Silas’ POV

I woke to a soft weight pressed against me, a small figure curled tightly in my arms. As my eyes fluttered open, the memories of last night crashed into me like a tidal wave. I cursed myself for what had happened. This was never supposed to go like this.

For four long years, I fought to stay away from her. One whiff of her scent and my wolf, Silver, lost control.

Every time Elizabeth was near, Silver’s fury bubbled beneath my skin, throwing me off balance. Silver hated Elizabeth for some reason. I knew the reason why, but Elizabeth had no fault in anything. She was the most innocent in all of this!

And the woman in my arms, my wife, my Luna, I had no idea how to handle her anymore. For years, I had been running, pretending I could escape what was written in our blood. But when she declared she was leaving me, Silver took over, ignoring all reason. We were mates. What else could I expect? How long could I push her away before it all exploded? I lost. I lost to the instincts that have defined me since birth.

I wanted to hate her. I wanted to despise her for what she’d done, for the chaos she had unleashed. But no part of me could summon that hatred. She had a hold on me that nothing could break.

Amelia was sixteen when my father found her, bruised and broken, deep in the forest during a pack patrol. It took months for her to heal, and then she was sent away to a foster home. My mother never trusted her as she was a rogue girl with no pack allegiance. Our pack was closed and guarded. And suddenly, my father was caring for this stranger. It did not sit well with my mother.

At eighteen, Amelia was hunted by rogues. My father sent forces to protect her, but was gravely injured in the attack. For six months, he fought death, and on his deathbed, when I was twenty-three, he made me marry her.

When he learned Amelia was my mate, he said I was made for her. That we belonged together. Against my and my mother’s wishes, he wedded me to the woman who was the reason for his very death.

Now, holding her in my arms, I know my father was right. Amelia’s wolf may be weak, but her mind, her strength, held the pack steady like nothing else. She is more capable than anyone I’ve ever known, even my mother. She is the woman I want by my side through every season, every storm. I will never let her go.

The knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I dressed and paused to inhale her scent one more time. It was unique and intoxicating. With red hair, freckles, wild curls, and those rare amethyst eyes, she is unlike any woman in the East.

Her origins are a mystery, and it was a risk I have long feared. We don’t know if she is a friend or a foe. She doesn’t remember the sixteen years before her life began at my pack.

I traced her face gently and whispered, “Don’t leave me… I’ll give you everything you want.”

In the main house, my mother was already at breakfast. “Good morning, mother,” I said.

She raised an eyebrow. “Seven days, Silas. Seven days you were gone.”

“I had important business.”

“More important than Elizabeth?” Her tone was sharp.

I said nothing.

“She is upset. You should coax her before it gets worse. She has been waiting seven days. I didn’t tell her where you were. She is carrying your pup, for the goddess’s sake. Show her respect.”

My jaw clenched. My pup.

Two months ago, I was drunk beyond reason. When I woke, Elizabeth lay naked beside me. I had no idea what had happened between us, but I knew Elizabeth would never lie.

I kept my distance after that.

Then, one month later, Elizabeth appeared in my office with a pregnancy test, breaking down in tears. She didn’t want to ruin my life, but asked to keep the child. Once born, she promised to take the baby away and never interfere.

“Silas, we can’t afford to offend Elizabeth,” my mother warned. “Especially now, with the test results back. I didn’t expect Elizabeth to be the long-lost daughter of the Alpha of Phantom Moon pack. She may have forgotten her past, but she’ll remember soon enough. Phantom Moon’s Alpha has no grandchildren, and her child will be their first grandchild. If anything happens to her or the baby, our pack will suffer greatly. We cannot allow that.”

“Are you sure she is the long-lost daughter of Alpha Dante?” I asked.

“Yes. Your father confirmed it back then. The DNA matched. I have no reason to lie. Get rid of that woman and make sure Elizabeth becomes your Luna before Phantom Moon comes here.”

I hardened my gaze. “No.”

“What?” His mother asked, surprised.

I answered, “I said no. Amelia is my mate, my Luna. What happened with Elizabeth was a mistake. I will never leave my mate for another woman.”

“She is carrying your pup!”

I replied, “We made a deal. She can keep the child. I’ll support her, but Amelia is my mate.”

“You’re crazy. Do you realise how dangerous this is? Alpha Dante’s pack is the strongest in the entire kingdom. Not just this, he is the son-in-law of the Werewolf King! He won’t forgive this. They could get Amelia killed and the whole pack as well. Don’t be stupid, Silas.”

Elizabeth appeared then, rubbing her stomach. Tears filled her eyes when she saw me. “My stomach hurts… What if the baby is hurt? I have no one.”

“Take her to the hospital!” my mother begged. I could see fear in her eyes. It was the same when my father died, and the entire pack was flipped upside down overnight. She was scared of a similar thing happening again. In the ugly battle that followed my father’s death, she did not just lose a significant portion of the pack’s territory but also her entire natal family.

I found myself driving Elizabeth to the hospital, but my mind stayed fixed on the woman sleeping in my bed. Would she still be thinking of leaving me? I gave her what she wanted. The right to be my wife, not just pack’s Luna.

Will she stay?