The alpha protected his mistress's pub while aborting mine

Six years into our bound, I stumbled upon a scene at the clinic that shattered my world. My mate, who'd always treated me like I hung the moon, was there, ordering two prescriptions: one to protect a pregnancy, the other to end one.

He stood with his arm around a stunning she wolf, coolly instructing his men to prepare the herbs. The room buzzed with confusion. "My lord, you're willing to sacrifice your mate's pup just so Vanessa Monroe's kid can inherit the title? Why not marry her already and be done with it?"

Alpha Lucian Thorne kicked the Wold to the ground, his voice ice-cold.

"Shut your mouth. Get some tonics ready to build her strength. If Luna suffers any complications from this abortion, I'll have your heads."

"And not a word of this to Luna," he added, his tone deadly.

"Anyone who breathes a hint of it loses their tongue."

The men scattered, knowing better than to argue.

Vanessa whined about the herbs's bitter taste, and alpha Lucian-Mr. Germaphobe himself-fed it to her straight from his mouth.

Half a bowl in, he was breathing hard, scooping her up and carrying her into a back room.

The sounds that followed-soft, intimate, unmistakable-hit me like a punch.

I clapped a hand over my mouth and fled, humiliated.

The Wold who swore I was his everything had been tangled up with someone else all along.

Fine. I'd draft a bond break decree, end this bound, and walk away for good. We'd never cross paths again.

I wandered the streets in a daze after bolting from the clinic.

She-wolves passing by whispered enviously, stealing glances.

"Look. Her mate practically worships her. He promised her forever, just the two of them, and spent half his fortune building her a Woldsion fit for a Luna. You won't find a better Wold than that."

Normally, those words would've made me beam with pride, grateful I'd bond to such a devoted mate. But today, after what I'd seen, each syllable stabbed like a knife.

The Wold who claimed I was his whole world was cheating on me. Worse, he'd gotten another she wolf pregnant.

My head spun, my vision blurred, and I felt myself collapsing.

"Luna!"

A panicked shout cut through the fog.

Alpha Lucian appeared out of nowhere, catching me in his arms. He wrapped his cloak around my trembling shoulders, his eyes red with worry as he barked orders for a healer.

When I came to, I was tucked into bed, the healer kneeling nervously nearby. "My lord, the lady's condition is due to emotional distress," he reported.

Alpha Lucian's brow furrowed. "Out of nowhere? How could-"

He froze mid-sentence, turning to me with a flicker of panic in his eyes.

"Luna, I heard from the maids you stopped by the clinic today. I was there handling some business. Did you... see me?"

His cautious tone made my fists clench under the blankets, but I forced my face to stay blank. "I got distracted by the market on the way. Probably got too excited watching the street performers."

His shoulders relaxed, and he pulled me into his arms, scolding me gently.

"You're pregnant, and you're still running around like a kid? Do you have any idea how scared I was when I saw you collapse?"

His concern looked so real. He held a steaming bowl of herbs to my lips. "Luna, this is a prenatal tonic from the healer. Drink it while it's hot."

I glanced at the empty packet on the table-the same one I'd seen at the clinic. My nose stung, and tears spilled over.

He kissed them away, voice thick with worry. "Hey, why're you crying all of a sudden?"

"Sweetheart, this herbs smells so bitter. Can I skip it? Please?"

I searched his face. But alpha Lucian just chuckled, shaalpha his head.

"What are you, six? Come on, Luna. You've always wanted a baby. You gotta take care of yourself. Here, I'll feed it to you with some candied fruit."

six years of bound, and he knew exactly how to play me. Mention a pup, and I'd cave every time.

But alpha Lucian, how could you? You knew how much I wanted this baby, yet you're crushing my dreams to clear the way for Vanessa's kid.

You didn't need to go to all this trouble. If you'd just brought her to me, I'd have stepped aside without a fight.

My tears dried up, leaving only a raw ache in my chest. Numb, I opened my mouth and let him spoon the herbs in, every bitter drop.

That night, the wolfsbane took effect. I writhed in agony, clutching my stomach as I felt my baby slip away, reduced to a dark stain on the sheets. My heart went cold with it.

"The lady's always been frail," the healer said later. "After two miscarriages, I'm afraid she may never conceive again."

Alpha Lucian held my hand, his eyes bloodshot, crying harder than I could. Mr. Clean-Freak himself washed the blood from my body, handling the mess no servant would touch.

"Luna, if you still want a pup... we can adopt one down the line. We'll raise them as our own."

His voice dripped with devotion. If I hadn't seen the truth with my own eyes, I might've believed him forever.

He brushed the damp hair from my forehead, leaning in to kiss me, but I turned my face away. "I'm tired. Let's sleep."

I couldn't risk screaming the questions burning inside me. I shut my eyes, desperate to block him out.

He hesitated but didn't push. Ever the doting mate, he tucked the blankets around me, warming my icy hands and feet in his arms until he drifted off.

In the moonlight, I studied his face. He looked like a stranger. Memories of his love-every tender moment, every promise-played in my head.

It was all a lie.