Chapter 2

Charlotte POV:

I woke up screaming.

In my dream, I was running through a dense forest, heavy with child, while a pack of faceless wolves snapped at my heels. But the horror wasn't the teeth; it was the eyes. Every time I looked back, the wolf leading them had Gabe's eyes.

I sat up, gasping for air, clutching my chest as if trying to force my heart back into rhythm. The bed beside me was empty. The sheets were cold.

I showered quickly, scrubbing my skin until it was pink, desperate to scrub the feeling of dread from my body. When I walked downstairs, the sound of laughter drifted from the dining room.

It was a light, tinkling laugh. Glassy. Unfamiliar. Not Eleanor's.

I rounded the corner and froze.

Sitting at the head of the table-my seat-was a woman I had never seen before. She was stunning, with cascading blonde hair and eyes the color of ice. She was wearing a silk robe that looked suspiciously like one Gabe had bought for me for our anniversary-one I had never even taken out of the box.

Eleanor was pouring her tea. Gabe was sitting next to her, staring at her as if she were the sun and he was a planet caught in her orbit.

The air in the room was thick with a scent that made my stomach churn. It was lilies. But underneath the perfume, there was something else... something distinct. Something rotten.

Mate.

The word whispered through the room, though no one spoke it. The air around them vibrated with the magnetic pull that only Fated Mates shared. But Gabe... Gabe was my mate. We had felt the bond years ago, even though I couldn't shift.

"Good morning," the woman said, spotting me. Her smile didn't reach her eyes.

Gabe jumped, guilt flashing across his face before his expression clouded over again. "Charlotte. This is... Harper Nicholson. She's a consultant for the IPO."

"Consultant," I repeated, my voice flat. "Is that why she's wearing a robe at breakfast?"

Harper giggled. "Oh, Gabe, she's feisty. You didn't tell me your little helper had claws."

She looked at me, her gaze raking over my simple cotton dress with amused disdain. "I spilled coffee on my blouse. Gabe was kind enough to lend me something comfortable."

"Get out of my chair," I said.

The room went silent.

Eleanor slammed the teapot down. "How dare you! Harper is a guest of honor. She is the daughter of Alpha Nicholson from the Northern Pack. You will show respect, Omega."

"I am his wife," I said, my voice shaking but loud. "And she smells like him."

Harper stood up. She was tall, athletic-a warrior's build. She walked over to me, invading my personal space. She raised her hand, pretending to inspect her nails, and I saw it.

A ring. On her index finger. It was gold, with a ruby set in the center.

It was the Sullivan family ring. The one meant for the True Luna.

"Gabe gave it to me for safekeeping," Harper whispered, leaning in close so the others couldn't hear. "He said it didn't fit you anyway."

My breath hitched. "Gabe?" I looked at him, pleading. "Tell her to take it off."

Gabe looked at the table. He looked at his mother. He looked at Harper. He looked everywhere but at me.

"Charlotte," he said, his voice low. "Don't cause a scene. Go to the kitchen and make more pancakes. Harper is hungry."

The betrayal hit me harder than a physical blow. "You want me to serve her?"

"I gave you an order!" Gabe roared.

The Alpha Command slammed into me. It felt like an invisible giant hand crushing my shoulders, forcing my biology to submit against my will. My knees hit the hardwood floor with a sickening crack.

"Ah!" I cried out, clutching my stomach. "My baby..."

The pain radiated through my womb. The Command was too strong; it was hurting the child.

"Stop," I gasped. "Gabe, please... you're hurting... us."

"Us?" Harper raised an eyebrow. "Is the pet sick?"

"Go to the kitchen," Gabe said, though his voice wavered slightly, his eyes flickering with confusion. He didn't release the pressure.

I crawled. I literally crawled out of the dining room, tears streaming down my face, humiliation burning my skin.

Over the next three days, my life became a living hell.

Harper moved in. She didn't just visit; she took over. She redecorated the living room. She fired the staff she didn't like. She threw my architectural awards into the trash, calling them "clutter."

I tried to Mind-Link Gabe constantly.

Gabe, please, talk to me.

Blocked.

Gabe, she's using you.

Blocked.

I was isolated. A ghost in my own home.

On the third day, the doorbell rang. I opened it to see my adoptive parents, Robert and Carol Jennings.

"Mom! Dad!" I sobbed, reaching for them. "Thank the Goddess you're here. You have to help me. Gabe is-"

Carol stepped back, avoiding my touch. She was wearing a new diamond necklace that caught the light. Robert was wearing a brand new watch.

"Now, Charlotte," Robert said, looking at his shoes. "Let's not be dramatic."

"Dramatic? He brought another woman into the house!"

"We know," Carol said. She smiled, but it was tight. "We met Harper. She's... very charming. Very powerful."

My jaw dropped. "You met her?"

"Eleanor explained everything," Robert said quickly. "The Pack needs a strong alliance. The Nicholsons are powerful. If Gabe mates with Harper, the Pack becomes royalty. We... we have to think about the greater good."

"And what about me?" I whispered. "I'm your daughter."

"You're an orphan we took in," Carol snapped, her mask of maternal care finally slipping. "We gave you a roof. We gave you food. Don't be ungrateful. Eleanor said if we support the transition, we get a seat on the new council. If we don't... we become Rogues."

They had sold me. For a council seat and jewelry.

"Get out," I said.

"Charlotte, be reasonable-"

"GET OUT!"

They scurried away like rats. I slammed the door and leaned against it, sliding down until I hit the floor. I was truly alone.

That night, the house was quiet. I knew Gabe and Harper were out "celebrating."

I crept into the guest room-Harper's room. I needed to know what she was. No natural Mate bond felt this... toxic.

I rummaged through her bag. Designer clothes. Makeup. And then, hidden at the bottom, a small velvet pouch.

I opened it. Inside were dried herbs-wolfsbane, crushed dried lavender, and something that smelled like sulfur. There was also a vial of liquid.

I uncorked it and sniffed. It was the scent. The lilies. But concentrated.

Synthetic.

It was a Witch's brew. She was using a glamour spell to mimic a Mate scent. It was forbidden magic. High treason against the Werewolf Council.

And next to the pouch was a paper. A medical report from a human clinic.

Patient: Harper Nicholson.

Diagnosis: Infertility. Uterus damaged beyond repair.

I gasped. I had heard her telling Eleanor just yesterday that she would give Gabe "many strong sons."

She was barren. And she was a fraud.

"Looking for something?"

The voice came from the doorway.

I spun around. Harper was leaning against the frame, holding a glass of wine. Gabe stood behind her, his face thunderous.

"Gabe!" I held up the vial and the paper. "Look! She's using magic! She's tricking you! And she can't have children!"

Harper didn't even flinch. She dropped her wine glass. It shattered on the floor.

Then she screamed.

"Gabe! Help! She tried to poison me!" Harper threw herself into Gabe's arms, sobbing fake tears. "She broke into my room and tried to force this... this poison down my throat! She wants to kill our baby!"

"What? No!" I stepped forward. "Gabe, read the paper!"

Gabe didn't look at the paper. He looked at Harper's tears. The spell she had woven around him was strong, clouding his judgment, twisting his instincts.

"You attacked her?" Gabe growled. His eyes flashed red-the Alpha color.

"No! She's lying!"

"Enough!" Gabe roared. The house shook. "You are jealous. You are spiteful. And you are dangerous."

"I am pregnant with your child!" I screamed, the truth finally tearing out of my throat.

Silence.

Gabe froze. For a second, clarity returned to his eyes. "Pregnant?"

Harper stiffened. Then she whispered in his ear, her voice dripping with venom. "A Wolfless can't carry an Alpha pup, Gabe. It's probably a hysterical pregnancy. Or worse... another man's."

The clarity vanished from Gabe's eyes, replaced by cold fury.

"Get out," he snarled.

"Gabe..."

"GET OUT!" He lunged at me.

I scrambled back, dropping the evidence. I ran. I ran out of the room, down the stairs, and out into the cold night air.

I didn't stop running until I reached the edge of the woods. I collapsed onto the damp grass, clutching my belly.

"It's okay," I sobbed to the baby. "Mama is here. Mama will protect you."

But deep down, I knew. The storm wasn't coming. It was already here.