My Mate Marked His Stepmother

My mate, Mason, didn’t merely inherit the Phantom Pack’s Alpha title—he also inherited his stepmother, Olivia, the former Luna. Each time he crawled back from her bed, still smelling of her scent, he would whisper the same hollow lies to me:

“Evelyn, please, don’t take it to heart… I am only doing this for us.”

“You are the one I truly love. Once Olivia gives birth, I will mark you as my soulmate. You will be my Luna—my queen.”

But love, to him, was nothing more than a planned bargain. In order to claim the throne, he sold his body and surrendered his nights to the woman who once belonged to his father.

For nearly a year, Mason spent over three hundred nights with Olivia.

And me? I was the secret, the shadow—his so-called “future Luna,” perpetually waiting in the wings. When Olivia finally conceived, I foolishly believed my time had come.

However, that fragile hope shattered the moment I witnessed them—in each other’s arms, in a warmth that was never extended to me. That’s when I truly understood…

Mason had already given her everything. His desire. His complete devotion. All I received were empty promises—pretty words crafted to hide the internal rot. I turned to my daughter.

“Sweetheart, would you come with Mommy if we left?”

She nodded without hesitation. “Yes. I want to be with you.”

Mason will never understand — I never wanted the Luna crown. All I ever yearned for… was a love that was genuine and real.

And he was never man enough to provide it.

That night, Mason finally returned home. He stood framed in the doorway, reeking of cheap alcohol, every part of him reeked of Olivia’s unmistakable scent —night jasmine, white musk, and a lingering trace of silver leaf. It was a scent widely known for its powerful aphrodisiac effects. It was easy to picture the passionate scene he had with his step-mother. The moment Mason stepped inside, he spotted me seated on the couch, engrossed in a book. He grinned and outstrip his arms for an embrace. But this time, I calmly, deliberately, pushed him away.

“Mason, please, go take a shower first,” I stated coldly, my gaze fixed on the love bites marring his neck. He instinctively covered them.

“Sorry, Evelyn,” he murmured.

“Don’t worry. Olivia is pregnant now. Soon, you’ll be my official mate,” he added, as if those words could somehow soothe the raw, gaping wound in my heart. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, forcing myself to swallow the ache that threatened to consume me.

“Mason, I don’t want the Luna crown. I simply yearn for us to be together openly… as a genuine family.”

He paused briefly, then sat beside me as he pulled me into an unwelcoming hug.

“Evelyn, you are the one I love most. I promise you. Once Olivia gives birth to the heir, I will cut all ties with her and make you my Luna. Okay?”

Though his words briefly softened me,