The Alpha's Mistake

It was the night of the full moon, and my mating ceremony had finally arrived. My once simple dress now shimmered with the moon's glow, and my reflection in the mirror revealed eyes that gleamed with anticipation as I awaited my groom, Trent Ford. But he never came as the hours passed and the moon rose higher. I howled into the night, the unanswered calls echoing in the darkness.

I had waited so long, my heart pounding not just with excitement but with the primal energy coursing through my veins. By the time the sun began to rise, I had become a joke among the pack, my mother’s lifeless body a silent testament to the tragedy of the night. Her heart, already weakened, couldn’t bear the shame, and she passed away that very night.

As the pack whispered and the dawn’s light crept over the horizon, a post from Trent’s first love, Winona Lei, appeared. "You are always there for me when I'm down. It's so great to have you!" The image was intimate, their faces close, and their bodies touching. Trembling with rage, I took a screenshot and sent it to Trent. "Is this why you missed our wedding?"

But it wasn’t until my mother’s ashes were buried that he finally responded, his words dripping with cold indifference. "We can get married any day, but she can't live without me."

Instead of texting back, I left my last message through the mind-link. "Trent, let's take a break." With that, I blocked him, severing the last tie between us.

For seven years, I had chased him, loved him, and molded myself to his desires, my inner wolf growling in dissatisfaction. When he said he liked short hair, I sheared my wild mane without hesitation. When he complained about my size, I starved myself, denying my natural hunger even as my strength waned. When I needed him most, I faced the pain of transformation alone, fearing he’d find me weak or, worse, needy.

But Winona’s presence was a constant thorn in my side. No matter what I did, he would always be by her side, telling me, "You're strong, Niana. You don't need me like she does." My strength, once a source of pride, became the excuse he used to abandon me every time, over and over again.

After blocking Trent, I found myself at my mother’s grave, my claws gently tracing her name on the cold stone. My human father had died when I was just a pup, leaving my werewolf mother to raise me alone in the shadows of the pack. Her only wish was to see me mated to Trent, but that dream had died with her.

As I stood there, mourning, Trent appeared, supporting Winona, who held an urn. The scent of death clung to them both. "Trent, this place is close to my den. If I bury my baby here, it’s like he never left," Winona whispered, her voice carrying over the wind. The "baby" she spoke of was no child but a beloved pet puppy she had adopted.

I was ready to leave when Trent blocked my path, his eyes dark with suspicion. "Are you following me?"

The accusation stung, but I had no fight left in me. "No, I’m just leaving," I growled low, turning away.

But Winona wasn’t finished. "Niana," she purred, her eyes glinting with malicious satisfaction, "my puppy died, and Trent stayed with me for his funeral. Please, don't misunderstand." Her words were honeyed, but the look she gave me was a challenge.

"Good for you," I muttered, resisting the urge to bare my fangs.

Trent scowled. "Niana, can’t you show some sympathy? Winona’s in pain. Why do you have to be so cold?"

His words were like a dagger, twisting in my chest. I had given him everything, yet here he was, defending Winona. I was tired, too tired to fight anymore.

"I don’t need to hear this," I said, my voice ice cold, before turning my back on them.

Trent followed me; his steps heavy as he caught up to me. "Are you still upset about the wedding?"

"It’s over, Trent," I said, my voice flat and final.

"Winona needed me. You’re strong. You can handle yourself. But she needed me," he insisted, oblivious to the hurt he was causing. "Please tell your mother I’m sorry. Let’s reschedule the wedding."

His ignorance was the final straw. "There’s no chance," I snarled, my voice breaking.

Desperate now, Trent grabbed my arm. "Okay, I know I messed up. But your mother treated me like her own son. She would want us to be together. Let’s set a new date."

Once, I might have wavered, but not now. My mother was gone, and my last tie to Trent was with her. "I won’t marry you," I said, shaking off his hand and leaving him behind.

As I walked away, I heard him on the phone. "Rod, send a gift to Niana’s mother and tell her we’ll have a grand wedding in two days."

But it was too late. I was done howling at the moon for a love that was never mine.