Chapter 1 My Husband's First Love Returned

Lianne's POV:

"Ma'am, congratulations. You're pregnant."

The doctor's words echoed in my ears as I, Lianne Riley, stood there, frozen. My hands tightened around the thin sheet of paper, and I stared at it, unable to process what I had just heard.

Ever since that accident years ago, I'd lost my wolf, my body had weakened, and the possibility of conceiving had seemed almost impossible.

Could I really be carrying a child?

"But your condition is fragile," the doctor continued, his tone turning more serious. "If you intend to keep the baby, you need complete rest. Any stress could put both you and the child at risk."

"I understand," I replied with quiet determination.

By the time I left the hospital, evening had already settled over the city.

Without thinking, I placed a hand over my abdomen. It was still flat, yet there was already a life growing inside.

Ethan Voss, my husband, was the Alpha of the Thorn Pack. As his destined mate, I had always felt a sense of guilt for not being able to give him an heir.

But now, everything had changed. At last, I could tell him that we were going to have a child.

To mark the moment, I prepared dinner myself, cooking all his favorite dishes and setting them out carefully on the table.

The unrest at the border, caused by rogue wolves, had lasted for a week, and as Alpha, Ethan had been overseeing the situation himself.

I was certain he would return tonight. After all, it was the anniversary of our bond.

Time dragged on as the clock moved past ten and edged closer to eleven.

The beef bourguignon had long gone cold, a thin layer of fat forming on top. It sat untouched, just like the warmth in my chest that had slowly faded.

Without my wolf, I had no way to reach him through the mind-link. In the end, I picked up my phone and called his private number.

The line rang again and again before someone finally answered.

"Hello?"

The voice wasn't Ethan's. It was a woman.

Her tone carried a soft, lazy sweetness. "Ethan's taking a shower right now. Do you want me to pass along a message?"

Everything in my mind went still. My fingers loosened, and the phone slipped from my hand, hitting the table with a dull sound.

At this hour, another woman answered his private phone and told me he was in the shower.

I reached for the phone again, but the call had already been cut off.

Fear crept in, stopping me from dialing again. All I could do was stare at the dark screen.

Was Ethan seeing someone else behind my back? The thought settled in my chest, heavy and suffocating, as unease and dread spread through me.

Sleep came without me noticing, pulling me under as I lay on the couch, still lost in my thoughts.

At some point, the sound of firm footsteps reached the entrance, though I couldn't tell how much time had passed.

In my half-conscious state, I felt my body lift, the sensation distant and unreal.

A strong scent of alcohol mixed with the cold of the night air surrounded me. I recognized it immediately. It was Ethan.

"Ethan..." I whispered without thinking, my arms moving to circle his neck as he carried me.

He brought me into the bedroom, though there was nothing gentle in the way he held me.

The moment we reached the bed, he let go, and I landed against the mattress heavily. His figure blocked the faint light coming through the window.

Forcing my eyes open, I looked up at him. "You're back?"

"So you're awake," he said. His voice was low, yet carried a chill that made it feel distant.

As I pushed myself up, the memory of that phone call came rushing back, tightening my chest. I tried to smile, while my hand quietly reached beneath the pillow for the ultrasound report I had hidden there.

"Ethan, I have something I want to tell you. It's a surprise..."

"I have something to say as well," he said, cutting me off without warmth.

I blinked at him. "Then you should go first."

From inside his suit jacket, he pulled out a document and tossed it onto me.

Even in the dim light, the black text against the white paper stood out clearly.

The paper in front of me was the Rejection.

Everything in me went still. My fingers hovered over the cold page as disbelief took hold.

"Sign it." Ethan's voice came from above, his gaze fixed on me without a trace of warmth. "Lianne, this is where it ends for us."

"Why?" A tremor ran through my voice. "Is it because I lost my wolf? Or because I couldn't give you a child? Ethan, look at this..."

I reached under the pillow in a panic, trying to pull out the ultrasound report, but his hand closed around my wrist. The strength in his grip left no room to resist.

"That's enough," he snapped as he leaned closer. His breath brushed against my neck, but instead of warmth, it sent a chill through me. "Three years ago, your father lost everything and needed help. At that time, I was poisoned by silver. I couldn't walk, and I needed a mate to stabilize me. You happened to be that mate, so we entered into this arrangement. It was just a deal."

"So everything I did for you these past three years meant nothing? It was all just part of a deal to you?" My eyes stung as I looked at him.

For three years, I had looked after him every day.

I went to dangerous places to find a witch who could help him recover. I even used my own blood to counter the poison.

I handled the pack's finances and kept his business running. When he couldn't stand, I became the one who carried him forward.

And now, after all of that, he called it nothing more than a deal.

A faint shift crossed his eyes before it disappeared, leaving behind nothing but colder indifference.

Without warning, Ethan pushed me down and held me in place beneath him.

His presence pressed in from all sides, heavy enough to make it hard to breathe.

Rough fingers brushed against my lips, the touch sharp and unforgiving.

"Lianne, you've done your part these past three years. As a caregiver, you didn't fall short." His lips moved against my collarbone, carrying the lingering scent of alcohol. "But you can't give me what I need. The pack requires a Luna who is strong, not someone who can't even transform."

"I can..." My voice broke as tears ran down my face.

"No, you can't." He pulled back, his eyes shifting with a trace of something distant. "Ivy has returned."

Ivy Brooks. The name hit me like a blade.

She was Ethan's first love.

Three years ago, when Ethan was on the verge of collapse and needed a mate to steady him, she chose to walk away from the pack and leave for a future overseas.

"She's returned. She's still as strong as before. Nothing about her has changed," Ethan remarked as he rose and turned his back on me. His voice softened in a way I had never heard. "She's the true Luna meant for the Thorn Pack. As for you, Lianne, I'll make sure you're provided for. You won't have to worry about anything for the rest of your life."

All I could do was stare at his back. It felt distant, unfamiliar. In my hand, the ultrasound report had already been crushed beyond shape.

A faint ache stirred deep inside me, as if the life I carried could feel everything I was going through.

"Sign the Rejection soon," he said, his tone still cold.

My strength gave out, and I fell back onto the bed. My eyes drifted down to my stomach as tears blurred my vision.

Right then, I made my decision.

If I meant nothing more than a burden to him, and if Ivy was the one he chose, then I would leave. I would take this child with me and disappear from his life.