Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother

Lilith’s POV

"What are you implying? Are you suggesting Vanessa had something to do with this?Could you stop using the same old trick of blaming Vanessa? "

Brett roared. "You accused her in court five years ago, claiming she had the same access to medical secrets as you did, but investigators proved her innocence!But this time,the hair sample you gave me,I handled it myself.I didn’t tell anyone."

"I don’t have proof, and I dare not accuse anyone specific," I explained frantically. "But my instincts tell me someone is actively preventing you from recognizing your daughter."

"Oh, so now your so-called instincts are just an excuse to frame others?" He cut me off sharply. "I won’t listen to any more of your shameless lies."

As he moved to close the car door, I lunged forward on my knees, clutching his leg. "Alpha Brett, please..."

I knew how pathetic I looked, but for Clara, I’d surrender every ounce of pride. I could feel Thea trembling within me, devastated by our mate’s contempt.

I caught a flicker of something in Brett’s eyes, but it quickly hardened to ice. He wrenched my hands away. "Lilith, do you enjoy humiliating yourself? What did Greystone Heights Pack offer you to throw away your dignity like this?"

"I don’t want anything. I just need to know Clara will have a home after I’m gone."

"Stop using the child. You don’t deserve to be a mother. Let go."

He shoved me away, his eyes full of warning.I collapsed onto the ground, tears streaming down my face.

Once, I was Silas Hartwell’s precious daughter, the cherished princess of Shadowpine Pack. My father would have plucked the stars from the sky if I’d asked. Now I was a Rogue, cast out from my pack, struggling to survive without protection.

But Brett’s eyes showed no sympathy for my fall from grace.

Before driving away, he offered one last piece of advice. "Lilith, you’re a mother now. Set a proper example for your daughter. If you’re willing to admit your wrongdoings and change your ways, I’ll double whatever Greystone Heights Pack offered you. But first, you need to acknowledge your mistakes and become a better person."

With that, he got in his car and drove away.

Only when the wind picked up did I realize that Brett had torn Clara’s drawing to pieces, scattering them across the ground.

I frantically gathered each piece, like collecting the fragments of my broken heart. When the wind blew some pieces into the middle of the road, I rushed out without hesitation to retrieve them.

The approaching car slammed on its brakes. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" the driver yelled.

How could I not value my life? I desperately wanted to live longer. The Moon Goddess had already set my death sentence - every minute, every second was precious to me.

Little Clara’s drawing was as precious to me as life itself. Yet Brett had torn it to shreds, just as he’d rejected me without hesitation five years ago.

It was almost eleven when I went to pick up Clara from Sabrina’s house. I showered Sabrina with thanks.

Walking home, I held Clara’s hand. "Clara, I’m sorry Mommy was late today."

"It’s okay, Mommy. Clara knows you were busy." My little girl looked adorable, bundled up in her hat and scarf against the wind.

She looked up at me, her sweet smile carrying healing power, yet breaking my heart at the same time. Despite being one of Blood Moon Pack’s top medical researchers, I couldn’t cure my own illness or convince her father to acknowledge her.

Late that night, after Clara fell asleep, I crawled out of bed and carefully pieced together the torn fragments of her drawing. I’d found every piece, but the reconstructed picture remained wrinkled and broken, impossible to restore to its original state.

This was the portrait my little Clara had drawn for me. Before I could even frame it, her own father had torn it apart. It felt like a metaphor for Clara’s life - no matter how hard I tried as her mother, I couldn’t give her a complete childhood or future.

The Moon Goddess’s prophecy echoed in my mind. My death was inevitable. Was Clara destined to face the same hardships I had after I was gone?

How could any she-wolf bear to leave her pup to face such a cruel fate?

"Mommy, what are you doing?"

Clara’s sleepy voice startled me, and I quickly wiped away my tears. I tried to hide the pieced-together drawing, but it was too late.

Clara had already made her way to my side, and I watched her little face crumple.

"Mommy, what happened to the drawing I made for you?" she asked.

"Mommy, who tore it?" She was fighting back tears.

Guilt made it hard to breathe as I pulled her into my arms.

"I’m sorry, Clara, it’s Mommy’s fault. I was taking your drawing to get it framed, but on the way, this mean dog jumped out and... and tore it up..." Even as I spoke, I knew how weak the excuse sounded.

Clara looked unconvinced. "But Mommy, puppies are nice. Why would one just attack my drawing?"

I was at a loss for words. Then Clara, suddenly alert, started checking me over.

"Mommy, are you hurt?"

"Did the dog bite you?"

Only after confirming I was unharmed did she relax.

"It’s okay, Mommy. I’ll draw you another one. I’m just glad the dog didn’t hurt you."

"Thank you, sweetheart!" I choked out, relieved she’d accepted the story.

I couldn’t let Clara know her own father had torn up her drawing. Her young heart had already endured enough pain.

"Come on, back to bed before you catch a cold." I carried Clara back to bed, and we snuggled under the covers together.

Her tiny arms wrapped around my thin frame. "Mommy, can you pick me up earlier tomorrow? I waited so long today, and I missed you so much."

"I promise I’ll come earlier tomorrow," I vowed.

"Mommy, have you lost more weight?"

"No, sweetie. Maybe I just haven’t had much appetite lately."

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my lungs, forcing me into a coughing fit.

"Mommy, do you have a cold?" Clara asked worriedly.

"cough cough... Maybe just a small cold. Mommy needs some water," I lied.

It wasn’t a cold,these were late-stage symptoms.The Moon Goddess’s prophecy was unfolding; my cough had worsened lately, often bringing up blood.

I tried to get out of bed before Clara could notice, but she was quicker, already rushing to get water in her little slippers.

"Wait, Mommy, I’ll get it for you!"

Clara returned with a cup of warm water.

I quickly crumpled the bloodstained tissue in my palm, hiding it from her sight. She couldn’t know.

Thinking about the future felt like a knife twisting in my heart.Despite days of agonizing,I still hadn’t found a solution for Clara after my death.Without pack protection, how would a "scentless wolf" pup survive the discrimination and dangers?

I found a small children’s shelter on the outskirts of town.

The director was a kind-hearted woman in her fifties.

Hearing my situation, she asked sympathetically, "Lilith, do you really have no family at all? What about the child’s father?"

I shook my head. "She doesn’t have a father, and I have no family left. That’s why I’m asking if you could help find her an adoptive family."

There was no hope with Brett anymore. Even when I’d knelt before him with Clara’s drawing, he refused to believe she was his daughter. The drawing clearly showed Brett’s artistic style, yet he accused me of fabricating it for my own ends.

That drawing,which he’d torn to pieces.

With Alpha Brett being so heartless, I had to find another way. As a Rogue under banishment, I couldn’t even return to Shadowpine Pack, let alone ask my father for help.

This was the only door left to knock on.

As I left the children’s shelter, Cassian called.