Her True Cub, His Stolen Legacy

My mate and I decided to undergo a pack ritual to conceive because of his low fertility. Just before the ceremony, I discovered that he had conspired to replace my eggs with those of his long-lost mate, Bianca Barnes. I didn’t say a word—I simply switched the eggs back. While I was at it, I replaced his essence with that of my true mate, Josiah Ruiz. Now, twenty-five years later, Bianca stands before me, tears streaming down her face, claiming to be Izabella’s mother: “My darling daughter, I’m your real mom!”

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Izabella and I had just returned from an international pack alliance meeting when we were met with a scene straight out of a rogue’s tale. The grand hall of the Ruiz Packhouse was bustling with distant relatives who never usually paid us visits—all gathered as if for a grand celebration. At the center of it all was Bianca Barnes, seated on the Alpha’s throne, putting on a melodramatic performance worthy of a rogue’s den.

Drake Arnold, the rogue I had once allowed to pose as my mate, was doting on her, his concern etched on his face like a poorly written prophecy. I raised an eyebrow, parked my suitcase to the side, and leveled my gaze at him.

“What’s the occasion, Drake?” I asked, my voice calm but laced with the authority of a Luna. “It seems the packhouse is unusually lively.”

Izabella, my daughter and heir to the Ruiz Pack, followed me, her arms crossed and her expression a mirror of my disdain. She had already begun to piece together Bianca’s identity—a rogue who dared to claim what wasn’t hers.

Bethany Cox, Drake’s mother and the former Luna of the Arnold Pack, sat nearby, her expression troubled yet unyielding. Before Drake could respond, Bianca flung herself at Izabella, her voice trembling with false emotion:

“My darling daughter, I’m your real mom!”

Izabella sidestepped gracefully, her nose wrinkling as if Bianca carried the stench of a rogue. She took a step back and said coolly, “My mother’s name is Amalia Ruiz, Luna of the Ruiz Pack.”

Pride swelled in my chest. This child was indeed my trusted partner, my legacy. I held Izabella’s hand, giving her a reassuring squeeze, then raised my hand and delivered a sharp slap to Bianca’s cheek. The sound echoed through the hall, silencing the murmurs of the onlookers.

“Don’t make false claims about family,” I said icily, my voice carrying the weight of my rank. “You’re in the presence of your Luna.”

Drake sprang up, his eyes flashing with rage as he rushed to Bianca’s side. He pointed at me, his voice trembling with indignation:

“Luna Amalia, have you lost your mind? How dare you strike Bianca!”

He lifted his hand as if to strike me, but Izabella was quicker. She stepped forward, her eyes blazing with the fire of an Alpha’s heir, and slapped Drake herself.

“Dare to lay a hand on the Luna?” Her voice was low but carried the authority of her birthright.

Drake stood frozen, his hand still raised, his face a mask of shock and fury. Bianca grabbed his arm, her tears now flowing freely in a pathetic display of false concern:

“Drake, don’t! She’s our daughter!”

Her act was nauseating. Drake lowered his hand, but his glare at Izabella was venomous:

“If it weren’t for your birth mother’s sake, I’d teach you a lesson today!”

Izabella laughed, a cold, cutting sound that echoed through the hall. “Oh, I’d love to see exactly how you plan to discipline me, Drake.”

Her fierce gaze mirrored my own from years past, and I felt a surge of pride. She was indeed the daughter I had raised—strong, fearless, and unyielding. The future of the Ruiz Pack was in good hands.