Chapter 1

I gazed in disbelief at the image on my smartphone. My partner, Alpha Zane, was on his knees, tenderly kissing Linda's pregnant belly. The description read: "He'll make an excellent father."

I shouldn't have been surprised, given recent events, but I was. I responded to the post with a thumbs-up emoji.

The next photo showed Zane standing behind her, his arms wrapped protectively around her swollen abdomen, beaming with joy and contentment.

I glanced at the pregnancy test results beside me on the bed. After feeling unusual, I'd visited the pack medical center and confirmed my pregnancy. Following years of unsuccessful attempts, I was finally expecting. I had been eager to tell Zane, calling him repeatedly without success. So I decided to await his return.

I rarely used social media, seldom checking WhatsApp or Facebook. While waiting for Zane, I absentmindedly opened WhatsApp and scrolled aimlessly. Curiosity piqued, I viewed Linda's WhatsApp status, receiving a significant shock.

Upon seeing my unexpected response to her status, Linda called me in a panic. It was common knowledge that I rarely used WhatsApp.

"Luna Selena, I deeply regret the photo. It's meaningless, I was just–" She began, but Zane cut her off, taking her phone.

"Why are you apologizing? You've done nothing wrong. It's just a photo. Ignore her jealousy. She can't conceive, so she's feeling insecure," he told Linda, disregarding that I could hear him. I hadn't even spoken to Linda; she had initiated the call.

"Stop inundating my phone with calls. I'll be home tonight," he snapped at me, abruptly ending the call before I could respond.

I stared at my phone, bewildered. This situation was escalating.

A year prior, Linda had approached me, weeping and begging for assistance. Having lost her parents, she was alone. Sympathetic, I provided her with shelter, food, and other essentials.

Zane had been occupied with pack matters then, but Linda's presence caught his attention. He became invested in her recovery, frequently checking on her and ensuring she had everything she needed.

Initially, I assumed it was due to his Alpha role of protecting all pack members, but it worsened. Zane consistently dismissed me to spend time with her, claiming he was supporting her.

I reopened her status to find more photos of them together. One showed Zane carrying Linda, wearing a wide smile I hadn't seen in years. The caption stated: "My Alpha, my protector."

Resolute, I turned off my phone. I discarded all the potions and herbs the pack healers had given us when I couldn't conceive. Then I returned to the pack medical center to terminate the pregnancy.