Moonlit Chains: The Weight of Love and Lies

That day should have been the most joyous of my life, a moment to cherish, for I had just discovered the miracle of life growing within me—my mate’s child.

But happiness was cruelly stripped away.

My mate, Alpha Killian Salazar, arrived not to celebrate but to escort Lyra Shannon, the pack’s cunning healer and his cherished companion, to my side.

Lyra leaned against him with feigned frailty, her golden waves framing a pale face that concealed the sharp gleam of her emerald eyes.

“Lyra needs your help,” Killian said curtly, his voice devoid of warmth. “She overexerted herself healing a guard after last night’s rogue attack. She’s deteriorating fast. You have to share your energy with her—now.”

My heart faltered. “Killian, I…,” I hesitated, glancing at Lyra. Her lips curved in a subtle, predatory smirk, as though she sensed my vulnerability.

I whispered, trembling, “I can’t. I just found out this morning—I’m pregnant, Killian. Our child… I can’t risk it.”

Killian’s golden eyes darkened, his expression hardening into a cold glare. “Is this your excuse to abandon the pack? Lyra is dying, Sienna!”

His words crushed me. My protests were silenced as he demanded I transfer my energy to Lyra.

Against my will, she drained me, pulling relentlessly at my strength. Though I had no intention of doing it, she took everything, leaving me weak and hollow.

But Lyra’s cruelty did not stop there. She twisted the truth, accusing me of stealing her remaining energy and causing her to suffer a high fever for days.

Killian believed her lies, his anger cutting through me like a blade.

His friend, ever eager to disparage me, added salt to the wound. “She’s jealous of Lyra,” one remarked disdainfully.

“An omega like her can never compare to someone as valuable as Lyra,” another sneered.

Tears burned my eyes as the pack’s scorn weighed heavily on my soul. Even the people I had served mocked me, branding me an ungrateful omega.

That night, as the silver moon cast its pale glow, I made my choice.

Packing my few belongings, I vowed to protect the life growing within me, away from the pain of a pack that never trusted me and a mate who ignored my worth.

When Killian realized my absence, he chased after me, desperation etched into every word. “The days without you have tortured my wolf. Come back to me, Sienna.”

But I stood firm, my voice steady despite the tears threatening to spill. “There is no us anymore, Killian.”

***

After the accident on the night of Killian's celebration as the Alpha of the Thornwood Pack for two years, I began noticing something strange—something unfamiliar stirring within me.

I, who had rarely fallen ill, found myself battling fevers for days. Even the smell of my favorite herbal tea turned my stomach, and mornings became a dreadful routine of nausea.

My instincts whispered the truth before I could confirm it, but I needed certainty.

The clinic smelled of antiseptic and lavender, a sharp contrast to the storm of emotions I carried within me.

The healer looked at me with kind eyes, her voice calm but firm.

"Congratulations, you’re pregnant, Miss. It’s been a month."

The words echoed in my mind, sending shockwaves through my body. Fear coiled in my chest like a snake.

That was not just any pregnancy; it was the result of a night I could barely wrap my head around—a night I desperately wanted to forget but could not.

It had been the night of Killian’s Alpha ceremony. Amid the celebrations, the air between us had shifted, charged with an undeniable pull neither of us could ignore.

That night, we discovered the mate bond between us, a truth we had both resisted.

Killian had tried to fight it. He had growled, his voice tight as he stood near me in the moonlit corridor outside his chambers.

His fists clenched, and his jaw tightened as if battling an invisible force.

But the bond was too strong, and before either of us could stop it, we gave in to the raw pull of instinct and shared a night of passion.

The next morning, Killian's demeanor turned cold, as though the warmth we had shared was nothing but an illusion.

"Sienna," he said, his tone devoid of emotion, "forget everything that happened last night. Even if we are mates, I will not be with you.

“I already have a girlfriend. I will only marry Lyra, do you understand that?"

I nodded, lowering my head to hide the tears brimming in my eyes.

I was not just an Omega; I was a maid in his residence, a lowly existence in comparison to his grandeur.

How could I expect anything different? Still, the rejection cut deeper than I cared to admit.

But the Moon Goddess had her plans, and she made them clear. The life growing inside me was a testament to the bond Killian tried so hard to deny.

I decided to tell him as he came back home.

However, the days that followed were agonizing. As Killian returned from a mission one evening, he suddenly summoned me for something I did not expect.

Killian demanded that I share my energy with Lyra who was in a dangerous state because she used too much energy to heal the guards.

I repeatedly mind link Killian if I could not do it since I was pregnant with his baby.

But he denied it and sneered, "Sienna, didn't your mother tell you not to waste your gift and help the pack forever? Why are you lying just for the sake of not sharing your healing energy?"

Killian even dared to bring my mother's name so that I would help his girlfriend.

How cruel he was to me. Not only did not care about my pregnancy, he also did not care about my condition.

Instead of compassion, his hand shot out, grabbing mine with a grip so firm it bruised. “If you’re so determined to convince me of your lies, then at least prove you still serve this pack.”

“No. Please, Killian, listen to me!” I struggled, trying to free my hand.