C1 Rebecca's POV

"I can't believe you're still here," Damian’s voice was cold, a slight tremor of impatience threading through his words. "Why haven't you given me an heir, Rebecca? How long do you expect me to wait?"

His words hit me like a physical blow, but I kept my face still, my gaze never wavering. It was as if my heart had already died with those words long ago.

I looked at him, my mate, the man I once loved with all my heart. But now... now, he was nothing more than a stranger to me. A cold, heartless Alpha who had slowly pushed me away the moment I failed him. The moment I couldn't give him the child he so desperately wanted.

"Damian," I said softly, feeling the weight of my own voice, thick with emotion. "I am not infertile, I haven't failed you. I just… I can't…"

"Enough!" His voice cracked like thunder, causing the guards standing by to stiffen. "Don't you dare speak of excuses. It’s been three years, Rebecca. Three years of disappointment."

I swallowed hard, biting my lip to stop the tears from falling. They wouldn't come. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me break, not again.

Instead, I turned my back on him and walked away, not caring if he thought me defiant or weak. His accusations were just words, hollow, meaningless. But they tore at my soul nonetheless.

As I paced the halls of our grand home in Wildemont, my thoughts began to unravel. I couldn’t escape the feeling that something was off, like a storm brewing on the horizon. I could feel it in my bones, the coldness that had seeped into every corner of the pack, the heavy tension in the air.

"Rebecca, my Luna…" a soft voice called from behind me.

I turned to find Ayara standing in the doorway, her eyes flashing with a glimmer of something I couldn’t place—triumph, maybe. Her smile was sharp, her lips curved just enough to remind me of a predator watching its prey. She knew, I knew, that she had been the one Damian had turned to in his search for an heir.

"You're still here," I muttered, my words hanging heavy between us.

She stepped into the room, her gait elegant, and a hint of satisfaction lingered in her movements. She always had that air about her—the sense that no matter the situation, she was the one in control.

"I'm not going anywhere," she said softly, her eyes never leaving mine. "Damian might not have given you what you wanted, but perhaps you could learn something from me."

I stiffened, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. I knew exactly what she was implying. Ayara and Damian had become inseparable in recent months, their bond growing while mine with Damian had withered away like a flower starved of sunlight.

"Don’t pretend like you care," I shot back, my voice shaking with the frustration I couldn't contain. "I’m not blind, Ayara. I know what you've been doing."

She laughed softly, a sound that sent a shiver down my spine. "Oh, Rebecca. If only you understood how much you’ve been in the way. You’re too weak to hold your place as Luna, and you know it. But don’t worry. Damian will eventually see that too."

I could feel the coldness radiating off her, the venom in her words like poison in my veins. She had always been jealous of me, from the time we were children, but now, her jealousy had morphed into something far darker. She wanted everything I had—everything that was once mine.

"Stay away from me," I warned, my voice low, but Ayara wasn’t done. She never was.

She stepped closer, her smile growing ever so slightly. "I’ll never leave you, Rebecca. Not when there’s so much left to claim."

A knot twisted in my stomach, the pieces falling into place. It wasn’t just the title of Luna that she craved. She wanted Damian. She wanted everything I had ever held dear.

"I know what you’re doing," I said again, my voice no longer trembling. "And you will regret it."

Ayara’s eyes narrowed, her gaze darkening as if my words were a challenge. "We'll see about that," she muttered under her breath, her tone like a warning.

I turned away from her, my heart pounding in my chest as I retreated to the private quarters Damian and I once shared. The memories of our love felt distant now, as though I was watching someone else’s life unfold. The pain of not being able to give him a child, of being replaced by Ayara, cut deeper than any physical wound. But I wouldn’t let her win. Not yet. Not while I still had breath in my lungs.

As I entered the room, I paused at the window, looking out over the pack grounds. I could hear the whispers, the murmurs of discontent from the wolves that had once looked up to me as their Luna. I knew they saw me as weak, as someone unfit to lead. And perhaps they were right. Maybe I was weak. But that didn’t mean I was finished.

Suddenly, I heard the door open behind me. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

"Rebecca," Damian’s voice was stern, his presence looming over me. "I don’t understand you anymore."

I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat but refused to turn and face him. Instead, I continued staring out the window, my hands trembling at my sides. "What is it you want from me, Damian?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He didn’t answer immediately, but I could feel the weight of his gaze on my back. His footsteps were slow, deliberate, as he crossed the room to stand behind me. The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.

"I want a mate who will stand by my side, someone who will bear my heir," he finally said, his words like daggers. "Not someone who hides behind weakness and disappoints me every day."

His words cut deeper than I could have anticipated, and the pain was suffocating. I didn’t look at him, didn’t allow him the satisfaction of seeing my tears. Instead, I took a deep breath and gathered every ounce of strength I had left.

"You’ve already made your choice," I said, turning to face him at last, my eyes cold and empty. "You’ve chosen Ayara. Go to her, Damian. I won’t beg for your affection anymore."

His eyes flashed with anger, but I saw something else there too—regret, perhaps, but it was too late for that. He had made his choice. And I wasn’t going to be the one to fix it.

Without another word, I walked past him, heading toward the door. I needed to get away, to clear my head, but before I could open it, I heard a familiar voice from the hallway.

"Rebecca."

I froze.

It was Ayara.

Her voice was sweet, but the malicious undertone was unmistakable. As she stepped into the room, I could see the gleam of triumph in her eyes. It was a look I had seen too many times in the past, but now, it felt like a final declaration of war.

"You’ve failed, Rebecca," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Damian’s mine now. You might as well accept it."

I turned to face her, my heart pounding in my chest. My mind screamed for me to stay calm, to think logically, but all I could feel was the storm inside me, the betrayal, the fury, the helplessness.

But then, just as I opened my mouth to respond, something sharp pierced the air—something I hadn’t expected.

A loud crash echoed from outside the door, followed by frantic voices. My heart raced, and for the first time in months, fear gripped me.

Something was wrong.

I turned to Damian, his expression just as confused as mine. "What’s going on?" I demanded, my voice sharp.

"I don’t know," he said, his face pale. "Stay inside."

But it was too late. The door was already forced open, and the howl of wolves outside reached our ears. The sound of claws scraping against stone, the heavy thud of bodies colliding—it was the unmistakable sound of an attack.

And we were caught in the middle of it.

Ayara’s smile faltered. "Damian..." she whispered, her voice filled with unease. "What’s happening?"

Before Damian could answer, the door slammed open, and chaos erupted into the room