Abandoned, I Married My Mate's Greatest Rival

A'S

the scent of home, of Silvercrest Pack territory. But tonight, for

n that brought out my warm hazel eyes-a color Cassian

ary. Five years of being his

going to give him t

eks, and keeping it from him had been the hardest thing I'd ever done. Every morning, I wo

r the concert, I'd pull out the ultrasound

ide me, warm and content. '

ly contain my excitement. I'd been

, the concert he'd mentioned wanting to see months ago. I'd called in favors, pulle

I have something to tell you. Well, two things, actually. B

e was pressed to his ear, his brow furrow

have to work overnight. The border patrols have been

. "Tonight? But Ca

and impatient. "But my duty doesn't stop for an

tickets felt heavy in my hand, the ultr

I managed. "I

s busy, but when he came home th

ly, but I pushed dow

s fine until

ced up at me. "You're the Luna of Silvercrest, not a pup from

talking about the concert for weeks, and now i

eping my voice steady. "You'r

kissed his cheek. "I'll be here when you g

rritation, maybe. Or guilt. It di

turning back to his pho

till clutched in my hand and the ul

back to life. Tonight, I'll tell him. And not

re was no harm i

ts I'd tucked into my journal a few minutes earlier. A t

~~~~~

n full swing. The human band played a frantic, passionate melody that vibrat

orite song until the music softened and a

members in the stadium erupted in excited howls.

le after couple locking lips. I could smell the e

ic stuttered, and a deafening

n my stomach at the

larger than the pac

Council meeting last week. And his hands weren't holding a scouting report. They w

br

e as my bridesmaid. The woman who had told me just two days ago, "Oh

over story fo

hit the mate bond like a physical blow. My mate was kissing my ch

earing, physical agony, like cla

claiming bite on her neck-fr

ding. Kiara surged forward, my claws e

ara howled. 'I'll te

my feet, already pushing through the crowd toward the pri

even a fraction of t

in hit-sudden a

omen like claws, stealin

lew to my

ba

nished beneath

wrong. We need to g

the wolves who had betrayed me, at th

them, I vowed. I'll

I had to sa

crowd and ignoring the shouts and angr

beta who blocked my pat

ck again, sha

ldn't be happening. I

iquid streaming do

world narrowed to

ridor or the taxi driver's concerned expres

the sudden, sickening weigh

he horrifying crunch of meta

~~~~~

ne beeping steadily beside me. My body felt wrong. Hollow.

ffled voice asked fro

aid we lost the baby. Th

nds hovering over my fla

d as well. They'll have to be

claw the faces off whoever was having this convers

your authorization,

casual disdain in it hurt worse tha

yway. Sabrina will provide the heir for Silvercrest.

cared about was getting rid of any poss

pha, with respect, there are a

et it? A barren Luna is easier to control. Sh

uth, muffling the sob

ed to a whisper. "Of cou

tightened

? Nothing more than a political alliance. The years I'd spe

Cassian was ordering the doctor to take away

ere, handsome as ever, his golden eyes

took every ounce of willpower not to recoil. "You'

you hours to get here, Cassian. Hours. I was in su

d you earlier, Lyra. I ha

word hang between us. "It must have bee

ra.

m just the woman who lost your child.

comfort flickering across hi

I lost our child, and you show up hours late with an exc

"The doctor said you'll make a ful

s what he called the

red a

een us, broken only by

the screen, and his posture changed.

he border during the rogue

wife, who had just lost their c

e realized I knew everything-every lie, every betrayal, every moment h

ra whispered weakly.

s. I could

es and stared

s winning. Let him believe I was still th

ed my hand, it would be in

ted, my voice empty of emoti

ut behind him, and I was alone with the

iara whispe

e can't s

would

ped speaking to my brother after he'd called Cassian da

lp us,' K

ve his help. I

my phone on the be

I hadn't dialed in years. My brother's-the bro

e bond we'd shared as pups, before I threw it

called

ne con

ep growled through the

osed my eyes.

the other end

nds to explain why

racking for the first time. "He ch

sharpening with alarm. "What happened

, a tear slipping down my cheek. "