Claire's POV

"Congratulations, Claire! The baby is healthy and strong. " The doctor exclaims. "He must be the Alpha heir from the prophecy!"

Relief floods through me as I hear my son's cries. This is the child that the whole pack has longed for. Not only because this is the firstborn of their Alpha Gideon, but because both my baby and I are slightly unusual.

We are both destined to be the strongest of our kind.

The labor went on for hours and was incredibly rough on my body. My memories of growing up as an outsider in this pack flood back.

Back then, everyone told me I was found in the forest alone. I grew up with no family, nobody to rely on. Only the Alpha family made sure I had my basic necessities to survive in the pack.

Everybody thought I must be an omega orphan. However, when I shifted for the first time, I was larger than any recorded she-wolves of the past century. Stronger, faster. My eyes glowed a bright gold instead of green. I was...invincible.

The elders declared that I am destined to be the strongest she-wolf of my generation. And I would become the mother of the chosen one, the Alpha of prophecy.

The KING that fated to unite all the packs under the Blood Moon.

Their excitement couldn’t be contained as my fated mate turned out to be their young Alpha, Gideon. Meaning the Alpha of prophecy would be born to them, the Silver Crescent Pack.

"Has Gideon arrived yet?" I asked, can't wait to see my fated mate.

The nurse who is holding my hand, Emily, purses her lips together. "No. We called Alpha several times, but there was no answer. We’ve just sent a nurse to bring him here."

Disappointment threatens to drown my happiness, but I hide it well as always. Even after all these years, I’m still not sure if Gideon has accepted me as his marked mate and wife.

Gideon had only been twenty-two when we had discovered we were fated mates.

Deep down, I was ecstatic. I've always felt drawn to Gideon. How could I not be? He was strong and attractive. Everything about him was...well, perfect.

However, at the time, he had been seeing the daughter of his father's Beta, Daphne. They were happy together and everyone thought they would be fated mates. I didn’t want to disrupt their relationship, so I took a step back to let Gideon make his own decision.

Gideon's family accepted me into their home, as was customary of being identified as the Alpha's mate. But that first night in his home, I could feel his presence through the walls. It weighed on me heavily, having me bite my fist in frustration.

The next morning, I found myself naked in Gideon's bed. We not only slept together but also completed the mating bond by marking each other.

I didn't understand how it came to us mating. I felt groggy and couldn't even remember the night before.

When Gideon woke up, he was furious. He locked me in his room and rushed out.

Soon I realized that he probably thought I had tricked him into his heat, for a mate cannot be rejected while in heat.

Later that night, Gideon returned. I tried to explain that I also had no idea why we were both in heat, but he cut me off. Gideon said that it was not important anymore. Gideon's parents convinced him to marry me since we were already marked, making us unable to reject each other for three years.

He promised that if I gave birth to the Alpha heir of prophecy, I would officially become his Luna.

I agreed.

Then for a while, everything between us was merely about sex.

I did my best to be a good wife to him, trying to win his affection, trying to earn something more than sex. Some days, he did seem to soften at my touch.

And yet... he's still not here at his son's birth.

The medical staff surrounds my son to the point that I can't even see his face. "Excuse me? Can I hold my son, please?"

Emily speaks up, "Of course! Everyone out. Let the mother bond with her pup."

Everyone funnels out except Emily and Dr. Ander. The elder passes my little boy to me. The baby's eyes are closed tightly as he cries, waving his small fists in the air.

"Shh, it's alright." I coo, shifting the baby higher in my arms.

"What will you name him?" Emily asks.

"Leo, after Gideon's father." The baby has calmed down and is sleeping against my chest.

The baby quietly fusses, and I wonder if my mother ever felt this pride while looking at me. I never knew my parents, but I like to think that my parents had passed tragically instead of choosing to abandon me.

"Your papa is busy working." I rub my nose against Leo's head. "He will be here soon. He definitely will.”

Then I hear footsteps outside the door, and my heart leaps. It has to be the nurse returning, with Gideon!

Suddenly, the door to my room bursts open, but instead of Gideon, a woman with long, dark hair and a pointed face steps in.

It is...Daphne.

"Oh, hello, Daphne. What are you doing here?" Panic courses through me. Did something happen to Gideon?

Daphne strides over to me and rips Leo from my arms.

"Stop! Nurse!" I claw at her arms, pushing myself from the bed.

Guards quickly funnel into the room, pulling me away from Daphne.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Leo cries in Daphne's arms. She shushes him coldly. "Your job is done, Claire. Gideon only needed you for your genes. Now that the baby is here, I can become his Luna just as planned."

She turns towards the door.

"You're lying. Gideon said that I would be his Luna. I am his mate. The mother of his child!" I snarl.

Daphne scoffs and looks over her shoulder. "Play the tape."

A guard pulls out his phone and presses play on a recording. Gideon's voice hums throughout the room. "After Claire has the baby, I will get rid of her. And you will be my Luna."

Daphne smiles. "See? He has longed to be rid of you, bitch. You were just OUR surrogate."

She turns on her heel and struts out of the room. I struggled desperately to break free from the guards' control, screaming at her to give my child back to me.

I snarl, scratching my nails against any exposed skin I can find.

“Do it.” One of the guards shouts.

I feel a sudden sharp pain in the back of my neck, making my body go limp.

I was thrown to the ground, and the last thing I see before I black out is the door of the hospital room slammed shut mercilessly in front of me.