I Would Still Stand Tall Without You, Alpha!

I, Felicia Nightfire, never imagined my life would turn out this way.

As the only child of Alpha Henry Nightfire, I grew up dreaming of leading my pack, the Turquoise Sky Pack. But dreams meant nothing when I wasn’t born as a male, it seemed. I was nothing but a girl, a misfortune to my pack.

“A Luna’s duty is to support her Alpha,” my father coldly told me as if my ambitions were some childhood fantasy to be cast aside.

“Felicia, you must always know your place. Never question it.”

It was what my own father told me on the day he announced my betrothal to Alpha Alex Moonville of the Scarlet Night Pack.

That already happened about five years ago. I was being treated like a transaction. What about now? Here I was, living in the Scarlet Night Pack’s grand but cold castle, which became a constant reminder that I didn’t belong anywhere.

“Get out of my way!”

However, a sharp voice shouted at me as I walked toward the dining hall, waking me up from my deep train of thought.

I turned to see Lady Avery Wickham who was known for her red hair that was as fiery as her personality. That woman was everything I wasn’t. Bold, confident, and unapologetically entitled. She brushed past me. In fact, she actually made sure that her shoulder deliberately bumped mine.

“Morning to you too, Lady Avery,” I muttered, biting back my irritation.

She turned, flashing me a venomous smile, as she said, “Oh, forgive me, Felicia. I didn't see you there. It’s easy to miss someone so ... insignificant.”

When I heard what she said, I could only clench my fists. Avery was always like that. She would always test me. I could feel my wolf, Talia, growling angrily inside of me.

‘Not now, Talia,’ I told my wolf.

After that, there’s another voice.

“What's going on here?” the cold voice asked.

The voice belonged to my betrothed, Alex. Immediately, Avery’s demeanor changed. She turned to the Alpha with a sweet smile. But it only made me want to vomit.

“Alex! I was just talking to Felicia,” she said.

Alex’s piercing eyes looked at me. His gaze held no warmth, only annoyance. That really broke my heart.

Before I could respond, he coldly said, “Felicia, don't waste time causing drama. You have responsibilities as my fiancée. You’ll be the next Luna!”

I quickly defended myself by saying, “I didn’t-”

However, he quickly raised a hand and cut me off as he said, “Just drop it. Avery, come with me. We need to discuss tonight’s ceremony.”

The only thing I could do was to watch Alex as he led Avery away. Both of them laughed happily and their waves of laughter echoed in the hallway. Meanwhile, the other pack members just looked at me sadly as they continued to treat me as if I were nothing.

It had been like this for the entire time I was betrothed to Alex. The Alpha only wanted to marry me to get my pack by marriage. However, his heart was never mine to begin with. After all, both he and Avery were fated to be mates. To him, I was nothing but a burden.

That evening, I sat alone in the pack’s garden. I let the cool breeze soothe my frayed nerves. My 21st birthday was just a few days away, but there was no excitement in my heart. Instead, there was a hollow ache that grew stronger with each passing moment.

‘You should leave,’ Talia said in my mind.

I shot back by asking my wolf, ‘And go where?’

I had no pack to return to. My father had made sure of that when he cast me out. So, where would I go then?

Just then, a shadow fell over me. I looked up to see Beta Nathaniel Skyfire. As always, his expression was unreadable. However, the man was probably the only one who treated me kindly compared to the other pack members.

“Lady Felicia, you shouldn’t be out here alone,” the Beta said, his tone softer than usual.

I responded to him even though my words felt hollow, “I’m fine.”

The Beta seemed hesitant for a while before eventually sitting beside me.

“I’ve noticed how they treat you. It’s not right,” he said weakly.

I glanced at him as I asked him, “You mean Alex and Avery?”

Nathaniel nodded as he answered, “You deserve better.”

His words made my throat tighten. No one ever said that to me, except Talia. This … felt sad, actually.

“It doesn’t matter. This is my life now,” I said as I let out a sad smile.

“Lady Felicia,” Nathaniel called me, but he then stopped as if unsure of what to say.

Before I could respond, the sharp sound of heels clicking against the stone path interrupted us.

“There you are, Beta! The Alpha is looking for you,” Avery said with her voice dripping with false sweetness.

Nathaniel immediately rose, casting me an apologetic glance before he walked away with Avery. As for the woman, she just looked at me dismissively. I already got used to it.

In this place, I had no one at all.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. My mind kept replaying the moment I saw Alex and Avery together earlier. They weren’t even trying to hide their relationship anymore.

The betrayal cut deeper than I thought it would.

I sat up in bed, hugging my knees to my chest.

“Why does it have to be like this?” I whispered to no one.

‘You’re stronger than this, Felicia,’ Talia said in my mind.

My wolf then continued, ‘One day, you’ll find the courage to leave. But until then, endure. Watch. Wait for the right moment.’

The next morning, I walked into the dining hall to find Alex and Avery laughing together. They didn’t even bother lowering their voices when I entered. My chest tightened, but I held my head high and sat at the far end of the table.

“Felicia, you’re late,” Alex said, his tone sharp.

“I wasn’t aware we had a schedule,” I replied, keeping my voice neutral.

Avery smirked as she told me in a mocking tone, “You should always be ready for your Alpha, Felicia. That’s Luna etiquette.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, swallowing my anger.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said flatly.

Alex narrowed his eyes at me but said nothing more.

Later that day, I wandered through the pack’s territory, trying to clear my head. The Scarlet Night Pack lands were beautiful with its rolling hills, dense forests, and streams that sparkled in the sunlight. But no matter how lovely the scenery, it couldn’t erase the emptiness I felt inside.

As I walked, I overheard voices coming from a clearing. I stopped behind a tree, peeking out to see who the voices belonged to. My face fell when I saw that they were Alex and Avery. Both of them stood closely with their heads bent together.

“Do you think she suspects us?” Avery asked with her voice low yet filled with amusement.

Alex sighed as he answered her question, “Felicia’s not stupid, Avery. She knows something’s going on. But what can she do? She’s stuck here.”

“Poor thing. It must be so hard, being so unwanted,” Avery said mockingly.

I backed away with my pounding heart. Their words confirmed what I already knew, but it still felt like a dagger to my chest when I heard it. Still, they were right.

No one wanted me.

‘Leave, Felicia. You don’t deserve this,’ Talia said as she howled in anguish inside my mind.

I told my wolf, ‘I know, But it’s not the right time yet!’

That night, I sat in my room. I thought about my father and about the pack that had cast me out without a second thought. After that, I thought about Alex and Avery who laughed at me.

All I could do was endure all of this. But I would leave this place one day. When I did, I would find a life worth living.

‘I won’t let them break me,’ I thought to myself.