A Perfumer's Scent of Lies

I was the fated mate of Grayson, the Alpha and CEO of the Avalon Group.

He'd promised me the most magnificent bonding ceremony.

And I’d believed I was the luckiest woman in the world.

But after an unexpected miscarriage, I overheard a conversation between Grayson and a Pack Elder.

“Use the ancient ritual,” he commanded, his voice cold and merciless. “Brand her with the infertility rune.”

A moment later, his phone screen lit up.

He was gently caressing the swollen belly of a human woman—Juliana, the one he’d always claimed to be protecting.

She was pregnant with his child.

Grayson ordered the Elder on the other end of the line, “Elara must be kept in the dark about all of this.”

The betrayal hit me like a physical blow, threatening to shred my heart.

I decided to disappear, to leave them to their new life.

What Grayson didn't know then was that after I left, his pack’s totem tattoo—the very symbol of his Alpha power—began to fade. He was losing the favor of the Moon Goddess.

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1

I stumbled back to the penthouse apartment, my world shattered.

I bumped into someone but was too dazed to even apologize.

I was on autopilot, my mind replaying the devastating scene in an endless, agonizing loop.

Grayson, the man who once cherished me above all else, was now plotting to strip me of my ability to ever become a mother.

And he knew—he had always known—that having a child of our own was my deepest wish.

In the hallway, younger pack members cast envious glances my way.

“It’s the future Luna,” one of them whispered. “For her, our Alpha has rejected every noble she-wolf. I heard she's been unwell, and he has flown in the best healers from all over the world to watch over her.”

Once, those words would have made my heart swell with pride.

But now, a bitter lump formed in my throat, and the shame of it all stung my eyes.

I heard Grayson’s furious roar before I even stepped inside.

“Incompetent fools! You lost three million dollars over one mistake? Let me be clear: I will not have Elara disturbed by your failures. Another screw-up like this, and I’ll gut the entire department!”

Grayson had always been elegant and composed, rarely losing his temper.

The last time he’d been this furious was when I’d scalded my arm on a stage lamp at a perfume launch.

Back then, his anger had made me feel deeply cherished.

But now, watching his performative rage, I felt nothing at all.

“I'm home, Grayson.”

At the sound of my voice, he spun around, the fury on his face melting into a brilliant smile.

He strode toward me, pulling me into a crushing embrace. “Elara, where have you been? I was worried sick.”

A faint, unfamiliar scent of perfume clung to him—cheap and cloying. It wasn't mine.

But I just buried my face in his chest, hiding the turmoil in my eyes.

“I just went for a walk in the rooftop garden.”

His smile was still warm, but the worry in his eyes hadn't faded.

He brought over a crystal glass of red wine, the deep red liquid swirling within.

“Here, Elara,” he murmured. “Drink this. I added some herbs to help you relax.”

I took it, swirling it gently.

My wolf’s heightened sense of smell caught a faint, sharp scent hidden beneath the rich, fruity aroma.

Wolfsbane.

“Thank you,” I said, “but I don't feel like drinking right now.”

“Come on, Elara. Just drink it. You need to rest.”

“I said no.”

The resolve in my voice made his expression shift, his patience wearing thin. The air between us grew heavy.

After a tense moment, his features softened into a gentle, yielding smile.

“Alright, if you don’t want to drink it, you don’t have to.”

Just as I thought I had dodged a bullet, a strange fragrance began to drift from the room's aroma diffuser.

My vision swam. My legs gave out.

And then—endless darkness.

I didn’t open my eyes again until the morning of the third day.

I was lying in the pack’s medical bay. A searing pain shot through my abdomen.

A chilling fear gripped me, and my trembling fingers lifted the thin medical gown.

There, on my lower abdomen, was an ugly, faintly glowing rune branded on my skin.

Before I could even scream, Grayson leaned over me, relief washing over his face. “Elara, you’re awake.”

His voice was gentle and soothing—as if he hadn't just shattered my entire world.

“Three days ago, you had a sudden energy surge and collapsed,” he explained. “The healers had no choice… but to perform a purification ritual for you. This brand will save your life.”

He paused, a flicker of feigned sadness in his eyes.

“But it comes with a side effect… you can never have children.”

I stared at him, my heart fracturing into a million pieces.

Seeing my despair, he pulled me into his arms. “Don't be sad, Elara,” he whispered. “I know you've always wanted a child. We can adopt a pup from the pack. I promise, I'll raise him as my own.”

For days, I said nothing.

Even the cold, impersonal walls of the Avalon Group’s headquarters couldn't contain the grief that consumed me.

To “comfort” me, Grayson canceled all his work and never left my side.

Then, just as I finally gathered the courage to confront him, Juliana arrived.