Chapter 1
Bella woke up feeling extremely ill. Xavier wasn’t beside her in bed, and she struggled to walk due to dizziness. She hurried to the bathroom and began vomiting, quickly realizing she had a fever. Bella thought it might just be the flu, but as a werewolf with royal lineage, she doubted something so ordinary could make her this sick.
After a few minutes of heaving, Bella’s personal maid heard her and rushed to her aid. “Luna, are you feeling unwell?” she asked, visibly worried.
Helping Bella to her feet, the maid asked, “Should I call the Alpha? He didn’t return last night. He informed the Beta that he’s on a business trip and will be back tomorrow. But I think he should know about your condition.”
Shaking her head, Bella replied, “No need. I’m sure it’s just the flu.” However, the maid hesitated before suggesting something unexpected, “What if you’re pregnant?”
Bella’s eyes widened in surprise. Could it be true? She had been trying—without success—to conceive, due to her known reproductive issues. Grasping at the hope, Bella decided to confirm her suspicions. She called the hospital and scheduled an appointment with her doctor. Quickly changing into casual clothes, she chose a dress suitable for the pack’s gynecologist examination. Ever since humans and werewolves had coexisted following the treaty, they shared facilities like hospitals and shopping centers. Werewolves still preferred dealing with their own authorities in cases of danger or rogue criminals, but shared services had become standard. Considering her three-year struggle to conceive, Bella had chosen to stick with one doctor and focus on her treatment.
The day unfolded strangely. Bella asked the maid to inform the limo driver to prepare to take her to the pack’s hospital, but the maid returned with news that the Alpha had instructed the driver to retrieve some documents instead. Frustrated but determined, Bella tried calling the Beta to send his driver, but he didn’t answer her call. Left with no other options, Bella hailed a taxi. Thanks to the coexistence of humans and werewolves, taxis were readily available.
When she arrived at the hospital gates, Bella checked her phone and realized her mate hadn’t called her back. Feeling unsettled, she muttered, “What’s happening behind my back?” Shaking off the negative thoughts, she entered the hospital and greeted the doctor’s assistant with a small smile. The assistant nodded respectfully and said, “Luna, the doctor requires a blood test first. Please follow me.”
Bella followed the assistant into a room, where her blood was drawn for a pregnancy test. Then, she sat in the doctor’s office, waiting anxiously for nearly half an hour. As the Luna of the pack and Alpha Xavier’s mate, she was treated with respect, especially since the doctor was a werewolf as well. Finally, the doctor entered the room, holding her test results. Bella’s heart skipped a beat, and she felt dizzy as she anticipated the news. The doctor smiled warmly and said, “Congratulations, Luna. You’re pregnant.”
Bella gasped, tears welling in her eyes. “Finally!” she exclaimed, joy flooding her voice. Yet even as she celebrated, she reminded herself to be cautious. The doctor warned her, “Your pregnancy is delicate and unstable. Avoid stress, anger, physical fights, jumping, or transforming into your werewolf form. We can’t risk losing this baby.”
Bella nodded seriously. “Of course. Thank you. I need to tell my Alpha mate. He’ll be thrilled.”
Later that day, Bella received a call from her uncle. His voice was heavy with concern as he asked, “Are you okay?”
Feeling uneasy at his tone, Bella replied, “We’re fine, Uncle. Why do you ask?”
Her uncle hesitated before revealing, “I heard Alpha Xavier took a pregnant she-wolf to the hospital for a checkup a few days ago.”
Bella laughed nervously. “You think Xavier is with someone else?” she asked, brushing off the idea.
Her uncle confirmed the rumor, but Bella reassured him confidently, “If every male wolf in our species were unfaithful, Xavier would be the exception.” Yet, when she called Xavier after ending the call with her uncle, his voice was cold and distant. “I’m busy right now. If it’s not urgent, don’t disturb me,” he snapped. Before Bella could respond, he hung up, leaving her stunned and clutching the test results.
Bella and Xavier had been mates for three years, and she had always believed in the depth of his love. Recently, though, he had grown distant, and his sudden coldness left Bella wondering what had happened to the sweet, caring Xavier she once knew.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. “Hey, sis,” said Samantha, Bella’s half-sister from her father’s affair. Samantha stood nearby, accompanied by an older she-wolf.
Seeing Samantha sent irritation flashing through Bella. “Don’t call me your sister so casually. I am my mother’s only daughter,” Bella snapped.
Unfazed, Samantha smirked. “Back for another infertility treatment?”
Bella felt her temper rise. “That’s none of your business,” she bit out.
Samantha’s smirk widened. “Don’t you want to know why I’m here? I’m carrying Alpha Xavier’s baby.”
The words hit Bella like a blow. Glancing at Samantha’s slightly swollen belly, Bella felt her blood run cold. Samantha had always pursued Xavier, even after he and Bella had been declared mates. Refusing to believe her, Bella said firmly, “You’re imagining things.”
But Samantha produced a document and shoved it into Bella’s hands. “Here’s Xavier’s signature. Still think I’m lying?”
Four months earlier, Samantha had boasted about spending a night with Xavier. Now, she claimed to be pregnant with his child, and her smugness made Bella’s blood boil. Unable to contain her anger, Bella slapped Samantha, who fell to the ground clutching her stomach and crying out in pain. Bella froze, horrified when she noticed blood on Samantha’s fingers.
Samantha was rushed to the emergency room as Bella trailed behind reluctantly. At the hospital, Elinor, Alpha Xavier’s mother, was waiting. Her icy glare cut through Bella. “You attacked Samantha!” Elinor accused. “You can’t have a child of your own, so you’re trying to stop others from having theirs.”
Elinor’s words stung, but before Bella could respond, the healer delivered devastating news: Samantha had lost the baby. Elinor’s grief morphed into rage as she attacked Bella, knocking her unconscious.
When Bella woke up, she found herself in a stark white room. Pain radiated through her body as she struggled to sit up. The door creaked open, and a man with gold-rimmed glasses entered the room.
“Good afternoon, Miss Moonshadow. I’m Alpha Xavier’s lawyer,” he said.
“A lawyer?” Bella asked, confused.
“Yes. Alpha Xavier has asked me to discuss the matter of an impending divorce,” he explained bluntly.
Bella’s breath caught. “Divorce? Xavier wants to divorce me?”
The lawyer placed the documents on the bed beside her. “These are the divorce papers. Please review them.”
Her hands trembled as she stared at the papers. The idea of Xavier divorcing her was beyond comprehension. Summoning her strength, she said, “Tell Xavier to explain his intentions to me in person.”
“Alpha Xavier is too busy for that,” the lawyer replied coldly.
Bella’s heart sank. Desperate, she called Xavier’s phone, only to find that her number had been blocked. Her worst fears were coming true: first an affair, and now a divorce.
The lawyer stood there, glancing impatiently at his watch. “Miss Moonshadow, please review the contract. I don’t have all day.”
Bella noticed the shift in his demeanor. For three years, anyone associated with Xavier had treated her with warmth and respect. Now, the lawyer’s cold indifference was unmistakable, a reflection of Xavier’s own wishes. She could feel her chest tightening as the reality of her situation began to crush her.
With trembling hands, she finally picked up the papers and scanned the section outlining the division of their property. Her eyes stung as she read the words: "All properties and belongings that Alpha Xavier owned prior to the mating shall remain his after separation."
How could this be the same man who had once told her she was his world—that everything he had was hers, too? In just three short years, that love had evaporated, leaving her with nothing but empty promises. Her heart ached, a bitter cocktail of betrayal and despair swirling inside her. She looked up at the lawyer, who was watching her intently.
“Give me a pen,” she said, her voice steady despite the storm raging within her.
The lawyer promptly retrieved a pen from his briefcase and handed it to her. As Bella held it, he added coldly, “Alpha Xavier has also requested that you return any valuable items he gifted you during the mating.”
Bella froze, staring at the pen in her hand. The weight of everything—the betrayal, the humiliation, the loss—pressed down on her soul. The lawyer seemed to anticipate her refusal, but Bella surprised him.
“Fine,” she murmured.
She signed her name on the papers, her movements mechanical, as though her body was acting on its own while her mind screamed at her to stop. The lawyer reviewed the documents briefly before nodding and turning to leave.
Outside the hospital, a sleek, black luxury car gleamed under the sunlight. The lawyer approached it quickly, opening the passenger door. Inside, Alpha Xavier sat, his expression unreadable, his piercing eyes focused on the documents the lawyer handed him.
“She signed them,” the lawyer informed him.
Xavier’s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. “So, she signed them,” he said softly, his voice detached. He glanced at the papers briefly before shifting his gaze to the horizon. After a moment of silence, he dismissed the lawyer with a wave of his hand. “You may leave.”
The lawyer hesitated as if wanting to say something but thought better of it. He stepped back, and the car door closed with a thud.
However, just as the car’s engine roared to life, Bella appeared, stepping directly in front of the vehicle. Her hands were clenched into fists, her face pale but determined. The driver honked the horn, but Bella didn’t flinch.
“Get out, Xavier!” she shouted, her voice breaking the tense silence. “Get out and face me! Don’t be a coward!”
Inside the car, Xavier sighed in irritation. Slowly, the door opened, and he stepped out. His tall frame loomed over her, his expression one of boredom and indifference.
“What do you want, Bella?” he asked, his tone cold.
Bella’s chest heaved with the effort to control her emotions. “What do I want?” she echoed, her voice shaking with a mix of anger and heartbreak. “I want answers! I want to know how the man who swore he loved me could betray me like this!”
Xavier’s eyes narrowed slightly, but his voice remained calm. “You’ve signed the papers. It’s over, Bella. What more do you want from me? Money?”
The condescension in his voice hit her like a slap. Bella raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a bitter smile. “Money? Is that what you think this is about?” she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Taking a step closer, she added, “Living among humans seems to have made you forget, Xavier. Those papers only deal with property. But we are werewolves.”
Confusion flickered across Xavier’s face, his sharp eyes narrowing as he tried to decipher her words. Before he could respond, Bella straightened her back, her voice ringing with authority.
“I, Bella Moonshadow, sever the mating bond with you, Alpha Xavier,” she declared loudly, her words cutting through the air like a blade.
Xavier’s body stiffened, his eyes widening in shock. A strangled gasp escaped his lips as the impact of her words struck him. Severing the mating bond wasn’t just an emotional act—it was a spiritual one. He clutched his chest as a sharp, searing pain ripped through him, a pain that no physical wound could ever replicate. It was the feeling of losing a part of his soul.
Bella stood her ground, her head held high as she watched him struggle with the consequences of her decision. For years, she had loved him with everything she had. But now, she realized that love was not enough to endure the betrayal, the lies, and the humiliation he had subjected her to.
Xavier straightened slowly, suppressing the pain that flickered in his eyes. “You...” he began, but his voice faltered. He hadn’t expected this. He thought she would cry, beg, or plead. Instead, she stood before him, strong and resolute, severing the bond that had once tied them together.
Bella didn’t wait for him to finish. She turned on her heel and strode away, her heart pounding but her resolve unshaken. When she reached the edge of the sidewalk, she stopped, turned back, and threw the money he had given her at his feet.
“I don’t need your money,” she said firmly. “I don’t need you.”
Xavier watched in stunned silence as she walked away, her figure disappearing into the distance. She carried herself with dignity, her head held high, and for the first time, Xavier felt a pang of something he couldn’t quite name—regret, perhaps, or the beginnings of guilt.
Bella didn’t look back. She had lost so much, but she still had her pride, her dignity, and most importantly, her unborn child. As she walked away from Xavier and everything he represented, she made a silent vow: She would protect her baby, no matter what. And she would rebuild her life—without him.