Someone I hadn't spoken to in moons suddenly texted me: "Good news~ Just had an 8-pound Alpha heir! Mom and pup doing great! " I frowned at my screen. We weren't even in the same pack circle. So I ignored it. Then another message came through. "Damien Hargrave, Alpha of the Nightshade Pack, just became a father! Send your congrats!" WAIT. My father's the former Alpha of the Nightshade pack. Damien Hargrave is MY mate. What the he11? I sent back a single question mark. A few minutes later, she exploded. "Seriously? Every other pack member sent a gift. Can't you READ?" "I'm being GENEROUS, giving you a chance to show loyalty to the future Luna, and you can't even take it?" "Stay rogue, b!tch. Blocked!" My wolf snarled inside me. Then it hit me—I finally remembered who she was. Valentina Vance. Right. Did she seriously forget? I'M her landlord. Her cute little boutique pulling in half a mil a year? Lease expires tomorrow. Guess I'll swing by and ask one he11 of a question: Since when does my trophy Alpha—the one living off MYfamily's money—just have a b@stard with HER? I immediately messaged Valentina to confront her, but— Message failed to send. I took a deep breath. Just as I was about to screenshot everything and send it to Damien, the pack communication channel blew up. Valentina had posted our conversation—with her own caption: "Some she-wolves are just bitter." "I share pup news and she has to be all passive-aggressive with a question mark." In the screenshots, she'd cropped out all the parts where she cursed me out. And even Photoshopped in a line I never said: "Oh wow, an Alpha heir? How special. Keep your bloodline garbage to yourself!" I NEVER said that. The editing was sloppy as he11, but no one in the group noticed. They were already tearing me apart. "Someone's celebrating and she's being this nasty? What's wrong with sending a little gift?" "Who is this she-wolf? So rude! Sending question marks and insulting people! I'm so pissed!" But she didn't stop there. She dug up a training photo I'd posted six months ago—mid-shift practice in the pack gym. I was wearing a sports bra, holding dumbbells. "She's always posting thirst traps to seduce mated males. Classic homewrecker behavior. Ladies, guard your mates around her!" I was shaking with rage. My retail space sits at the busiest spot in the Northern Territory. I've never had trouble renting it out. Years ago, when Valentina wanted to lease it, she couldn't even afford the first year's rent upfront. Damien convinced me to cut her some slack. "Her mother wolf was sick, we should let her rent first and pay later." I gave in. And he handled the whole thing, personally leasing the store to her. We met once after that. I added her on the Pack Network. The group kept buzzing: "I've seen her before. Lives in Tower 17. Drives a luxury SUV. Clearly well-connected." "Oh yeah, I know that car. Black Range Rover. Always parked outside Valentina's shop." "She's so young and doesn't even work. Wonder what she does for a living ?" Valentina replied: "? Who knows? Probably got a few Alpha sugar daddies keeping her fed." The further I scrolled, the colder I felt. Then someone tagged me. "Oh look, she's in here. Come on, say something. Why are you so MEAN?" I took a deep breath and typed fast. "She's spreading lies. I'll be pursuing legal action through the Pack Council." "Is that really what happened? Let me post the full, unedited conversation right now!" The Pack Network group chat suddenly went silent. No one expected me to actually speak up. I was about to post the screenshots when a message popped up. "You have been removed from this chat." Right before kicking me out, Valentina sent one last message. "Ew, disgusting. How is this dirty rogue even in here?" "Trying to slander me? My pack doesn't welcome garbage like her!" My wolf snarled, claws threatening to break through my fingertips. Then my phone buzzed—Territory Enforcement calling. "Ms. Seraphina, there's been an incident with your vehicle. Can you come down?" I headed out, my pulse hammering, and tried calling Damien through our mate bond. Nothing. The bond was cold—like he'd deliberately shut me out. He'd claimed he was handling critical pack negotiations this week. Hadn't been back to the packhouse in days. Just in case, I called my father and asked him to come over. I kept a low profile after our mating ceremony. Damien, meanwhile, had risen to Alpha of the Nightshade Pack—thanks to becoming MY mate. We'd been together four years. I mated him despite him being a low-ranking wolf with nothing. Didn't care. When I reached Valentina's boutique, territory enforcement was nowhere in sight. But what I saw made my blood run cold. My black Porsche was DESTROYED. Tires slashed. Body covered in deep claw marks. Windshield smashed. And spray-painted across the side in red: "HOMEWRECKER." But that wasn't even the worst part. Outside her store, she'd hung a massive banner. It showed the cropped screenshots, blown up, with huge text: "PACK MENACE. Curses a Newborn Pup Out of Jealousy!" Below that, my training photo—plastered with vile insults. Valentina's voice drifted out from inside the store. "Oh look, the witch herself. What are you doing here?" I didn't let her finish. Stepped forward and ripped the banner down. "What gives you the right to plaster my photo up!" Valentina snatched it back. "This is MY store. I do whatever I want." I stared at her, speechless. "You're leasing this territory. Since when is it yours?" Several she-wolves shopping nearby jumped in. "Everyone knows Valentina's mate is the Alpha of Nightshade Pack! He bought her this storefront!" "Yeah! While she was in labor, Damien stayed by her side the whole time. Didn't even attend pack duties!" "She shared good news out of kindness, and you insulted her. Posting the truth isn't too much!" Valentina smirked. "Hear that? You have no idea who you're messing with." So that was the "critical negotiation" Damien had been attending. Valentina. In labor. I almost laughed. "Fine. Let me call Damien Hargrave right now." Valentina snatched the phone from my hand. "Who do you think you are, calling my mate by his full name?!" Then she noticed my lock screen. Damien's photo. She screamed and hurled my phone to the ground. "Oh, I get it now!" "You're his mistress! You actually dared to come here and show off?" I'd had enough and shoved her aside. "I'm Damien's MATE and your landlord! Get him out here NOW—" Valentina stumbled back into a display table. "Your mate? Have you no shame?!" Then she clutched her side, gasping. "She attacked me! Help!" "This homewrecker's trying to seduce my mate and now she's assaulting me—right after I gave birth!" The crowd erupted instantly. "So she came prepared! Steals someone's mate and now attacking the real Luna!" "She's the leaseholder? What a ridiculous lie!" "If we don't help, she'll get away with it!" Valentina had turned the whole crowd against me. There was no way I could defend myself now—not with my wolf screaming to break free and slaughter them all. Then I remembered—the mating certificate and the lease agreement were still in my car. I turned to go get them. Valentina lunged at me and slapped me hard across the face. Her claws nicked my cheek. "Girls! She's trying to run! Don't let her!" Everything went black for a second. My head spun. "You—" Before I could finish, several she-wolves grabbed my arms and pinned me down. "Let GO of me!" I snarled, my wolf surging. "The documents! I have my mating certificate and the lease contract in my car! I'm NOT lying!" Someone yanked open my car door and pulled out my briefcase. Valentina snatched it, tore out the lease contract, and ripped it in half without even glancing at it. She crumpled the pieces and threw them in my face. "You came here with fake documents. Don't even need to read it, you fraud!" The she-wolves spat at me. "You lying homewrecker! Everyone saw you attack her first!" "Stop lying! Valentina's such a sweet wolf—fresh goods, fair trades. You're just slandering her!" "Exactly! We can tell who's good and who's rogue garbage!" "I already alerted the Council Enforcers! We're not letting you slither away!" Then the punches and slaps started raining down on me. I've trained for years—could handle one or two wolves. But this many? No chance. My hair was yanked loose. My clothes were torn. My face bu//rned. Then Valentina found something else in my bag. My official mating certificate with Damien Hargrave—stamped by the Pack Registrar, sealed with the Nightshade crest. Her face went pale. "Everyone look! This homewrecker even forged a mating certificate!" I tried to lift my head, my wolf eyes flashing gold. "Forged? That's real—" "Shut up!" Valentina slapped me again, her claws grazing my jaw. "I've been mated to my Alpha for five years! This is obviously fake!" "So desperate to steal my mate, you even fabricated official pack documents! Shameless!" The she-wolves gasped and chimed in. "My God, she's terrifying. She'd do anything to steal someone's mate!" "Forgery is a a Council offense. The Enforcers need to investigate her thoroughly!" My head was spinning. Wait. Valentina said she's been mated to Damien for five years? What is going on? She tore my certificate to shreds, then pulled out her own. "Mine's registered with the Northern Territory Council. Can your fake one compare?" Everyone leaned in to look. "Yeah! That's a real pack-registered bond!" All the commotion woke the pup in the stroller. He burst into a high-pitched howl. Valentina rushed over to pick him up, but he wouldn't stop crying. The she-wolves still had me pinned down, but my eyes drifted to the child's face. That little face. That nose. Those eyes—sharp amber flecks already visible, even at this age. I had seen childhood photos of Damien. This pup looked EXACTLY like him. There was no doubt—this child was Damien's son. So Damien's been keeping a mistress and a b@stard right under my nose? Then why did both Valentina and I have mating certificates with his name on them?! Valentina set her pup down and spun around, grabbing me by the hair. "This is all your fault, you homewrecker!" "Look how badly you scared my baby!" My moonstone pendant snapped as she yanked me forward. It hit the ground with a sharp crack. That pendant was a limited-edition gift my father gave my mother—worth a fortune in rare moonstones. The last thing she left me. I tried to break free and reach for it. Valentina stomped on it, grinding the ancient stones until they were completely mangled. "If my pup gets traumatized because of you, I'll make sure you lose everything!" My voice came out hoarse. "Stop—you can't touch that—" The crowd of she-wolves cheered. "Good! Beat her as//s! Homewreckers deserve it! So satisfying!" "What's so special about it? Obviously a fake. Trying to show off." "Even if it's real, it's not worth much. Damien could buy her ten of those!" Hearing them mention Damien, I went cold. Calm. "Oh really? Then call him. Let's see if he can afford to replace it." Valentina sneered. "Fine. You think you're untouchable because my mate dotes on you? I'll call him right now." "Alphas cheat. That's just nature." "But you? You're the dumb b!tch who begged for a lesson." She pulled out her phone and called Damien. He picked up instantly. The same Damien who ignored my calls? He answered hers in ONE ring. "Babe, come back me up. Someone's causing trouble at my boutique!" I heard his voice on the other end. "What? That's ridiculous. I'm on my way." Valentina hung up and patted my bloodied cheek mockingly. "My mate's coming. Let's see who he sides with." I spat in her face. "You'd better hope you don't end up kneeling and begging me." Valentina froze. Then she went feral, her eyes flashing amber as she kicked me hard. "You're insane!" "Just a cheap side piece, and you still don't know your place!" The crowd turned on me again. "Valentina's the true Luna and just had his pup!" "You deserve this beating! When Alpha Damien gets here, he'll claw you himself!" Valentina wasn't done. She looked around, scanning the produce display. A moment later, she grabbed a heavy watermelon from the fruit stand. "If we don't settle this today, I'm not walking away!" That thing had to weigh at least twenty pounds. If it hit me, I'd have a concussion at best. I watched it get closer and closer. I shut my eyes as it came down— And then— The roar of engines exploded outside. Dozens of luxury SUVs pulled up, stopping in front of the storefront. From the lead vehicle came a furious snarl: "Stop! Lay a claw on her and you're done!" Everyone turned to look. My father's black armored SUV—bearing the Nightshade crest—was at the front of the convoy. Damien's right behind it.
