Rejected Mate's Silent Vow

In the fifth year of my marking bond with Alpha Jrue Garcia of the Shadow Moon Pack, he suddenly expressed his longing to become a father. A month later, I discovered I was pregnant. While organizing the Alpha’s quarters—a responsibility I, as Luna, took seriously—I stumbled upon his secret. Jrue had an unattainable love, a "white moonlight" figure. He planned to give our first child to her, Lilian Perry, who couldn’t have children. Everything was part of Jrue’s scheme. So, I went to the pack healer to arrange an abortion and watched as he continued dreaming about a blissful future.

When the Moon Festival arrived—a sacred time for our kind to honor the Moon Goddess—he invited Lilian to join the pack gathering. That was when I tossed the abortion paperwork in front of him, leaving him completely shattered.

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“Please schedule an abortion for me, as soon as possible,” I said to the pack healer, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. The healer, a kind older wolf named Lakelyn, adjusted her slipping glasses, her eyes widening in surprise. “Luna Melanie, are you sure? Your recent check-ups show that your pup is very healthy.”

“I’ve made up my mind. Please arrange it quickly,” I replied, cutting off any further questions. Before she could protest, I grabbed the prenatal exam papers and left her office. As I stashed the papers in my bag, the corner of a book pricked my hand. My gaze fell on the notebook inside, already yellowing with age and worn at the edges, evidence of frequent perusal by its owner. The handwriting was unmistakably Jrue’s.

I had initially intended to clear out the cluttered room in the Alpha’s quarters to create a nursery for our soon-to-be-born pup. Instead, I found Jrue’s journal, filled with scribbles of adoration for another she-wolf. Sadly, that she-wolf wasn’t me. Her name was Lilian Perry. The journal chronicled their journey from being together to their eventual separation. The latest entries were from a few months ago. As I calmly flipped through Jrue’s journal, my heart began to sink.

A few days ago, Jrue had promised to accompany me to a prenatal check-up. Yet, just as we arrived at the pack clinic, he was summoned away by a mind link. He left with a sense of urgency, offering no explanation for his sudden departure. By the time I finished the check-up, he was gone without leaving any message. I endured the pitying glances of the pack healers alone, completing the remaining tests, even stumbling once due to my limited mobility, without him ever returning.

According to the journal’s notes, Lilian had come back from abroad that day. The call must have been from her. I had hoped that the check-up would mark a turning point in my relationship with Jrue. But clearly, it was only wishful thinking on my part. I gently caressed my belly, feeling the vibrancy of the small life inside. *Pup*, I whispered in my mind, *I can’t let you be born into this kind of pack, nor will I let you call someone else your mother.*

After leaving the clinic, I returned to the Alpha’s quarters to prepare for my hospital stay. My phone suddenly rang—it was Jrue’s brother, a Delta in the pack. “Luna Melanie,” he said, his voice tense, “Alpha Jrue’s had too much mead. You should come pick him up; he’s causing a scene at the pack hall.” On the other end was Jrue’s best friend, the Beta, and I replied indifferently, “Got it.” This wasn’t the first time; whenever Jrue drank too much, no matter how late, I would go and bring him home. I used to worry about him catching a chill after drinking, so I always carried a jacket when fetching him. But he never wore it and brushed off my concern as meddling. Now, I felt nothing but deep disgust. *I’ll pick him up one last time,* I thought, *and finally tell him clearly—this isn’t working anymore.*