Chapter 1

Selene's POV

I don’t know where I am.

I don’t know why I’m running.

My feet are roughly hitting every pint of grass prickling underneath my soles as I rushed to wherever I was supposed to go. I don’t know where I was supposed to go. But I kept running.

My heart races a million miles per minute, my body on fire and yet I don’t stop. All I see is the green pasture hovering over the dead of the darkness.

“Ha . . .” I turned around, the cold wind whipping my face as I sprinted. I catch sight of the large white wolf, sleek and powerful prowling at me. Its canines were out and smudged with blood of whoever his victim was before me.

“Oh Goddess, help—help me!” The adrenaline made its course and I sprinted as fast as I could into the eerie darkness until all the energy I had ran out.

I turn to look behind me. There was no one. Silence and an empty grassland met my gaze. I instantly release a breath of relief, wiping the sweat beading down my temples.

“I-I escaped!” I mutter to myself, still huffing to catch all the air in my lungs.

However, a sudden gust of wind whipped through my side. I turned to look behind me and the next thing I knew, the large predator was midair, growling with anger. I wasn’t able to register before I felt the fear swallow me whole.

I’m gonna die.

“No!” I sat up, looking around me. The wolf, there was that wolf! W-where is it?

However, much to the fear that’s still strangling me to breathe properly, the only thing that met my eyes were the familiar sight of cream-colored walls and flowers on the window sill. The entire room is lit up by the glistening sunlight casting shadows in the messy place.

“Kring! Kring! Kring!” I groan as I slam my hand down the alarm clock burning my eardrum so early on my bedside table.

What the hell was that? It’s that dream again.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and brushed both of my hands up and down my face. “So much for dreaming about a wolf when I don’t even have one.” I murmur, pushing my hair back and wiping the drool off my face.

My gaze landed on the calendar, specifically the date encircled with a red marker.

It’s his arrival!

A smile instantly formed on my face as the last memory of that dream finally left my mind. Today is going to be a great day!

I pushed the thick sheets off of me and headed to brush my teeth. I take a bath, scrubbing every once of dirt from my body. He wouldn’t want to hug someone filled with grimes when he just came back from war.

The closet was filled with all the dresses I bought in ages. It’s all been worn except for one. The only red dress I prepared for this day. Smiling one last time in the vanity mirror, I step out of the room with content.

“Good morning!” I greeted an omega heading out for laundry. She bows in response, even with a confused look on her face.

An even bigger smile etched on my face at the sight of our large wedding picture hanging on the staircase.

Dorian Blackwood, my husband and the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. We have been married for years. I stare at his sage green eyes and broad shoulders, a pale skin that would leave even Snow White crawling behind the lines. I can’t believe he’s my husband.

“Quick! Prepare the towels!”

“Turn on the bathroom waters!”

“Food! Tell the kitchen to come up with something!”

I glance down the railings where the omegas are. They were rushing around the place as the pack members ran through the entrance door of the pack house with brimming excitement written on their faces.

No way, are they . . .

“Are they already here?” I called onto one of the omegas and she nodded vigorously.

My husband. My husband is here!

Like all the other pack members, I rushed to the door as everyone else made way for me, the Alpha’s wife. I see a group of wolves stepping out of the dark forests and into the light. They just came back from a huge war for months, and now they’re finally here!

Their furs were drenched in blood as everyone huddled around to find their mates, family members, and friends among the pack warriors who now shifted back to their human form, hugging their loved ones.

Amidst the large crowd, I spot a man’s broad back from afar. My heart drummed wild in my chest as the familiar scent of him wafted through my nostrils. It’s him. It’s my husband.

“Dorian?” I called. To my surprise, all the pack warriors who came with him in the war, pulled away from their hugs and reunited kisses and turned to me first with worried expressions.

I didn’t understand what they were looking at me like that for, until my own husband turned around to face me.

Dorian, my husband, is carrying another woman in his arms.

It could be anyone, honestly. Perhaps a warrior injured in the war, a victim of their attack, anyone. But what caused my hand to shake was when my gaze landed on her belly. She’s pregnant. A pregnant woman is being lovingly held by Dorian.

Gasps and judgmental whispers spread throughout the training grounds as their eyes laid on their beloved Alpha and the strange, delicate pregnant lady he’s carrying.

“Oh my goddess, who is that?”

“She looks beautiful?”

“Tell me, brother, did the Alpha bring home a lover?” I heard one of the kids from afar murmur to his pack warrior brother who instantly hushed his tiny voice.

With a lump slowly forming in my throat, I force a confused smile on my face, “W-who . . .” I tried to mutter, nodding onto the girl who is slowly waking up in Dorian’s muscular arms.

“Hear me, Blackwood Pack. This woman,” He announced, the Alpha tone lacing his voice as he glowered down at the entire pack present in the field right now, “This woman is Amara Hale,” Dorian finally glanced down at me as he said his next words with certainty,

“My one, true mate.” He muttered as those same sage green eyes that lovingly stared at me in the beautiful hanging portrait of ours, now held hostility in them.

“We are now married from the war . . . and as you all can see,” his large hand caresses her exposed belly, “we are now expecting a child.”

Even louder gasps erupted through the place as murmurs of both pity towards me and interest in the pregnant woman he claimed as his mate seethed through everyone’s mind.

“His mate? And now a child? Then what about Selene, his wife?”

“I figured, no one would stay with her.”

“Men have needs, I suppose.”

A scoff slips past my lips, trying to ease the tears that’s slowly coming out. My chest is burning and tight but I force my words out, “It can’t be. You’re my husband. How could you do this to me?” I took a step closer to Dorian, reaching my hand out to him but he only took a step back, looking down at me with cold eyes.

“You know exactly what we had, Selene. It was nothing but a formality. Your father was my father’s Beta.” Dorian replies. His sharp glare sent shivers down my spine.

My mind tries to register what he’s saying as all our memories flash before my eyes. “B-but, I gave you everything, Dorian—I trusted you!” my voice began to raise as all emotions escaped me. I gave up everything to help him in this pack, I helped him rebuild it to what it is today all for the love I have for him!

Dorian sneers, tightening his hold onto his lover—his mate. “You trusted a lie. You’re worthless to me, Selene. Without a wolf, you’re nothing but a hollow promise I made for my father.”

“Ugh, Dorian . . .” The woman in his arms began to murmur his name as she twisted in her sleep. Dorian flashes me one last look of disgust and was about to walk past me when I stepped in front of him once again, casting a hard glare on the girl, “A-and her? That woman? What is she to you?” I snapped.

“Amara is the daughter of a powerful Alpha. We’re now expecting a child. That’s real. Not any charade we had. It’s time you face the truth.” He growled but I stood my ground, swallowing the fear.

“Y-you can’t just throw me away!” I sneered at him. Dorian stepped forward, his height intimidating my small figure. I look up at him as those sage green eyes turned icy.

“Listen here, Selene. You are not my mate. You were never more than a placeholder. The sooner you understand that, the better.” He mutters dangerously slow, moving past me as everyone makes way for their Alpha and their soon-to-be Luna.

My knees finally gave in as I crashed down the ground. Tears streamed down my face.

Our marriage was a lie. All the love I gave him was a lie. Dorian Blackwood was never mine to begin with.