Chapter 1

I never expected my life to twist so violently in a single afternoon. Yet here I was, stomach tightening—not just from the morning sickness, but from the fear curling inside me like a living thing. My hand rested instinctively over my belly, where life I carried was utterly unaware of the chaos awaiting us.

Leo… my mate. My Alpha. The man I had loved with a ferocity that could burn mountains. He was supposed to protect me, shield me, fight for me—and yet, as I approached the estate he called home, my heart began to pound with a sense I couldn’t shake. Something was wrong.

The heavy oak door loomed ahead, polished, intimidating. I inhaled sharply, trying to steady my nerves. It’s just a conversation. He’ll be happy. He’ll be— The thought died in my throat as I stepped inside and immediately sensed the sharp scent of someone else.

Not just someone else—another woman.

My eyes found them before my feet dared to move closer. Victoria, with her dark hair perfectly cascading over one shoulder, her fingers brushing against his chest, her eyes alight with the thrill of claiming territory. My breath caught in my throat. No. I wanted to turn, run, scream. But my feet were rooted, my heart a chaotic drum in my chest.

And then he noticed me.

Leo’s gaze shifted, sharp and calculating, like a predator finally acknowledging the presence of its prey. But it wasn’t a look of warmth, of relief, of love. No, it was colder. Harder. Detached. I had never seen him like this. Not even when I had betrayed him—though, truthfully, I never had.

“River,” he said, voice measured, calm… like he had been expecting me but didn’t care.

I swallowed the scream forming in my throat and stepped closer. “Leo… I—I need to tell you something important.”

Victoria’s laugh was soft, almost teasing, as if she enjoyed the tension. My stomach twisted—not from jealousy, but from fear.

“I don’t have time right now,” he said, gesturing faintly toward Victoria. “We’re… busy.”

Busy. The word hit me like a whip across my ribs. Busy with her. Not me. Not our child. Not what we were building. Busy.

“No, you don’t understand!” I said, voice cracking. “I’m pregnant, Leo. It’s yours—ours!”

For a moment, silence fell. The kind of silence that makes every nerve stand on edge, every heartbeat echoing in your ears. I waited, desperate for a sign that he felt something—anything—but all I saw was an unreadable mask.

“I… I see,” he said finally, voice flat. No joy, no shock, no warmth. Nothing that resembled the man who had once kissed me under the moonlight, promising forever.

The color drained from my face. My hands, trembling, clutched my coat like a lifeline. “You… you’re rejecting me?” I whispered, disbelief bleeding into my voice.

“I… can’t do this, River,” he said, each word deliberate, like a knife sliding between my ribs. “For both our sakes… it’s better this way.”

I stared at him, unable to breathe. Better? How could rejecting the life we created—my baby, our child—ever be better? Rage and despair collided inside me. My mate, the man I had trusted with my heart, was throwing us away like garbage.

I felt tears sting my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. I turned sharply, pushing past the storm of emotions threatening to drown me. I had to survive this. I had to protect my baby, even if it meant protecting myself from the man I once called my world.

Outside, the rain had started, fat drops pounding the cobblestones like tiny hammers. I let the water soak through my coat, drenching me, cleansing me of the remnants of the woman I had been moments ago. I was no longer naive. No longer helpless. No longer his.

I ran, though I didn’t know where. My mind was a storm of thoughts: anger, betrayal, grief. Every step splashed cold water into my boots, but I barely noticed. I only felt the weight in my chest, the empty space where trust used to live.

And then… the sense of being watched.

I froze mid-step, ears straining. The alley was empty—or so it seemed. Shadows clung to the corners, twisting in the dim light of the streetlamps. My heart lurched. Not now. Not tonight.

I forced my legs to move faster this time, adrenaline pushing me past the panic threatening to overtake me. But something lingered—a presence. I could feel it, like the brush of wings against my skin. Someone was following.

I ducked into another alley, pressed my back to the wall, and held my breath. My wolf flared instinctively, senses sharpening. I could smell the faint perfume of someone who didn’t belong here, a scent that wasn’t human… not entirely. My instincts screamed, Danger. Danger. Danger.

But before I could act, a hand shot out, grabbing my shoulder.

I whipped around, ready to fight, to claw, to bite—anything—but froze as I met golden eyes, impossibly sharp, gleaming like sunlight against steel.

“You’re River, aren’t you?” the voice was low, smooth, and carried a dangerous edge.

I swallowed, trying to keep my terror in check. “Who—who are you?” I whispered.

The man’s lips curved slightly, almost amused. “I think you already know me… in another life, another time.”

I blinked, heart stuttering. The hairs on my arms rose. There was something familiar about him, yet terrifyingly new. The kind of person who could change the course of your life in a single moment.

“You… you’re—” My voice broke. I wanted to run, but my legs refused.

“I’m here for you,” he said quietly, but his gaze didn’t soften. “Whether you want me or not, I won’t let them hurt you.”

My wolf snarled inside me, instinctively protective, wary. Something about him stirred an ancient fear, something that screamed mate, yet I couldn’t place it. I had one Alpha in my life, and he had just thrown me away. Why did this stranger feel… inevitable?

Before I could respond, the faintest sound of footsteps echoed behind me. Someone was coming—fast.

My heart sank. I knew it was Leo. I could feel him, a storm of anger and regret radiating from a distance, and a cruel twist of fate made him faster than me. My chest tightened as I realized this confrontation was unavoidable.

The stranger’s hand gripped mine lightly, guiding me into the shadows. “We need to move. Now.”

And then—lightning struck, the rain blinding me, and the world seemed to slow. My ears picked up a familiar growl, deep and full of anger, and I knew my Alpha was near. My stomach flipped, not from hunger, but from dread.

He was coming for me.

And I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face him again.

Leo POV: The Alpha’s Regret

I hadn’t expected her to come today. River, my mate, carrying something I never thought I would have to deal with… our child. The moment she told me, I froze, caught between elation and a terror I hadn’t faced in years.

She was pregnant. Mine.

And yet… my life had already spiraled beyond my control. Victoria—her scent still clung to my clothes, her presence tainting the moment. I hadn’t chosen her; she had chosen me, and in a weak moment, I had allowed it. Now, seeing River standing there, trembling yet defiant, I felt the weight of every bad decision crash down.

“I… can’t do this,” I told her. The words tasted like poison in my mouth. “For both our sakes… it’s better this way.”

Her face—pale, shocked, trembling—etched itself into my memory. I should have reached out, wrapped my arms around her, assured her that I was here, that I would protect her. But I couldn’t. My instincts, my fears, my past failures… they screamed at me to pull away.

She left before I could stop her, her tears merging with the rain. And as I watched her disappear into the storm, a part of me—the part I never admitted even to myself—howled.

I had rejected her. My mate. My child. My everything.