After My Alpha Denied The Antidote, I Fought Back

The scent of blood hit me before I reached the infirmary—metallic and sharp, mingled with the acrid smell of wolfsbane. My heart hammered against my ribs as I sprinted through the Shadowmoon Pack grounds, my healer's bag clutched tightly to my chest.

"Mom!" I called out, bursting through the wooden doors of our modest healing center.

The sight that greeted me froze my blood. My mother, Elara, lay on the examination table, her normally vibrant face ashen gray. Four deep gashes ran across her torso, the edges of the wounds tinged with an unnatural purple—the telltale sign of wolfsbane poisoning.

"Aria," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Rogues... ambush... near the eastern border."

I pressed my trembling hands to her wounds, my training taking over despite my panic. "Save your strength. I'll get the antidote."

Wolfsbane poisoning was fatal without immediate treatment. We kept a rare antidote in the pack's medicine vault—an antidote I had helped create during my years of training.

I rushed to the storage room, only to find two of Gabriel's guards blocking the entrance, their expressions impassive.

"I need access to the vault," I demanded, trying to push past them. "My mother's been poisoned with wolfsbane."

"Alpha's orders," the taller guard stated flatly. "No access without direct permission."

"This is an emergency!" My voice cracked with desperation. "She'll die without the antidote!"

"Take it up with the Alpha," the second guard replied, crossing his arms. "He's at the annual Summit at Moonstone Manor."

I felt my wolf, Luna, stir within me—a rare occurrence after years of her dormancy. A low growl built in my chest, but I suppressed it. There was no time for confrontation.

"Keep pressure on her wounds," I instructed the pack healer's assistant as I grabbed my coat. "I'll be back with the antidote."

The drive to Moonstone Manor took twenty agonizing minutes. Every second that passed was poison spreading through my mother's veins. I parked haphazardly and ran up the marble steps, ignoring the disapproving glances from the formally dressed werewolves attending the Summit.

I followed Gabriel's scent, my mate bond guiding me through the maze of hallways until I reached a grand meeting room. Through the partially open door, I could see Gabriel standing at a podium, his powerful frame commanding the attention of every Alpha in attendance.

"...and so, on behalf of the Shadowmoon Pack," Gabriel's deep voice resonated throughout the chamber, "I pledge fifty thousand in pack funds to sponsor Isabella Cross's Luna ascension ceremony next month."

Applause followed his announcement. My breath caught in my throat as I spotted Isabella seated in the front row, her ruby lips curved in a triumphant smile. Fifty thousand—enough to rebuild our entire medical facility twice over.

I slipped into the room, pressing myself against the wall. Gabriel's eyes flicked to me for a brief second before returning to the crowd. He had sensed me through our bond; I knew he had.

As the meeting adjourned, I approached him, my heart pounding. "Gabriel, I need to speak with you urgently."

"Aria," he acknowledged coldly, his hand coming to rest on Isabella's lower back. "This is hardly the time or place."

"My mother is dying," I said, my voice breaking. "Rogue attack. Wolfsbane poisoning. I need access to the antidote in the vault."

Isabella's eyes gleamed with something that looked disturbingly like satisfaction.

"The vault access is restricted during the Summit," Gabriel replied. "Security protocol."

I reached for our mate bond, something I rarely did anymore after years of his rejection. *Please, Gabriel. She's all I have left. She'll die without it.*

His jaw tightened, and for a moment—just a moment—I thought I saw conflict in his eyes. Then Isabella placed her hand on his arm, her long nails digging slightly into his suit jacket.

"We have the ceremony planning meeting in five minutes, darling," she reminded him sweetly. "The decorators are waiting."

Gabriel straightened his tie. "The guards will remain at their posts, Aria. We can discuss this when I return to the pack house tomorrow."

Tomorrow would be too late. We both knew it.

"She's my mother," I whispered, tears filling my eyes.

"And Isabella is my future Luna," he replied coldly. "Her ceremony takes precedence."

I stood frozen as they walked away, Isabella's triumphant smirk burning into my memory. My wolf howled in anguish within me, a sound I felt rather than heard.

Twelve hours later, I held my mother's cold hand as her breathing stopped. The wolfsbane had reached her heart.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, pressing my forehead to hers. "I'm so sorry."

A commotion outside drew me from my grief. Pack members were gathering in the central clearing. Curious and numb, I followed the crowd.

In the center of the circle stood Gabriel and Isabella. My mate—my Alpha—had his hands on Isabella's shoulders, his expression intense with desire. As the pack watched, he lowered his mouth to the curve where her neck met her shoulder and bit down, marking her as his chosen Luna.

Isabella's eyes found mine across the clearing, victory shining in them as my world collapsed around me.