My Mate Watched His Mistress Murder Our Unborn Child

Cold. Endless, penetrating cold.

I floated in darkness, disconnected from my body. Somewhere far away, I heard voices, felt hands lifting me. But the cold remained, embedded in my bones like ice crystals.

"Luna? Can you hear me?" The voice seemed to come from underwater.

I forced my eyes open, wincing at the light. A blurred face swam into focus – Elena, the pack healer.

"What..." My voice cracked, my throat raw and painful.

"Don't try to speak yet," Elena said, her eyes filled with concern. "You're suffering from severe hypothermia."

Memory flooded back – the blizzard, Charles's face as he locked me out, Sara's triumphant smile. I tried to sit up but fell back with a cry of pain.

"My wolf," I gasped. "I can't feel her."

Elena's expression tightened. "That's what we need to discuss." She placed a gentle hand on my arm. "The extreme cold has caused what we call Wolfsbane Joint Syndrome. Your wolf's essence has been damaged."

"Damaged?" I whispered. "What does that mean?"

"It means..." Elena hesitated, her eyes filling with tears. "You may never be able to shift again, Luna."

The words hit me like a physical blow. A werewolf who couldn't shift was barely a werewolf at all.

"No," I moaned, reaching inward for Luna. She was there, but faint, like a candle flame about to be extinguished. "No, please..."

"The damage is extensive," Elena continued softly. "Your joints were frozen for too long. When you tried to shift and couldn't..."

A commotion at the door interrupted her. Charles strode in, his face a mask of irritation rather than concern.

"How long will she be like this?" he demanded, standing at the foot of my bed rather than coming to my side.

Elena straightened. "Alpha, Luna Brooke needs rest and care. Her wolf has been severely damaged."

Charles's eyes narrowed as he looked at me. "Her constitution has always been weak. I expected better from an Alpha's daughter."

His words cut deeper than the cold ever could. Not once did he apologize or show remorse.

---

Three days later, Charles called a pack meeting. I sat in a wheelchair, my body still weak and painful, as he addressed the gathered wolves.

"Due to Luna Brooke's unfortunate illness," he announced, his voice carrying across the great hall, "she will be stepping back from her Luna duties."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. I stared at him in disbelief.

"Sara will be taking over household management and event planning temporarily," Charles continued, gesturing to Sara, who stepped forward with a practiced look of sympathy.

The pack members shifted uncomfortably, but none dared speak against their Alpha.

"Until Luna Brooke recovers," Charles added, though his tone suggested he didn't expect that to happen.

That evening at dinner, Sara made her move. She had the servants rearrange the seating, moving me away from the Alpha's table to a small chair against the wall.

"We wouldn't want you to strain yourself," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "In your condition."

I watched as she took my place beside Charles, her hand resting possessively on his arm. When she thought no one was looking, she turned to me and smiled – a cold, triumphant smirk that told me everything.

This wasn't temporary. This was her plan all along.

---

Two weeks passed in a blur of pain and humiliation. I spent most days in my room – no longer the Luna suite, but a small chamber near the servants' quarters. My body remained weak, my wolf barely a whisper within me.

But then something changed.

One morning, I woke feeling different. Nauseous, yes, but also... aware. Luna stirred within me, her presence stronger than it had been since the blizzard.

*Brooke,* she whispered. *Something's happening.*

I placed a hand on my stomach, sensing what she meant. A new life was growing inside me – our pup.

Tears sprang to my eyes as Luna purred for the first time since the freezing. The sound was faint but unmistakable.

"A pup," I whispered, hope blooming in my chest. "Our pup."

I found Charles in his office, my heart pounding with nervous anticipation. Perhaps this would change everything. Perhaps seeing his child growing inside me would remind him of our bond.

"Charles," I said from the doorway. "I need to tell you something important."

He looked up, annoyed at the interruption. "What is it?"

"I'm pregnant," I said softly. "We're going to have a pup."

Something flickered in his eyes – surprise, perhaps even a moment of pleasure. "You're certain?"

"Yes." I stepped closer, my hand still protectively covering my stomach. "Luna can sense it."

Charles nodded slowly. "Good. The pack needs an heir." His eyes met mine. "My brother would have wanted his legacy continued."

Not our child, but his brother's legacy. Even this couldn't bridge the gap between us.

As I turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of movement in the hallway. Sara stood there, her face contorted with rage as she overheard the news. Her eyes met mine, and in them I saw something that sent ice through my veins – not just jealousy, but deadly intent.

My hand instinctively tightened over my stomach. Our pup had given me hope, but it had also made me a target.