The Alpha's Stolen Luna: Bound To The Stepbrother

Isabella's POV I knew there was something missing between Silas and me, and for the past five years, I had tried my best to figure out what it was so he could finally acknowledge me as his mate, as his Luna. But no matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I burned myself out trying to fulfill his every wish, nothing between us ever got better. Still, I refused to give up. I would keep trying until the very end. One day, Silas would finally look at me with affection. One day, he would truly see me as his partner. That was why I planned to make tonight the best night we had ever shared. I had prepared his favorite meal, and after he finished eating, I would throw myself at him. Tonight was special. The first full moon of July had finally arrived—a phantom heat night, when wolves became restless and sought out their mates to satisfy the primal ache burning beneath their skin. Maybe tonight would change everything between us. Maybe this time, I would finally give him the son he had always wanted. Silas had dreamed of having a male heir for years. Once, I had carried one for him, but I lost the baby before I could even hold him in my arms. Since then, Silas had become colder and crueler. There wasn't a single day without insults or torment. Bruises bloomed across my body like ugly reminders of my failure. Even so, I kept trying to please him. Because if it wasn't for Silas, I would have died five years ago when rogues attacked my pack and slaughtered everyone—my parents, my people... everyone. I had been the only survivor. And Silas was the one who saved me. I owed him my life, and I would do anything to give him what he wanted. Taking one final look at my reflection in the mirror, I released a shaky breath before leaving my room and heading toward the study where I knew Silas would definitely be. As I walked past two maids in the hallway, I caught the way they looked at me, as though I was beneath them. It had always been like this. No one in the pack truly accepted me as their Luna because I was wolfless. At least, that was what they believed. My wolf hadn't disappeared. She had simply gone silent after the m******e of my pack. The grief had shattered something inside me, and even now, five years later, the memories still haunted me. When I reached the study, I noticed the door was slightly ajar. My hand hovered over the knob, ready to push it open, when I heard a familiar voice from inside. “What do I do about it now?” I froze. I recognized the voice immediately. It belonged to my best friend, Sarah. The only person who had been kind to me since the day I arrived here. Confusion twisted in my chest as I leaned closer to the door and peeked inside. What was she doing alone with my husband this late at night? As far as I knew, Sarah was only the beta's daughter. There was no reason for her to be alone with Silas in his private study. “Do what?” Silas asked calmly. “To the pregnancy?” The words slammed into me like a knife. Pregnancy? My breathing hitched. Sarah? No. No, that couldn't be possible. “It’s my baby. Nothing must happen to him,” Silas said. My chest tightened so violently it felt impossible to breathe. Pain ripped through me, sharp and brutal, as though thousands of knives had been driven into my heart at once. “But what if Isabella finds out? I can't—” “So what if she finds out?” Silas cut in coldly. “Do you think I care about her reaction? About how she feels?” Every word crushed me further. “She’s nothing but a burden I can't wait to get rid of. She's useless as my mate.” My knees nearly buckled. Then he pulled Sarah closer and kissed her forehead gently. “You are my true mate,” he murmured softly. “The only woman I want.” Sarah smiled shyly, her cheeks turning red beneath the warm light spilling across the study. Something inside me shattered. A hollow ache spread through my chest as tears stung my eyes. All this time, I had convinced myself Silas simply needed patience. Understanding. Loyalty. But he had never loved me. Not even a little. Suddenly, dizziness washed over me. My body swayed, and before I could stop myself, I stumbled against the door. It creaked open loudly and both of them turned toward me. Sarah's eyes widened in horror, and she immediately rushed forward. “Bella—” “Don't.” Silas grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “She doesn't deserve your concern.” The words sliced deeper than any blade ever could. I forced myself upright and ran. My heels struck sharply against the marble floor as I fled down the hallway, my mind spinning violently with everything I had just seen. I still couldn't believe it. My best friend had betrayed me. The woman I trusted had been f*****g my husband behind my back all along. I had believed she was different. But her kindness had been nothing more than another lie. She was just like the rest of them. I kept walking without knowing where I was going until my legs finally gave out beneath me. A sob tore from my throat. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my cheeks as agony clawed through my chest. Why did it hurt so much? Why would Silas betray me after everything I had done for him? Why couldn't he love me the same way I loved him? The questions hung heavily in the cold night air, unanswered. I cried until something strange suddenly shifted inside my body. Then realization hit me. The full moon. Phantom heat night. I slowly lifted my gaze toward the sky. The moon hung high above the pack lands, enormous and glowing silver. My heartbeat became uneven. Heat flooded through me without warning. My skin tightened painfully while my body grew unbearably heavy, as though molten fire had been poured directly into my veins. My core throbbed like a war drum, and my dress—once soft against my skin—now felt like sandpaper scraping against my overly sensitive body. Every inch of me craved touch. A male touch. Panic seized me instantly. If I didn't get to Silas soon, I could lose control completely. I turned to leave, but my legs suddenly felt like lead. A shadow stepped onto the path ahead of me. Tall and terrifying. I staggered backward, my pulse hammering wildly against my ribs. The man stood beneath the silver moonlight like something untamed. His red eyes burned intensely as sweat covered his face and dampened the hard planes of his chest. He breathed heavily, as though he had just run for miles. He's an Alpha. I could feel the crushing dominance radiating from him instantly. But he didn't look polished like the other Alphas I had met before. He looked wild and dangerous. His chest rose and fell sharply while sweat glistened across the corded muscles of his torso. Golden eyes glowed fiercely in the darkness, locking onto me like a predator staring down its prey. “You feel it too, don't you?” His voice came out rough and jagged, vibrating deep inside my bones. “The pull.” I frowned weakly, trying to gather the shattered remnants of my dignity around me like a torn cloak. I had to get to Silas. I had to get to my husband. But the moment the stranger stepped closer, his scent hit me hard. He smelled of burnt cedar and rain. The breath caught in my throat and my entire body reacted instantly. No. No, this couldn't happen. I had to get to Silas. Because if I didn't... I knew exactly what would happen between me and this stranger. Something I would regret for the rest of my life.