Betrayed luna: daughter stolen by her mate Chapter 02

His endless stream of words shut off like someone hit a switch. Silence.

I stared at his silent face and let out a hollow laugh. He’d chosen Emily. Again.

I went back to the bedroom and packed up every single baby item. I threw it all out.

Without Bella, none of it meant anything.

Dante’s parents came back from their trip. Dante must’ve briefed them, because neither of them said a word about Bella.

It was like she’d never existed.

Once Dante’s mother Maria saw I’d come around, her attitude toward me improved. She cooked for me constantly, all kinds of meals to build up my strength.

Dante started touching my belly and praying. Praying I’d get pregnant again with a strong, healthy pup.

I watched him, stone-faced. The disgust inside me made me want to bolt from this suffocating prison of a house. But I couldn’t. Bella was still out there. I had to be patient.

My behavior put Dante at ease. He gradually let his guard down and started texting Emily again in secret.

They used Bella as an excuse to flirt. I saw everything.

One night, after Dante was deep asleep, I finally got my chance to check his phone.

I found photos of Bella. Photo after photo. Her tiny body bundled in someone’s arms, a pacifier in her mouth. Her features looked just like mine.

Tears streamed down my face. The longing was driving me insane. I wanted to wake Dante that very second, shove the phone in his face, and demand he tell me where Emily was.

Emily was three years older than him. Childhood sweethearts, the whole story.

But she’d never given him a straight answer. As far as I could tell, Dante was her backup plan.

The night Emily chose another man as her mate, Dante got blackout drunk. I was the one who took him home.

We were classmates back then. And I’d always had a thing for him.

I was the one who stayed by his side when he was hurting. He was Emily’s simp, and I was his.

When he finally agreed to be with me, I was so happy I couldn’t put it into words. Even knowing I wasn’t first in his heart.

I became his mate anyway. Because I loved him.

He did the bare minimum a mate was supposed to do.

Before Bella, I was content with that life.

After losing her, I realized Dante didn’t matter that much to me. Bella was the one thing I couldn’t live without.

I put the phone back. The ache for my daughter slowly hardened into something else. A plan. A reckless, desperate plan.

I stared out the window at the moon and made a silent vow. This time, I would get my Bella back.

To lift my spirits, Dante decided we needed a trip.

“We could drive to Arizona. Route 66. I heard the scenery is incredible. One of my favorite movies was filmed out there. We’d end up at Santa Monica Beach. Sun, sand. It’d be good for you.”

I was the one who suggested it. Dante looked surprised I’d actually proposed something. He glanced at the map.

“That area’s pretty remote. Might be a rough drive.”

I leaned in closer and wrapped my arms around his neck. I whispered against his ear.

“Forget it, then. I know you’re exhausted from managing the pack. We’ll go another time.”

“You haven’t been out in so long. We’re not waiting. We’ll drive there.”

My words pushed him over. He told his parents and we hit the road.

I knew he still felt guilty. He treated me better during that time than he ever had before.

He never refused anything I asked. But he never once mentioned Bella.

I didn’t ask either. I just stared out the window sometimes.

Only when I knew he was watching.

I needed him to see my grief. So he’d never suspect what I was really planning.