Werewolf | Alpha, Betrayed, Mate

Introduction

The evening air carried the sweet scent of moonflowers as I hurried through the pack grounds, my heart light with anticipation. Tonight marked our tenth mating anniversary, and I’d spent the entire day overseeing preparations for the Feast of the Moon celebration. The pack members had shooed me away early, insisting they could handle the final arrangements without their Luna’s supervision. “Go surprise your Alpha,” Beta Sarah had urged with a knowing smile. “Ten years deserves something special.”

I clutched the small wrapped package in my hand—a hand-carved wooden frame containing a sketch I’d made of Ryan and me from our marking ceremony. My artistic talents were something I rarely shared with anyone but him. *He’s going to love it,* I thought, touching the Luna necklace at my throat, tracing its intricate moon pattern—a nervous habit I’d developed over the years. As I approached our private quarters in the pack house, a sharp, unsettling sensation rippled through my chest. My wolf, Lyra, suddenly howled within me, her silver presence agitated and restless. *Something’s wrong,* she whimpered, clawing at my consciousness.

Chapter 1

The evening air carried the sweet scent of moonflowers as I hurried through the pack grounds, my heart light with anticipation. Tonight marked our tenth mating anniversary, and I’d spent the entire day overseeing preparations for the Feast of the Moon celebration. The pack members had shooed me away early, insisting they could handle the final arrangements without their Luna’s supervision.

“Go surprise your Alpha,” Beta Sarah had urged with a knowing smile. “Ten years deserves something special.”

I clutched the small wrapped package in my hand—a hand-carved wooden frame containing a sketch I’d made of Ryan and me from our marking ceremony. My artistic talents were something I rarely shared with anyone but him.

*He’s going to love it,* I thought, touching the Luna necklace at my throat, tracing its intricate moon pattern—a nervous habit I’d developed over the years.

As I approached our private quarters in the pack house, a sharp, unsettling sensation rippled through my chest. My wolf, Lyra, suddenly howled within me, her silver presence agitated and restless.

*Something’s wrong,* she whimpered, clawing at my consciousness.

“What is it?” I whispered, stopping in my tracks.

*Follow. Now.*

Lyra had never steered me wrong before. I changed direction, letting her guide me through the moonlit grounds toward the garage at the edge of the property. The building was partially open, a sliver of light spilling onto the gravel outside.

I approached quietly, my Luna senses heightened by Lyra’s distress. A foreign scent hit me—female, unfamiliar, and laced with something that made my stomach clench. Beneath it was the unmistakable scent of my mate.

My footsteps slowed as I reached the side entrance. Through the gap in the door, I saw them.

Ryan—my Alpha, my mate, my everything for the past decade—had a woman pressed against the hood of his car. His face was buried in her neck, nuzzling and scenting her in the intimate way reserved only for mates. His hands gripped her waist possessively as she arched into him, her fingers tangled in his dark hair.

The package slipped from my fingers, landing silently on the grass.

A white-hot agony ripped through our mate bond, so intense I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. My knees threatened to buckle as Lyra howled in anguish, the sound echoing through every corner of my soul.

*No, no, no…*

I backed away, unable to process what I was seeing. The woman turned slightly, her profile illuminated by the garage light—high cheekbones, full lips curved in pleasure. A stranger. A she-wolf I’d never seen before.

Somehow, I managed to retreat without being noticed, my body moving on autopilot while my mind fractured into a thousand painful shards. I retrieved my fallen gift, clutching it to my chest as if it could shield me from the truth.

Lyra’s rage and grief threatened to overwhelm me, pushing me toward shifting. I fought it down, forcing deep breaths as I stumbled back toward the pack house.

*Control. I need control.*

I couldn’t let anyone see me like this—broken, betrayed. I was still Luna. I had responsibilities. Dignity.

The main entrance loomed before me, and I paused to compose myself, wiping away tears I hadn’t realized were falling. With trembling hands, I tucked the package into my jacket pocket and squared my shoulders.

I stepped inside, the familiar warmth of the pack house now feeling alien and cold. I’d barely made it three steps when a sharp voice cut through my haze.

“There you are. I’ve been waiting.”

Former Luna Margaret Mitchell stood at the base of the grand staircase, her posture rigid and her eyes calculating. Even after passing the Luna title to me years ago, she still carried herself with the authority of her former position.

“Margaret,” I acknowledged, struggling to keep my voice steady. “I didn’t expect to see you this evening.”

She approached with measured steps, her gaze clinical as it swept over me. “We need to discuss something of importance. For the pack’s future.”

Something in her tone sent a chill down my spine. I noticed she was holding a folder of documents.

“The council and I have made a decision,” she continued, her voice devoid of warmth. “There’s a three-year-old pup who needs to be formally adopted into the Alpha line. You will take him in and raise him as the future heir.”

The bluntness of her statement momentarily distracted me from my raw grief. “What? Whose child?”

“That’s irrelevant,” she dismissed with a wave of her hand. “What matters is that this pack needs an heir, and you—” her eyes flicked to my abdomen, where the scars of my sacrifice lay hidden, “—cannot provide one.”

Her words cut deeper than any claw. Three years ago, I had thrown myself between Ryan and a rogue’s attack, saving his life but losing our unborn pup and any chance of bearing children again. And now, with the scent of another woman still burning in my nostrils, Margaret’s cruelty felt like a calculated second blow.

Lyra snarled within me, but the pain in our mate bond had weakened us both. I stood frozen, trapped between the betrayal behind me and the humiliation before me, as Margaret extended the folder with cold determination in her eyes.

Chapter 2

I stood in the doorway of our pack house, frozen in disbelief as Margaret’s words hung in the air between us. The folder in her hand might as well have been a silver dagger aimed at my heart. Before I could formulate a response, the sound of an approaching vehicle drew our attention.

“Perfect timing,” Margaret said, her thin lips curving into what could barely pass for a smile. “The child has arrived.”

A sleek black SUV pulled up to the entrance. The driver’s door opened, and my stomach twisted into a painful knot as Ryan stepped out. My mate. My betrayer. He walked around to the passenger side, opening the door for a woman I now recognized from the garage. She emerged gracefully, her hand in his as though it belonged there.

Lyra snarled within me. *Look at how he touches her.*

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to remain composed as they approached. The woman carried a small bundle in her arms—a sleeping child with dark curls peeking out from a blue blanket.

“Luna Olivia,” Ryan said formally, his eyes not quite meeting mine. “I’d like you to meet the child we discussed.”

*We discussed?* The lie was so blatant I almost laughed. Instead, I stepped forward, my Luna instincts flaring as the child’s scent reached me.

The moment the air carried his scent to me, Lyra howled in confirmation of what I already feared. The boy smelled of pine and musk—a perfect blend of Ryan and the she-wolf. Not a cousin. Not an orphan from a distant territory. This was their son.

“May I?” I asked, extending my arms toward the child.

The woman hesitated before reluctantly transferring the sleeping boy to me. As I cradled him against my chest, I caught Margaret watching with calculating eyes, gauging my reaction. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me break.

“He’s beautiful,” I said softly, meaning it despite the pain tearing through me. The innocent child wasn’t to blame for the sins of his parents.

“His name is Leo,” the woman supplied, her voice honeyed but her eyes sharp. “Leo Brooks.”

“Brooks,” I repeated, noting it wasn’t Mitchell. Not yet, anyway.

“We should get him settled,” Margaret interjected. “The nursery has been prepared.”

I nodded, carrying Leo inside while acutely aware of Ryan’s hand at the small of the woman’s back, guiding her into what had been our home. My territory.

Hours later, after the child had been settled and Margaret had finally retired to her quarters, I cornered Ryan in his study. The space that had once been our shared sanctuary now felt like enemy territory.

“Who is she, Ryan?” I demanded, my voice low but steady. “And don’t insult me with more lies.”

He looked away, his fingers drumming nervously on his desk. “Natasha is just a friend who needed help.”

“A friend,” I repeated, the word bitter on my tongue. “Is that what you call the woman you were scenting in the garage tonight?”

His head snapped up, eyes widening. “You—”

“Yes, I saw you. On our anniversary.” I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. “That child carries your scent, Ryan. He’s your son, isn’t he?”

“It’s not what you think,” he said, still unable to meet my gaze. “Leo is… he’s family. A distant cousin who—”

“Stop lying!” My palm slammed against his desk, the sound echoing through the room. “I can smell you on him. I can smell her on him. My Luna senses don’t lie, even if my Alpha does.”

Ryan’s shoulders slumped, but before he could respond, a soft knock interrupted us. The door opened to reveal Natasha, her eyes downcast in a perfect display of submission.

“Forgive me, Luna,” she murmured, sinking to her knees before me. “I didn’t mean to intrude, but I heard raised voices, and I… I couldn’t bear for you to be upset because of us.”

Tears streamed down her face as she bowed her head. “Please, Luna Olivia, have mercy on me and my son. We have nowhere else to go. The rogues would kill us if they found us.”

As she knelt, I noticed her subtly rubbing her wrist against the leg of a nearby chair, leaving her scent. Marking my territory as her own, even as she begged for my compassion.

“I would never harm your position,” she continued, her voice breaking. “I know what you mean to this pack, to Alpha Ryan. I’m just grateful for any kindness you show to Leo.”

I looked from her tearful face to Ryan’s guilty one, understanding with perfect clarity the performance being orchestrated around me. Natasha wasn’t just after my mate—she wanted my title, my home, my life.

And based on the way Ryan was looking at her, she was already winning.

Chapter 3

Days passed in a blur of quiet humiliation. Each morning, I woke to find Natasha already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for the pack as if she were Luna. The first time I found her arranging flowers in the great hall—my weekly ritual—I nearly lost my composure.

“These arrangements are lovely, Luna Olivia,” she said with practiced deference, “but I thought perhaps a more traditional style might better honor the pack’s heritage.”

She’d already replaced my wildflower bouquets with formal arrangements of moonflowers and wolf’s bane—Margaret’s preferences, not mine.

“The pack seemed to appreciate my less traditional approach for the past decade,” I replied, my voice steady despite Lyra’s growls vibrating through my chest.

Natasha lowered her eyes. “Of course, Luna. I meant no disrespect.”

But the flowers remained changed, and by evening, Margaret was complimenting the “refreshing return to proper pack traditions.”

Little by little, Natasha inserted herself into every aspect of pack life. When the monthly pack run approached—an event I had organized since becoming Luna—I arrived at the clearing to find Natasha already there, Leo balanced on her hip as she directed pack members with surprising authority.

“Alpha Ryan thought I might help ease your burden,” she explained when she caught my stunned expression. “With your… condition… he worried the exertion might be too much.”

My “condition”—my barrenness—had never hindered me before, but suddenly it was being wielded as a weapon against me.

I watched from the sidelines as Natasha ran beside Ryan, their son giggling between them, the perfect family portrait. Several pack members cast sympathetic glances my way, while others seemed taken with Natasha’s energetic presence. By the run’s end, she was teaching the younger pups traditional pack howling patterns—duties reserved for the Luna.

“She certainly has a way with the little ones,” Healer Elara murmured beside me, her eyes sharp with concern. “Almost as if she’s been trained for this.”

“Or rehearsing,” I replied quietly.

At night, the betrayal cut deeper. Ryan began returning to our quarters later and later, always with the same excuse: “Alliance negotiations with the northern packs. Nothing to worry about.”

But our mate bond—once a warm, constant presence—now felt stretched and frayed. When he slipped into bed beside me, I could smell forest pine and night air on his skin, not the sterile conference rooms he claimed to occupy.

Lyra whimpered within me, *He’s lying. Again.*

“Where were you really?” I asked one night, my back to him as he settled into bed well past midnight.

“I told you, alliance meetings. They’re running long these days.” His voice carried that slight edge it always did when he was being dishonest.

“You smell like the forest, not a meeting room.”

He stiffened beside me. “We walked the territory lines. Standard procedure.”

Another lie. Our bond might be weakening, but it still carried enough truth for me to feel the deception.

The next night, when Ryan announced another “late meeting,” I waited until he left before following. I kept my distance, tracking him not by sight but through our damaged bond, feeling the pull even as it pained me.

He drove past the pack borders, beyond our territory, to where the neutral lands bordered rogue territory. A small cabin stood nestled among the pines, warm light spilling from its windows into the darkness.

I crouched in the shadows, my heart hammering as Ryan parked and approached the door. It opened before he could knock, and Natasha stood framed in the doorway, Leo on her hip. The boy squealed with delight, reaching for Ryan.

“Daddy! You came!”

Ryan scooped him up, pressing a kiss to his forehead before stepping inside. Through the window, I watched as they moved around the cabin with the easy familiarity of a routine long established. Ryan produced a small wooden wolf from his pocket—a carving he’d made—and presented it to Leo, who accepted it with gleeful abandon.

They looked like a family. They were a family.

As Ryan pulled Natasha into his arms, pressing his lips to hers with a passion I hadn’t felt from him in years, the last thread of denial snapped within me. This wasn’t a recent transgression or a moment of weakness. This was a second life, carefully constructed alongside the one he shared with me.

Lyra howled in anguish, the sound echoing through my mind as I stumbled backward into the darkness. *We’ve been replaced.*

Not just betrayed. Replaced.

Chapter 4

The morning sun streamed through the windows of the pack house, but it brought no warmth to my heart. I stood in the doorway of what had once been our private guest wing, watching as pack members carried Natasha’s belongings inside. Each box, each piece of furniture felt like another violation of my territory.

“The Alpha has ordered the east wing prepared for Ms. Brooks and her son,” Margaret announced, her voice carrying the weight of command despite no longer being Luna. “For their protection, of course.”

I turned to face her, keeping my expression carefully neutral. “Protection from what, exactly?”

“Rogues, dear,” she replied with false sweetness. “The poor thing has been through so much. It’s our duty to shelter those in need.”

Lyra growled within me. *She’s marking our territory. Our home.*

“Of course,” I said, my voice steady despite the rage building inside me. “I’ll ensure they have everything they need.”

Margaret’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “That won’t be necessary. I’ve already seen to it.”

Of course she had. I watched as she directed the placement of a child-sized bed in the room adjacent to Natasha’s—close enough to the Alpha quarters that Ryan could visit without drawing attention. The calculated precision of it all made my stomach turn.

—

Dinner that night was an exercise in restraint. I sat at my place beside Ryan, the empty chair at his other side a stark reminder of what was about to happen. The pack members had gathered for the evening meal, their curious glances darting between me and the entrance.

Ryan cleared his throat. “Before we begin, I have an announcement.”

The room fell silent as he stood. “As you know, we’ve welcomed Natasha Brooks and her son Leo into our protection. Tonight, they’ll be joining us for dinner and all pack meals going forward.”

On cue, Natasha entered with Leo balanced on her hip. She wore a simple blue dress that complemented her eyes, her hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders. The picture of innocence and vulnerability.

“Thank you, Alpha Ryan, for your generosity,” she said, her voice carrying just the right note of gratitude. “And thank you, Luna Olivia, for opening your home to us.”

Several pack members murmured approvingly. I forced a smile, feeling it crack at the edges.

“Please,” I gestured to the empty seat beside Ryan, “join us.”

As she settled Leo into a hastily placed child’s chair between them, I couldn’t help but notice how they looked together—Alpha, she-wolf, and pup. The perfect family portrait.

Throughout the meal, Natasha deftly inserted herself into pack conversations, offering insights on territory management that suggested intimate knowledge of our borders. When Leo spilled his juice, she cleaned it with practiced efficiency, earning admiring glances from the younger pack members.

“You’re so good with him,” one of the younger she-wolves commented. “Have you taught classes with the pups before?”

Natasha’s eyes flicked to mine before she answered. “Not formally, but I’d love to help with the pack’s education program. If Luna Olivia approves, of course.”

All eyes turned to me, waiting. To refuse would make me appear petty and insecure. To agree would surrender yet another Luna duty.

“Your assistance would be welcome,” I said, the words tasting like ash.

Ryan placed his hand over Natasha’s in a gesture of support that sent a spike of pain through our bond. “Excellent idea. The pups could benefit from fresh teaching approaches.”

Lyra snarled within me. *He never supported our teaching methods this publicly.*

—

The next morning, I found Beta Sarah waiting outside my studio, her expression grave.

“Luna,” she said, glancing around to ensure we were alone. “I need to show you something.”

She pulled a manila envelope from her jacket and handed it to me. Inside were photographs—Ryan, Natasha, and Leo running together through the forest at night, their wolves playfully chasing one another. The dates stamped in the corner spanned back two years.

“There’s more,” Sarah said, producing a small ledger. “Financial records. He’s been supporting them with pack funds for at least that long.”

I flipped through the pages, noting regular transfers to an account in Natasha’s name. Food. Clothing. The cabin I’d seen. All paid for with resources meant for our pack.

“Why are you showing me this?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

Sarah’s eyes met mine, unwavering. “Because the pack deserves a Luna who puts them first. Always.”

I nodded, understanding the choice she was making. Not between her Alpha and me, but between what was easy and what was right.

Before I could respond, the door to the council chamber opened, and Margaret emerged, followed by the pack elders. She spotted us and smiled thinly.

“Luna Olivia, just the person we need. The council is ready for your monthly report on pack welfare.”

I tucked the envelope into my jacket and followed her inside, where the elders waited around the ancient oak table. I began my presentation, detailing the pack’s health, resources, and needs as I had done every month for ten years.

Halfway through my assessment of the pack’s food stores, Margaret cleared her throat. “This is all very thorough, as usual, but perhaps we should address more pressing concerns.”

“Such as?” Elder Marcus asked.

Margaret’s gaze swept the room before landing on me. “The future of our bloodline. Perhaps what this pack truly needs is leadership that secures our legacy.”

Her eyes drifted meaningfully to the doorway, where Natasha stood with Leo, as if waiting for a cue that had just been delivered.

In that moment, I realized this wasn’t just about replacing me as Ryan’s mate. This was a coordinated campaign to erase me from the pack entirely.

Chapter 5

The annual Crescent Moon Celebration was only three days away. I stood at the window of what was once our shared bedroom, watching pack members hang lanterns and string lights across the central clearing. This celebration had always been my favorite—a night when our pack renewed its bonds under the full moon, celebrating another year of prosperity and unity.

But this year, everything had changed.

“Luna Olivia,” a timid voice called from the doorway. I turned to find a young Delta, her eyes downcast. “Former Luna Margaret requests your presence in the Great Hall. Immediately.”

The word ‘requests’ hung heavy between us. We both knew it wasn’t a request at all.

*She’s making her move,* Lyra growled within me. *Stay strong.*

I followed the Delta through corridors that suddenly felt foreign. Pack members stepped aside as I passed, their gazes a mixture of pity and curiosity. The whispers had grown louder in recent days, impossible to ignore.

The Great Hall was filled with Betas and Deltas—our pack’s leadership circle—all arranged in a formal semicircle. Margaret stood at the center, her posture regal and unyielding. Beside her stood Natasha, holding Leo’s hand. The boy looked adorable in what appeared to be new clothes, his dark curls neatly combed.

Ryan was conspicuously absent.

“Thank you for joining us, Luna Olivia,” Margaret said, her voice carrying through the hall. “As we prepare for the Crescent Moon Celebration, it’s time we address the future of our pack.”

She placed her hand on Leo’s head, a gesture of blessing and ownership. “This child carries the blood of our Alpha. He is the future of our line, the heir who will one day lead the Crescent Moon Pack.”

Murmurs rippled through the assembled wolves. Some nodded in approval, while others looked uncertainly in my direction.

“But a future Alpha needs proper guidance,” Margaret continued. “He needs a mother who can teach him our ways, who can nurture his wolf when it awakens.”

She turned to Natasha, who lowered her head in a perfect display of deference.

“Natasha Brooks has proven herself a devoted mother and a loyal member of our pack. It is only fitting that she be recognized as the prospective Luna, the woman who will stand beside our Alpha and raise the next generation.”

The words struck me like physical blows. Each syllable chipped away at the foundation of the life I’d built. Ten years of devotion, of sacrifice, dismissed in a single declaration.

“Former Luna,” I began, my voice steadier than I felt, “this is highly irregular. I remain the marked mate of Alpha Ryan. The Luna position is not something that can be simply—”

“The pack must evolve to survive,” Margaret cut me off. “Traditions that no longer serve us must be set aside.”

She stepped toward me, her eyes cold and calculating. “Remove your necklace.”

My hand instinctively rose to the ceremonial moonstone pendant that hung at my throat—the symbol of my position as Luna, given to me by Ryan on the day of our mating ceremony. It was more than jewelry; it was my identity, my place in the pack.

“I will not,” I said quietly, but with resolve.

Margaret’s smile tightened. “Then I shall do it for you.”

Before I could step back, her hands were at my neck, unfastening the clasp with practiced efficiency. The weight of the pendant lifted from my chest, leaving a cold emptiness in its place.

She turned, the moonstone catching the light as she approached Natasha.

“With this sacred stone, I recognize you as the future of our pack, the mother of our heir, and the woman who will guide the next generation.”

She fastened the necklace around Natasha’s throat. The she-wolf’s eyes gleamed with triumph, though her expression remained carefully humble.

“I am honored,” Natasha whispered, loud enough for all to hear. “I will serve this pack with everything I have.”

Leo clapped his hands, oblivious to the significance of the moment. “Pretty, Mommy!”

The assembled wolves began to disperse, some avoiding my gaze entirely, others offering sympathetic glances. Beta Sarah stood at the edge of the hall, her expression torn between duty and outrage.

I walked out with my head high, though each step required every ounce of strength I possessed. Only when I reached the sanctuary of my studio did I allow myself to crumble, sliding down against the door as sobs wracked my body.

*He can’t have approved this,* Lyra whimpered. *Our Ryan wouldn’t allow this.*

But wasn’t that just another lie I told myself? The Ryan I thought I knew wouldn’t have betrayed our bond in the first place. Wouldn’t have fathered a child with another woman. Wouldn’t have brought her into our home.

I crossed to the window, staring out at the celebration preparations continuing below. Tomorrow night, Ryan would return from his latest “meeting.” I would confront him one last time, give him one final chance to explain.

But as I touched the empty space where my necklace had hung for a decade, I knew in my heart what his choice would be.

And I was beginning to understand what mine must be as well.

Chapter 6

The full moon hung heavy in the night sky, casting an ethereal glow over the ceremonial grounds. I stood at the edge of the circle, watching as pack members and visiting Alphas gathered around the ancient stone altar. The air felt electric, charged with anticipation and something darker that made Lyra restless within me.

I wore a simple white dress—traditional for the Luna during the celebration—but the absence of my moonstone necklace left me feeling exposed. My fingers kept reaching for it out of habit, finding only bare skin where it had rested for a decade.

“You look beautiful,” Ryan whispered as he approached, his hand reaching for mine. I pulled away before he could touch me.

“Don’t,” I said quietly. “Not tonight.”

Confusion flickered across his face, but he had no time to respond as Margaret stepped forward, commanding the attention of the gathering. She wore her formal robes, the silver embroidery catching the moonlight as she raised her hands for silence.

“Brothers and sisters of the Crescent Moon Pack, honored Alphas from our allied territories,” she began, her voice carrying across the clearing. “Tonight, we celebrate not only another cycle under our Goddess’s light, but the future of our pack.”

She beckoned to Natasha, who stepped forward with Leo. The boy was dressed in ceremonial clothes that mirrored Ryan’s—a clear statement of his lineage that wasn’t lost on anyone present.

“This child,” Margaret announced, placing her hand on Leo’s head, “carries the blood of our Alpha. He is the heir who will one day lead our pack to greater glory.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The visiting Alphas exchanged glances, clearly sensing the tension beneath the ceremony. This wasn’t just an announcement—it was a coup, carefully orchestrated and publicly executed.

“A future Alpha needs proper guidance,” Margaret continued, echoing her words from days before. “He needs a mother who can nurture his wolf when it awakens, who can teach him our ways.”

She turned to Natasha, who bowed her head in practiced submission. “Natasha Brooks has proven herself worthy of this sacred duty.”

With deliberate slowness, Margaret removed the Luna’s moonstone necklace from a ceremonial box—my necklace, the one she had taken from me—and held it up for all to see.

“By the power vested in me as former Luna and mother of our Alpha, I formally recognize Natasha Brooks as the future Luna of the Crescent Moon Pack.”

Gasps echoed around the circle. This was unprecedented—a mated Alpha’s Luna being publicly replaced while the mate bond remained intact. Several of the visiting Alphas shifted uncomfortably, their expressions ranging from shock to disapproval.

Margaret placed the necklace around Natasha’s throat, the moonstone gleaming against her skin. “May you guide our pack with wisdom and bear strong heirs to continue our bloodline.”

Ryan stood frozen beside me, his face unreadable. I searched for any sign of protest, any indication that this wasn’t his plan all along, but found nothing.

“Now,” Margaret announced, turning to me, “tradition dictates that the former Luna offer her blessing.”

All eyes turned to me, expectant. This was the final humiliation—forcing me to publicly surrender my position, my mate, my life.

Lyra howled within me, her rage and pain mirroring my own. *Don’t give them what they want.*

I stepped forward, my head high despite the weight crushing my chest. “As is tradition,” I said, my voice steady, “I will perform the blessing.”

I approached the altar where Natasha stood with Leo, the moonstone—my moonstone—hanging from her neck. The ceremonial bowl of blessed water waited on the stone surface, surrounded by candles and moonflowers.

“May the Goddess guide your path,” I began, dipping my fingers into the water and reaching toward Natasha’s forehead for the traditional blessing mark.

What happened next seemed to unfold in slow motion. As I raised my hand, Natasha suddenly dragged her forearm across the rough edge of the stone altar. Blood welled from the self-inflicted wound, bright and shocking against her pale skin.

Before I could react, she collapsed to her knees, clutching her bleeding arm and screaming, “She attacked me with her Luna power! She tried to kill me!”

Chaos erupted around us. Pack members surged forward, their shocked faces turning from Natasha’s bleeding arm to me. The visiting Alphas stepped back, witnesses to what appeared to be an unprecedented attack.

And through it all, Margaret’s cold smile told me everything I needed to know.

This had been the plan all along.

Chapter 7

Chaos erupted around me. Pack members gasped and recoiled, their faces contorted with shock as they stared at Natasha’s bleeding arm. The visiting Alphas moved closer, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and judgment. The ceremonial grounds, once peaceful under the full moon’s glow, now buzzed with scandal and accusation.

“She attacked me!” Natasha wailed, clutching her self-inflicted wound dramatically. “The Luna tried to use her power against me!”

I stood frozen, my hand still outstretched from the blessing I’d been about to perform. “I didn’t—” The words died in my throat as I caught Margaret’s cold, triumphant smile. This had been their plan all along.

“ENOUGH!”

Ryan’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade. I turned to face my mate of ten years, the man I’d saved at the cost of our unborn pup, the Alpha I’d served faithfully despite his betrayal.

His eyes blazed crimson, pupils constricted to pinpoints of fury. The sight knocked the breath from my lungs. In all our years together, through every challenge and disagreement, he had never once turned that gaze on me.

“Kneel,” he commanded, his Alpha tone slamming into me like a physical force.

My knees buckled against my will, hitting the hard ground as the weight of his dominance pressed down on my shoulders. Lyra howled in agony within me, fighting against the submission being forced upon us.

“Ryan,” I gasped, struggling to look up at him. “Please—”

“You dare attack the mother of my son?” he snarled, striding toward me with predatory grace. “You dare threaten my heir?”

The words struck deeper than any physical blow. Not just the admission of his betrayal before our entire pack and visiting Alphas, but the complete absence of doubt in his voice. He hadn’t questioned Natasha’s accusation for a single moment. He hadn’t even looked at me before condemning me.

“I didn’t attack her,” I managed, fighting against the Alpha command that threatened to crush me into the dirt. “She hurt herself. Look at the wound, Ryan. Look at how she—”

“SILENCE!”

His command slammed my jaw shut, teeth clicking painfully together. Around us, pack members watched in horrified fascination. Some of the visiting Alphas exchanged glances, clearly uncomfortable with this public display of mate subjugation.

“Submit,” Ryan growled, standing over me now. “Apologize to Natasha. Acknowledge your crime.”

I felt our bond—the sacred connection we’d shared for a decade—strain and crack like ice in spring thaw. Pain radiated through my chest, stealing my breath as Lyra thrashed and howled within me. The wolf who had chosen Ryan’s wolf as her eternal partner was being torn apart by his betrayal.

*He’s breaking us,* she whimpered. *Our mate is destroying our bond.*

I looked past Ryan to where Natasha stood, Leo clutched protectively to her side, a victorious gleam in her eyes barely concealed by her facade of fear. Margaret stood beside her, one hand on the boy’s shoulder, her expression one of grim satisfaction.

This was the family Ryan had chosen. This was what he valued above our sacred bond, above my sacrifice, above ten years of devotion.

Something snapped inside me then—not just our bond, but the chains of loyalty and love that had kept me bound to him despite his betrayal. I felt Lyra’s rage merge with my own, her strength flowing into my limbs as I fought against his Alpha command.

“No,” I whispered, the single word costing me tremendous effort as I pushed back against his dominance.

Ryan’s eyes widened in shock. A Luna should not be able to resist her Alpha’s command. But I was no ordinary Luna, and the pain of his betrayal had awakened something primal and unyielding within me.

Our mate bond trembled between us, stretched to its breaking point by his betrayal and my defiance. I could feel it fraying, thread by precious thread, each one representing a memory, a promise, a moment we had shared.

And as I looked into the eyes of the man I had loved with every fiber of my being, I knew with absolute certainty that those threads would never hold again.

Chapter 8

Ryan’s Alpha command pressed down on me like a physical weight, but something inside me had finally broken free. The pain of betrayal transformed into a strange, cold clarity that spread through my veins like ice water.

I reached into the hidden pocket of my ceremonial dress, my fingers finding the folded document I’d carried with me since the night I discovered Ryan’s betrayal. The rejection form he had signed years ago as a token of his devotion—his promise that he would never use it against me.

How ironic that it would now become my salvation.

With trembling hands, I unfolded the paper, the crinkle of parchment somehow audible despite the chaos around us. The visiting Alphas fell silent, their eyes widening as they recognized the sacred document.

“What are you doing?” Ryan’s voice cracked, the first hint of uncertainty breaking through his commanding facade.

I raised my eyes to meet his, finding the strength to push back against his dominance. “What you forced me to do.”

Lyra surged within me, lending me her strength as I rose shakily to my feet. The moonlight bathed the ceremonial grounds, illuminating the faces of our pack members and the visiting Alphas—all witnesses to this moment that would forever change our lives.

“I, Luna Olivia Mitchell,” I began, my voice growing stronger with each word, “reject Alpha Ryan Mitchell as my mate.”

The words hung in the air like physical things. I signed my name on the line beneath Ryan’s signature from years ago, the finality of the pen stroke echoing through our fraying bond.

Ryan’s face transformed before my eyes, the commanding Alpha crumbling away to reveal something I’d never seen before—raw panic. His eyes widened, the crimson fading to a shocked amber as he felt our bond begin to tear.

“No,” he gasped, stumbling forward. “Olivia, please—you can’t—”

The change in his demeanor was jarring. Gone was the Alpha who had forced me to my knees moments before. In his place stood a desperate man, suddenly aware of what he was losing.

“I didn’t mean it,” he pleaded, his voice breaking. “She means nothing to me. You’re my true mate.”

He fell to his knees before me, a reversal so complete that several pack members gasped. Ryan tilted his head, baring his neck in the ultimate gesture of submission—an Alpha offering his vulnerability to his Luna.

“Take it back,” he begged, tears forming in his eyes. “I’ll send her away. I’ll make it right. Please, Olivia, don’t do this.”

The pain in my chest intensified as our bond continued to fray. Each broken thread sent shockwaves of agony through my body, but I remained standing, my resolve hardening with each plea that fell from his lips.

“You had ten years to make it right,” I whispered, my voice somehow carrying across the silent clearing. “You chose her. You chose your son. Now live with that choice.”

A shriek of rage cut through the night. Natasha lunged forward, her human facade slipping as her fingers elongated into claws, her teeth sharpening to points. Her eyes blazed with a feral light that revealed her true nature more clearly than any words could have.

“You can’t reject him!” she snarled, her voice distorted by her partial shift. “I won’t lose this!”

She sprang toward me, claws outstretched, aiming for my throat. In that moment, I saw the truth of her—not the demure, submissive she-wolf she had pretended to be, but a desperate rogue who would kill to secure her position.

I braced myself for the impact, for the tearing of flesh and the pain that would follow. But as Natasha’s claws reached for me, her eyes wild with rage and desperation, I felt no fear—only a strange sense of vindication.

The truth, at last, was revealed in the moonlight for all to see.

Chapter 9

Natasha lunged toward me, her partially shifted form revealing her true nature as her claws aimed for my throat. I stood my ground, a strange calm washing over me despite the imminent attack. After everything I’d endured, this final act of violence seemed almost fitting.

But the impact never came.

A powerful grey form intercepted Natasha mid-leap, sending her sprawling across the ceremonial grounds. Beta Sarah stood between us, her shoulders squared and her eyes blazing with authority.

‘Stand down,’ she commanded, her Beta tone reverberating through the clearing. ‘By pack law, I restrain you from harming a member of this pack.’

Natasha snarled, her face contorted with rage as she struggled to her feet. ‘She’s rejecting our Alpha! She’s nothing now!’

‘She is still under pack protection until the Council rules,’ Sarah replied, unwavering. With a sharp gesture, she summoned the Delta warriors who had been standing at the perimeter. ‘Restrain her.’

Two warriors moved forward, their expressions grim as they secured Natasha’s arms. She fought against their grip, her eyes wild with desperation as she looked past Sarah to Ryan.

‘Do something!’ she screamed at him. ‘You’re the Alpha! Command them!’

Ryan remained on his knees, his face ashen as he stared at the rejection document in my hands. The pain in my chest had become a hollow ache as our bond continued to unravel, thread by precious thread. Each severed connection sent waves of agony through my body, but I remained standing, my back straight and my eyes dry.

Elder Marcus stepped forward from the circle of visiting dignitaries, his ancient face solemn in the moonlight. As head of the Council, his word was law—even to an Alpha.

‘The rejection has been properly executed,’ he announced, his voice carrying the weight of generations. ‘The Council recognizes the severance of the mate bond between Alpha Ryan Mitchell and Luna—’ He paused, correcting himself. ‘Between Alpha Ryan Mitchell and Olivia Mitchell.’

Just like that, with a single word omitted, I was no longer Luna. The title I had worn for ten years, the identity I had poured my heart and soul into, was gone.

Margaret stepped forward, her face tight with barely contained fury. ‘This is unprecedented. She cannot simply—’

‘She can and she has,’ Elder Marcus interrupted, his tone brooking no argument. ‘The document bears both signatures. The bond is severed.’

From the gathering of visiting Alphas, a tall figure moved into the light. Alpha Kaelen of the Moonhaven Pack, known for his wisdom and progressive leadership. His dark eyes met mine across the clearing, filled with a respect that made my throat tighten.

‘The Moonhaven Pack bears witness to this severance,’ he stated formally. ‘And recognizes its legitimacy under pack law.’

His support silenced any further protests. One by one, the other visiting Alphas nodded their agreement, leaving Ryan and Margaret no recourse.

I turned away from them all, unable to bear the sight of Ryan’s shattered expression or Natasha’s hatred any longer. The pain of our severed bond throbbed like an open wound, but beneath it, I felt something unexpected—a flicker of freedom, of possibility.

I returned to what had been our quarters, now just Ryan’s, and gathered only what truly belonged to me: my art supplies, carefully wrapped in cloth; the healing herbs I had collected and dried myself; and a small wooden box containing the few memories I couldn’t bear to leave behind—a pressed moonflower from our first run together, a sketch of Lyra I had drawn years ago, the silver bracelet my mother had given me before she passed.

Everything else—the clothes, the jewelry, the trappings of Luna life—I left behind. They belonged to a woman who no longer existed.

As I stepped outside with my meager belongings, I found Alpha Kaelen waiting in the courtyard. The pack house was eerily silent, everyone still at the ceremonial grounds as the Council continued its proceedings.

‘Olivia,’ he said simply, his deep voice gentle in the night air.

‘Alpha Kaelen,’ I replied, the formality a shield against my raw emotions.

‘Please, just Kaelen,’ he said. He studied me for a moment, his gaze assessing but not pitying. ‘My pack has need of a healer with your skills. And I’ve seen your artwork—there’s a place for that too, if you wish it.’

I hesitated, Lyra stirring within me. She had been quiet since the severance, nursing her own wounds, but now she raised her head, interested.

‘Why would you offer this to me?’ I asked.

‘Because value isn’t measured by titles,’ he replied simply. ‘Or by the ability to bear children.’

His words struck a chord so deep I nearly gasped. How long had it been since someone had seen me—truly seen me—beyond my role as Luna or my failure as a mother?

‘You don’t have to decide now,’ he added. ‘But Moonhaven’s gates are open to you, whenever you’re ready.’

As the moon continued its arc across the night sky, I faced the crossroads of my life. Behind me lay ten years of memories, love, and ultimately, betrayal. Ahead stretched an unknown path, frightening in its uncertainty but beckoning with the promise of something I had forgotten existed—the chance to discover who Olivia might be when she was no longer defined by someone else.

Chapter 10

The morning light filtered through the windows of my healing cottage, casting a golden glow across the herbs hanging from the rafters. Two years had passed since I’d walked away from the Crescent Moon Pack—two years since I’d shed the title of Luna and reclaimed my name. Just Olivia.

I breathed in the comforting scent of dried lavender and sage as I carefully ground moonflower petals for a healing salve. My fingers moved with practiced precision, finding peace in the rhythm of the work.

*We’re happy here,* Lyra murmured within me, her voice content where once it had been filled with anguish.

‘Yes,’ I whispered back, a small smile touching my lips. ‘We are.’

The door to my cottage swung open, bringing with it the scent of pine and mountain air. Kaelen stood in the doorway, his tall frame silhouetted against the morning light.

‘The hunters are back,’ he said, his deep voice warming something inside me that had once been frozen. ‘Sarah’s asking for more of that wound paste.’

I nodded, already reaching for the shelf where I kept my stronger medicines. ‘How bad?’

‘Just a gash. Nothing serious.’ His eyes followed my movements, appreciation evident in his gaze. ‘Your latest painting is causing quite a stir in the pack hall.’

Heat rose to my cheeks. My art—once hidden away in sketchbooks—now adorned the walls of Moonhaven Pack’s communal spaces. The painting he mentioned depicted our pack’s last full moon run, capturing the joy and freedom of wolves racing beneath the stars.

‘They’re exaggerating,’ I demurred, but pleasure bloomed in my chest.

‘They’re not.’ Kaelen crossed the room, his fingers brushing mine as he took the medicine pouch. ‘You’ve brought something to Moonhaven that we didn’t know we were missing.’

I met his eyes, seeing the warmth there that had slowly, carefully grown between us over the past year. Neither of us had rushed. He understood the time I needed to heal, to find myself beyond the broken mate bond.

Lyra stirred within me, her presence a contented hum rather than the aching wound she’d been after the rejection. *He smells like home,* she whispered.

Later that afternoon, I walked through Moonhaven’s territory, greeting pack members who smiled warmly at me. No one here looked at me with pity or whispered about my barrenness. Here, I was valued for my healing skills, my art, my counsel—for who I was, not what I couldn’t give.

‘Olivia!’ A young she-wolf bounded up to me, her eyes bright. ‘Will you tell us about the moonflower legend tonight?’

I smiled, touching her cheek gently. ‘After dinner, little one.’

As I watched her run back to her friends, I felt a fullness in my heart that I’d never expected to feel again. I had found purpose here—not as someone’s mate, but as myself.

That evening, news arrived from neighboring territories. Scouts reported that the Crescent Moon Pack would be attending the seasonal gathering—including their Alpha pair.

‘You don’t have to go,’ Kaelen said quietly as we stood on the ridge overlooking the valley. ‘No one would think less of you.’

I gazed at the setting sun, feeling Lyra’s steady presence within me. ‘No,’ I said finally. ‘I want to go. I’m not hiding anymore.’

The gathering was held in neutral territory, the clearing filled with wolves from five different packs. I moved through the crowd with my head high, Kaelen a respectful distance behind me—close enough for support, far enough to show I stood on my own.

I saw them before they saw me. Ryan looked thinner, the confident set of his shoulders diminished. Beside him, Natasha clutched his arm possessively, her eyes darting around the gathering with barely concealed hostility. Between them stood Leo, now five years old, looking uncomfortable in formal pack attire.

When Ryan’s eyes finally found mine across the clearing, I felt… nothing. No pain, no anger, no longing. Just a calm acknowledgment of a person who had once been central to my existence and now was merely someone I used to know.

He broke away from Natasha, ignoring her hissed protest as he approached me. Wolves from both packs turned to watch, the air thick with tension and curiosity.

‘Olivia,’ he said, his voice rough with emotion. ‘You look… you look well.’

I inclined my head slightly. ‘Alpha Ryan.’

He flinched at the formality. ‘Please,’ he whispered, ‘can we speak privately?’

I considered him for a moment, then nodded once. We moved to the edge of the clearing, far enough for privacy but still within sight of both our packs.

‘I made the biggest mistake of my life,’ he said without preamble, his eyes haunted. ‘The pack is falling apart. Natasha—’ He stopped, swallowing hard. ‘Nothing is as it should be.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ I said, and meant it. Despite everything, I didn’t wish suffering on the pack that had once been my home.

‘I miss you,’ he confessed, his voice breaking. ‘Every day, I feel the emptiness where our bond used to be. My wolf howls for Lyra. I—’

‘Ryan,’ I interrupted gently, ‘I forgive you.’

He looked up, hope flaring in his eyes.

‘I forgive you,’ I repeated, ‘not for you, but for me. So I can move forward without carrying the weight of what happened.’

The hope in his eyes dimmed as understanding dawned. ‘You’re not coming back.’

It wasn’t a question, but I answered anyway. ‘No.’

I felt a presence behind me, familiar and comforting. Kaelen had approached, his hand coming to rest lightly at the small of my back.

‘Alpha Ryan,’ he acknowledged with a respectful nod.

Ryan’s gaze moved between us, comprehension and resignation washing over his features. ‘I see,’ he said quietly.

As we turned to leave, Ryan called out one last time. ‘Are you happy, Olivia?’

I looked back at the man who had once been my everything, then at Kaelen, whose patient strength had helped me rebuild myself. Beyond them both, I saw the Moonhaven Pack—my new family, who valued me for exactly who I was.

‘Yes,’ I said simply. ‘I am.’

I took Kaelen’s hand in mine as we walked away, our fingers intertwining naturally. Behind us, I felt Ryan’s gaze like a physical weight, watching as I stepped confidently into the future he had unwittingly given me when he broke my heart.

The moon rose above us, full and bright, illuminating the path ahead—a path I walked not as someone’s Luna, but as myself. Whole. Complete. Free.