Clyde sat alone in his office, the dim light casting long shadows across the room. He was nursing a glass of whiskey, his mind troubled despite his recent decisions. Amelia had taken her place as Luna, but the pack still buzzed with whispers of Lila's departure.
His eyes fell upon a little box that was set upon the desk, its ribbon untied as gently as if it had just been placed there. It was the same box Lila had tried to give him the night he'd handed her the divorce papers. He hadn't thought anything of it then, his mind consumed by his own designs and the need to secure an heir.
Curiosity gnawed at him now. Hesitantly, he reached for the box, undoing the ribbon and lifting the lid. Inside was a folded piece of paper and something else—a pregnancy test.
His breath hitched as he unfolded the paper. It was a medical report confirming Lila's pregnancy. The words blurred before his eyes as his chest tightened with an unfamiliar ache.
She was pregnant," he whispered, as if the weight of his revelation had struck him a physical blow. Memories of Lila in her quietly hopeful state and the expression with which she had regarded him then surfed to the fore, making guilt claw at his heart.
Before he could wrap his mind around it a little more, there came a knock on the door. His Beta, Marcus, entered, his face unreadable.
"Alpha Clyde, we have news," he said.
"What is it?" Clyde asked, laying the report down.
It's about Lila," Marcus said, almost hesitant to start. "She has been found… within the Silver Moon Pack."
Clyde's head snapped, the sparks that popped up against the fury almost unreal. "What do you mean? How did she end up there?"
"She was apparently rescued by Alpha Jackson from the rogue attacks; so, she is still hanging around," he replied patiently.
Clyde's jaw clamped, his hands closing into fists as the image of Lila with another Alpha-Jackson of all people-fanned a fire of jealousy and possession within him.
"She's mine," Clyde growled, suddenly rising. "She may not be my Luna anymore, but she's still my mate."
"Alpha, you let her go," Marcus reminded him softly.
"I made a mistake," Clyde snapped, his voice sharp. "And now she's carrying my child. I won't let Jackson take her from me. Prepare the warriors—we're going to the Silver Moon Pack."
Marcus hesitated, sensing the Alpha's turmoil. "Are you sure this is wise? Jackson is known for his strength and his loyalty to his pack. This could lead to conflict."
"I don't care," Clyde said coldly, his eyes blazing with determination. "I'll do whatever it takes to bring Lila back. She belongs here—with me."
As Marcus left to carry out his orders, Clyde stared at the pregnancy report once more. Regret and anger warred within him, but one thought stood out above all else: Lila was his, and he wasn't going to let anyone else have her—no matter the cost.
Amelia sat in front of her ornate dressing table, a smug smile dancing on her lips. The reflection staring back from the mirror was that of a victor, golden hair perfectly set, eyes glinting with spite. She had finally taken over Lila's place as Luna of the Blood Moon Pack.
Everything had gone just according to her plan-or almost everything.
She leaned in, her hands clutching the edges of the vanity as her smirk faltered. "Lila," she muttered under her breath, venom dripping from every word. "You were to be gone. Dead. The beast should've ended you.
Her mind flashed to the day she had found Lila pregnant. Amelia recalled overhearing Lila, her voice laced with a hope that seared the inside of Amelia's soul, speaking with the pack's doctor. From the minute she knew Lila would carry Clyde's heir in her womb, she needed to move fast.
"That child would have sealed her spot," Amelia whispered, her fingers tightening. "And I couldn't let that happen. Not after everything I've done to get here.
She had thought her plan was perfect, but apparently not. The planting of the pack treasure in Lila's room, the turning of the pack against her, and her punishment were all part of her grand design. She had wanted Lila disgraced, hated, and dead.
But Lila had escaped.
Amelia slammed her hand down on the vanity, her anger flaring. "No matter," she hissed. "She's gone now, and even if she does come back, I'll make sure she regrets it. This position is mine—mine and mine alone."
She stood, pacing the room as she replayed her triumphs. The pack adored her now, believing her to be their savior from Lila's supposed treachery. Even Clyde, blinded by his desperation for an heir, had accepted her without question.
But the nagging thought of Lila's survival lingered, a thorn in her side.
"Lila thinks she's strong," Amelia sneered. "But she's always been weak. She can't survive out there for long, especially not with a child."
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Amelia quickly composed herself, the smirk returning to her face.
"Come in," she called sweetly.
Clyde came in, his face expressionless. He held in his hand the small box Lila had forgotten-the one containing her pregnancy report. Amelia's stomach contorted, but she showed indifference.
"What is that?" she asked innocently.
"Something Lila left," Clyde replied shortly. He put the box on the table and looked at her suspiciously. "Did you know she was pregnant?"
Amelia's heart raced, but she didn't show it. Instead, she gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "Pregnant? Lila? Clyde, I had no idea! Why didn't she tell you?"
"I don't know," Clyde muttered, his voice heavy with regret. "But now… she's gone."
Amelia placed a comforting hand on his arm, her touch gentle. "She made her choice, Clyde. She betrayed this pack. You can't let her actions haunt you.
He nodded slowly, but doubt flickered in his eyes.
As Clyde left the room, Amelia allowed her mask to slip. Her lips curled in a sinister grin.
"Lila, you may have fled the beast," she mumbled to herself, "but you won't outsmart me. If you even think about coming back, I will make sure your life, and that of your child, is a hell you cannot endure. This pack, this title, and Clyde all are mine.