Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the King

I froze mid-step, my hand clutching the doorframe as hushed voices drifted from around the corner. The pack house was usually buzzing with activity this time of morning, but today, an unnatural tension hung in the air.

"Luna Emilia is going to be devastated," came a whispered voice—Megan from the kitchen staff, if I wasn't mistaken. "Alpha Cooper took her to Moonveil Territory last night instead of accompanying Luna to her pregnancy check with Dr. Cross."

My heart stuttered. The pregnancy check. Today was the day we'd been waiting for—the day we might finally confirm that this pregnancy had taken hold after three devastating losses.

"I heard he called it 'urgent pack business,'" another voice replied—James, one of Cooper's Delta warriors. "But everyone knows what's really going on with him and that girl."

"Does Luna know?" Megan's voice dropped even lower.

"How could she? Alpha left before dawn. Said he'd be back in three days."

I pressed my back against the wall, willing my racing heart to slow. Three days. Our appointment with Dr. Cross was scheduled for this afternoon. I'd been so hopeful this time would be different—that maybe my body had finally figured out how to carry Cooper's pup to term.

Instead, he was gone. With her.

The whispers continued, unaware of my presence. "Briella's been staying in the guest wing for two weeks now. Always finding reasons to be near Alpha."

"She's young. Beautiful. Exactly his type."

"And Luna's been through so much already with the miscarriages..."

I didn't stay to hear more. My feet carried me silently away, each step heavier than the last. The betrayal wasn't just that he'd left—it was that he'd chosen her over me, over us, on the day that mattered most.

---

The pack clinic smelled of antiseptic and herbs, a strange combination that turned my stomach. Dr. Helena Cross's face was carefully neutral as she examined me, but I could see the concern in her eyes.

"Luna, I'm so sorry," she said softly, her hands gentle as they moved across my abdomen. "There's no heartbeat."

The words hit me like physical blows. No heartbeat. Another little life, gone before it had truly begun.

"When did the cramping start?" she asked, her voice clinical but kind.

"This morning," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "I felt it happening."

She nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "This is your fourth miscarriage, Luna. We need to consider other options."

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the physical pain that radiated through my lower body. But as I did, something else flooded my consciousness—Cooper. Through our mate bond, I could feel him. Not his presence, exactly, but his emotions.

Pleasure. Contentment. The warm glow of satisfaction.

My eyes flew open. "Dr. Cross," I gasped, "do you have a phone I could use?"

She frowned but handed me her mobile. With shaking hands, I dialed Cooper's number. It went straight to voicemail.

"He's not answering," I whispered, more to myself than to her.

Through our bond, the sensations grew stronger. I could almost see it—Cooper running through the forest, his powerful form shifting effortlessly between human and wolf. And beside him, her scent mingling with his, Briella.

They were enjoying a mating run at Moonveil while I lay here, bleeding, grieving another lost pup.

---

Three days later, I stood in our bedroom, folding laundry with mechanical precision. The door opened, and Cooper strode in, his powerful frame silhouetted against the afternoon light.

"Emilia," he said, his voice carrying that familiar Alpha timbre that once made my heart race. Now it just made my stomach clench.

"You're back," I said flatly.

He frowned slightly, as if my lack of enthusiasm was unexpected. "Yes. The negotiations with the Northern packs were successful."

I turned to face him fully, taking in the details my Luna senses could detect—Briella's floral scent clinging to his shirt collar, the slight dishevelment of his hair that spoke of intimacy, the way his eyes couldn't quite meet mine.

"I lost the baby," I said quietly.

Something flickered across his face—surprise? Guilt? It vanished too quickly to identify.

"Emilia, I'm sorry to hear that," he said, his tone formal. "But you know pack business comes first. The alliance with Moonveil could mean significant territory gains for us."

"You knew," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "You knew I was pregnant when you left."

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Of course I knew. But the opportunity with Briella's connections was too important to pass up."

"Briella," I repeated, tasting the name like poison on my tongue.

Cooper's expression hardened slightly. "Don't make this difficult, Emilia. I was conducting essential negotiations while you were at your appointment. Sometimes pack business requires sacrifice."

I stared at him, this man who had once been my everything, and felt something inside me crack open—not with pain, but with clarity.

"You weren't negotiating," I said softly. "You were with her."

His eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I glimpsed the Alpha who could command an entire pack with a single word. "Be careful, Luna. Remember your place."