Chapter 3

Cora smiled sweetly, as if none of this was a betrayal.

“As your sister, I really think Mom and Dad are right,” she cooed. “Why don’t you just hand over the pack’s leadership? Life would be so much easier, Chloe. We could all live peacefully together again—just like old times. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

I didn’t bother answering her. Because I remembered the truth. She’s always taken what was mine.

Even as children, anything I loved, she wanted—whether she needed it or not. And I? I was only allowed to borrow her scraps in secret.

I stared at her, voice sharp and steady.

“You can have the pack,” I said coolly, “but you’re going to divorce Alpha Gavin.”

She blinked in surprise.

I clarified, “Don’t get me wrong—I’m not interested in that lying bastard. But I want my child back.”

Before she could speak, Gavin was on his feet, stepping protectively in front of her like the hypocrite he was.

“Chloe,” he snapped, “haven’t you humiliated yourself enough? How do you plan to raise a child—on prison instincts and punishment routines?”

His words sliced through me.

“We didn’t tell you earlier because we knew you’d act like this. I’m giving you space to process the pack situation, but don’t push your luck.”

I went to prison for him. He’s the one who broke our vows. And now he was acting like I was the problem?

Unbelievable.

I glanced around the room one last time. Their faces—my family—were filled with nothing but judgment and contempt.

If they wanted to act like I never existed, fine.

Without another word, I turned and walked out, ignoring their voices calling after me. Let them keep their precious illusion of a happy family.

I was done begging to be part of it.

Outside, the night air was cool and sharp. I flagged down a private Pack car and gave the driver one name: LUX.

The Pack’s largest and most elite nightclub.

Inside the biggest private suite, Ivy was sprawled across a velvet sofa, surrounded by four or five half-naked, toned wolves who looked more like models than warriors.

At the sight of me, she sat up with a jolt.

“Chloe? Weren’t you supposed to get out tomorrow?” she asked, checking the time. She quickly waved the guys away, and they vanished without a word.

I rolled my eyes. “Your timing sucks.”

She laughed. “And your dramatic entrances haven’t changed.”

I grabbed the nearest wine bottle off her table and downed it straight from the neck.

Her smile faded. “So... you know?”

I didn’t answer. Just nodded stiffly.

She didn’t push. Instead, she reached behind her for a worn leather bag and pulled out a thick stack of moonstone recordings.

“I was going to give these to you when I picked you up. But... here. Enjoy.”

My fingers shook as I activated the moonstone.

Images flickered to life—grainy but clear.

Gavin. Cora. Entwined in bed, whispering, laughing, touching.

The earliest recordings were from ten years ago. I was visibly pregnant in one of them. They didn’t just fall into each other’s arms after I went away.

They’d been lovers all along.

At the end of the file, I found a family photo—all seven of them.

Gavin. Cora. My parents. His parents. My son. Smiling. Radiant. Like a perfect little portrait.

And I—was nowhere.

I gave up five years of my life, my freedom, my future—for this?

My hands clenched around the moonstone until it almost cracked.

I downed another bottle. This time, I smashed it against the floor.

“Ivy. Help me.” My voice was raw, seething. “I’m taking back everything they stole from me. And I want them to regret it. Deeply. Permanently.”

Her golden eyes gleamed with approval. “Now that’s the Chloe I know.”

She handed me another bottle, clinking hers against mine with a devilish grin.

Ivy wasn’t just any rebellious Omega. She was the only daughter of the Black Rock Pack’s Alpha—pureblood, lethal, untouchable. With obsidian fur and molten gold eyes, her wolf was born to dominate.

She shouldn’t have even looked at a half-blood like me. But back at Silver Moon Academy, I’d sabotaged her moon phase test—twisted the results with a drop of wolfsbane. She should’ve hated me.

Instead, she chose to fight for me.

She’d beaten every pureblood who ever dared to growl in my direction. When I returned home to save my failing pack, she stood beside me through every impossible battle. Everything—except my mate choice.

Now, she leaned forward, fangs flashing.

“If you back down this time,” she growled, “I’ll rip that bastard’s throat out myself—Alpha title or not.”

I shot her a glare, and she threw up her hands. “Alright, alright. No murder. Yet.”

Then she grinned and whistled toward the hallway.

“Let’s get my girl a better bottle. Something aged and worthy of a woman about to raise hell.”