My heart felt as though it was about to explode, each beat a thunderous echo of rage and betrayal. The air in my lungs thickened, making it impossible to draw in a full breath. I stormed through the packhouse, my fists clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms, but the sting was barely noticeable compared to the storm inside me.
I threw the door open to Margaret’s room, the force of it making the hinges creak. She didn’t flinch. Instead, she turned slowly, that sickeningly perfect smile stretching across her face, too wide, too practiced, as though she’d been expecting me.
“Ayesha,” she purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness.
“Cut the act, Margaret,” I snarled, my voice tight with barely contained fury. “You knew my birthday wasn’t until next month. What was that about? What were you trying to pull?”
Her eyes flickered for a moment before her smile grew. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m just celebrating your special day early, that’s all.”
“Stop lying,” I growled, my voice cracking under the weight of the emotions I barely kept in check. Rage and hurt fought for control, and it took everything in me to hold them back. “You did it to humiliate me, didn’t you? You knew exactly what you were doing. But that’s not the worst of it.”
I took a step closer, fists tightening further as the words that had been clawing their way up my throat finally broke free—cold, sharp, and full of venom. “I know about you and Tristan.”
Her face changed instantly. That sickeningly sweet mask fell away, replaced by something darker, something cruel. She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes in a way that could freeze blood in its tracks.
“Oh, Ayesha,” she said, her voice smooth like silk but now edged with malice. “Do you really think Tristan could resist me? After all, we’ve had our fun. He wanted me, not you.”
The words hit like a slap, and I felt the fury inside me burning hotter, but I refused to let it break me. My wolf howled for action, but I forced myself to stay calm. I wouldn’t let her see how much it hurt. Instead, I took a deep breath, and without warning, I struck her. My hand crashed across her face with all the force I could muster, the sound of it ringing through the room.
She stumbled back, a shocked gasp escaping her lips, but that smirk never wavered, and that only made the knot in my stomach tighten further.
“Shut up,” I hissed through clenched teeth, my voice trembling with fury. “You’re nothing but a mistress. A pathetic woman who had to crawl into my mate’s bed for attention. That’s all you’ll ever be.”
Her cheek was bright red, but she didn’t seem to care. If anything, she looked smug, as if she’d won some kind of victory.
“And who do you think Tristan would choose, huh?” she taunted, stepping closer. “The weak little Alpha who can’t even manage her own pack, or me? The one who knows what he needs.”
Her words cut deeper than I wanted to admit. My vision blurred with a mix of rage and pain, but I stood tall, forcing the tears back. I turned and walked out, my heart heavy in my chest, but her voice followed me like a final, poisonous parting shot. “You’re going to regret this, Alpha.”
The next morning, I woke to the sound of cheering outside. The noise was so loud, so full of joy, that it almost felt sickening. My pack hadn’t sounded this jubilant in months, maybe even years, but something about it felt wrong.
I threw the covers off, pushing myself out of bed, and rushed to the window.
What the hell?
The courtyard was packed with pack members. There was laughter, clapping, an almost festive air to the scene.
There, standing in the middle of it all, were Tristan and Margaret. They were handing out food—bundles of bread, sacks of grain, fresh meat. It was an abundance of supplies, more than I’d ever seen.
A chill ran down my spine, and every instinct inside me screamed that something wasn’t right. Where did they get all this? I threw on my clothes, panic rising in my chest, and rushed downstairs, barely registering the pack members as I passed them. I needed to know where all this came from.
I grabbed an omega as I moved through the crowd. “What’s going on?” I demanded, keeping my voice steady despite the turmoil building inside me.
The omega grinned like nothing was wrong. “Alpha! Margaret and Tristan have been giving out supplies to everyone! It’s enough to last us through the winter!”
My gut twisted, my head spinning as everything began to click into place. Where did all this come from?
The treasury.
Only a handful of people had access to it, and Tristan was one of them.
Without another thought, I sprinted toward the pack’s treasury, my pulse racing. When I reached it, I threw open the door, and my heart sank.
It was empty.
The shelves that once held gold, gems, and precious items were bare. Gone.
No.
I slammed the door shut, my body shaking with disbelief. I didn’t need to look around to know what had happened. I already knew.
Tristan. He’d taken it.
I stormed back through the courtyard, pushing past the crowd, ignoring their cheers and chants. They didn’t matter right now. I needed answers. I needed him to explain.
I spotted him, standing tall, basking in the attention, handing out food like he was the savior of the pack. My vision blurred with rage as I marched straight up to him. I grabbed his arm, spinning him away from the crowd.
“Where did you get the money for all this?” I demanded, my voice dangerously low, barely holding onto the anger that threatened to consume me.
His smile faltered for a moment, but he recovered quickly. “I’m just helping out. Can’t you see? They’re all happy.”
My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms. “Tell me honestly. Why did you steal from the treasury without informing me? Do you realize how important it is to budget for the pack? You’ve just ruined everything for the next few months!”
He shrugged, the arrogance clear in his voice. “Come on, Ayesha. Don’t be so dramatic. I’m doing the right thing here. I’m fixing what you couldn’t.”
I could barely breathe, but before I could reply, a shout rang through the air. “Rogues at the border!”
I froze, panic flooding my chest, but Tristan was already shifting, charging ahead with his wolf form. He fought like he didn't care about his life. They tried to attack him together, but for some reason, Tristan was still much stronger.
I followed their movements with my eyes. I could not even do anything as the pack's Alpha, before I could do something, Tristan already finished them, and the rogues had already retreated. The battle was over before it even began.
The chants echo through the air, each word cutting through me like a blade. “Alpha Tristan! Alpha Tristan!” They screamed it in unison, their voices rising, deafening.
I stood there, frozen, my limbs heavy. My mind raced, unable to process what was happening. My pack, the people I had fought for, trusted, and bled for—they were turning on me. Their faces, once filled with respect and loyalty, now mirrored contempt. Every gaze was filled with disappointment, with distrust.
And then there was Margaret, standing triumphantly beside Tristan, her smile twisted with victory. Her words, sharp as daggers, sliced through the air. “It’s because of you!” she yelled, her voice shrill and full of venom. “Your weakness is why the warriors left! That's why we were easily attacked! This pack is falling apart because of your failure!”
Her words stung more than anything else, but it was the way the pack responded that truly broke me. I could see their eyes, filled with anger and distrust, shifting toward me.
The chants grew louder, more forceful. “Right! If it wasn’t for Tristan, many would have been killed!” They shouted, their voices blending into one collective condemnation. “You failed to protect us! You failed as our Alpha!”
I could feel the hot flush of humiliation spreading across my skin. I opened my mouth to speak, to defend myself, but the words caught in my throat.
I staggered backward, as if the ground was shifting beneath my feet.
“Out with her! Banish the weak Alpha! She doesn’t deserve to lead us!” The shouts came from every direction, surrounding me, drowning me in their hate.
I tried to stand tall, to hold my ground, but the weight of their rejection pressed down on me, making it harder to breathe.
“Leave! You don’t belong here anymore!”
My breath came in sharp, desperate gasps as I pushed through the throngs of people, their hands reaching out, their voices screaming at me to go.
And then, as if the world itself wanted to tear me apart, something caught my foot. I looked down, my eyes widening in disbelief.
Blood.
Fake blood. It was fake. The entire thing—the rogues, the fight, everything—had been staged.
They made me look like a failure in front of the pack, and now, no one would believe me!
I broke free from the crowd. My legs carried me faster, faster than I had ever run before, away from the pack, away from the pain. The world blurred around me, the sounds of their chants fading into the distance, but the sting of their rejection remained, searing into my soul.
I didn't know where I was going, only that I needed to get away from them. Away from the pack that once called me their leader, their Alpha, and now saw me as nothing more than a failure.
A wave of grief crashed over me, and I turned, running. But then a sharp pain ripped through my stomach, and I gasped, stumbling.
Blood...
No...
No!
I couldn’t lose them too. Not my babies... They were my everything!
