Becoming the Luna of my First Love's Rival

I had already buried two babies by the time I turned twenty-five. Both were born alive. Both died before the sun could rise. People whispered that I was cursed. I started believing them, because every time I held my child for the first time, it was also the last. When I gave birth again, I prayed this time would be different. That night, I woke to my baby crying. The crib beside my bed was empty. Panic ripped through me, dragging old wounds open. My hands shook as memories of my first two children—cold, lifeless, gone on the very day they were born—came crashing back. Still weak, still groggy, I stumbled through the halls toward Alpha Cyrus’s room. That was when I heard his voice. “Quick. Take the baby’s life force. I need the strength.” My world stopped. The door was ajar. Inside, my baby lay on the bed—alive. And beside Alpha Cyrus stood two women. One was his mother, Clare. The other was Abigail, the woman who was supposed to be his wife before he claimed that I was his fated mate. “Are you sure Adrianna is drugged?” Clare asked. “Yes,” Cyrus replied calmly. “I put something in her water earlier. She won’t wake up.” I did. “Poor orphan girl,” Abigail sneered. “She really thought you loved her, alpha. She didn’t even know she was only bred to keep you powerful.” I watched as Alpha Cyrus raised his hand, and felt my baby’s life being ripped away. I burst into the room, screaming, even as my body betrayed me. Warriors restrained me. I begged. I fought. I cried. They didn’t stop. I watched my baby die in front of me. And Alpha Cyrus grew stronger. “That’s three,” he said with a smirk. “I don’t need you anymore. I am now more powerful than the alpha of Dark Knight Pack.” They told me everything then. That the mate bond was fake. That my mark—the descendant mark of the Moon Goddess—made my children’s life force powerful. That every pregnancy, every death, was planned. And then they killed me. The last thing I felt was my wrist burning, my mark glowing brighter than the moon itself. I thought it was the end. But when I opened my eyes, I was alive. Back in the past. On the day I discovered I was pregnant for the third time. This time, I’m not the cursed one. They are. And they will pay—for my babies, for my death, and for every lie they fed me. --- Adrianna’s POV I woke up with everything still burning fresh in my mind. I died. And yet, here I was, back in my bedroom, nine months earlier, clutching the ultrasound result in my trembling hands. This time, I hadn’t told Alpha Cyrus about my pregnancy. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking as I stared at my wrist. The crescent moon mark was still there. I remembered everything they said, that I was a descendant of the Moon Goddess. They knew. They had always known. And they never told me, because I was nothing more than a womb to them. A machine meant to bear children whose life force would strengthen Alpha Cyrus and prolong his life. This time, I would ruin all their plans. Footsteps approached the door. I quickly hid the ultrasound result beneath my pillow and straightened just as he walked in. Alpha Cyrus. He entered with that familiar, fake smile, the one I once believed meant love. “I heard you went to the hospital,” he said smoothly. “Sounds like good news?” So desperate for a third baby, aren’t you? I thought bitterly. “What do you think?” I smiled sweetly and reached up to caress his face. Every part of me wanted to slap him, but I restrained myself. “You’re my fated mate. Shouldn’t you be able to tell if I’m pregnant or not? What do you think, Alpha?” The color drained from his face for just a second. He cleared his throat, forcing a smile. I know he wouldn’t be able to tell if I was pregnant because even the mate bond I felt was manipulated. He wasn’t my real fated mate. “I’d like it to be a surprise.” I chuckled softly. “Too bad. I’m not pregnant.” His expression shifted, barely noticeable. In the past, I would’ve missed it. Now, I saw everything. Later, he tried to seduce me, but I lied easily. “Alpha, I went to the hospital because I wasn’t feeling well. We can do that some other time.” I thought he’d stop. He didn’t. He came to my bedroom every night after that, and every night, I refused him. One morning, Abigail visited. She brought gifts, baby clothes, already convinced I was pregnant. When I told her I wasn’t, disappointment flashed across her face before she masked it. That afternoon, while I sat quietly in the living room, they spoke in the kitchen. They whispered, but not softly enough. “I thought I’d only have to endure a few months of not being your beloved, Alpha,” Abigail hissed. “Why is she still not pregnant? Can’t you just throw her away? You already have the life force of her two babies.” “I can’t,” Alpha Cyrus replied coldly. “My strength still isn’t enough. I can’t defeat the Dark Knight Pack yet. We were lucky to discover the descendant early. Just one more year, and then we can get rid of her.” My anger boiled over. That was when I finalized everything. I knew what was coming in two days, another pack war. In the past, even without knowing I was the Moon Goddess’s descendant, I had used her power. Terrified something would happen to Alpha Cyrus, I had prayed desperately during battle. In exchange, I discovered I could amplify our pack’s strength. That was why Moonlight Pack had survived against the Dark Knight Pack. But this time, as the attack began, I stood by the window and didn’t lift a single finger. “Fuck! Why are we losing so badly?” Alpha Cyrus roared outside. “Why are you all so useless?!” I watched him struggle to hold the enemy back. They lost terribly. And he didn’t understand why Moonlight Pack was suddenly so weak—why they were nothing compared to previous wars. “What the fuck is happening?” he snarled. “Does the Dark Knight Pack have witches backing them up now?” I laughed silently. “What if they’re just strong, Alpha?” I said calmly. “Why don’t you attend the Alpha Gathering and find out how they did it?” In the past, he’d refused gatherings, believing himself above other packs. Now, I needed him gone. The bait worked. And on the day of the gathering, Abigail came running, clutching her stomach, tears streaming down her face. “Alpha, my stomach hurts. Please, help me,” she cried. I smirked. I knew she wouldn’t want me appearing beside him in public. “Oh no,” I said gently. “Why don’t you take her to the hospital, Alpha? I’ll attend the gathering in your stead.” Everything went exactly as planned. He didn’t hesitate. He dropped everything for her. I should have seen it before, how deeply he cared for that woman. I arrived at the Alpha Gathering alone, my eyes searching for one man. He wasn’t there. Then whispers erupted around the hall. I followed their gazes, and found him. Alpha Valentin Casmus. The Alpha of the Dark Knight Pack. The greatest nemesis of Alpha Cyrus. The strongest Alpha alive. I walked straight toward him and offered him a glass of wine. I knew he recognized me. He smirked. “Where’s your mutt of an Alpha?” “Probably with his mistress,” I replied coolly. That amused him. “Touche,” he said. “You know his ways, yet you still cling to him.” I raised an eyebrow. “I know you want to drag him into the mud, Alpha Valentin. Why don’t we do it together?” I fixed his tie, meeting his gaze without flinching. “I can do that without you,” he replied smoothly. “What can you offer me, Adrianna?” The way my name rolled off his tongue sent a shiver through me. “Everything,” I said quietly. “Even this mark.” I showed him the crescent moon on my wrist. He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I don’t need your power, Descendant.” Then he said the last thing I expected. “Be my Luna, and you’ll see.” “W-what?” I was stunned. This wasn’t part of my plan. “I’ll give you one day to decide,” he said calmly. “And remember, I’m not patient.”