BRIELLE My body trembled as I watched Argon and Estelle locked in a kiss inside the bedroom. I tried to fight back the tears welling in my eyes, but I couldn't. The ache in my chest was too heavy to bear. Argon and Estelle's joyful laughter echoed through the room, followed by Estelle crying out a loud, ecstatic, "Yes!" "I will marry you, my love. I am ready to be your mate," she said, accepting his proposal. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips finding his in a heartbeat. Today was my bonding anniversary with Argon. I had been looking forward to this day, eager to give him a gift I hoped would light up not only our marriage but also his heart. And I held that very gift in my trembling hands: a hospital report. I was pregnant with my Alpha's first child. He had never looked at me with love since the day his father, the late Alpha, made me his Luna. Argon always found a flaw in everything I did, constantly leaving me in tears. But the only time I had ever felt desired was the night he took my virginity and made me a woman. Now, I stood here with the result of that night, hoping the love I had yearned for so long would finally be mine once he found out I was expecting his child. But who was I kidding? Estelle—daughter of Alpha Deron of the Red Wood Pack and a renowned supermodel—had always been the apple of Argon's eye. She was his first love, long before I ever stepped into his life. She had always held his heart, and today, on our anniversary, he had finally gotten her to say "Yes." "I belong only to you, Estelle. You are my true mate," Argon murmured, grabbing her waist and trailing kisses down her neck. Estelle moaned with pleasure, melting into his embrace. The sight shattered me. I backed away, my entire body trembling as I slumped against the wall outside the door. My lips quivered. I crumpled the report in my fist as tears streamed down my face. "What am I going to do, Goddess?" I choked out, desperately trying to muffle my sobs so they wouldn't hear me. Suddenly... "What are you doing here?!" a voice demanded, making me stumble back in fright. I whipped my head toward the doorway to see Argon and Estelle standing there, glaring at me. "Were you spying on us, you shameless woman?" Estelle sneered, stepping forward to slap me. I shrank back to dodge her strike, but Argon caught her and pulled her into his arms, soothing her anger with a gentle stroke of her hair. "Darling, I thought you said you were getting rid of her?! What is she still doing in our house?!" "Calm down, my love. You don't need to worry about her. She's a nobody," he said coldly, caressing his lover's face right in front of me. His words struck my already broken heart. I lowered my head to hide the fresh tears spilling down my cheeks. "Are you stupid? I thought I told you never to come near my room," he asked sharply, and my body trembled. I was terrified to tell him why I was here, but my heart urged me to speak. I reminded Argon that today was our anniversary. The words only made them both burst into hysterical laughter. "Anniversary? Looks like this fool is still blind to the truth. Tell her, my love," Estelle gloated, flashing her hand to show off the ring Argon had just slipped onto her finger. Argon boldly declared his proposal to Estelle, boasting about how he was going to make her his Luna. "You were nothing but a wolfless burden with no family. You tricked my poor father into taking pity on you and making you my Luna. But now, I'm setting things right." Gently pushing Estelle aside, he stepped toward me. "I, Alpha Argon of Wolf Crest Pack, reject you, Brielle." The moment the words left his mouth, a piercing agony ripped through my chest, and my legs gave out. I clutched my chest, gasping through the pain. Argon couldn't have cared less. He just laughed with Estelle. I watched helplessly as they flirted with each other, completely ignoring my presence. Tears streamed down my face. As I sobbed in front of them, I slowly slid the hospital report behind my back. "Oh, look, she's crying. What an idiot," Estelle mocked. "Argon never belonged to you. He belongs—What is that?" I looked up, following her gaze, only to realize she was pointing directly at the hand I had tucked behind my back. My heart hammered against my ribs. "It's nothing," I lied, trying to push the crumpled paper further out of sight. Estelle, her curiosity piqued, stormed over and forcefully snatched the report from my grip. "No!" I lunged to take it back, but Argon stepped into my path, his golden eyes glaring down at me. My heart raced with panic as I stared past him at Estelle. Her face contorted in absolute shock. She yanked Argon back to her side. "What is this?" Argon asked, leaning in to look. His eyes went wide as he snatched the paper from her hands. I felt my hands trembling, a sudden heat rushing through my entire body. I stumbled backward, staring at their astonished faces. "Positive? You... are pregnant?" Argon whispered, his gaze dropping to me. The look in his eyes made my racing heart stutter. I couldn't tell if his shock was rooted in joy or disgust. He just stared at me. "Were you trying to hide this from me?" he asked, taking a slow step forward. His tone was eerily calm, slowly easing the edge of my fear. I watched as he left a stunned Estelle behind and closed the distance between us. I didn't have the courage to answer. I only shrank back in fear. But when his hand reached out to gently cup my cheek, a spark of hope flared in my chest. There was a strange, peaceful look in his eyes that left me frozen. Could this be a sign from the Goddess? Had she finally answered my prayers? But in the next second, Argon's hand twisted brutally into my hair, and his other hand clamped around my throat. I gagged, clawing frantically at his fingers to break free. "There is no way in hell I'm letting you carry this," he growled, squeezing tighter. Thrashing wildly, I somehow managed to break his grip and scramble away from him. They both lunged after me. I sprinted down the hallway, praying to the Goddess I could escape. I finally reached the stairs and was about to sprint down when a pair of hands shoved me violently from behind, sending me tumbling hard to the floor below. My body slammed against the landing, pain paralyzing every muscle. Through blurred vision, I slowly lifted my gaze to the top of the stairs. Argon and Estelle stood there, staring down at me without a single shred of remorse. "Somebody help! She's bleeding!" a girl screamed in panic just as my world faded to black.

BRIELLE The sharp scent of medicine drifted into my nose. Stinging and harsh, the odor made me shake my head to clear it. The movement forced my eyes to snap open immediately. I found myself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. "Where am I?" I whispered, my gaze darting around the room. A steady beeping sound drew my attention. Turning my head, I realized I was hooked up to an IV, a clear oxygen mask strapped over my face. I forced myself to sit up, realizing I was in the hospital. Just then, the door opened, and a doctor walked in. "Oh, Luna, you're awake. How are you feeling?" she asked, stepping closer to the bed. "Nicole," I breathed, recognizing her face. She was the physician for the packhouse. She was also the one who had informed me of my pregnancy via message. She pressed a cool hand to my forehead and gently urged me to lie back down and rest. "You took a bad fall and lost a lot of blood. But you'll be fine. Just rest," she murmured, easing me against the pillows. At the mention of blood, panic spiked in my chest. My thoughts flew straight to the baby in my womb. Anxiously, I asked, "And my baby? Is the baby okay?" Nicole stared at me in heavy silence. The pity in her expression started to scare me as she let out a heavy sigh and said, "I'm sorry, Luna, but we couldn't save your baby." "What?" My eyes went wide at her words. She gently explained that the fall had triggered a miscarriage, and the baby had died instantly. "I know this is devastating for you, Luna. Even Alpha was shaken when he heard the news. He had to leave. I'm so sorry," she apologized, giving my shoulder a comforting pat. When she mentioned Argon's name, my mind violently yanked me back to the moment before I passed out, remembering the look on his face as I lay bleeding at the bottom of the stairs. That cold look... that twisted smile... I gripped the edge of the bed, letting my hand slide slowly down to my stomach, pressing over the exact spot where I had always felt that tiny, reassuring weight. That was my baby. But now it was no longer there. It was gone. My lips began to tremble, hot tears streaming down my cheeks. I couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down crying. The doctor tried to soothe me, pulling me into a gentle embrace. Eventually, I managed to calm down enough to listen to the doctor, who advised me to rest for the next two hours before being discharged. According to her, Argon didn't want me staying at the clinic for long. He wanted me back home to recover. "You need each other's love to get through this difficult time. Please rest." Soon after, she slipped out of the room, leaving me alone to drown in my pain. I thought of Argon and his father, the late Alpha. Despite me being a wolfless orphan, the old man had taken me in and made me his son's Luna. On his deathbed, he had made me promise that I would never leave his son, that I would always strive to make him happy. Now, sitting in the ruins of my life, I bitterly regretted ever agreeing to that promise. I regretted it with every fiber of my being. *** After resting at the hospital, I was driven back to the packhouse by one of Argon's guards in one of his cars. Weak and hollowed out, I made my way inside, only to find Argon and Estelle waiting for me in the foyer. They stood together near the entrance, their voices dripping with mockery as they asked about the baby and what the doctor had said. When I kept my mouth shut and tried to ignore them, Estelle stepped into my path. A cruel laugh bubbled from her lips as she brought up my dead child. "That bastard got exactly what it deserved," she laughed, clapping her hands in twisted delight. A sharp pang of agony shot through my chest at the insult to my dead child. I wanted to retort, but I couldn't find the strength. I was simply too weak, and deep down, too terrified of the man standing by her side. "Take this," Argon barked, throwing a stack of papers right at my face. "These are the divorce papers." A violent shiver ran down my spine at the sheer coldness in his tone. I slowly raised my eyes, meeting his icy glare as he ordered me to sign them within twenty-four hours. "My lawyer will retrieve them the second your time is up. Don't be late," he warned. Then, pulling Estelle flush against his side, he led her up the stairs, the two of them cuddling as if I didn't even exist. I stood frozen, clutching the scattered papers in my hands, staring down at them in absolute shock. Flipping through the pages, I saw that Argon had already signed. All that was missing was my signature to finalize the divorce. Completely brokenhearted, I ran to my room and locked the door behind me. I collapsed onto the floor and wept bitterly. "After everything... Goddess, is this my reward?" I sobbed, letting the bitter tears flow freely. After the sheer cruelty I had suffered at Argon's hands, I decided to just give him what he wanted and disappear from his life forever. I dragged myself up, grabbed a pen, and was about to sign the pages when something stopped me. "Don't sign those papers, Brielle." A strong, commanding female voice echoed through the room, planting a spike of fear in my heart. I shot to my feet immediately, my eyes darting around as I searched for the person who had spoken. "Who's there?" I demanded, my voice trembling as I spun around. The moment my gaze swept past the full-length mirror, I froze. A pair of glowing green eyes was staring right back at me. I screamed in fear and stumbled backward, only to feel an intense, violent rumbling erupt deep within my body. I crashed to my knees, clutching my stomach as blinding pain tore through me. It felt as if my insides were going to explode. At that moment, a brilliant, wavy green light poured out of my chest, swirling and taking shape right before my eyes. I could only stare, paralyzed by absolute shock. What materialized in front of me left me utterly stunned. A massive, powerful black wolf with those same piercing green eyes was looking right at me. Her muzzle curled into a smirk, and she spoke in that same feminine tone. "Don't sign it, Brielle. That is not the way of Ivys." Her emerald eyes glowed brighter as she smiled at me. The sheer presence of this magnificent wolf standing in my bedroom shook me to my core. The aura radiating off her was suffocatingly powerful—almost terrifying. Just meeting her gaze was enough to instill a primal sense of fear. But a wolf... with green eyes?

BRIELLE Trembling, I scrambled back from the green-eyed creature. I was too terrified to call for help, paralyzed by what it might do to me. "Who are you?" I breathed, inching toward the door. She padded forward with a low laugh. "You still haven't figured it out? I literally came out of you, and you're asking me a question like that?" I froze at the sound of the wolf's voice. Her glowing eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head at my question. "Or did losing our baby rob you of your mind, too, Brielle?" "Our baby?" I whispered, staring at the creature in absolute disbelief. Her toothy grin widened as she waited patiently for me to put the pieces together. And then, it finally hit me. "My wolf. You're... my wolf?" "You can call me Bane," she purred with dark satisfaction. I couldn't believe it. I stared at the green-eyed beast in shock, my mind scrambling to comprehend how this was even possible. "No, you can't be. I don't have a wolf," I stammered, refusing to accept it. A low, angry growl rumbled in her chest. "So, who are you going to believe?" she challenged. "The words of those idiots who know nothing, or your own two eyes?" I fell silent, looking down at my own body, remembering exactly where she had just emerged from. "You'd better believe it, Brielle," Bane said, drawing my gaze back to her. "You've always had a wolf." "Always?" I echoed, my mind spinning at the implication. Bane went on to explain that she had been trapped inside me for years, but I simply hadn't been able to hear her. She had been watching everything, completely unable to break through and communicate with me—until today. "You finally decided to make a choice for yourself, without anyone telling you what to do. That was what connected us." She lowered herself to the floor with deliberate grace, crossing her front paws. Instantly, I knew exactly what she meant. Argon's demand for a divorce, after every single sacrifice I had made for him, had pushed me to my breaking point. I had finally wanted to leave him forever. That spark of defiance was the fire that had finally forged the bond between my wolf and me. Slowly accepting this new reality, I asked Bane what she was. She looked nothing like any wolf I had ever seen. Wolves had red, gold, blue, or even yellow eyes. But she was the first I had ever encountered with eyes of vibrant green. A fierce pride radiated from Bane as she revealed our heritage. She told me we were Ivys—a rare, ancient lineage of wolves long thought to be extinct. An Ivy wolf could be awakened by a single spark of true rage, their power driven entirely by the wolf's sheer will. That was how Bane had finally managed to break through the barrier between us. "You let that fool use you like a toy, over and over again. After all the pain he caused, after the death of our baby, you just want to sign his divorce papers and walk away?" She let out a mocking scoff and rose to her feet. "There's a reason we're called Ivys, Brielle. We don't care about status or bloodlines. We are poison to our enemies. If someone hurts us, we take our revenge. We make them suffer." Her green eyes gleamed with wicked delight, sending a shiver racing down my spine. "So, what are you going to do?" she pressed. "Are you going to let Argon go enjoy his perfect life while you drown in your misery? Or are you going to show him the true power of an Ivy?" I didn't know how to answer. I was still too overwhelmed by her sudden existence to think straight. "I don't know," I whispered, lifting my gaze to meet hers. But she was already gone. *** My twenty-four hours were up. A sharp knock hammered against my door, followed by Argon and Estelle demanding to be let in. I had been lying in bed, completely lost in my own thoughts. The second I unlatched the door, Estelle shoved past me. Dressed in her latest designer gown, she marched into the room and immediately demanded the divorce papers. "I assume you've signed them?" Argon asked coldly, his gaze sweeping the room with clear distaste. "My lawyer will be here any minute." I didn't answer. Instead, I walked over to the desk where I had left the documents, picked them up, and carried them back to him. He snatched the folder from my hands and flipped it open. "What is this?" he snapped, shoving the blank signature lines in my face. "Why haven't you signed them? What the hell are you waiting for?!" Estelle stepped up beside him, her eyes narrowing. "Just throw her out if she won't cooperate, Argon. She obviously still thinks she's Luna. Toss her onto the street." Keeping my head bowed in a show of submission, I murmured, "That's not the reason. It's the promise I made to your father, the late Alpha. I just couldn't bring myself to sign them." I reminded Argon of the vow I'd taken on his father's deathbed, then made my plea. "Please, just give me three months to fulfill his dying wish. Let me help you and your future Luna prepare for your wedding. As soon as you're married, I'll leave forever," I pleaded, finally raising my eyes to meet his. Argon stared at me, his brow furrowing in utter confusion, while Estelle let out a harsh, mocking laugh. "His dying wish? You must be out of your mind if you think we're going to let you—" "Alright," Argon interrupted, shocking Estelle into silence. "I'll allow you to stay for three months. When the time is up, you sign these papers and get out. Have I made myself clear?" "Yes, Alpha," I replied, bowing my head once more. Argon's decision visibly infuriated Estelle. She immediately grabbed his arm, protesting and demanding he kick me out. But Argon waved her off. "It was my father's last wish, and she owes me this. Besides," he said, a cruel smirk touching his lips, "it will be even more entertaining when the entire pack watches her personally hand over her position to you." That instantly brightened Estelle's mood. She agreed with a smug smile, shooting me a triumphant glare. "Exactly. She's weak anyway. I bet she won't even last a month," Argon mocked, turning on his heel and leaving the room with Estelle clinging to his arm. I slowly raised my eyes, watching their retreating backs until the door clicked shut. Then, echoing clearly in the back of my mind, I heard Bane's voice. "You chose wisely, Brielle. Very good."