Mate’s Deception, Luna’s Defiance

Romeo Garcia was a promising scholar from the outskirts of the Silver Moon Pack territory, a Beta who had worked his way up through sheer determination. His relentless spirit was something I had always admired. That same determination eventually won me over during his third year of pursuing me, and I agreed to be his mate.

We marked each other, had a pup, and everything seemed to fall into place naturally. As the Luna of the Silver Moon Pack, I helped him refine his image—a sleek watch, a sturdy SUV, a spacious den in the heart of the pack’s territory. In return, he provided emotional support, understanding my needs better than most. Like the nanny we hired, he knew I didn’t want his mother, Shelby, involved in raising our pup. He also understood that I didn’t want a traditional caregiver who clung to outdated pack customs, so he found someone practical and sensible—Everly Watson, a rogue who seemed to fit the bill.

However, Everly seemed to misunderstand her role. I’d need to keep an eye on her.

After finishing nursing, I called for someone to help burp Amaya. I waited, but no one responded. Despite the lingering weakness from childbirth, I made my way to the living room, where Romeo was organizing some boxes.

"Everly went to get you some coffee. You can burp the pup yourself; it’s a small task," he said without looking up, anticipating my request before I could speak.

"Mate, you can’t rely on others for everything," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"When the nanny leaves, you’ll need to handle these tasks yourself, so why not start learning now?"

I frowned, confused. "If the nanny is occupied, why can’t you, as the father, help out?"

"I just gave birth four days ago, and you expect me to hold the pup already?"

The conversation was making me more irate, but Romeo turned to me with a look of genuine concern. "I’m preparing you in advance," he said softly.

"Soon, my leave ends, and I’ll be back at the pack’s headquarters. What will you do if you haven’t learned by then? I can’t always come home to do everything."

"Mate, you’re a Luna now. You can’t continue acting like you’re still finding your place."

"You should take a page from Everly. She can care for pups, manage the den, and prepare meals. Why is there such a gap between two females?"

His words stung, and I could sense the dissatisfaction in his tone. Yet, when I glanced at him, his earnest gaze confused me. Did he truly believe this was for my benefit?

"Hey, stop standing there. I’ve been helping these past few days since you’ve just been discharged and are still recovering," he said.

"Soon enough, you should learn from Everly."

He brushed past me, went straight to the bedroom, and picked up Amaya from the bed, expertly burping her. He was indeed more adept than I was; while I was still figuring out how to hold the pup, he had already mastered burping her. It was clear he had prepared quite a bit.

Reflecting on his words, they almost made sense to me. Perhaps I had been too self-indulgent before, always doing as I pleased. Now that I’m a Luna and a mother, I certainly need to step up and take responsibility for our pup.

As I watched Amaya peacefully fall asleep after being fed and burped, a suspicion crept into my mind: Where had he learned such skilled techniques?