Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Kyra's POV

Was it a blessing to marry your best friend?

I was not sure what Nathan thought. But for me, becoming his chosen mate was a dream come true. And now-what was even more miraculous-we were going to have our first pup.

"Congratulations, Luna Kyra," the pack doctor told me cheerfully as she saw the shock in my eyes. "We are about to welcome the first Alpha heir to our pack."

I subconsciously touched my belly, still unable to believe a pup was growing there. Had I heard it right? I was pregnant? I was pregnant with Nathan's pup! After three years as his Luna, I was finally carrying the pup who would be my mate's heir, the future of the Nightfall Pack.

"Sylvia," I whispered to my wolf, "we're going to be mothers."

My wolf stirred within me, her presence warm and protective.

On the way out of the hospital, I couldn't wait to tell Nathan about our pup. I wondered what his reaction would be. Would he howl with happiness? Would he kiss me and everything? Goddess, I could barely contain myself.

I cupped my red face as I fantasized. But the moment I felt the cold from the simple ring on my finger, my wildly beating heart calmed down. I almost forgot that Nathan wasn't the type to be keen on having pups, especially since our marriage was arranged by our families.

Our families had been friends for a long time. So our marriage also strengthened the alliance between the Nightfall Pack and the Raven Shadow Pack.

Nathan was a complete gentleman, both as a friend and a mate. Every time we had sex, he was considerate but cautious-careful not to claim me with his mark. No claiming bite, no permanent tie.

He said there was no need to add shackles when we weren't ready.

This pup, in a way, was out of the plan.

My mind became restless as I sat in my car. Would this be good news for him?

"You're spiraling," Sylvia murmured in my mind. "Stop overthinking. He's your mate. He'll be happy."

"Luna Kyra, is everything okay? Should I send a mind-link to Alpha Nathan?" My private driver, Luke-a loyal warrior from my father's pack-asked. Luke was reliable, like family, but if I chose to share, I still wanted Nathan to be the first to know this news.

"No," I shook my head, giving Luke a reassuring smile. "He's on the flight. I'll talk to him myself later." That way, I could sense his answer directly from his raw expression. I was always good at that.

I closed my eyes, recalling the day I met Nathan.

After my father remarried, I never got along with my stepbrother Kieran Carver. Unlike his gentle and beautiful mother, he looked fierce and brutal. His arms were covered in tattoos, and the scars on his forearms showed he'd been in serious fights. Most importantly, he always acted like he hated me-glaring when I laughed, scoffing at my hobbies. But sometimes I'd catch him staring when he thought I wasn't looking. Weird. To escape that house, I transferred to a new high school.

On my first day at the new school, I saw Nathan in the hallway between classes. His bright smile in the sunlight was dazzling. Long before we became best friends, I fell in love with him at first sight. But it was an unrequited love-I knew it well.

In high school, I was only a boring nerd in everyone's eyes, while Nathan Anderson was the shining quarterback. Everyone was surprised that we could be friends. Though I faced hostility, I enjoyed being around him. I slowly realized I didn't want to be just his friend.

However, right when I was about to confess my feelings, he met his fated mate.

I shook my head, trying to get rid of those sad old memories. I gripped the wedding ring on my finger, reminding myself the past was past. Nathan said they were over and I was his wife now.

I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and opened the door to our house. My heart calmed down as I breathed in the scent of home. I must have been overthinking. That woman had been out of our lives for a long time, and my marriage with Nathan was as beautiful as a fairy tale.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. At this point, Nathan should have gotten off the plane. He had been traveling for over a month for the sake of the pack's business.

Nathan was the president of ADE, and I was actually the vice president of the company. The Nightfall Pack operated ADE-a top-tier fashion magazine company to the human world. Our secret operations team handled pack business behind the scenes, while our fashion resources provided the perfect cover. Some of our top models and designers were actually werewolves, blending seamlessly into human society. Of course, compared to humans, we still had many unique abilities.

"Nathan, about what time will you be home? I have some news to share with you." I sent him a mind-link, but he didn't reply. I really missed Nathan after being apart for a month.

I dialed his number immediately. I really wanted to hear his voice now, to know when he would arrive home. I would prepare a good meal for him and he would reward me with a sweet kiss. Then we might have passionate sex, like what he gave me the night before his business trip. Oops, I almost forgot I was pregnant now. I needed to tell him first and then we could do something else instead.

I was happily envisioning our lovely reunion when my heart dropped as a woman's voice came over the line.

[Hello?]

My phone fell to the floor and my body started shaking uncontrollably. No! It couldn't be her! It couldn't be Sophia! She was already out of our lives! I must have misheard.

All the bad high school memories came rushing back.

Nathan had shifted when he was eighteen. His wolf, Alaric, knew right away that Sophia Gilbert was his fated mate. Sophia Gilbert was a typical blonde beauty that men would go crazy for. She was the popular cheerleader in high school while Nathan was the star quarterback. Better match than he and a nerd like me, right?

I didn't know why Sophia hated me so much. Maybe because I was always near Nathan.

"Oh look, it's Nathan's charity case," she would say whenever I walked by, her friends laughing behind her. One time, she locked me in a bathroom stall while her friends poured ice water over the door. I stood there, shivering in my soaked clothes as they giggled. Another time, she "accidentally" slapped me so hard it left a red mark. "Oops," she said with a fake smile, "I forgot nerds bruise easily."

The worst was when they cornered me in the hallway after gym class.

"You really think he actually likes you? You don't even have your own wolf." Sophia popped her gum, stepping so close I could smell her scent. "He only talks to you because his grandma made him."

One of her friends grabbed my glasses. "How many fingers am I holding up, blind bat?"

I tried to take them back, but Sophia grabbed my wrist, her nails digging into my skin. "Stay away from him," she hissed. "Or next time, it won't just be your glasses that get broken."

They left me there, my vision blurry as I picked up my cracked glasses from the floor.

When I told Nathan what Sophia did and said, he just laughed.

"You don't have your wolf yet because it's not time. When you turn eighteen, your wolf will come. I'll be there to help you through your first shift," he said, ruffling my hair like I was some dumb puppy. "Sophia's just messing with you, don't take it seriously."

But I did.

Because every time Sophia sat with him at lunch, she "accidentally" spilled her drink on my books. Every time I walked past, she whispered, "He's mine." And whenever Nathan wasn't looking, she gave me that cruel smile-as if she enjoyed hurting me where he couldn't see.

My pride couldn't stand being bullied this way, while my best friend fell in love with such a bitch. So I once tried to stay away from them in silence, but Nathan refused to leave my life. Every time I drowned myself in books and studies to forget them, Nathan would appear at my doorway, asking me out. I couldn't say no to his charming smile; I couldn't say no when he claimed it was his duty as my best friend to take me to experience the real world.

To avoid ruining our friendship, I could only hide my broken heart, silently playing the role of his best friend by his side and watching his happy face for Sophia. I finally gathered the courage to study abroad as I learned Nathan was planning to propose to Sophia. However, I never expected Nathan's grandma would call to beg me back.

I returned in a hurry only to see a lifeless Nathan. His wolf, Alaric, had gone eerily silent. Nathan's heart was badly hurt by Sophia-she rejected her fated mate. My beloved sunshine boy was nowhere to be seen, and my heart was bleeding. I hated Sophia Gilbert, that damn bitch!

Nathan didn't tell anyone what had happened except that he was done with Sophia. Grandma begged me to bond with him to stabilize the pack. I didn't understand why he agreed until the day I heard him say, "It doesn't matter who I take as Luna now." To him, marrying anyone but Sophia was all the same.

It was so fucking painful, but I still walked into this marriage without a second thought. My cherished boy was broken, and I wanted to fix him, not caring if I ruined myself in the process.

I fell asleep at home feeling so insecure and worried. I woke up in the middle of the night when I felt someone caressing my cheek.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and realized I had fallen asleep in the living area.

Someone lifted me from the couch. His minty scent enveloped me, but beneath it-something cherry.

I looked at him with heavy-lidded eyes.

"Nathan."

"Hmm," he hummed as he walked toward the stairs. "Why did you sleep on the couch?"

I stared at his face as he gently laid me down on the bed. He caressed my hair and kissed my forehead. My wolf, Sylvia, purred with satisfaction.

We'd been apart for over a month, my body missed him, and my heart longed for him.

"Where have you been? I've been waiting for you," I said as I caressed his cheek.

"Just met a friend. You said you were waiting for me-is it something urgent?"

Looking at his gentle face, suddenly I didn't want to ruin the moment, so I closed my parted lips and swallowed the truth back down.

I shook my head and pouted, telling him that I was sleepy. He chuckled and carefully carried me to the bed. The moment he was about to leave me after giving me a goodnight kiss, I panicked for some reason. I quickly grabbed him and kissed him with all my passion, trying to undress him, wanting him to touch me more and deeper. I missed him. I wanted him. I felt the only way I could feel at ease was to let him have me again-to make sure he was still mine.

"Wait, Kyra," he said, pinning my hands gently on the bed to stop me. "I thought you said you were sleepy and needed to rest."

"But I think I miss you more now." I looked at him with innocence, and I could catch desire flashing in his eyes, but I didn't know why it faded so quickly. He used to be happy when I became the initiator.

He didn't laugh. He sighed deeply and gently tucked my hair behind my ears before he held my hand and stared into my eyes. "I have something to tell you."

I felt my heart race. I thought about the pup in my womb. He's got something to tell me. I have something to tell him too.

"W-What is it?" I asked, my voice trembling.

He took a deep breath. "You know you're important to me, right?"

I slowly nodded. I couldn't answer. I was scared of what he was about to say. I had a bad feeling about this.

"You were my best friend before we got married. You're one of the few people I treasure."

I didn't know why he was telling me all this, but I felt tears already pooling at the corner of my eyes.

"Kyra." he paused and squeezed his eyes shut before he looked at me again. "I-I think it's time for us to end our marriage. Can you reject me?"

"N-Nathan." I felt my heart clench.

He smiled. "I know you don't have feelings for me either. You just married me because of my grandparents. You only did this because you love them. Now it's time for our real happiness, Kyra."

I shook my head. "W-What are you talking about, Nathan?"

"Sophia is back, Kyra. My fated mate is back."