My Mate Raised His Mistress's Heiress

The years passed as quietly as the waxing and waning of the moon. Vivienne remained a constant presence within the Blackwood Pack, and no one found it strange. She visited our manor almost every day under one excuse or another, yet everyone knew how dearly she adored Lyria. Every year, she insisted on arranging Lyria's birthday feast herself, decorating the Great Hall with moon lilies and silver ribbons until it looked fit for the daughter of an Alpha. During the Festival of Young Pups, she was always the first to appear with carefully wrapped gifts, eager to spend the entire day laughing beside Lyria. Whenever the academy held its family trials or the annual Hunt of the Young, Vivienne somehow found herself standing where a mother should have stood. Even when the Moon Mother's Blessing was celebrated each spring—a sacred day when mothers and daughters offered prayers together before the Moon Goddess's altar—Vivienne would spirit Lyria away into the sacred woods. They would spend the day wandering beneath the towering pines before returning with matching moonflowers woven into their hair and smiles that seemed too natural to question. Whenever I gently asked whether she feared overstepping the boundaries between friendship and family, she would lower her eyes and sigh. "My little she-wolf was taken from me before she could even complete her first moon cycle," she would murmur, her voice thick with sorrow. "The Moon Goddess has never blessed me with another child, and I no longer wish to seek that blessing." Then she would take my hands in hers. "You are my dearest friend, Lyra. Allow me to love Lyria as though she were my own. It eases the ache in my heart." Before I could answer, Darius would always speak in her defense. "Lyra," he would say gently, "Vivienne has endured enough pain for one lifetime. Losing a pup is a wound no mother can truly heal. If accompanying Lyria to the academy or spending a few celebrations with her brings Vivienne a little comfort, why should we deny her that?" He always sounded so reasonable. So compassionate. The very image of a generous Alpha. Looking into the hopeful faces gathered around the table, I merely offered a faint smile. "Very well," I said. "I have matters to attend to today. Vivienne may go in my place." Vivienne's eyes brightened immediately. She reached for Lyria's hand with barely concealed delight. Lyria clapped happily, throwing her arms around Vivienne's neck. "I knew Mommy would agree!" After breakfast, the two of them left together, chatting excitedly about the day's events. Darius followed close behind, claiming he wished only to escort them safely to the academy gates. I remained standing beneath the manor's stone archway, watching the three of them disappear down the forest path. They walked so naturally together that they resembled a true family. No one looked back. Not once. Perhaps they believed I was too trusting to notice. Or perhaps they thought the Moon Goddess had blessed me with kindness instead of wisdom. Whatever the reason, Vivienne grew bolder with every passing year. In the beginning, she had been careful. She visited only while I attended council meetings or inspected the territories, meeting Darius where no curious eyes could follow. Later, caution gave way to confidence. She no longer cared whether I was home. Instead, she arrived at the manor almost daily with a pleasant smile and another excuse prepared. "Lyra," she would say cheerfully, "I've been learning the old recipes from the western packs. Let me prepare supper tonight." Another day she would appear carrying woven baskets overflowing with herbs and wild berries. "I've just returned from the mountain villages," she would explain. "I gathered these myself and thought of you immediately." Sometimes she arrived looking distressed. "The roof of my cottage has begun to leak after the last storm. Would you mind if I stayed here for a few nights until it is repaired?" There was always another reason. Always another excuse. Yet I knew the truth long before she stepped through my door. She had never come to see me. She came for Darius. She came for the daughter she had abandoned twenty years earlier. Still... I welcomed her every single time. I instructed the servants to prepare the finest guest chamber. I ordered extra places to be set at every meal. Whenever she requested anything, I granted it without hesitation. Darius seemed thoroughly pleased with this arrangement. Whenever Vivienne crossed the threshold, a smile would unconsciously touch his lips before he managed to hide it. Sometimes, while Lyria's attention was elsewhere, he and Vivienne exchanged fleeting glances across the dining table. A smile. A lingering look. The faint brush of fingertips as they passed one another a wine goblet. To anyone else, those moments would have seemed entirely innocent. To someone who knew the truth, they revealed far more than either of them realized. Lyria, meanwhile, became increasingly attached to Vivienne. She sought Vivienne's advice before making even the smallest decisions and happily spent entire afternoons accompanying her through the market or wandering the pack's sacred groves. Darius encouraged that closeness in countless subtle ways. One winter, he even instructed the servants to prepare a permanent chamber for Vivienne within the manor whenever she wished to visit. He personally ordered a pair of soft fur slippers embroidered with crescent moons to be placed beside the entrance. "They'll save her the trouble of changing footwear every visit," he remarked casually. No one questioned why an outsider should have her own place in the Alpha's home. Least of all me. That quiet, carefully maintained illusion continued until the year Lyria reached adulthood and completed the Trial of Knowledge, the examination every young wolf was required to pass before entering one of the great academies of the werewolf kingdoms. On the morning the results were announced, Vivienne arrived before sunrise. The four of us gathered in the great hall, waiting for the academy's messenger hawk to deliver the sealed scroll. When the scroll was finally opened, an awkward silence settled over the room. Lyria's marks were astonishingly poor. Even several ordinary wolves had surpassed her. Darius frowned deeply, forcing disappointment onto his face. "Lyria," he said sternly, "how could your results be this dreadful?" She merely shrugged, utterly unconcerned. "Our family owns half the Northern Territories." She smiled lazily. "Why should I exhaust myself studying? Mother can simply donate enough gold to whichever academy I choose." Darius cast a cautious glance toward me before continuing. "Your mother loves you more than her own life, but she cannot indulge you forever." His tone carried the patient authority expected of an Alpha. "She has spent years protecting the Blackwood territories and expanding the family's holdings. One day those responsibilities must pass to someone worthy. If you refuse to strengthen yourself, how can she ever entrust the pack to your care?" Before I could utter a single word, Vivienne stepped in. "Darius, you're worrying too much." She laughed softly before turning toward me. "Lyra is Lyria's mother. Surely she would never allow her only daughter to suffer." Lyria immediately nodded. "Exactly." She leaned comfortably against her chair, completely certain of herself. "Mother possesses countless silver mines, trading caravans, and fertile lands. Even if I never lifted a finger for the rest of my life, I would still live more comfortably than anyone else in the kingdom." Vivienne looked at Lyria with unmistakable pride before fixing her gaze on me. "Lyra," she said smoothly, "Lyria deserves far better than one of the lesser academies." "What if the other heirs look down on her? What if she's forced to compete beneath her station?" She paused, her smile gentle and persuasive. "Why not allow her to begin assisting you now? Give her a respectable position within the Blackwood household—perhaps as the steward overseeing one of your trading houses or the estates. She can learn at your side while preparing to inherit everything one day." Her words sounded perfectly reasonable. A devoted aunt would have made the very same suggestion. Only I knew she wasn't speaking for Lyria's future. She was preparing the throne for the daughter she believed would soon reclaim everything that belonged to the Blackwood bloodline.

Over the years, Vivienne and Darius indulged Lyria without restraint. They praised her for every careless decision, excused every mistake she made, and convinced her that, as the future heiress of the Blackwood bloodline, the world would one day bend to her will. She grew into a proud young she-wolf who believed her lineage alone entitled her to power. She had little patience for discipline, no understanding of leadership, and even less desire to earn the respect of those beneath her. While the heirs of neighboring packs spent years studying ancient laws, mastering negotiations, and proving themselves through hunting trials and territorial patrols, Lyria dismissed such responsibilities as beneath her station. Had she been any ordinary wolf seeking a place within my household, she would not even have qualified to serve as an apprentice among my stewards. Naturally, I never said any of that aloud. Instead, I smiled as though I shared their confidence. "A mere steward's position?" I asked softly. "Why should my daughter settle for so little?" The three of them looked at me expectantly. "Lyria is my only heir. One day she will inherit everything I possess." I paused long enough for those words to sink into their hearts. "I have already made my decision. I will send her beyond the Eastern Sea to study among the ancient Moonstone Clans. Once she returns, every territory, every trading house, every silver mine, and every title belonging to the Blackwood Pack will pass into her hands." The moment those words left my lips, delight spread across Vivienne's face. Her eyes shone so brightly that she almost forgot to hide her excitement. "Exactly!" she exclaimed with a delighted laugh. "Our Lyria was born beneath a fortunate moon. She was destined to stand above everyone else." She reached over to squeeze Lyria's hand proudly. "One day she'll become the most respected Luna in the northern kingdoms." Then, as she always did, contempt crept into her voice. "She was blessed with a fate far greater than that short-lived little she-wolf I gave birth to." Darius smiled with unmistakable satisfaction. Lyria lifted her chin proudly, already imagining the future that had yet to arrive. Watching the three of them bask in their triumph, I smiled as well. They believed I was too blind to see the web they had spun around me. What they never realized was that I had long since learned how to weave one of my own. ** While preparations were made for Lyria's journey, I brought her to the Blackwood estate each day. From sunrise until dusk, I patiently guided her through every corner of the territory. I showed her how disputes between neighboring packs were settled before the Moon Goddess's altar, how caravans carrying moonstones and medicinal herbs were managed, how alliances were maintained through honor rather than intimidation, and how every decision made by an Alpha or Luna could determine the survival of thousands. I hid nothing from her. Every ledger. Every treaty. Every secret path crossing our lands. Every sacred duty entrusted to my bloodline. She listened with only half her attention. Whenever the lessons became tedious, she would yawn openly or drift into idle conversation with Vivienne, who accompanied us whenever she could. Neither of them understood that knowledge offered freely was not always knowledge truly gained. The day Lyria departed finally arrived. Before dawn had fully broken, Vivienne came to the manor carrying several heavy trunks. She had sewn winter cloaks lined with silver wolf fur, embroidered protective runes onto Lyria's traveling blankets, packed dried herbs against illness, and even slipped polished moonstones blessed beneath the last full moon into her luggage. She fussed over every detail with the anxious devotion of a mother sending her only child far from home. "Remember to wear your cloak after sunset," she reminded Lyria for what must have been the tenth time. "The eastern mountains are colder than our forests." "And don't forget to meditate beneath the full moon every month. A she-wolf must never neglect her bond with the Moon Goddess." Lyria laughed helplessly. "I know, Vivienne." Still, she allowed Vivienne to straighten her collar and brush imaginary dust from her sleeves. Standing beside them, I quietly watched the tenderness they believed no one else noticed. When the carriage carrying Lyria disappeared beyond the forest road, Vivienne remained where she stood for a long while. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she stared after it until the sound of the wheels faded into silence. Only then did she lower her head and wipe her face. Anyone watching would have believed they had witnessed a mother's reluctant farewell to her beloved daughter. In truth... That was exactly what it had been. ** After Lyria left for the eastern kingdoms, Vivienne no longer visited my manor as often as she once had. Darius, however, found more reasons than ever to leave. Some days he claimed the neighboring Alphas had invited him to discuss territorial matters. Other times he insisted he was training with the pack's veteran warriors to keep his strength from declining with age. Whenever those excuses became too repetitive, he simply sighed with convincing melancholy. "I've never spent so many seasons apart from Lyria," he murmured one evening. "I raised her with my own hands. Without her laughter filling this manor, everything feels unbearably empty." "If I remain here doing nothing, I'll lose my mind." As he spoke, the sweet fragrance of freesia lingered faintly upon his cloak. It did not belong to the forests. Nor to the herbs growing within our territory. It belonged only to Vivienne. I recognized it the very first time she stepped into my life twenty-three years ago. I noticed it every time Darius returned home after one of his mysterious outings. Yet I merely smiled and pretended not to understand. "Lyria will complete her studies soon," I said gently. "When she returns, our family will be together again." Darius looked at me with an unreadable smile. "Yes," he replied quietly. "Our family of three will finally be reunited." Only he and Vivienne knew which three he meant. ** Three years slipped away beneath countless full moons. When Lyria finally returned from the eastern kingdoms, Vivienne appeared at my manor before sunrise, just as she had done so many times in years past. She stood beside Darius and me as we traveled to welcome Lyria home. The instant Lyria stepped down from the carriage, Vivienne's composure shattered. She rushed forward without caring who watched. With tears streaming freely down her face, she threw her arms around Lyria and held her so tightly that it seemed she feared losing her all over again. The two clung to one another for several long moments before finally parting. Only then did Lyria turn toward me. "Mother," she said confidently. "I've returned." There wasn't the slightest hesitation before she asked her next question. "When will you hand the Blackwood Pack over to me?" Her eagerness was impossible to miss. I answered with the same calm smile I had worn for more than twenty years. "There is no need to wait." "I have already summoned every Alpha, Elder, merchant lord, and pack representative." I looked directly into her bright, expectant eyes. "Today, before the entire northern kingdom, I will place everything I own into your hands." Joy flashed across the faces of Darius and Vivienne before either of them could hide it. They believed the moment they had dreamed of had finally arrived. ** The Great Moon Hall overflowed with guests. Representatives from every major pack had gathered beneath its towering stone arches, while merchants, nobles, and respected Elders filled every seat surrounding the ceremonial platform. The sacred Moonstone resting upon the central altar bathed the hall in a gentle silver glow, silently witnessing everything that unfolded beneath the Moon Goddess's gaze. Standing before the assembled crowd, I announced that my daughter would succeed me as the future ruler of the Blackwood territories. The High Elder personally brought forth the ancient inheritance scrolls. Before the eyes of every witness, I pressed my blood-mark upon the sacred parchment. One by one, the ancestral lands, the silver mines, the merchant caravans, the hunting forests, and every possession belonging to my bloodline were transferred into my daughter's name. The Moonstone shimmered, acknowledging the ceremony. Thunderous applause echoed throughout the hall. Many Elders nodded approvingly, praising the depth of a mother's love. More than one Luna wiped tears from her eyes as they watched what appeared to be the peaceful passing of a family's legacy from one generation to the next. Every gaze resting upon Lyria was filled with admiration... and envy. None of them realized they were witnessing not the beginning of an inheritance— but the final move of a game I had been patiently preparing for more than twenty years.

The ceremony should have ended with nothing but blessings. The sacred Moonstone resting upon the altar still shimmered softly beneath the skylight, its silver radiance washing over the Great Moon Hall as the Elders offered silent prayers to the Moon Goddess. Every witness believed they had just watched the peaceful passing of the Blackwood legacy from mother to daughter. Then the great doors of the hall swung open. A hush settled over the gathering. Vivienne entered with Darius beside her. No... Not beside her. Their hands were tightly entwined, their fingers locked together without the slightest attempt to hide what they had concealed for more than twenty years. They walked through the center of the hall beneath the astonished gazes of every Alpha, Luna, Elder, and noble present. Whispers spread like wildfire. Vivienne stopped directly before me. Without a trace of hesitation, she withdrew an ancient parchment sealed with the crimson crest of the Moon Temple. The blood-mark upon it had already dried. Holding it high for everyone to see, she raised her voice. "Lyra." "There is something you deserve to know." Her lips slowly curved into a victorious smile. "Darius and I became mates in our hearts long before fate bound you to him. During the same moon cycle that you gave birth, I also brought a daughter into this world." She unfolded the temple record. "The healers exchanged our newborn pups by mistake." Her eyes drifted toward Lyria with unmistakable affection. "The she-wolf you raised all these years was never your daughter." "Lyria is the child born to Darius and me." "You have cared for her long enough." "It is time for her to return to her true mother." Silence lasted only a heartbeat. Then the entire hall erupted. "What did she just say?" "Vivienne Ravenshade? Lady Lyra's closest friend?" "She secretly bore Alpha Darius's pup?" "I remember her claiming her newborn died before completing her first moon cycle." "If Lyria truly belongs to them... then the pup Vivienne raised back then..." A horrified realization spread through the crowd. "Moon Goddess have mercy..." "That means the pup who died was Lady Lyra's own daughter." The hall exploded into furious condemnation. "She stole another woman's mate!" "She stole another woman's pup!" "And an innocent newborn lost her life because of it!" "How could anyone commit such evil beneath the Moon Goddess's gaze?" "And today of all days..." "Lady Lyra has just transferred the Blackwood inheritance to Lyria." "What kind of monsters would reveal the truth only after claiming everything?" The accusations echoed from every corner of the hall. Yet Darius remained utterly composed. He slowly stepped forward, his expression filled with carefully practiced sorrow. "For more than twenty years," he began quietly, "I fulfilled every duty expected of an Alpha and a mate." "I honored my vows." "I buried my own happiness." "As a male wolf, I convinced myself countless times that responsibility mattered more than the desires of my heart." He lowered his eyes. "Lyra has always treated me generously." "She gave me status." "She entrusted me with respect." "But the one my wolf has always longed for..." His gaze settled upon Vivienne. "...has only ever been Vivienne." He reached for her hand once more. "Our hearts found one another long before fate forced us apart." His voice grew stronger. "The Moon Goddess blessed wolves with mates so they might know happiness." "If remaining in a loveless bond only brings misery..." "Then why should I continue pretending?" "I merely wish to spend the rest of my life beside the woman I truly love." He looked toward the gathering. "Is seeking genuine love truly a sin?" His speech stirred murmurs throughout the hall. Had no one known the truth, some might even have pitied him. He painted himself as a tragic Alpha imprisoned by duty instead of exposing himself as the architect of twenty years of deception. I never spared him a single glance. Instead, I turned toward the young woman standing quietly beside me. "Lyria." She looked up. I met her eyes steadily. "What do you think?" She lowered her gaze to the inheritance scroll she still held. Carefully, she reread every line confirming that the Blackwood territories, wealth, and authority had already been transferred into her name. Only after satisfying herself did she finally speak. Her voice was calm. Almost detached. "Mother..." She paused. "No." "This will be the last time I call you that." She folded the parchment with deliberate care. "You raised me for more than twenty years." "I won't deny everything you've done for me." "But blood can never be replaced." She walked calmly toward Vivienne. "My true parents have finally found me." "I hope you won't stand in the way of our family being reunited." Vivienne's smile widened triumphantly. She slipped an arm around Lyria's shoulders before turning back toward me. "Lyra," she said mockingly, "have some dignity." "Your own daughter died long ago." "Stop clinging to mine." Darius calmly reached inside his cloak. This time he withdrew another parchment. The rejection agreement. Beside it, he tossed a small leather pouch filled with coins onto the ceremonial table before me. It landed with a dull thud. "Let's dissolve our mate bond here." His tone was almost indifferent. "Everyone important is already gathered." "No better witnesses could exist." He nudged the pouch toward me. "There are seven hundred dollars inside." "Consider it payment for all the years you spent raising Lyria." "And your compensation after our separation." The hall instantly exploded again. "What?" "Seven hundred dollars?" "Is he insulting her?" "Lady Lyra gave that girl an entire kingdom!" "And he offers seven hundred dollars?" "Even the horses in the Blackwood stables are worth more than that!" "How shameless can one Alpha become?" Another Elder slammed his staff against the stone floor. "For twenty years Lady Lyra treated Lyria as the jewel of her life." "She entrusted the Blackwood inheritance to her without hesitation." "And now the child turns around and abandons the only mother who ever raised her?" "Unforgivable." Voices rose from every direction. "Lady Lyra, don't agree!" "We'll testify for you before the Moon Temple!" "The inheritance can still be challenged!" "The Elders will never allow this injustice!" Many warriors even stepped forward, offering to escort Darius and Vivienne from the hall by force. Despite the outrage surrounding them, Darius, Vivienne, and Lyria never panicked. Not once. They remained astonishingly calm. As though they had anticipated every accusation... and already prepared an answer for each one. Watching them, I found myself smiling. A quiet smile. One that puzzled everyone present. Including the three people standing opposite me. I reached for the rejection agreement. Without reading another word, I signed my name beneath Darius's. "I accept." The scratching of my quill echoed through the silent hall. Shock rippled across every face. Darius blinked. Vivienne's triumphant smile faltered for the briefest instant. Even Lyria looked momentarily stunned. None of them had expected me to surrender so easily. Darius quickly snatched up both the rejection agreement and the inheritance scroll. Vivienne leaned over his shoulder. Together they inspected every seal, every signature, every blood-mark. Only after confirming that nothing was amiss did relief spread across their faces. They smiled. Then they laughed. The laughter of people convinced they had finally won. I waited patiently until their celebration reached its height. Only then did I speak again. "My dear mate..." My voice was gentle enough to silence the entire hall. "Since the three of you have prepared such an unforgettable surprise for me..." I let my gaze move slowly from Darius... to Vivienne... and finally to Lyria. "...allow me to return the favor." Darius frowned. "A favor?" His smile gradually disappeared. "What gift could you possibly have left to give us?" I looked toward the Moonstone upon the altar. Its silver light pulsed once beneath the blessing of the Moon Goddess. Then I smiled. "Oh..." "I think you'll remember this gift for the rest of your lives."