Jackson's POV

I sat in my office, the pile of documents stacked up on my desk, but I didn’t touch them. My concentration was elsewhere.

Adina was hiding something but what exactly could it be? Did she find out about me and Gina? I shook my head. No, that was impossible. Her scent… it had changed. I’d caught it more than once this week, faintly sweet but not quite mine. It gnawed at me, but I shoved it aside. She was carrying my heir. That was all that mattered.

But she hadn’t looked as excited as I expected her to be. That wasn’t like her. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. It was probably nothing.

And frankly, I didn’t care. Whatever bullshit was going on with her, she was carrying my child. I was finally going to become Alpha.

Nothing else mattered.

Gina walked into my office with a smug, victorious smile on her face. She didn’t stop to take a seat; instead, she walked straight over to me and sat on my lap.

“My Alpha,” she whispered, leaning in and pressing a kiss to my lips.

“I can’t believe you’re going to become Alpha soon.”

“And you, Gina,” I said, “will be my Luna.”

She giggled.

“What about Adina?” she asked, pausing. “She’s the one carrying your child, after all.”

Gina smirked, tracing her nails along my chest. “If she’s smart, she’ll stay quiet. She’s not built for this world, Jackson. Not like I am.” Her words slithered in like poison, and damn it, I liked the taste of it.

“Just because she’s carrying my child doesn’t make her my Luna. You’re the one I love. The only reason Adina matters right now is because of the baby inside her.”

She didn’t reply with words just kissed me again.

The announcement party was tonight, but almost everyone already knew that Adina was carrying my child. The news spread like wildfire.

Everything was finally perfect. I was going to become Alpha the title that always belonged to me. But because of that bastard Nathan, I couldn’t take what was rightfully mine.

Now, though… everything had fallen into place. Everything was working in my favor.

I let out a breath of relief. I was in control.

Once I was officially made Alpha after the birth of this child, I would name Gina my Luna.

And as for my sweet little Adina

She would never see any of it coming.

As evening fell, the house was slowly coming to life with guests' arrival.

Adina looked beautiful in the blue dress she wore, but my eyes kept drifting to Gina in that red, gorgeous gown. Adina was beautiful, but never a match for Gina.

I walked toward Adina, placing a kiss on her forehead. I took in her scent. There was something different about it. It was probably the baby.

The house was filled up by this time. There was chitchat everywhere. I was already being regarded as Alpha congratulations echoed around us as they toasted to life in our direction. I scanned the crowd, pride swelling in my chest. Every nod, every bow—they finally saw me as Alpha. Yet every so often, I caught Adina staring blankly into space, her hand protectively on her stomach. What was she thinking? But I stood tall, drink in hand, basking in their praise. Their respect. Their submission.

Finally

I had fought my whole life for this moment, always second to Nathan, always in his shadow. But not anymore.

Now, I was the one they admired. The one they bowed to. Because Adina was carrying my heir.

Gina slid beside me, keeping a polite distance in front of the pack, but brushing her fingers against mine when no one was looking.

Soon, I’d have it all.

The title. The power. The Luna I truly wanted.

Adina would fade into the background just another chapter in my rise.

She wouldn’t even see it coming.

As the night went on, it was finally time for the announcement. I clicked the glass in my hand to get everyone's attention.

The room fell silent, but before I could say a word, whispers started rising from behind the crowd as everyone turned in that direction.

The noise grew, and I was already starting to get pissed. What the hell was going on?

The crowd soon parted, making a path for someone I couldn’t see yet.

Once the stranger came into sight, the air shifted. The crowd split like prey sensing a predator, and then he emerged—tall, broad, and utterly untouchable. Nathan. His piercing gray eyes locked straight on me, and the smirk curling his lips was pure danger.

Nathan...

He stood there, hands in his pockets, radiating a confidence that couldn’t be matched.

He had his usual snug look on his face,

"I was expecting my invitation, dear nephew," he said, the smile still on his face.

"What are you doing here?" I carried myself with confidence. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction he was looking for. He thought everyone was afraid of him well, not me.

"I'm not going to stay long, no need to get all feisty."

Everyone looked at the both of us in silence.

"I'm just here to get what is mine, and I’ll be on my way."

"Excuse me?"

I had no idea what the hell he was talking about. He lives on the other side of town, and out of nowhere, he walks into my house and says he wants to take what’s his? He had finally lost his mind.

"Get out of my house, Nathan."

He let out a small laugh. He didn’t flinch at my words.

"I don’t want to cause a scene, nephew. Do not push my hand." That came out more like a warning than a statement.

His words sent a chill down my spine, but I wouldn’t show it.

"There’s nothing of yours here, so it’s best you leave." I moved in closer to him. "I am a very dangerous man, Uncle. Don’t underestimate me.”

Nathan's smile didn’t falter. He turned to Adina, who looked terrified.

"That is what I came for," he said, pointing at her. Small whispers skyrocketed through the crowd.

"That's my mate! You fucking touch her, I’ll kill you."

"Oh, dearest nephew," he said sarcastically, "that—" he pointed to Adina, "—is my mate." The crowd fell dead silent.

"And the baby in her womb is mine, not yours," he added, poking my shoulder.

Adina didn’t say a word. She just stared, wide-eyed.

"You must be crazy," I laughed. "So you’ve finally lost it. Well, that came sooner than we all expected."

Nathan moved closer to me, closing the distance between us. His presence was intimidating now, the playful exterior gone.

"I’m not here to play games with you just to claim what’s rightfully mine."

I stepped back. Wait… was he being serious or just delusional? Whichever one it was, there’s no way in hell I was letting him leave with her—or my child.

His voice dropped, cold and lethal. “I don’t repeat myself, Jackson. She comes with me, or I put you down in front of your pack and take her over your corpse.” His words cut through the room like a blade, and no one dared breathe.