After My Husband Cheated, I Reclaimed My Pack

The morning sun cast long shadows across the sacred clearing as I gathered with my pack for Leon's third birthday. The dew-kissed grass sparkled beneath our feet, and the ancient stone circle—where generations of Moonstone wolves had celebrated their young—stood ready for the blessing ceremony. My son's small hand clutched mine, his eyes wide with excitement and anticipation.

"Where's Daddy?" Leon asked, his gaze scanning the gathering crowd.

I kept my smile steady despite the hollow feeling in my chest. "Your father had an urgent alliance meeting, sweetheart. But don't worry—the Moon Goddess sees all who honor her, present or not."

Beta Kael approached, his expression carefully neutral. "Everything is prepared, Alpha."

I nodded, grateful for his efficiency. "Thank you, Kael."

As the pack formed a circle around us, I felt a surge of pride looking at my son. Leon's dark curls caught the morning light, so like his father's, but his eyes—sharp and observant—were mine. I'd built this pack from nothing, survived when no one thought I would, and now my legacy stood before me, small but mighty.

"It's time," Elder Maeve announced, her weathered hands holding the sacred oils.

I knelt beside Leon as the first rays of sunlight touched the stone circle. My wolf stirred within me, her presence powerful and protective. I guided Leon's small hand to the ancient runes carved into the center stone.

"I, Victoria Stone, Alpha of the Moonstone Pack, present my son to the Moon Goddess on his third year under her light."

My voice carried across the clearing, steady and clear. As I spoke the ancient words, I felt the absence beside me like a physical wound. James should have been here, his hand joined with mine over our son's. Instead, I stood alone, as I had so many times before.

The ceremony continued, my white wolf's scent—pine and frost—mingling with the morning air as I placed Leon's paw in the sacred runes. The pack howled their blessing, their voices rising to the fading moon. Leon's eyes shone with wonder, and for a moment, James's absence faded from my mind.

Later that evening, after tucking an exhausted Leon into bed, I retreated to my study. The day had been filled with celebration, but now, in the quiet, questions nagged at me. This wasn't the first time James had missed an important family event for "pack business."

I reached for the pack bond, seeking Kael's familiar presence. *Beta, status report on the northern border patrol?*

The mind-link wavered, and suddenly I wasn't connected to Kael at all. Instead, images flooded my consciousness—vivid, raw, and unmistakable. A Delta guard's memory, accidentally intercepted: James at Silver Lake, his arms wrapped around Ashley Morgan. Their laughter echoed in my mind as they kissed beneath the same moon that had witnessed my son's blessing ceremony.

The teacup in my hand shattered against the floor.

I severed the connection immediately, my breath coming in short, controlled bursts. My wolf snarled within me, her rage a cold, deadly