened the door. “Alpha.” He stopped. I stared at his back. There were so many things I wanted to say. So many truths I wanted him to hear. But my voice failed me. He walked away. The door closed behind him. And that night, Alpha Logan never came back. I remained alone in the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed with my hands resting over an empty stomach.

Beatrice’s POV Cassandra moved into the packhouse the following morning. Alpha Logan announced it as though there were no other option. “She needs to be monitored closely,” he said while standing at the head of the dining table. His voice was calm, but there was still a coldness beneath it that made every word feel deliberate. “The healer says her pregnancy is sensitive. Her life could be in danger if she isn’t properly cared for.” I sat across from him, my hands wrapped around a cup of tea I hadn’t touched. Cassandra sat beside him. She looked fragile. “I’ve already spoken to the healers,” Logan continued. “They’ll be checking on her regularly.” I nodded. “Good.” His eyes settled on me. “You’ll take care of her.” I looked up. “Excuse me?” “You heard me.” I placed the cup down. “There are omegas assigned to the packhouse. They can take care of Cassandra.” “She needs someone she trusts. You’re going to help her.” I almost laughed. “Why?” He leaned back in his chair. “Because after everything that happened, you owe her an apology.” The room became quiet. I felt my fingers curl against my palm. After everything he had done to me, somehow I was the one who owed an apology. “I want you to personally oversee her meals, her appointments, and anything else she needs.” Cassandra looked at me. Her lips trembled. Alpha Logan immediately noticed. “Cassandra?” She lowered her head. “I don’t want to cause trouble between you two.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. I nearly rolled my eyes. Of course. Cassandra looked at me with watery eyes. “I just don’t want Beatrice to hate me.” Alpha Logan reached for her hand. “You don’t have to worry about that.” I looked away. There was something almost painful about watching how naturally he comforted her. He didn’t even have to think about it. His thumb brushed over the back of her hand. Then he turned toward me. “There’s something else.” I looked back. “The gender reveal. Cassandra’s pregnancy is important to the entire pack. The elders are already preparing for the celebration. And I want you to help organize it.” I stared at him. “You want me to organize her baby’s gender reveal?” “Yes.” I let out a slow breath. “You really don’t hear yourself when you speak, do you?” His eyes narrowed. “What does that mean?” “You want me to take care of the woman you claimed was carrying your pup, organize the celebration for her child, and apologize for something I didn’t do.” “Watch your tone.” I laughed softly. There was no humor in it. “And what about my pup?” The room fell silent. Logan’s expression changed. His eyes darkened. “Is that even mine? You’re still refusing to tell me the truth.” I looked away. He continued speaking as though he hadn’t noticed the change in my expression. “Your pregnancy will be handled separately. Until the child’s parentage is confirmed, there won’t be a public celebration.” I swallowed. He had already decided my pup was suspicious. Now he was preparing a celebration for Cassandra while keeping mine hidden. I suddenly remembered another time. A different room. A different Logan. I had been upset after an argument with one of the elders, and I had cried in his arms for nearly an hour. He had held my face between his hands. “You’re the only woman I want.” I had laughed through my tears. He had kissed my forehead. “I’d burn the entire world before I let anyone hurt you.” I had believed him. I had believed every word. Now I stood in the same room while he held another woman and promised her that everything would be okay. The world hadn’t needed to burn. Logan had simply learned how to burn me instead. My throat tightened. I turned away. I couldn’t watch anymore. “Show Cassandra her room,” I said quietly. Alpha Logan glanced at me. Then he nodded. He took Cassandra’s hand. “Come on.” I watched them disappear down the hallway. Their footsteps slowly faded. I remained standing there long after they were gone. That night, I couldn’t sleep. The packhouse felt different with Cassandra inside it. Her scent lingered everywhere. Her presence seemed to follow me through every hallway. Around midnight, I finally left my room. I needed to speak with one of the elders. I needed the mateship severed. I walked quietly down the hallway toward Elder Marcus’s quarters. I was almost there when I heard something. I stopped. A sound came from one of the rooms. A soft moan. I froze. My heart immediately began beating faster. I knew that room. Cassandra was staying there. I should have kept walking. I should have looked away. But then I heard Logan’s voice. “Shh.” My entire body went cold. “I’ll take care of you.” I stood completely still. His voice was low. Gentle. The same voice he used to use when he spoke to me late at night. “I’ll take care of you and your pup.” My fingers tightened around the fabric of my dress. He continued. “I’ll protect your dignity.” I couldn’t breathe. Then Cassandra spoke. “I love you, Alpha.” Her voice was soft. Emotional. “You’re my everything.” I closed my eyes. “Please…” There was a pause. “You promised me you would marry me.” My chest tightened so violently that I had to press a hand against it. Then Logan answered. “Of course.” I opened my eyes. “You will be my second Luna.” Second. The word struck me harder than anything else. “Always next to me.” I felt something inside me shatter. Second Luna. Years ago, Logan had stood before the entire pack. He had taken my hand. He had looked into my eyes and promised everyone that I would be the only woman beside him. His only Luna. The only woman in his life besides the mother of his future children. He had promised me that there would never be another. And now he was promising another woman a place beside him. A second Luna. I took a step backward. My vision blurred. I remembered our mating ceremony. The silver flowers. The moonlit courtyard. The way Alpha Logan had looked at me as though I were the only person in the entire world. “I choose you,” he had whispered. I had believed that choice was permanent. I had believed the Moon Goddess had chosen us because we were meant to stay together. But maybe the Moon Goddess hadn’t promised me Logan forever. I wiped my tears. Then I continued walking. Elder Marcus was still awake when I arrived at his quarters. He looked surprised to see me. “Luna Beatrice?” “I need your help.” He immediately stood. “What happened?” “I want the mateship severed.” His expression changed. “Are you certain?” I nodded. “I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life.” Before leaving, I glanced back at him. “Elder Marcus?” “Yes?” “Please don’t tell Alpha Logan yet.” His eyes softened. I walked back toward my room. The hallway was silent. For the first time in years, I didn’t feel afraid of what would happen after leaving Logan. I was afraid of many things. Leaving my home. Facing my family. Starting over. Living without the man I had once believed was my entire world. But none of those fears were stronger than the certainty growing inside me.

Beatrice’s POV The day of Cassandra’s gender reveal was also the day I was leaving Silverpine. I stood in front of the mirror that morning, staring at the woman who barely looked like me anymore. The dress code for the celebration was simple. Pink or blue. Everyone was supposed to wear one of the two colors as they gathered to celebrate the future heir of Silverpine. I wore black. The dress fell neatly around my body, long enough to brush against the floor. It wasn’t revealing. It wasn’t dramatic. It was simply black. I had chosen it because I didn’t have the energy to pretend that I was celebrating. I stared at my reflection. Once, I had imagined wearing a beautiful silver dress beside Logan during the announcement of our first pup. I had imagined him standing behind me, his hands around my waist as we waited for the pack to discover whether we were having a son or daughter. I imagined the elders cheering. I imagined Logan whispering that our child would inherit everything we had built together. Instead, I was standing alone in a black dress while another woman prepared to celebrate the child Logan had publicly claimed. Every promise he had ever made to me seemed to have found its way into someone else’s hands. The flowers he once gave me. The words he once whispered. The future he once described. All of it had somehow been transferred to Cassandra. And perhaps that was the truth I had been too stubborn to accept. Maybe, despite being my mate, Cassandra had always been the woman Logan truly loved. Maybe I had only been the woman fate had placed beside him. I touched the necklace around my neck. The last piece of jewelry he had given me. I considered taking it off. Then I decided I didn’t care enough anymore. I left it where it was. My heart felt numb. At least, that was what I told myself. I picked up the black box sitting on my bedside table. It was small. Wrapped with a black ribbon. I had prepared it the night before. I stared at it for a moment before slipping it into my bag. The moment I entered the celebration hall, every conversation stopped. Heads turned. Hundreds of eyes landed on me. I could feel the surprise moving through the room. Whispers began almost immediately. “She’s wearing black.” “Is she serious?” “Today of all days?” “She looks like she’s attending a funeral.” I walked forward without reacting. The hall had been decorated beautifully. Pink and blue flowers covered the walls. Silver ribbons hung from the ceiling. At the center of the room stood a large decorated table with a white cake surrounded by tiny silver wolf figurines. The entire pack looked happy. Except me. Alpha Logan stood beside Cassandra. He was wearing a dark blue suit. Cassandra wore a pale pink dress that hugged her stomach. She looked beautiful. She looked exactly like the future Luna everyone had apparently already decided she would become. Alpha Logan’s eyes found me. His expression immediately hardened. “What are you wearing?” I looked down at my dress. “Clothes.” His jaw clenched. “You know what I mean. Don’t do this today, Beatrice. You know exactly what you’re doing.” I looked around the room. “I’m merely standing here.” “You’re trying to draw attention to yourself.” I almost laughed. “You’re wearing black to a celebration. You don’t have to fucking make everything about yourself. You look like you’re attending a damn funeral.” I looked directly into his eyes. Behind him, one of the elders whispered something. Another shook his head. “This is outrageous.” “She’s the Luna.” “She should have more decorum.” “What kind of example is she setting?” I heard every word. I didn’t defend myself. There was nothing left to defend. Cassandra suddenly lowered her head. Her shoulders began trembling. Alpha Logan immediately turned toward her. “Cassandra?” She wiped her eyes. “I know you hate me for carrying the Alpha’s heir, Luna.” Her voice cracked. “But please don’t include the innocent pup in my stomach with your anger.” The room became silent. There it was again. The perfect victim. The fragile woman. The woman who somehow always knew exactly what to say to make Logan look at her instead of me. Alpha Logan moved closer to her. “Don’t cry.” He wrapped an arm around her. Then he looked at me. “Leave. If you’re going to behave like this instead of supporting your pack, then leave.” The elders murmured in agreement. I looked around the hall. No one was looking at me with sympathy. They were looking at me with disappointment. Perhaps they truly believed everything they had heard. That I had carried a rogue’s pup. That I had been involved in the scandalous photograph. That I was bitter because Alpha Logan had chosen Cassandra. Maybe they thought I was jealous. Maybe they thought I was heartless. Maybe they thought I was exactly the kind of woman who didn’t deserve to be Luna. I looked at Logan. Then I smiled. “I will, Alpha.” He blinked. “Don’t worry.” I reached into my bag. “If that’s what you really want.” I paused. My fingers wrapped around the black box. “Me…” I looked at him. “Gone.” His expression changed. Before he could speak, I placed the box on the table. “But first.” I slid it toward him. “This is my gift for you, Alpha.” His eyes dropped to the box. “And Cassandra.” I smiled at her. “Congratulations on your baby.” Cassandra stared at the box. “What is it?” “You’ll see.” Alpha Logan looked suspicious. “Beatrice, what are you doing?” “Nothing.” I stepped back. “Open it.” He didn’t. For a moment, nobody moved. Then one of the elders cleared his throat. “Alpha, perhaps we should continue with the celebration.” Alpha Logan kept staring at me. I could see the questions in his eyes. But I turned away. I had already said enough. Inside the box was the truth. The healer’s document. The proof that I had ended my pregnancy. His real child. The pup he had spent days accusing me of carrying for another man. The pup he had never known had already been gone. Beneath the document was the letter. I had written it carefully. Alpha Logan, By the time you read this, I will already be gone. The pup you kept questioning was yours. I never cheated on you. No rogue touched me. No other man ever had me. I was yours from the beginning until the moment you decided I was not worth believing. I ended the pregnancy because I could not bring an innocent child into a life where its own father had already called it a rogue’s bastard. I know about Cassandra. I know what you promised her. I heard everything. I know she will be your second Luna. Perhaps she always deserved the place beside you more than I did. I hope the life you choose makes you happy. Goodbye, Logan. And goodbye, Silverpine. Beatrice. I didn’t need to watch him read it. I didn’t need to see his face. I didn’t need to hear his reaction. My heart was already breaking enough. Behind me, the pack continued whispering. “She’s unbelievable.” “She doesn’t even look sorry.” “She was supposed to be the Luna.” “Perhaps the elders were right about her.” “How can someone be so cold?” “She was probably angry because the Alpha chose Cassandra.” “After everything she’s done, she has no right to act offended.” I listened. Every accusation landed. Apparently, a Luna who carried a suspected rogue’s pup was no longer worthy of respect. A Luna who refused to smile while her mate chose another woman was suddenly heartless. I looked toward Elder Marcus. Our eyes met. He understood. He slowly nodded. The final step. The mateship. I took one breath. Then another. I turned toward the exit. Every step felt heavier than the last. I reached the doorway. I looked back one final time. Alpha Logan was still standing beside the table. Cassandra was beside him. The black box sat between them. I couldn’t see his expression clearly. Maybe I didn’t want to. I stepped outside. The doors closed behind me. And the moment they did, pain exploded through my chest. I gasped. My hand flew over my heart. The mateship. The bond. It felt as though someone had plunged a blade directly into my chest and twisted it. My knees nearly buckled. My wolf screamed. A raw, agonized cry tore through my mind. No! I grabbed the wall. The pain became unbearable. I could feel Logan. His wolf. His shock. His rage. His grief. Everything crashed into me at once. Our bond was being severed. The Moon Council was fulfilling my request. The connection that had tied us together for years was being ripped apart. I couldn’t breathe. I heard a distant growl. Then another. Logan’s wolf. It was loud enough that I could feel it through the walls. My name followed. “BEATRICE!” I froze. For one second, my body instinctively wanted to turn around. My wolf wanted to run back. To him. To my mate. To the man I had loved for years. But I forced my feet forward. I couldn’t go back. Not anymore. The black SUV waiting outside was already running. My parents had sent it for me. I stumbled toward it. The driver rushed to open the door. I barely noticed. My vision blurred. My chest burned. My wolf was still screaming. Behind me, Logan’s voice echoed through the night again. “BEATRICE!” I stopped for half a second. I didn’t turn. I climbed into the vehicle. The door closed. And just before the world disappeared behind the tinted glass, the last thing I heard was the agonized growl of the Alpha I had once loved calling my name. Then the SUV pulled away from Silverpine. And I finally left him behind.