Sera's POV
Vivian's hand wrapped around my wrist before I could run.
"Let go!" I tried to pull away, but her grip was iron-strong. She was an alpha wolf—I could feel the power radiating off her.
"We need to talk, little Luna." She dragged me down the stairs. "Darius, tell her. Tell her everything, or I swear I'll do it myself."
Darius's face had gone completely white. "Vivian, not now. Not like this."
"Then when?" Vivian's laugh was bitter. "After she's pregnant with your child? After you've used her and thrown her away like trash?"
My head spun. "What is she talking about? Darius, who is this woman?"
He opened his mouth, but Vivian spoke first.
"I'm his true mate. His real Luna. The woman he's loved for five years." She stepped closer to me, her eyes blazing. "You're just a replacement. A baby maker. Did he tell you that part?"
The room tilted. True mate. Those words hit me like a punch to the stomach. Every wolf dreamed of finding their true mate—the one person destined for them by the Moon Goddess herself.
"That's not—" I looked at Darius desperately. "Tell me she's lying."
He couldn't meet my eyes.
"Oh, this is precious." Vivian released my wrist and circled us like a predator. "He didn't tell you anything, did he? Let me explain, sweetheart. Darius and I have been together for five years. We're true mates. But there's one tiny problem." She paused for effect. "I can't have children."
My legs almost gave out. I grabbed the stair railing to steady myself.
"So Darius came up with a brilliant plan," Vivian continued. "Find some desperate, poor girl. Marry her. Get her pregnant. Then kick her out and keep the baby." She smiled at me with fake sweetness. "Congratulations. You're the desperate girl."
"Get out, Vivian." Darius's voice was low and dangerous. "Now."
"No." She crossed her arms. "I'm done hiding. I'm done watching you pretend to be married to someone else. Either you choose me right now, or I tell the entire pack what you've done."
"You'll ruin everything!" Darius shouted.
"I don't care!" Vivian shouted back. "I love you, you idiot! And I'm not losing you to some contract wife!"
They argued like I wasn't even there. Like I was a piece of furniture. Something that didn't matter.
Something inside me snapped.
"Stop!" My voice came out stronger than I expected. Both of them turned to stare at me. "Just stop talking."
I looked at Darius, really looked at him. "Is it true? Is she your true mate?"
He hesitated, then nodded once.
The pain was so sharp I could barely breathe. But I forced myself to stand tall. "And you married me anyway. You made me sign that contract, knowing you loved someone else."
"It's not personal, Sera." His voice was quiet now. "The pack needs an heir. I need an heir. Vivian can't give me one, so—"
"So you bought me." I laughed, but it sounded broken. "You paid off my father's debts and bought yourself a baby maker."
"Don't say it like that."
"Why not? It's the truth!" Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not in front of them. "You know what the worst part is? I actually thought you might care about me. Even a little bit."
Vivian made a disgusted sound. "Please. Darius doesn't care about anyone but himself and his precious pack."
"That's not true," Darius said, but he was looking at Vivian, not me.
I turned toward the stairs. I needed to get away from both of them before I completely fell apart.
"Where are you going?" Darius called after me.
"To the guest room you gave me. Remember? The one far away from the Luna's chambers." I didn't look back. "Don't worry. I'll stay out of your way. I'll keep our deal. Three years, one baby, then I disappear. That's what you want, right?"
I made it to the guest room and slammed the door. Then I collapsed on the bed and finally let myself cry. Great, gasping sobs that shook my whole body.
This was supposed to be my wedding night. I was supposed to be happy.
Instead, I was more alone than ever.
Hours passed. Maybe days. I couldn't tell anymore. At some point, I heard footsteps in the hallway outside my door. They stopped, and I held my breath, wondering if Darius had come to explain. To apologize. To tell me Vivian was lying.
But the footsteps walked away.
Of course they did.
A soft knock made me sit up. "Go away, Darius."
"It's not Darius." A woman's voice, older and kind. "It's Luna Margaret. May I come in?"
I wiped my face and opened the door. The elderly Luna from the wedding stood there, holding a cup of tea.
"You look like you've had a terrible night," she said gently.
"You have no idea."
She handed me the tea and sat on the edge of my bed. "Actually, I think I do. I saw Vivian's car outside. She confronted you, didn't she?"
My hands trembled around the cup. "You knew? About her?"
"Everyone knows, dear. The whole pack has known for years." Luna Margaret's expression was sad. "I tried to warn you at the wedding."
"Why didn't anyone tell me before?"
"Would you have believed us? Or would you have thought we were just trying to cause trouble?" She patted my hand. "Sometimes people need to see the truth for themselves."
I wanted to scream. To throw something. To run away and never come back.
"What do I do now?" I whispered.
Luna Margaret stood up, her face suddenly serious. "You survive, child. You play their game until you're strong enough to change the rules." She walked to the door, then paused. "Oh, and Sera? Be careful what you eat or drink. Not everyone in this house wants you to succeed."
The door closed behind her.
I stared at the tea in my hands, my blood turning cold.
Was she saying someone might try to poison me?