Maggie's POV

"Congratulations, Luna Maggie. You're a few weeks pregnant."

Those words from the doctor felt like a punch to the gut. I froze. After two years with him, I was finally going to have a child.

A smile broke across my face, and tears rolled down my cheeks. I had tried so hard to stay strong, silently hoping he'd eventually love me. But he always called me a weak omega. Maybe, just maybe, if I told him I was pregnant, he’d finally see me as a Luna… and not as someone worthless.

"Thank you so much for this news. If you don't mind, let it stay between us," I said to the doctor and stood, wiping my tears quickly. I placed my hands over my belly, silently promising myself no more weakness. I wouldn’t be the helpless omega anymore.

"Well, I'm supposed to tell the Alpha, but sure, Luna. I’ll let you break the news," the doctor said with a slight smile.

With this baby, I could finally be the Luna he wanted.

As I reached my car, I felt a mix of joy and disbelief. I was going to be a mother. And Mason… a father. I took out my phone to tell him, but then paused. No, this would be my perfect surprise for our two-year anniversary tonight.

Maggie had grown up believing she knew her place in Blackwave—an Omega by birth, yet chosen to be Luna. Mated to the Alpha, Mason. Elevated in rank, respected in title, though not always in treatment.

What she never truly understood was that within the Veil, power was everything. Most humans lived and died without ever knowing what lay beyond it—not a poetic veil, but a real shroud stretching for miles, separating two worlds.

Hidden behind that barrier stood the Werewolf Dominion, a civilization thriving in secret beside human cities.

To her pack, the city was called Blackwave Haven, one of many sanctuaries cloaked by lunar wards. Within those unseen walls existed wonders no human eye could perceive: moonstone-lit courtyards, enchanted academies for pups, arenas where warriors trained beneath the full moon, and council halls where ancient laws were decided in silence.

To outsiders, it appeared as nothing more than farmland and wilderness. But to the marked and blood-sworn, it was a vast and living realm—a network of cities, academies, sanctuaries, and sacred temples, all hidden beneath enchantments older than human memory.

I drove home, eager to prepare for the celebration. I didn’t want to upset him by being late. When I arrived, the maids came out to help with my bags. I walked inside, but noticed something strange Mason wasn’t home.

"Where's the Alpha?" I asked one of the maids.

She bowed slightly. "He left a while ago, Luna."

I nodded, heading to our room, wondering where he could be. When I got there, I saw a note placed neatly on the bed:

“Get dressed and behave. I'm at the hall setting things up. There's a dress on the bed for youz…wear it. And for once in your life, look nice.”

My heart skipped. The words were blunt, but part of me clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe, he still cared.

I picked up the dress, it was beautiful. A soft smile tugged at my lips. Maybe tonight would finally be the night he saw me as more than the weak omega.

As evening came, I put on the dress and stared at myself in the mirror. I actually felt beautiful. For once, I looked like someone he could be proud of. I slipped the pregnancy test into my bag, holding onto the hope that tonight would be different.

When I arrived at the party, I looked around for Mason but couldn’t find him. Just as I turned to leave and ttry again later, someone bumped into me, nearly knocking me down.

I looked up....Chizzy. My stepsister. She was smirking.

"What's your problem, Chizzy?" I asked, clearly annoyed.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh Maggie, I didn’t even see you. Thought you'd still be home."

I glared. She’d always been jealous that Mason chose me to be Luna instead of her. Even after she moved out, she still found ways to needle me.

I turned to walk away, but she called out, "Good luck with your anniversary, Maggie. You’ll need it."

I didn’t let her ruin my mood. I finally spotted Mason near the stage and walked toward him, heart pounding. But as I touched his arm, he shoved my hand away.

"Mason, are you okay?" I asked, confused.

Without warning, he grabbed me by the neck. I couldn’t breathe.

"Mason, you're hurting me!" I gasped, struggling to pull away. Finally, he let go. I dropped to the ground, coughing, eyes burning with tears.

"Why are you late?" he asked, coldly.

"What? I told you I wasn’t feeling well… I went to the doctor," I replied, trying to steady my voice.

He glared at me with pure rage in his eyes.

"You're such a disappointment, Maggie. After everything… how could you betray me?"

My heart dropped. Betray?

"Mason, can we talk about this later? Today is our anniversary!"

Guests had started to notice. Then Mason called out, "Derek!"

His Beta rushed over, and Mason barked, "Turn on the screen."

A giant TV lit up, and dread filled me. A video began to play—it was me, letting a man kiss my forehead.

I stood frozen. I didn’t remember that moment at all.

It was probably taken at the hospital… maybe during my appointment. But now it was twisted into something else.

"Mason, that isn’t what it looks like."

"Can you explain the pictures and videos?" one of the Elders asked sharply.

My lips parted, but I had no words. No proof.

"The woman in the picture is me, but…"

“See? She already admitted it,” another Elder said with a frown.

"No, I…"

“Shut the fuck up, Maggie! How could you?” Mason’s voice cracked with fury.

"How could you play with my feelings like this? After all these years? Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

Guests started murmuring louder. “I always knew something was off about her,” someone whispered.

“She’s vile. Lied to everyone,” said another.

“No wonder the Moon Goddess made her barren,” a woman spat. “It’s her poisoned heart.”

My vision blurred as insult after insult rained down. I felt like I was drowning.

“Get out of the pack, whore!” someone screamed.

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but my voice was lost in the noise.

And then Mason… Mason stepped forward, face twisted with hatred.

“You’re a disgrace,” he said coldly. “I put up with you—even as a weak omega who couldn’t give me a child—and this is what you do? You’re nothing but a rogue.”

His words shattered me. My knees gave way. I tried to reach out to him. "Mason, please… I love you. You have to trust me"

He laughed cruelly.“You? Luna of Blackwave? What a joke.”

I turned and saw Chizzy in the crowd… smiling. Triumphant.

My chest tightened. She did this. "What did you do?" I screamed at her. "This was your plan, wasn’t it? To steal him away?"

But before I could get to her, Mason grabbed me and shoved me to the ground. He stood in front of her protectively.

“Since you’ve chosen betrayal,” his voice rang out, cold and unforgiving, “I, Alpha Mason of the Blackwave Pack, reject you as my Luna.”

The Council of Velmora, whose reach stretched across every pack, enforced strict laws, betrayal especially by a Luna was considered the worst offense.

Maggie didn’t know that tonight would mark her first true step outside that sheltered bubble. That by morning, she wouldn’t just be cast out of her pack—but thrown into the forgotten corners of werewolf society…

I felt as if I’d been punched in the gut again. Looking up at Mason, I hoped to see a glimmer of the man I loved, but his eyes were hard; I saw nothing.

The guards closed in around me, and I knew I was in trouble. I struggled to my feet, wondering how I would clear my name and reclaim my place in Mason’s heart.

At that moment, I realized I was at the mercy of my enemies. No longer the useless omega, but the cheat who had lost everything in a single day.

"Please, no, don’t kill me. Chizzy, please…don’t kill me," I muttered in my sleep, my body drenched in cold sweat.

Morning sunlight crept through the cracked window of the abandoned servant’s quarters where I had slept. I shivered as the warmth touched my skin, waking me from a nightmare that clung like fog to my mind. A sharp pain twisted in my stomach, and I sat up quickly, clutching my belly.

My hands flew protectively to my abdomen. The baby. The memory struck like lightning. I was pregnant.

Tears blurred my vision. Yesterday felt like a dream. The rejection. The humiliation. The video. Mason’s cold, brutal words: “You’re nothing but a rogue.”

And yet, in my confusion and grief, I found myself stumbling from the servant quarters back toward the main house. the house that was no longer mine. Maybe I just wanted answers. Maybe I wanted to believe it had all been a terrible mistake.

But as I approached the back of the estate, muffled sounds stopped me. Groans. Moans. Familiar voices.

No. No, please no…

I edged closer, heart pounding, until I reached the glass-walled room Mason used as a private retreat. I saw everything.

Chizzy. Straddling him.

His hands gripping her waist. Her laugh echoing like nails on my skin.

My body froze. A scream clawed at my throat but wouldn’t come out.

My husband. My best friend. My knees buckled under me as I stared at the scene that shattered whatever fragile hope I had left. The pain in my stomach doubled.

Still, I forced the door open. I needed something. Closure, maybe.

“What the f**k is going on?” I managed, voice hoarse and trembling.

Mason looked up. No shame. No shock. Just disdain.

“Ah, the ex-Luna shows herself,” he said, pulling a robe over his hips like I was nothing more than a nuisance.

I stood frozen, swallowing my pain. “Mason… I….I came to talk to you. I didn’t know..”

“Didn’t know?” he cut in with a laugh. “You weren’t invited here, Maggie. I rejected you. You don’t belong in this house anymore.”

I flinched. But then Chizzy got up, throwing a silk robe over her shoulders, and smirked.

“What? Thought he’d cry over you?” she said, curling into Mason’s side. “You got what you deserved.”

“And what is that, exactly?” I snapped, anger finally slicing through the sorrow. “A knife in the back? From my sister and my mate?”

“Ex-mate, and also a betrayal" Mason corrected coldly.

"Betrayed you? What are you even talking about?" I shouted, with pain cracking through every syllable. Then, before another word could leave my mouth, Mason’s body jolted. He clutched his chest and collapsed right there on the floor.

I froze. "Mason?!" I dropped to my knees. "Mason! Someone help!"

Chizzy screamed and rushed to him. And then, just like a switch flipping, her panic turned to rage.

"You...you poisoned him! You came in here and did something to him, didn't you?!"

"What?! No! I didn’t even touch him!"

"Oh my goddess! Guards! GUARDS!!” Chizzy screamed, running to the door like she’d just watched a murder.

“No! I didn’t do anything!” I cried, trying to shake Mason awake. “Mason, please, don’t leave me!”

The guards burst in, responding to Chizzy’s cries.

"Take her! Arrest her before she runs!"

"I loved him! I would never hurt him!" I sobbed as they dragged me away.

But no one listened. No one questioned how I could’ve possibly poisoned someone I hadn't even touched. The lie spread like wildfire. The rejected Luna had tried to kill the future alpha. The narrative was perfect for them.

Days turned into weeks. Lucky for me, my baby was fine, or so I hoped.

Hunger gnawed at me, but worse was the fear for the tiny life inside me. I clutched my stomach every night, praying that whatever trauma I was living didn’t touch my baby.

The alpha still hadn’t woken. And every day that passed, the whispers grew louder.

“She tried to kill him.”

“She wanted him dead.”

“She’s always been unstable.”

The guards hurled their insults with glee.

“Murderer.”

“Jealous whore.”

“Luna reject.”

I’d stopped reacting. My voice was hoarse from pleading. And yet, when the door finally creaked open and Mason’s beta stepped inside,

“You’re a monster, Maggie,” he hissed. “He trusted you.”

“I didn’t do it,” I rasped. “Please, you have to believe me.”

He scoffed. “The Alpha’s awake.”

My heart stuttered. “What—what did he say?”

"You’ll find out soon enough."They unchained me. My legs trembled with each step. The guards didn’t loosen their grip not even for a moment. I was marched through the center of the pack, their eyes full of hate. I didn’t recognize them anymore. This wasn’t my home.

Then I saw him, Mason. He was Lying on a bed, barely alive. His skin pale, his body still weak. But his eyes were open. Watching me.

"Maggie," his voice was hoarse but stern. "You've been accused of attempting to murder me. How do you plead?"

"I didn’t do it. I swear on my baby’s life! I would never hurt you or this pack!" I dropped to my knees.

Mason’s gaze hardened. "You were the only one who knew about the tea I drank. The guards found traces of wolfsbane. You had a motive, Maggie. You had an opportunity."

"I was never even supposed to be in the house! You rejected me, remember?! I hadn’t touched you. I didn’t bring you anything. Someone’s framing me! Please, think!"

His jaw clenched, but he said nothing.

"I’m afraid it’s too late for excuses. You’ll be banished from the pack. That’s the only mercy I can offer."

"Mason, please! This pack where would I even go?"

"You should’ve thought of that before trying to kill me. Guards, take her away."

I was pulled back, trembling and broken. In the crowd, Chizzy stood with a smug smile. And then I knew—it was her.

She wanted it all.

As I stumbled toward the exit, my vision blurred. I would’ve fallen if not for a strong hand catching me.

"Are you okay?" I looked up, startled.

Two familiar eyes met mine. Maverick.

"Gamma Maverick, you're here just in time. You always protected her," a pack elder said. "Will you now denounce your bond as her protector?"

I looked at Maverick, prepared for him to walk away like everyone else.

Instead, he stepped forward and lifted his chin.

"I, Gamma Maverick, protector of ex-Luna Maggie of this pack, vow to follow my Luna for the rest of my life. My vow shall never be broken.”

Maverick POV:

I stared at Maggie’s face bruised, swollen, and lifeless in a way that made my chest clench. I felt like a damn failure. I’d sworn to protect her, to always be there, but when she needed me most, I was gone.

“Are you okay?” I asked quietly.

She gave the faintest nod. Her eyes, usually so bright, looked hollow. No spark, no fight, just silence. That broke me more than anything else.

I turned my attention to Mason, my Alpha. His presence alone made my jaw tighten.

“What the hell happened?” My voice came out sharp, demanding. The room stilled. They knew what it meant when I got like this. Everyone did and Mason he especially knew not to test me when it came to Maggie.

He looked away for a moment, then back at me. “You’re back,” he said awkwardly. “How was it?”

“Don’t play dumb,” I snapped. “What did you do to her?”

He didn’t flinch. “Ask her,” he said flatly. “She tried to kill me.”

I blinked. “What?”

“She poisoned me,” he continued. “After I rejected her. Said she couldn’t take it. Cheated on me, too. I’ve got proof. So I unmarked her, stripped her of Luna status, and took Chizzy as my mate.”

I stood there in stunned silence. I wanted to be happy, I really did—he’d finally let her go. But not like this. Not after beating her down like some stray dog. And Chizzy? Her best friend? That just made it worse.

“She gave everything to you,” I said, barely controlling the anger rising in my chest. “Years of loyalty, love, sacrifice. And you dumped her like trash? Are you insane?”

“Watch your tone,” Jack, the pack beta, cut in.

I shot him a look that made him take a step back. “You don’t get to tell me anything.”

One of the younger warriors scoffed. “She’s just a slave, anyway. Alpha should’ve done more than slap her. Should’ve tossed her out sooner.”

I froze.

“You slapped her?” My voice dropped, tight with rage. I closed my eyes for a second, trying to steady myself.

“Maverick, stop.” Maggie’s voice was hoarse, soft cut through the storm in my head. I turned to look at her. She was shaking.

“They’re not worth it,” she said, barely audible. “Let it go.”

She reached for the corner of my shirt. Her hands trembled. I wanted to hold her so badly, to tell her she’d be okay…but I knew if I touched her now, I’d never let go.

“You’re pathetic,” I growled at the rest of them. “All of you. Look at her. Look at what you’ve done. Even you, Mason..you’re no Alpha. You’re just a coward hiding behind betrayal.”

Mason stiffened. “You’ve always protected her, Maverick. But now, it’s time to choose. Your pack or the woman who’s no longer Luna.”

Without hesitation, I stepped forward.

“I, Gamma Maverick, protector of Luna Maggie, vow to follow my Luna for life. My vow shall never be broken.”

 Everyone on the ground was shocked to hear him say that.

“You’ve made your choice,” Mason said bitterly.

“Yeah,” I muttered. “And you’ll regret yours.”

I turned back to Maggie. Her eyes widened, as she was still in disbelief that I could stand up from her.

“Why?” she asked.

I smiled softly. “You’ll understand eventually.”

As we walked out of the packhouse, the silence felt deafening. I could hear whispers behind us mocking, cruel words like knives in my back.“She can’t even bear children, and she’s a cheat?”

“She was always a mistake.”

“Why'd Gamma follow her? Stupid, really.”

Maggie didn’t say anything. She kept her head down, but I saw her jaw tighten. She was holding it together, barely.

I wanted to scream at them. I wanted to rip every last one of them apart. But I knew that wasn’t what she needed right now.

Outside, the cold air hit us, and Maggie slowed.

“I saw them,” she murmured suddenly. “Mason and Chizzy. In our room. They were… together.”

That was the missing piece.

“I asked him why,” she went on, voice trembling. “If it was because I couldn’t give him a child, or if he ever loved me at all. He just said, ‘Who would want someone like you?’” She laughed bitterly. “Then he collapsed. Right there in front of me, Chizzy screamed, called the guards, and said I poisoned him.”

I was speechless. So that’s how it went down.

“I didn’t even know what was happening. One minute I was arguing with him, and the next I was being dragged out, accused of murder. They didn’t even ask questions.” Her hand instinctively went to her stomach. “I was so scared. For my baby.”

I glanced over at her. “Your baby?… You have a baby?”

She nodded. “The healer said I was lucky.”..."Thank the Moon Goddess,” I whispered.

She fell quiet again, and for a while we just walked, the path ahead empty, the past burning behind us.

“I always thought if I just loved him enough, gave everything… he’d see me,” she said after a while. “But he never did, did he?”

“No,” I admitted. “He never deserved you.”

We stopped near the forest edge, far from the sneering pack.

“I don’t know where to go,” she whispered. “I have no one.”

“You have me,” I said without thinking. “I know I’m not him. But I’m not going anywhere.”

She looked up at me, searching my face for something. Trust maybe. Hope.

“Why did you always protect me?” she asked again.

I hesitated. My heart thudded hard. “Because you’re my mate.”

She blinked. “What?”

“I knew the moment I met you. But you were already his. I didn’t want to mess that up. So I stayed silent. I just wanted you to be happy. Even if it killed me.”

She stared at me, stunned. Then she looked away.

“I don’t know what to say,” she murmured.

“You don’t have to say anything,” I replied. “Not now. Just… let me stay with you. Until you figure out what comes next.”

She gave a tiny nod. “Okay.”