I had just lost my mate,Alpha Zachary Blackthorn,Alpha of the Silverfang Pack. As the Luna-in-waiting and pregnant with his child,I was granted temporary sanctuary in the Blackthorn estate. My in-laws,the former Alpha and Luna,treated me kindly on the surface—but I could feel the shift in their auras,the unease in their glances.Perhaps they pitied me. Or perhaps,they already knew the truth I was yet to uncover. After the Moon Rite that honored Alpha Zachary's death,the elders suggested something I could barely believe—they proposed that his twin brother,Beta Ethan Blackthorn,should"unite the bloodlines,"and take responsibility for both females under the ancient law of Dual Protection. Without formal mating bonds,he would serve as guardian and provider to both me and his existing mate,Sophia Hale. Sophia,who had always treated me like a walking curse,exploded with rage upon hearing it. Her amber eyes turned feral,and before I could utter a word,she collapsed into unconsciousness. Her wolf,fragile and unstable,had taken a toll on her health long ago. That night,I approached the Alpha quarters,desperate to plead with Alpha Zachary’s parents to abandon such a humiliating idea. But just as I reached the wooden door carved with the sigil of the Moon,I heard voices from within. “You’re sure it was your brother who died?”my mother-in-law asked,her voice trembling slightly. The man who answered was not Alpha Zachary. A heavy sigh followed. “Sophia’s wolf is too weak to endure such pain.If she knew I was the one truly gone…she’d unravel.So I took my brother’s place.For her,”he said. “I never stopped loving her.I only accepted the bond with Rachel so my brother could be free.Now that she carries a pup,my duty is done.I owe her nothing.Don’t speak again of me caring for both females—it would tear Sophia apart.” The air left my lungs. The man I had grieved,the one I’d mourned and buried…wasn’t my mate. Alpha Zachary was alive. And the one who had died protecting me—was Beta Ethan. At the next family dinner,I lifted my chin and looked the elders in the eye. “You’ve been urging me to move forward,”I said calmly.“I’ve thought it through.I’ll terminate the pregnancy.And start a new life.” The male across the table—Alpha Zachary—froze mid-motion.He had been serving me stew like nothing had happened,as if he hadn’t betrayed me with a lie that reshaped my entire existence. After the funeral rites of“Alpha Zachary,”I found out I was carrying his child.For the sake of the pup,I bottled every tear,every howl of grief.My own wolf,Lyra,urged me to hold on—for him,for his legacy. Because of Alpha Zachary’s weak lycan bloodline,conceiving had been nearly impossible. This pup was a miracle.I needed injections daily to stabilize the fetus,while morning sickness wracked my body until I dropped forty pounds.I hovered between life and death. Even the elders began to soften. They advised me gently:“You’re young,Rachel.Let the past go.Heal.Abort the child,and we will guide you to a better path.” But how could I? Alpha Zachary—no,Beta Ethan—was the one who truly saved me. Years ago,I had been promised to Beta Ethan through a sacred mate-marking.But three nights before the ceremony,I was kidnapped by a rogue pack.Abused.Torn. Beta Ethan called off the bond,disgusted that I was no longer“pure.” It was Alpha Zachary—his gentle twin—who risked his life to save me.He bled for me.He knelt before my father,sword in hand,and asked for my hand in marriage,claiming he had loved me from the beginning. And under his kindness,I healed.Slowly,painfully.And I thought we had found peace. Until the car crash took his life—or so I was told. And now,the child I was desperately trying to protect was not Alpha Zachary’s,but Beta Ethan’s.Conceived during a moment of confusion,of duty—not love. I almost collapsed under the weight of it all. Still,I held on.For the child. Until,during lunch,they suggested the ancient rite of Twinned Guardianship—a ritual where the surviving twin would become protector of the deceased’s mate and offspring. Sophia lost control. “You whore!”she screamed,slapping me across the face.“You think you can seduce him just because your mate’s dead?!You’re shameless!” Before I could explain,her wolf took over,and she fainted. Alpha Zachary—no,Beta Ethan—looked at me with scorn.Then swept her into his arms like a hero from an old wolf tale,leaving me alone with the taste of blood and betrayal.
Sophia's Slap Caused Pregnancy Complications Again Sophia's slap made my vision go black,and a sharp pain shot through my abdomen,as if I had been sliced open. I pressed my hand to my stomach,trying to ease the overwhelming pain,but my body couldn’t control itself,and the world seemed to tilt. "Rachel!Calm down!"I heard a familiar voice by my ear,filled with urgency."Breathe!Breathe deeply!" "Pack doctor,what should I do?"I spoke with difficulty,my voice broken by the pain. The voice belonged to our Pack doctor,Faron Ashcroft,one of the most respected healers in our pack.He moved quickly to my bedside,lowering his head to check my pulse,his expression serious."You need to stay calm,Rachel.You have to relax so that your wolf spirit can regain its balance,"he said,placing a cold hand on my forehead,gently pressing down. "But…"I groaned in pain,my hands gripping the bedsheet tightly."I feel it...it's restless,it's uneasy." "Your wolf spirit is agitated,"Faron whispered,"If you lose control of your emotions,it will harm the baby.I'll prepare some herbs to keep you calm." "Thank you,Faron."I closed my eyes with difficulty,though his touch brought a brief sense of coolness,it didn't ease the storm of emotions inside me. "Relax,Rachel.Breathe deeply,"he reassured. I nodded,trying to quiet my mind,though the turmoil inside me still threatened to explode. Two days later,I was finally able to get out of bed. After recovering a bit of strength,I decided to go speak to my in-laws,hoping to convince them to abandon that absurd idea and never bring it up again. I slowly walked to my in-laws'room.As I reached the door,I overheard my mother-in-law's voice,filled with confusion. “Alpha Zachary,it was clearly your brother who died.Why are you insisting it was you?” Alpha Zachary? My heart skipped a beat,and I froze in place.Did that mean it wasn’t Alpha Zachary who had died,but Beta Ethan? I was struck with shock,unable to process the words.My hands gripped the doorframe,my whole body tense as if I had been struck by lightning. I shook my head,trying to convince myself it was a hallucination.“It can’t be…it just can’t be.” But the next words shattered the fragile belief I held. “Mom,don’t let Sophia know about this.She’s always been weak,with a bad heart.If she knew it was my brother who passed away,her body definitely couldn’t take it.” Beta Ethan—no,it should be Alpha Zachary. My husband,Alpha Zachary. He paused for a moment,seemingly considering his words carefully,then continued in a cold tone,“Actually,the person I’ve always loved is Sophia.I only married Rachel to let her be with my brother.” I widened my eyes,my heart pounding.It was as if everything I believed had begun to collapse. “Now,Rachel is carrying my child,so I don’t owe her anything anymore,”he said.“From now on,I will take care of Sophia for the rest of my life,in place of my brother.Don’t mention taking care of both families again,it will only upset her.” "You…"I couldn’t help but yell."What are you saying?What are you really saying?" Just as I was about to storm into the room,the door opened.I froze as I saw Alpha Zachary standing there,his expression serious,his eyes filled with a mixture of emotions. “Rachel,”he said,his voice heavy with fatigue,“You heard everything,didn’t you?” “You lied to me!You’ve known everything all along…”I shouted,my voice filled with anger.“You’re living as your dead brother,aren’t you?You never told me the truth!” He remained silent for a moment before lowering his head.“Yes.I had to replace him to protect Sophia,”he said,his voice low.“Rachel,you don’t understand,this is all about our family’s legacy.” My rage almost consumed me.It felt like my entire being was on the verge of exploding.My wolf spirit was seething with fury.I could feel it stirring inside me,ready to break free,but I forced myself to take a deep breath to calm it. “I don’t need your explanations.I don’t need you to take anyone’s place,”I retorted,my voice trembling with a mix of fury and heartbreak. “You don’t understand,”Alpha Zachary’s voice deepened.“You don’t have a choice.We,as wolves,have our responsibilities.You’re carrying my child now,that’s a bond between us,a responsibility.” “Responsibility?”I sneered.“I thought it was love between us,not responsibility.” Just as I turned to leave,Faron suddenly appeared in front of me.“Rachel,calm down,”he said softly,his expression full of concern.“The air here is wrong.The situation is becoming urgent.” I turned to look at Faron.There was something in his eyes,a warning that I couldn’t ignore.“You know your wolf spirit is on the verge of losing control,don’t you?”he said,his voice tight. I froze,looking into his eyes.Faron’s gaze was filled with a deep,unspoken anxiety.“I understand your pain,but right now,you need to stay calm,or we won’t be able to protect you and the child.” “I understand,”I whispered,my voice quiet but firm.“I’ll stay calm.”
“But Rachel has already suffered enough.Back then,to break off her engagement with your brother and let your brother be with Sophia,you deliberately had someone kidnap Rachel for three days and nights,causing her to be abused.Now that she’s finally moved on and is carrying your child,it’s only right for you to take care of her…” My mother-in-law’s voice was trembling as she continued to argue,but Alpha Zachary interrupted her sharply,his voice tinged with frustration and something darker. “Enough,Mom!”Alpha Zachary’s tone was harsh,filled with frustration. He stood with his arms crossed,his gaze cold and distant.“To make up for what happened,I married her even though I knew everyone would mock me for accepting a‘tainted’woman.I took care of her for three years,helping her heal.Isn’t that enough?” I could hear the bitterness in his voice,like a snarl that was barely held back. “Do you want me to spend my whole life repaying her?I’ve suffered for three years,pretending for three years.I’ve had enough!”Alpha Zachary’s eyes flickered for a moment,and I saw something primal in them,something raw and angry. His wolf spirit seemed to be clawing at the surface,desperate to break free. His hands clenched into fists at his sides.“Living with her every day,watching her struggle…it’s been torture.Now,heaven has given me a chance to be with Sophia again.I’m not going to throw that away.” His words hit me like a slap,and the pain in my chest intensified. I heard more muffled voices from inside,but I couldn’t make out the words.All I could focus on was the deafening silence that followed. The coldness seeped into my bones,and I felt as if the very air around me had frozen. It was as though my heart had stopped beating,and every word they spoke was a dagger that cut deeper into my soul. I stumbled backward,my feet barely holding me up. I turned and staggered down the hallway,not caring about the tears that fell freely down my face. The sharp,biting cold of the night air met me as I reached my room,but it couldn’t freeze the burning pain in my chest. I fell to my knees,gasping for breath,my body trembling uncontrollably. It wasn’t just the cold,though.It was the realization—everything was a lie. The man I had trusted,the man I thought loved me,had been playing me all along. The truth hit me harder than I had imagined. Alpha Zachary hadn’t been my salvation—he had been my tormentor all along.It wasn’t just that he had pretended to love me for three years—it was that he had orchestrated everything.The kidnapping.The suffering.All of it was to push me aside for Sophia. I couldn’t breathe.I couldn’t think.The reality of it all left me paralyzed,and my mind raced back to those dark days. The kidnapping.The three days and nights of hell. I had been taken because they wanted me broken.They wanted me ruined.Alpha Zachary—no,both he and Beta Ethan—had planned it all. But why?Why hadn’t they just called off the engagement openly?Why hadn’t they simply walked away from me? Why did they have to destroy me instead? I collapsed onto the floor,my body wracked with sobs.Everything I had believed,everything I had fought for,had been shattered.And the worst part?I had trusted him. I had believed in him so completely. “I’m carrying his child…”I whispered to myself,but it felt like a cruel joke.My body was still shaking,my wolf spirit struggling to hold control.It was as though my emotions were pulling at my soul,threatening to tear me apart. The image of Alpha Zachary’s eyes—cold,indifferent,with that familiar but hidden wolf-like hunger—flashed in my mind. Meanwhile,Inside the Room Alpha Zachary's back was to the door,his posture rigid as he spoke to his mother,voice laced with frustration. "Why do you insist on this?You think I don’t know how to carry the weight of this family?My brother’s death wasn’t just a loss for me,Mom.I’ve been pretending for years that I didn’t want to be with Sophia.I’ve been living a lie.And now,you want me to keep pretending?" His voice lowered,growing darker,raw with emotion. "You don’t understand,"he said softly,almost to himself.“She doesn’t belong with me.She never did.My wolf…"He clenched his fists,his nails biting into his palms,“She’s not my true mate.” His mother took a step back,clearly taken aback by the rawness of his words.“But Alpha Zachary,what about Rachel?She’s already suffered enough.You can’t just—” Alpha Zachary spun around,eyes flashing with a dangerous light,and his wolf instincts began to bleed into his voice.“I’ve done more than enough for Rachel.Do you think I owe her my life?Do you want me to spend my days pretending to care when all I can feel is the pull to be with Sophia?To return to my true mate?” His mother remained silent,unsure of how to respond. Back in Rachel’s Room I lay there on the floor,my body still trembling. Suddenly,the door creaked open,and Faron,the Tribal Doctor,stepped in. “Rachel,you need to calm down,”Faron’s deep voice broke through the haze of my thoughts. His presence was steadying,but I could see the concern in his eyes as he knelt beside me. His calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the chaos in my heart. "Faron…"I gasped,struggling to hold back tears."Why?Why did they do this to me?Why did Alpha Zachary—why did he—" His voice softened,and he placed a hand gently on my shoulder.“I don’t have all the answers,but I know this—your wolf spirit is fighting,Rachel.You’re not alone in this.” “But my child…”I whispered through the tears.“I can’t lose him.I can’t lose everything I’ve been fighting for.” Faron nodded,his expression grave but compassionate.“You won’t lose him,Rachel.You have the strength of your pack,and the strength of your wolf.Together,we can protect him.But first,you need to control your emotions.If you don’t,both you and the child could be in danger.” “I…I’ll try.”My voice was shaky,but something inside me stirred. It was faint,but it was there—my wolf.Lyra.Her energy was faint,but her presence was still with me. Faron stood and placed a hand over his heart,a gesture of peace and protection."Trust yourself,Rachel.The path ahead may be dark,but you have the power to change your fate."
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