Chapter 1

IRONGARD KINGDOM

***

Nadia hated Monday mornings. They reminded her of how terrible things had gotten since she finished college. She was constantly struggling to feed and care for her sick mother, who also took on minor jobs to help them survive. From their window, she would watch members of neighboring packs go about their day and envy them. It seemed as though life was going well for them while it threw spoiled lemons at her.

How could a first-class graduate be scrubbing floors and doing dishes for peanuts? This was not the life she envisioned for herself, Nadia thought as she went about her chores that morning. Worst of all was their growing dependence on her boyfriend, Nelson, a Beta of the Stonewall Pack. He was always there, and as much as she tried to appreciate him for showing up, she disliked the feeling of being a freeloader benefiting from his graciousness.

Perhaps that dependence was what gave him the boldness to make such a lewd request.

Have a child for him to boost his rank at Stonewall?

That could not be the reason.

It made no sense why we couldn't do that as a mated couple.

No way. A part of her was tempted to call him in her normal fashion, but since their last quarrel, he had not bothered to call her. She decided she would return the favor in equal measure.

Just then, while she was wiping a cushion, her mother, Estelle, emerged from her room. She stood for a minute looking a bit confused, as though she was trying to remember something. Then, she grabbed her purse from the counter and made a move toward the door.

"Mom, wait!" Nadia called out, stepping into her mother's path. "You are not leaving without taking your medicine. Your wolf is too weak to heal you on its own anymore."

Estelle checked her wristwatch and groaned. "Nadia, please. I am already ten minutes behind schedule. I am late for my shift at the pack warehouse."

To think they used to own that warehouse until her wicked Uncle, Edward, snatched it. Nadia concluded her mother's humility needed to be studied, and that grit had rubbed off on her too.

Nadia crossed her arms over her chest, planted her feet, and did not budge. "At least you will be healthy when you get there. You know how my Uncle Edward looks at us. Since he became the Alpha and took over the head of the pack, he has been looking for any reason to kick us out."

"I have not had breakfast yet," Estelle argued, trying to sidestep her daughter. "You know the doctor said I cannot take those pills on an empty stomach. Since our status dropped to Omegas and we lost our connection to the pack clinic, these overly expensive meds are all that keep me going. I will take them at my lunch break."

Nadia gestured toward the small wooden dining table with a triumphant smile. "Food is already on the table and ready to go. So, what is your next excuse?"

Estelle stopped and sighed, her shoulders dropping. "Nadia, listen to me. Everything has changed. Your uncle does not tolerate lateness or a lackadaisical nature of any kind. I am so glad you are aware that he is like a hawk, looking for any reason to punish us. If I stay back to eat, I will be late, and he will have me punished. Would you want that?"

Indeed, Edward did not tolerate lateness as long as it came from Estelle, and she had known better to protect Nadia from him, his mean wife, Katerina and their vain daughter, Danielle.

Nadia's expression softened, but her resolve stayed firm. She stepped closer and looked her mother in the eyes. "And then when you die, now what? Have you thought about that?"

Estelle blinked. "Nadia, do not be dramatic."

"I am not being dramatic, Mom. I am being real. If you collapse while you are working, or if you pass away because you are neglecting your heart, what happens then? Uncle Edward would find a replacement for you within minutes among desperate, job-seeking pack members. He would just put another nameless Omega in that warehouse and forget you. He has never cared about us in the slightest anyway. But what about me? I will be left all alone in this world. Is that what you want?"

Silence erupted in the room. Estelle looked at her daughter's face, seeing the genuine fear hidden behind the stubbornness. The fight left her all at once.

"Okay," Estelle whispered. "Okay, you win."

"Thank you," Nadia said.

They walked over to the dining table together. The steam was still rising from a covered plate. Estelle sat down and took a deep breath.

"It smells delicious, honey," she said.

"Thank you, Mom." Nadia reached down and unveiled the plate. It was a simple but hearty breakfast of fluffy scrambled eggs and a few slices of toast. These simple meals were all she could scrape together.

Estelle's eyes suddenly welled with tears. She looked up at Nadia, her voice trembling. "You work so hard to take care of me. You are so young, and you spend all your time worrying about my health and scavenging for meals while the rest of the pack lives in luxury."

Nadia pulled out a chair and sat across from her. She reached out and squeezed her mother's hand. "It is nothing, Mom. You have been selfless your whole life. You protected me when you could have left after Uncle seized the pack. Taking care of you is the least I can do."

Estelle picked up her fork, but before she took her first bite, she looked at Nadia with a curious expression.

"I saw Nelson come by the other day." Estelle paused and observed Nadia before she continued. "He looked a bit upset when he left. Did you two finally resolve your differences?"

Nadia's smile faded instantly. She picked at a loose thread on the tablecloth. "No. We did not."

"Then why was he here?"

"He only came by to see if I had changed my mind about his request," Nadia said shortly.

Estelle paused with a piece of egg halfway to her mouth. "And?"

"I told him the same thing I told him last week," Nadia replied. "I cannot give in to what he wants. To be honest, Mom, I am surprised you are even asking me to consider it."

Estelle let out a long, frustrated sigh. She put her fork down. "Why, Nadia? Why are you being so difficult about this? We are at the bottom of the hierarchy now. Nelson is a high-ranking Beta with the wealth and status that could change our lives."

"Because I cannot do it. It is non-negotiable for me."

"It is not fair to him," Estelle said, her voice rising slightly. "Sometimes in our world, we need to bend our rules a little bit. We have to look at the bigger picture. I would not be disappointed in you if you agreed. You are old enough to know how pack alliances and bloodlines work."

"It is not about being old enough," Nadia countered.

"Nelson has been our only protector since your dad passed," Estelle continued. "He is the only reason your uncle has not completely exiled us. Think about it, Nadia. Who pays for my medications when our meager wages run out?"

Nadia looked away, her jaw tight. "Nelson."

"And who gave the recommendation for your last gig? The very one that afforded us this meal?"

Nadia shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Nelson did. I know that."

"He has been our rock," Estelle said. "He supports us. He just wants this one thing to ensure his legacy. We should be grateful he found you worthy to demand such from you."

Nadia instantly felt repulsed. She stood up abruptly. "I cannot give into his demand, Mom! Why cannot anyone understand that?"

Estelle leaned forward, her eyes searching her daughter's face. "What are you so afraid of, Nadia? Are you worried that he will abandon you after the child is born? That he will find a fated mate and leave you as a mistress? Or are you afraid he will not marry you?"

Nadia felt a lump form in her throat. She looked at her mother, feeling a sense of frustration and deep embarrassment gnaw at her.

"I cannot have a child for Nelson outside of marriage," Nadia said, her voice shaking. "I cannot do it because I have never been with a man before. I have never shared my bed with anybody."

The kitchen went deathly silent. Estelle's hand stopped midair. Her mouth dropped open. The shock on her face was profound.

"Oh, Nadia," Estelle whispered. "I am so sorry. I had no idea. I just assumed that since you and Nelson have been dating for over three years, I thought you both may have."

"No," Nadia said, wiping a stray tear. "We never had sex. I made a promise to keep myself for my mate. If Nelson wants a child with me, he will have to marry me and claim me as his mate before the entire pack in a dignified way. I want to be his mate and not his one-night knockoff baby mama. I want to have kids with the person I marry only. I will not be a surrogate just to pay our bills."

Estelle was speechless. The awkward silence propelled Nadia to tell her to eat her food so she could take her drugs.