They warned me, back when I first chose Daniel. An Alpha she-wolf, they said, couldn’t possibly pair with another Alpha. Too dominant, too stubborn, too unwilling to bend. “You’ll break before you ever bond,” the elders had told me. But I ignored their warnings.
Daniel wasn’t my moon-given mate; he was my choice. The one I thought I could trust. And when I learned how difficult it would be for an Alpha she-wolf to bear children, he swore it didn’t matter. “The pack comes first,” he had said. “You and I, together, are the strength they need.”
That strength shattered the day I lost our pup.
The rogues came like shadows in the night, ripping through the den while I howled for him. Daniel never came. I fought alone, and by the time reinforcements arrived, the damage was done. My body bore the scars, but my soul carried the greater wound.
Now, as I stumbled through the forest, bleeding and broken, I realized that wound had never healed.
The Biting Betrayal
The wind howled through the dense pine forest, carrying the scent of blood and rain. I clutched my side, where claws had raked deep, each step sending shocks of pain through my body. Behind me, the rogues’ howls echoed, but they were growing faint. For now, I had outrun them.
I pressed a hand to my wound, summoning what strength I had left. I tilted my head to the sky and howled—a desperate, raw sound. A call for my mate.
But instead of the pull of his bond, I felt something else.
A different tug. A sickening, sexual sensation.
My breath caught as the connection between us burned alive in my mind. Daniel. With her. Sex. I could feel it, my mate was betraying our bond.
I stumbled, falling against a tree. The sharp scent of cedar mixed with the iron tang of my blood. My vision blurred, but I couldn’t escape the images. The bond betrayed me, showing me what I didn’t want to see: Daniel’s hands on Suki, his low growl of pleasure as she whispered his name.
It wasn’t just physical—it was deliberate. The pack’s healer, the omega who was always at his side, now took the place that was meant for me.
A guttural growl escaped my throat as rage fought through the pain.
I staggered forward, determined to make it back to the cabin. If he wouldn’t come to me, then I would face him myself.
The Cabin
By the time I reached the cabin, my vision was swimming. The heavy wooden door creaked as I pushed it open, the scent of cinnamon and cloves hitting me like a punch to the gut.
Her scent.
I barely made it to the couch before collapsing, blood smearing the worn leather, my legs were leaking with blood, I knew I should be worried but I wasn’t just any Luna, I was a natural born Alpha-female, a little blood did nothing to scare me. My hand trembled as I reached for the first-aid kit, but the sound of footsteps stopped me.
“Luna,” a voice chirped. Suki. She stood at the base of the staircase, her dark hair mussed, her lips still swollen. “You’re back.”
I didn’t respond, my eyes flicking up to see Daniel descending the stairs behind her. His golden eyes met mine briefly before darting away. His shirt was untucked, his hair disheveled.
“What are you doing here, London?” he asked, his tone cold.
I raised my arm, showing him the gashes carved into my flesh. The sigil burned into my skin still pulsed, a cruel mark left by the rogues. “What does it look like? I was attacked.”
“And you survived,” he said flatly, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. As if that was the end of it.
Suki perched herself on the armrest of the couch, her hand brushing his shoulder. “You’re so strong, Luna. It’s inspiring, really,” she said with a coy smile, her tone dripping with false sweetness.
I clenched my fists, my claws threatening to extend. “They left a message, Daniel. They’ll keep coming until the Silver Ridge Pack answers for its crimes.”
He smirked, swirling the whiskey in his glass. “Let them try. They’re no threat to us.”
“No threat?” I shot to my feet, ignoring the searing pain in my side. “They nearly killed me! They tore through our lands and marked me as a target.” I pointed to the sigil, my voice shaking with fury.
For a moment, his expression faltered. But then he shrugged, his gaze cold. “You’re still standing, aren’t you? What more do you want from me?”
I stared at him, disbelief tightening my chest. “What more do I want? How about a mate who doesn’t turn his back on his pack? On me?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, Suki laughed softly. “You’re overreacting, London. Daniel’s right; you’re strong. You’ll heal.”
London. An omega healer has called her Luna just by her name, and Daniel as always didn’t do anything to correct her. Of course he didn’t, he never does.
Why would he? I had felt it while fighting for my life… Daniel was having sex with Suki Lazlow.
Something inside me broke.
“Get out,” I said quietly, my voice laced with an Alpha’s command.
Suki froze, her smirk fading.
“I said, get out,” I growled, my claws extending. The room filled with the weight of my power, the amber glow of my wolf’s eyes flashing in the dim light.
Suki looked to Daniel, but he merely sighed, waving her away. She grabbed her scarf and hurried out, the door slamming shut behind her.
Silence hung in the air as Daniel leaned against the wall, sipping his whiskey.
“You’ve changed,” he said finally, his tone almost amused.
“Maybe I have,” I replied, my voice cold.
He chuckled, low and bitter. “Calm down, London, you’ve always been one to overreact”
I turned to face him, my heart heavy but steady. “Maybe you’re right.”
I didn’t wait for his response. The cold night air greeted me as I stepped outside, the howls of the rogues in the distance.
Out there, I knew who my enemies were. Inside, the real monster was the one who wore my mate’s face.
Just as I stepped outside I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. Something was terribly wrong. I needed to go see a healer now.
•••
The healer’s clinic was a modest structure on the edge of the pack’s territory, its weathered wooden walls illuminated by faulty a bulb. It was quiet now, the hum of the pack’s bustling activity reduced to the occasional distant howl or rustle of the wind.
I stepped inside, my boots dragging against the polished floor, leaving faint streaks of dirt and blood in my wake. The sharp tang of medicinal herbs filled the air, mingling with the lingering scent of lavender.
Mina, the healer, looked up from her workbench, her face softening the moment she saw me. “Luna,” she said, hurrying over. “You’re hurt.”
I didn’t have the energy to respond. I simply sank into the nearest chair, clutching my side.
“Let me take a look,” Mina said, her hands warm and steady as she carefully examined the gashes on my arm and the sigil carved into my skin. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her brow furrowing with concern.
“The rogues did this?” she asked.
I nodded numbly, my mind elsewhere.
“They didn’t just attack,” I whispered finally, my voice hollow. “They tore through the boundaries. They… left a message.”
Mina’s hands stilled for a moment before she resumed cleaning the wound. She didn’t press me for details. Instead, her voice was calm and measured. “You’re lucky they didn’t do worse. These wounds will heal, but…”
She hesitated, and something in her tone made my stomach clench.
“But what?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended.
Mina’s hands fell to her sides, her shoulders sagging as she avoided my gaze. “Luna,” she began softly, “the trauma you endured during the attack… it was too much. The bleeding from the legs, the sharp pain, I’m afraid your body couldn’t accept it, you lost it Luna.”
Lost… Lost it? No.
