Halfway through my wedding,just as I was about to pledge eternal love to my childhood sweetheart,Alpha Derick,the doors swung open,and his beta—Rebecca Guzman—waltzed in. Pregnant. The hall went silent,every guest holding their breath as if the scene would disappear if no one acknowledged it. Derick,my fated mate—the boy I’d loved for as long as I could remember—barely reacted.Instead,he stepped forward and steadied her,his hands gentle,his expression soft.It felt like I was watching someone else’s wedding—her wedding. Then,without the faintest trace of shame,he said,“I know I can’t officially marry Beta Rebecca,but I promised her a wedding.Our pup deserves a complete family.” As if that wasn’t enough,he added,“From today on,she will also be my Luna.You must love the pup in her belly as if it were your own.” A chill raced down my spine. The hall erupted into whispers,the weight of their judgment pressing down on me.My parents looked ready to shift and tear Derick apart,while his parents hurriedly tried to push me back toward the altar,desperate to salvage the ceremony. “Clarissa,be reasonable,”Derick’s mother hissed under her breath.“For the good of both Packs.Finish the ceremony.” The good of both Packs?Was she serious? I turned to Alpha Derick,my so-called soulmate,and then to Rebecca,who was now cradling her stomach as if she held the crown jewels.The smug triumph radiating off her made my wolf,Mira,growl. We should shred her face,Mira snarled.Right now. I was tempted.Oh,I was tempted.But it wasn’t worth it. Instead,I forced a breath,plastered on a smile,and ripped the corsage from my chest.I hurled it straight at Rebecca. “Congratulations on your pregnancy,Rebecca.Truly,”I said,my voice syrupy with mock sweetness.Then I turned to Derick.“A wedding for three?How tasteless.I’ll step back.Let her be the bride today.” The hall froze,every pair of eyes locked on me. I clapped—slow and deliberate. “Well?What are you all waiting for?Someone play the wedding march again!Let’s not let the decorations go to waste.” Derick’s face darkened.“Clarissa,today is our big day,and you have to make a scene?” I laughed,sharp and bitter.“A scene?You paraded your pregnant mistress into my wedding and declared her Luna,and I’m the one making a scene?” Before anyone could stop me,I grabbed the microphone from the stunned MC.“Everyone,thank you so much for coming!There’s been a small change of plans.Don’t worry—the wedding’s still happening.Just with a different bride.” The silence was suffocating.Derick’s parents looked like they wanted to vanish into thin air. “And since the happy couple is getting married because of a pregnancy,”I added,smiling brightly at Rebecca,“let’s send them our warmest congratulations.” No one dared to move. With that,I turned on my heel and marched to my parents. “Dad,Mom,let’s go home,”I said,my voice steady despite the chaos swirling in my chest. Their hands wrapped around mine,warm and grounding.My father,his expression unreadable,stood tall and addressed the crowd.“We appreciate your attendance.The gift money has been returned.There will be another party tonight.Drinks are on me.” My heart clenched as I watched him bow to the guests.My father,a proud Alpha who had never bowed to anyone,swallowed his pride for me today. I had given everything to Derick.At eighteen,on the night of my first shift,the moment I scented lemon and pine,I knew he was my mate. From that night on,we were inseparable.The golden couple.The perfect pair. Well,almost perfect.My parents had always warned me about him.“Clarissa,an Alpha should cherish his mate,”they’d say.“Watch how he treats you.” But I hadn’t listened.I had fought for him,argued for him,believed in him. When they told me he wasn’t the right man,I called them unfair.When they said he wasn’t worthy,I ignored them. I thought they were blinded by bias. But they had seen the truth long before I did. Alpha Derick had never cherished me.Never cared about our bond. For fifteen years,I endured his distance,his indifference,his coldness.I watched him flirt with other women,always making excuses for his behavior. I convinced myself that if I just held on a little longer,he’d finally see my worth. But instead,he humiliated me in front of my family,my friends—everyone I knew. Right at the altar. With her by his side. Pregnant. And smug. Reality didn’t just slap me in the face;it punched me in the gut. And finally,I saw the truth: Alpha Derick was never worthy of my love.
Alpha Derick never had me in his heart. I had sacrificed everything for him—placed him above all else,even argued with my parents to defend him.Yet,in the end,he wouldn’t even give me the courtesy of a proper wedding. Standing there,I watched as he held Rebecca by the waist,his other hand resting tenderly on her pregnant belly.The way he looked at her—so soft,so full of love—made it hard to breathe. This man didn’t care about my love.He had thrown it away,trampled on it. I was exhausted.I couldn’t love him anymore. As my parents and the guests began to leave,my mother-in-law suddenly grabbed my mother’s arm. “Luna Valerie,what are you doing?”she demanded,her voice shrill.“Today is a monumental day for our children.You don’t want outsiders laughing at us,do you?” My father-in-law chimed in,his tone equally insistent.“Yes,Derick made a mistake,but you can scold or punish him later.This is a matter for the younger generation to resolve.We,as elders,should simply observe.” My mother let out a cold sneer.“Observe?You expect us to stand here and endure further humiliation?Haven’t you disgraced our family enough for one day?” My father remained silent,his sharp gaze fixed on me,waiting for my decision. Then Derick approached,Rebecca clinging to his arm like an extension of himself.His expression was cold,his voice sharp. “Are you done making a scene?”he snapped impatiently.“Do you want to embarrass both of our families further in front of the entire pack?” A bitter laugh escaped my lips.Me?Making a scene? Beta Rebecca blinked up at me,her eyes shimmering with fake tears.“Alpha Clarissa,”she said,her voice trembling with insincere guilt,“I’m so sorry.When I heard you and Alpha Derick were getting married,I only came to give my blessings.But…” Her hand drifted protectively over her belly,her fingers stroking it in a deliberate show. “I didn’t expect to get pregnant,”she continued,her voice quivering just enough to sound pitiful.“I know I’ve done wrong,and I’m willing to accept any punishment.But the pup…the pup is innocent.I can’t let my child grow up without a father.” She turned to me with pleading eyes,her expression the very picture of helplessness.“Alpha Clarissa,you’re kind.I know you wouldn’t want that,would you?” Before I could respond,my mother stepped forward,her voice sharp and unyielding. “What a shameless woman!”she spat.“You had an affair with my daughter’s fiancé,got pregnant,and now you dare stand here acting pitiful?I’ve never seen anyone more disgraceful.” My mother-in-law immediately grabbed her arm,her tone hushed but urgent.“Luna Valerie,please,calm yourself.We’re in-laws now.Rebecca makes a valid point.The pup is innocent.” She turned to me,her voice softening into an infuriatingly coaxing tone.“Clarissa,don’t you agree?” My mother yanked her arm free,her eyes blazing. “In-laws?”she snapped.“My daughter has nothing to do with your son anymore.” She turned to me,her voice steady and firm.“Clarissa,let’s go.You don’t need to marry him.Let them wallow in their own mess.” My mother-in-law’s expression darkened. “What are you saying?”she hissed.“We can’t act rashly.Friends and relatives are watching.This must be handled delicately.” Then she turned back to me,her face feigning concern.“Clarissa,you’ve always been so reasonable.Please,talk to your mother.Don’t let everyone laugh at us.” Alpha Derick spoke next,his tone devoid of any warmth or regret. “Clarissa,if you truly love me,you should accept everything about me.Rebecca is carrying my pup.You should love the pup as much as you love me.” His words struck like a slap.He actually expected me to accept another woman’s child as my own? My father-in-law sighed,stepping forward like some self-appointed arbiter of reason. “Clarissa,”he began,his voice heavy with false authority,“Adele and I have watched you grow up.We know what kind of person you are.What’s done is done.There’s no use crying over spilled milk.” I met his gaze,my voice cold and controlled.“And how do you propose to fix this?” Without hesitation,he said,“First,you’ll finish the wedding and secure your place as Derick’s Luna.The baby in Rebecca’s belly is his blood,so of course,it must be born. “But don’t worry…”He offered me a smile,as if his next words would solve all my problems.“You’ll be the one to raise the pup.You’ll be its real mother—and the only Luna of the Red Moon Pack. “As for Beta Rebecca,we’ll compensate her generously and send her away.” My nails bit into my palms as I fought to keep my composure. They actually thought I would marry Derick,raise his mistress’s child,and act like it was some kind of honor? Never in my life had I felt so thoroughly insulted.
My mother-in-law didn’t hesitate for even a second. “Yes,yes,this is an excellent solution,”she said,nodding eagerly,her tone dripping with relief. Beta Rebecca,ever the actress,adopted the most pitiful expression she could muster.“I have no objections.Alpha Clarissa,I’m truly sorry for everything.Once the pup is born,you can raise it.I’ll leave the Red Moon Pack and never show my face to you,Alpha Derick,or the child again.” Hearing this,I couldn’t help but laugh—sharp and humorless. Of course,she had no objections!Why would she? She got a hefty payout,a free pass on parenting,and zero accountability,all tied up with a neat little bow.Who wouldn’t leap at such a deal? Alpha Derick,growing increasingly impatient,scowled.“Clarissa,my parents have said everything that needs to be said.Why are you being so difficult?” And then,with breathtaking audacity,he locked eyes with me and said,“If you weren’t my fated mate and you didn’t love me so much,I wouldn’t have even bothered marrying you.” His words hit like a slap,but I didn’t flinch.Instead,I held his gaze,my voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “Then as you wish,”I said coldly.Drawing a deep breath,I added,“We won’t get married.” The room fell into stunned silence. Alpha Derick’s eyes widened in shock,his face a mix of disbelief and outrage. Then— “Well said,Clarissa!”My mother clapped her hands,a proud smile spreading across her face.“I fully support you!” Meanwhile,Derick’s parents turned pale,their confidence visibly shaken. “Clarissa,marriage is a serious matter,”my mother-in-law stammered,desperation creeping into her voice.“You can’t just walk away like this!” “You need to think this through carefully,”my father-in-law chimed in,his gaze darting to his son,now clearly frustrated.“Derick,step aside.” Alpha Derick clenched his jaw but turned to help Beta Rebecca,who was still clutching her stomach like the tragic heroine of a poorly written drama. But his parents weren’t ready to give up.They turned back to me,their faces contorted into strained smiles. “Clarissa,dear,you’ve always treated us with the utmost respect,like your own parents,”my mother-in-law began,her voice a syrupy plea.“We only want what’s best for you.Please reconsider.” I fixed them with a steady stare. For years,I had genuinely admired them,treating them like family.But now?Now it was clear their concern had nothing to do with me. This wasn’t about love or family;it was about securing the marriage—securing their grandchild. When my resolve didn’t waver,my mother-in-law turned her attention to my own mother. “Alpha Esmond,Luna Valerie,surely you understand,”she implored.“Please,talk some sense into your daughter.If she cancels the wedding now,it will ruin her reputation!” My father-in-law nodded vigorously.“Yes,in-law,think about Clarissa’s future.Her reputation must be protected at all costs.” Their thinly veiled manipulation made my stomach turn.Narrowing my eyes,I crossed my arms. “So,you’re using my reputation as leverage now?” For the briefest moment,they faltered.But the hesitation vanished as quickly as it had appeared. “Clarissa,that’s unfair,”my mother-in-law said,her voice now a polished mask of concern.“We’re thinking of you,too.” “Yes,our intentions are good,”my father-in-law added smoothly,though the insincerity in his tone was impossible to miss. I scoffed,my voice cutting like ice.“Good intentions?Your son cheated on me before the wedding,and you’re just as shameless as he is.” That was it for my mother.Losing all patience,she grabbed my hand.“Clarissa,let’s go.We’ve had enough of this nonsense.” I squeezed her hand gently,shaking my head.“Not yet,Mom.” Turning back to my in-laws,I let my gaze linger on each of them before speaking,my voice steady but laced with contempt. “You knew about Alpha Derick and Beta Rebecca all along,didn’t you?You hid it from me,rushed this wedding,and tried to lock me into a marriage just so Rebecca’s pup could have a place in your family without complications.” I laughed bitterly,the sound sharp and cutting. “No wonder you pushed us to sign the papers before the ceremony.You really thought this through,didn’t you?” Their masks slipped for a moment,but they quickly recovered. “Clarissa,this is for your own good,”my father-in-law said,his tone carefully measured.“You love Derick.Marrying him allows you to stay with the man you love and bring our grandson into the family.It’s the perfect solution.” “Perfect solution?”My mother’s hands clenched into fists,her face red with fury.“What an absolute joke!” Her face burned with fury.“How dare you deceive my daughter like this?Is there no limit to your shamelessness?” And then—finally—my mother-in-law dropped her mask.Her expression hardened into a sneer. “It’s too late for your protests now,”she said,her tone cold and cutting.“Clarissa and Derick are already legally married.If you don’t want your daughter to carry the shame of being a divorced woman,she should accept reality and stay married.It’s in everyone’s best interest.” My father-in-law chimed in,his smirk oozing condescension.“Clarissa,think carefully.You wouldn’t want to carry the label of a second-marriage woman,would you?” Rebecca,who had been enjoying the spectacle with silent amusement,suddenly joined the fray,her saccharine smile enough to make my skin crawl. “Clarissa,”she said,her voice dripping with false sweetness,“it’s just one more pup.Raising it won’t be that hard.” She sighed dramatically,as though she were the victim here,and added,“This was such a small issue,but you’ve blown it completely out of proportion.Now both packs are at odds because of you.Was it really worth it?” That was the last straw for my mother. “You—”she growled,lunging toward Beta Rebecca with a hand raised,ready to slap that smug smile right off her face. I moved quickly,catching her wrist just in time and stopping her. “Mom,”I said softly,but firmly. Instead,I turned to my in-laws,a slow,deliberate smirk creeping across my lips. “Sorry to disappoint you,”I said,my voice steady and brimming with confidence. Alpha Derick’s parents froze,their stiffened postures betraying their unease. “What do you mean?”my father-in-law asked,his voice sharp and suspicious. I folded my arms,meeting their gazes head-on,and let the moment linger. “Alpha Derick and I never got the marriage certificate.”
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