The night was unusually cold, the wind howling through the trees surrounding the pack's territory. In the dimly lit cabin, Selene paced back and forth, her mind racing with anger and betrayal. Her hands instinctively cradled her swollen belly, a protective gesture that had become second nature.
The door creaked open, and Orion stepped in, brushing snow from his coat. His eyes met hers, and the tension in the room grew thick.
"We need to talk," Selene said, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and fury.
Orion knew what she wanted to talk about. He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Not this again, Selene."
"Yes, this again!" she snapped. "Ever since you brought your mistress here, you've forgotten about me. About us. About our baby!"
"Anna is not 'a mistress,' Selene. She's my mate, and you will give her the respect she deserves," Orion said, his tone icy.
Selene's eyes widened in disbelief. "Respect? You want me to respect the woman who's tearing us apart? The woman who's taken you away from me?"
Orion's jaw tightened upon hearing that despite it being the truth, he would never accept it. "You don't understand. Anna and Iâ"
"Don't you dare," Selene interrupted, her voice breaking. "Don't you dare tell me I don't understand. I understand perfectly. You don't love me anymore. You've made that painfully clear."
Orion took a step towards her, his expression softening for a moment. "Selene, this isn't easy for me either. But Anna is my mate. It's... it's something beyond us."
Tears streamed down Selene's face as she clutched her belly. "And what about our child, Orion? Our family?"
Orion's gaze hardened again. "I didn't want to have a child with you , you insisted. I will have a family with Anna. We will have children."
Selene's heart shattered at his words. "How can you be so heartless?" she whispered.
Before Orion could respond, the door burst open, and his beta rushed in, breathless. "Alpha! There's an attack on the northern border. Rogues. We need you now!"
Orion's eyes flickered with hesitation, deciding whether to continue and comfort his Luna or follow his beta. He was going to regret his decision, but duty called. He nodded sharply and turned to leave. "Stay here, Selene. We'll talk later."
"No, I will not stay here!" Selene shouted, stepping forward. "I am the Luna. I need to protect our people!"
"Selene, you're pregnant. You need to stay safe," Orion insisted, his voice firm as though he even cared about the child.
" I won't sit idly by while our pack is under attack," Selene retorted, fire in her eyes.
"You're not going, and that's final," Orion commanded. "Your duty is here, with our child."
"My duty is to my pack!" Selene screamed. "How can you expect me to stay here when they need me?"
"Because I can't risk losing you I love you my Luna ," Orion said, his voice breaking slightly. "Please, Selene, stay here."
Before Anna came into the picture those words would have made her melt , but now she felt disgusted. Selene glared at him, her resolve unwavering. "I won't be caged, Orion. Not by you or anyone."
Orion's face hardened. "You will stay here, and that's final." He turned and left with his beta, leaving her seething with frustration.
Selene watched him go, a storm of emotions raging inside her. She couldn't stay there. Not now. She had to get away, clear her mind. The pain she felt clouded her mind and she couldn't think straight.
Ignoring Orion's orders, she grabbed her coat and slipped out into the night. The cold air bit at her skin, but she pressed on, her heart pounding in her chest.
As she reached the forest's edge, a sudden movement caught her eye. Shadows moved swiftly through the trees. Rogues.
Panic surged through her, but she forced herself to stay calm. She was a warrior, trained by her mother, who was also one of the greatest and strongest Luna to ever rule. Selene prepared to defend herself and the life within her .
The rogues attacked with ferocity. Selene dodged the first blow and countered with a swift kick to the attacker's midsection. But more came, their eyes gleaming with malice. She fought with all her might, striking and dodging, but they were too strong and too many.
One rogue managed to grab her from behind, pinning her arms. Another aimed for her stomach, and she twisted desperately, trying to protect her unborn child. She screamed, hoping someone, anyone, would hear her.
Back at the border , Orion and his warriors were engaged in a fierce battle. He fought with unmatched ferocity, but his mind was elsewhere. He had a terrible feeling in his gut.
Suddenly, a voice cut through the chaos. "Alpha! Your mate and the Luna! They're in trouble!"
Orion's heart stopped. He spun around, seeing Anna surrounded by rogues. And beyond her, Selene, on the ground, struggling to protect her unborn child.
He had to choose.
"Anna!" he shouted, rushing to her side. He fought off the rogues with a primal rage, his instincts driving him to protect his mate.
When the battle finally ended, Orion stood over Anna, breathing heavily. He turned, looking for Selene. She lay motionless, blood staining the snow around her.
"Selene!" he screamed, racing to her side. But it was too late. She was unconscious, her body battered and broken. He chose to save his mate and let her Luna face death.
Hours later, in the hospital, Selene woke up. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled her nose. Pain wracked her body, but she ignored it, her hands flying to her belly. It was flat.
"No," she whispered, tears blurring her vision. "No, no, no!"
A nurse entered, her face solemn. "I'm sorry, Luna. The baby... didn't make it."
Selene's world collapsed. She sobbed uncontrollably, clutching her empty stomach. Anger, pain, and betrayal swirled within her, thoughts racing. How could he leave me? How could he save her over our baby? She knew he didn't want the child to begin with but she didn't think he would do such a thing.
"Where's Orion?" she asked the nurse, her voice barely above a whisper.
" He is in the other room , with his mate," replied the nurse , which made selene cry even more.
Speaking of the devil himself, he arrived.
Orion entered the room, his face a mask of indifference. "Selene," he said flatly.
She looked up, her eyes filled with pain and betrayal. "Orion, our baby..."
He cut her off. "It doesn't matter. Anna and I will have a child. You need to accept that."
Selene stared at him, numb with shock and seething with rage. How could he say that? After everything? Her mind screamed in silent agony.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice cracking with the weight of her heartbreak.
Orion stepped closer, his expression softening slightly. "Selene, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for things to be this way. The mate bond... it weakened me. I couldn't save you. I had to protect Anna. Let's try toâ"
"Get out," she whispered, her voice trembling with fury.
"Selene, please, we need to talk about thisâ"
"Get out!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the sterile room. "Get out! Get out! Get out!"
Orion hesitated, a flicker of regret in his eyes, but he turned and walked out, leaving her alone in her grief.
Selene's body shook with uncontrollable sobs. "Nooo! Aaaah! Why? Why?Why moon goddess why ?she screamed, her voice breaking into guttural cries of anguish. "Aaaaah!"
In her mind, regret and despair intertwined. She should have said no from the very beginning.She should have fought harder. Orion was her high school sweetheart, the boy she'd fallen in love with at the age of seventeen. The two had been inseparable, their bond admired by everyone.
Selene was the heiress of the Silver Moon Pack, one of the strongest packs in the region. Her father was one of the most powerful Alphas and her mum matched him , feared and respected. But tragedy struck when her three brothers died during a rogue attack, leaving her as the sole heir to the pack's legacy.
Orion was also an heir, destined to lead the Ironclaw Pack, a pack just as formidable. Their union had seemed perfect, a merger of two powerful lineages.
When they started dating, Selene was seventeen and Orion was nineteen. They had promised each other that they would marry after her 18th birthday , once she was able to feel the mate bond. But her birthday came and went, and no mate bond formed between them. They were devastated, their dreams shattered.
But Orion had sworn it didn't matter. He promised her he would never leave her, that he only loved her and no one else. He vowed that if his mate ever appeared, he would reject her without hesitation.
Selene's heart ached with the memory of his promises. How could everything have gone so wrong? How could he abandon her and their child for another?
Her screams echoed through the hospital, a haunting reminder of the love and life she had lost.