Alpha’s Regret After Choosing His Sister-in-Law

It had been five years since my mate Ethan Blackwood secretly marked me. Then his brother, the Alpha of the Shadow Moon Pack, died in the territorial war.

To become the next Alpha of Shadow Moon, Ethan inherited everything his deceased brother left behind.

Including his widowed sister-in-law, Victoria.

After every time Ethan shared Victoria's bed, he would hold me close and whisper reassurances:

"Autumn, just wait a little longer. Once Victoria gets pregnant, we'll have our Mating Ceremony!"

This was the pack's only requirement for him to inherit the Alpha position.

In the six months since returning to Shadow Moon territory, Ethan had gone to Victoria's chambers countless times.

From once a month in the beginning, to now almost every other day.

Finally, after countless nights of sitting alone until dawn, news came that Victoria was pregnant.

But along with this announcement came another—Ethan and Victoria would be holding their Mating Ceremony.

"Mommy, is someone having a Mating Ceremony here?" my daughter asked.

I looked around at the stark contrast to our sparse living quarters. The main hall was filled with flowers and balloons. People bustled about outside, everyone joyfully preparing for their Mating Ceremony. I pulled my innocent daughter into my arms:

"Yes, sweetheart. Your father is having a Mating Ceremony with someone he loves, which means it's time for us to leave."

Ethan didn't know that we wolves of the Silver Crescent Pack never cared about so-called Mating Ceremonies. In Silver Crescent, female wolves were revered. My mother was the current Alpha, and I only needed to bear an heir to the pack to inherit her position.

I dialed a number I hadn't called in five years:

"Mother, I already have an heir now. I'm ready to come home and claim your Alpha position."

1

After my mate Ethan's brother, the Alpha of Shadow Moon Pack, died in the territory war, my mate inherited everything from his brother, including his widowed sister-in-law Victoria.

For the past six months, he has gone to Victoria's room every night, promising that once Victoria bears an heir, he would declare me as the pack's true Luna.

At their mating ceremony, I dialed a number I hadn't called in five years:

"Mother, I already have an heir now. I'm ready to come home and claim your Alpha position."

……

After tucking my daughter into bed, I opened my phone to book flights back to Silver Crescent territory.

Unfortunately, our pack had thrived under my mother's leadership, and many wolves were seeking to visit our lands.

The earliest flight I could get was five days from now.

I stared at the date on the ticket, momentarily stunned.

February 14th. Valentine's Day. Also the five-year anniversary of when Ethan marked me.

It felt like some cosmic joke of fate.

I pulled my lips into a bitter smile.

It seemed fitting. What began on this day should also end on this day.

A strong scent of moonflowers engulfed me from behind as Ethan's gentle voice came from above:

"What are you looking at?"

I instinctively darkened my phone screen. "Just some news."

In just half a year, Victoria's moonflower scent had practically marinated Ethan.

My wolf couldn't tolerate such a provocative smell. I pushed him away with disgust. "Go take a shower before you talk to me."

Ethan sniffed himself and released me with embarrassment.

"I'll do that right now..."

"I've been neglecting you lately, and that's my fault. I won't go to Vivi's for the next few days."

Vivi. Such an intimate nickname.

Before, he'd at least keep up appearances, calling her Luna Victoria in public and private.

Now he didn't even bother with her title.

Anyone who didn't know better would think Victoria was Ethan's true mate.

The bathroom door suddenly opened, and Ethan emerged wrapped in a towel, his body still damp.

Broad shoulders, narrow waist, tall frame—he carried a youthful energy rare in men his age.

For a moment, I saw him as he was five years ago, covered in night dew, climbing through my window.

So confident, as if showing off to the whole world:

"Autumn, from today forward, you're mine."

"For the rest of our days, it's just you and me, together forever."

Noticing me staring at his body, lost in thought, he broke into a wide smile and pulled me into his arms.

"Autumn, today I'm all yours. I'm not going anywhere."

The fresh citrus scent mixed with moonflowers created a strange, terribly unpleasant smell.

I lowered my gaze with a sense of melancholy.

The man before me was no longer the same person from back then.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts:

"Young Alpha, Luna Victoria isn't feeling well. She's asking for you!"

Ethan's irritation instantly transformed into concern. He hurriedly dressed and headed for the door.

"What's wrong with her? Has the pack doctor been called?"

After a few steps, he realized something was off.

He turned back apologetically, looking at me as I leaned against the doorframe.

"Victoria isn't feeling well, I need to check on her. With my brother gone, I'm all she has."

"I'll be back soon, Autumn. You're always so understanding."

Understanding. That one word.

I had endured for six months, through countless dark nights.

In Silver Crescent, female wolves were revered. After I gave birth to my daughter, my mother had been urging me to return and directly claim the Alpha position.

But I hadn't wanted to leave Ethan, so I kept refusing to go back and inherit Silver Crescent.

I spoke softly: "Ethan."

His brows furrowed, comforting words about to spill from his lips when he was stopped by a sudden weight on his shoulders.

I draped a heavy coat over him. "The night air is cool. You should wear this."

Ethan clutched the coat on his shoulders, an unreadable expression in his eyes. "Autumn, you..."

The guest room door closed abruptly.

Five more days, Ethan. I won't wait for you anymore.

2

As I expected, Ethan didn't return all night.

But when my hand touched the other side of the bed and felt only cold emptiness, I couldn't help the ache in my heart.

The knocking on the door grew louder with each rap.

I opened it to find the Elder's assistant looking at me with pure disdain.

"The old lady says to bring the child to the pack house," he stated flatly.

The pack matriarch—Ethan's grandmother—had always looked down on me.

According to Silver Crescent law, if I didn't return to inherit my position, I couldn't reveal my status as heir to anyone outside our pack.

So she always saw me as just a shameless Omega trying to climb the social ladder through her grandson.

Her contempt extended to my daughter as well.

With the matriarch setting such an example, the rest of the pack naturally followed suit.

When we arrived at the great hall of the main house, I discovered all the members of the pack council were present.

Ethan, who had vanished for the night, stood beside Victoria, supporting her with tenderness filling his eyes.

The old matriarch stared at Victoria's belly, her face nearly splitting with joy.

"Victoria is finally pregnant. Now that all the Elders are here, it's time to fulfill the promise made six months ago!"

The most respected Elder stepped forward and publicly announced Ethan's status as the pack Alpha.

"Now that the pack has a new Alpha and a new heir, let's set a date for the Mating Ceremony."

I looked up to see everyone's eyes fixed on Victoria, including Ethan's.

He caressed Victoria's stomach as if no one else was present, his expression gentle and loving.

"I'm going to be a father," he said softly.

Not "I'm going to be a father again," but "I'm going to be a father."

My daughter's small voice echoed through the hall: "Mommy, what does that mean?"

Her question drew every eye in the room.

The Elder frowned. "If word gets out that the pack Alpha has an illegitimate child, the pack's reputation would be ruined."

"Just a bastard born to a loose woman," someone muttered.

Ethan's grandmother looked at me with contempt. "From now on, we'll tell outsiders this child is an orphan of a fallen pack warrior, being raised here to comfort the warrior's family."

The old matriarch disliked me and, by extension, disliked my little Lily.

It had been her idea for Ethan to take responsibility for his sister-in-law in exchange for the Alpha position.

Now that Victoria was pregnant, Lily became even more insignificant in her eyes.

Ethan released his hold on Victoria. "Grandmother, isn't that going too far?"

He started to move toward me, but Victoria subtly pulled him back.

I saw it clearly. Taking Lily's hand, I walked up to Ethan's grandmother.

"As you wish. From this day forward, Lily is no longer Ethan Blackwood's daughter."

My daughter would soon be the most honored heir to the Silver Crescent Alpha position.

I knelt before Lily and calmly explained:

"Sweetie, you can't call him Daddy anymore. You'll have to call him Uncle Ethan from now on, okay?"

Ethan froze. He knew that for the past six months, I had stayed largely because Lily didn't want to leave her father.

He searched my eyes for any sign of resentment or pain.

But he found none.

A child can't understand such complex situations. Lily's small face turned red with tears.

I hurried to lead her out, but Victoria's voice stopped us.

"Sister Autumn, my morning sickness has been terrible. I need a rare healing amethyst, and Ethan has been searching for days without success. I just learned you happen to have one!"

"You wouldn't mind giving your healing amethyst to me, would you?" Victoria asked with a challenging look.

3

"Ethan, is this what you want too?" I asked, noticing the fresh love bite exposed on Victoria's neck as she lifted her chin.

My heart ached with fine, needle-like pains, persistent and sharp.

This amethyst had been our bonding token.

We first met at a charity auction where we both set our eyes on this crystal. The amethyst possessed exceptional healing properties, valued at 10 million dollars.

On the night Ethan marked me, he hand-wove a cord and tied the amethyst around my neck.

He promised me forever that night.

I knew Victoria coveted it. She had asked Ethan for it numerous times, but he always refused.

But this time, he averted his gaze, his eyes filled with hesitation and guilt.

"Maybe you should—"

"Fine."

I laughed bitterly, yanking the amethyst from my neck and placing it in Victoria's outstretched hand.

As Victoria gleefully put it on, I remarked, "It suits you perfectly. But remember to transfer the 10 million dollars to my account."

Then I left with my daughter, leaving Ethan staring after us in shock.

Back at the villa, Lily was still sobbing uncontrollably.

Fighting back my own heartache, I took her small hands in mine and asked:

"Lily, if Mommy wanted to take you away from here, would you come with me?"

Lily's tears fell even harder. "Mommy, can't we stay?"

"But Lily, Daddy and Grandma don't want us here. Do you want to call him Uncle forever?"

I held back my tears, looking tenderly at my daughter.

Selfishly, I wished she was only my child, someone who would always love me unconditionally.

But that wasn't realistic.

Lily clutched the Lego set in her arms—last year's birthday gift from Ethan.

"Mommy, can I have one more birthday with Daddy... please?"

The child stubbornly refused to change how she addressed him.

I closed my eyes briefly, pulled her into my arms, and nodded.

"Okay."

...

February 12th was Lily's birthday.

I had deliberately reminded Ethan two days in advance so he could prepare.

This would likely be the last birthday his daughter would celebrate with him.

I wanted Lily to have her wish.

On her birthday morning, Lily woke up early and put on a pretty little dress, asking nervously:

"Mommy, Daddy will come to Lily's birthday party, right?"

"Of course he will."

I reassured my daughter while sending Ethan a text:

"It's your daughter's birthday today. Where are you?"

The message went out like a stone dropping into the sea, no response returning.

My daughter lowered her head, clutching the ribbon on the cake box.

"Daddy's not coming, is he?"

After a moment, as if trying to comfort herself, she said:

"It's okay. Uncle is busy. We shouldn't bother him."

"Mommy, let's eat cake."

This was the first time my daughter called Ethan "Uncle."

She seemed to be gradually accepting that she wasn't important to her father.

But her downturned mouth and reddened eyes betrayed her sadness.

Seeing my daughter trying to be strong made something ignite inside me.

The pain burned through my chest and lungs.

I picked up my phone and opened my chat with Ethan:

"Too busy even for your daughter's birthday?"

"Do you love Victoria so much that you need to be by her side every minute?"

My finger hovered over the send button, unable to press it.

Just then, a new message appeared in the chat:

"Come to the pack house."

4

Joy instantly filled my heart. I showed the latest message to my daughter:

"Lily, look! Daddy remembered."

My daughter's downcast head shot up, her face breaking into an ecstatic smile:

"Daddy must have prepared lots of gifts for me! Mommy, let's go quickly!"

Having received Ethan's affirmative response, Lily chatted excitedly the entire way.

She kept guessing what gifts her father might have prepared for her.

But when we arrived at the pack house, the roses decorating every corner made my heart sink.

These weren't decorations meant for a child's birthday party.

Lily didn't notice, eagerly pulling my hand as she rushed inside.

I could only follow her anxiously, my heart growing heavier with each step.

Ethan, please don't do something that can't be undone.

In the banquet hall, Lily's eyes lit up when she saw Ethan standing by a cake.

She ran joyfully into his arms, shouting, "Daddy!"

Ethan stared at the child in his arms, his pupils constricting as he asked in shock:

"Why are you here?"

The surprise in his voice confirmed my earlier suspicion. A terrible premonition formed in my mind.

Behind us, pack members were whispering among themselves:

"Isn't today Ethan and Victoria's engagement party? What's with this kid claiming him as father?"

"I never heard the Second Alpha had a Mating Ceremony before?"

"Could this be his illegitimate child?"

Ethan's face turned ashen. He pushed Lily away abruptly:

"What did you call me?"

The small child stumbled backward and fell to the ground.

On the verge of tears, she froze for a long moment before timidly calling out: "Uncle Ethan."

After a moment, she looked at the cake in the center of the banquet hall and smiled again.

She asked Ethan:

"Uncle, did you come for Lily's birthday? Lily can cut the cake with you!"

My daughter had been looking forward to this birthday celebration for days. In her heart, as long as she could celebrate with Ethan,

Even if she had to call him uncle, it didn't matter.

But a pair of delicate hands gripped Ethan's hand that held the cake knife: "That won't do."

"This kind of celebration isn't something that orphans of fallen pack warriors can attend. Right, Ethan?"

Anger rose within me.

At this point, everything became clear.

That text message had been sent by Victoria. Her purpose was to publicly solidify Lily's status as a non-direct pack member, paving the way for her unborn child.

"Ethan, is this true?" I asked sternly, shielding my daughter behind me.

Ethan seemed stunned for a moment. When his eyes met mine, they flashed with guilt.

With everyone watching, he said: "She is the child of a pack warrior."

Victoria, standing behind him, flashed a triumphant smile, like a victorious fighting cock.

The surrounding whispers grew louder:

"How shameless, causing trouble on such a joyous day."

"Indeed! People of unknown origin just don't understand proper etiquette."

Amid the cruel comments, Lily's face turned pale, her eyes red-rimmed.

My anger reached unprecedented levels.

I strode forward and violently flipped over the person-high cake:

"A joyous day, is it? Then let me make it even more festive and exciting for everyone!"