Dual_Cultivator1

Lila Gray’s world shatters when her mate, Alpha Jaxon, discovers her secret pregnancy by a human lover and rejects her in a brutal, moonlit betrayal. Scarred and banished, she flees into a wild, unforgiving forest, determined to protect the child growing within her. Alone and hunted, she stumbles into Kade, a rogue werewolf with a haunted past and a fierce resolve to keep her alive. Together, they face relentless wraiths, sinister shades, and whispers from the deep dark—ancient entities awakened by Lila’s mysterious old blood.

As Jaxon’s pack closes in and the supernatural threats escalate, Lila uncovers a power tied to her lineage and her unborn child, a force that could either save them or unleash a nightmare buried for centuries. With Kade by her side, she fights for survival, redemption, and a second chance at love, but the cost may be higher than she can bear. In a world where every shadow hides a threat, Lila must decide: run from the dark or face it head-on, even if it claims everything she holds dear.

Rejected by Moonlight: Second Moon, Second Chance

<p>Lila dragged herself onto the riverbank. Mud squished under her knees. The cold water still clung to her like a damn leech. Her chest heaved. She coughed up river muck. Her arms shook as she pulled Tala with her. Tala stayed wounded, bleeding, but alive. The bolt in her shoulder dripped red into the sludge. The rain had eased up, just a drizzle now. It didn't matter. She was soaked, battered. Her kid kicked like hell. A jolt kept her from collapsing right there. Her thigh screamed where Tara's claws had ripped her. Her side stung from that hunter's graze. Her hands, shit, they were raw, blistered from fighting, holding Kade till the river ripped him away again. She slammed her fist into the mud. A yell tore out. "Kade, you jerk!" she shouted. Tears cut tracks through the grime on her face.</p>

Chapter 20: The Cost of Survival