Andromeda
On my daughter fifth birthday, we were over the moon to celebrate at Golden Glee Park.
For one whole hour, her laughter filled the air—until her father got an urgent call about some emergency at the pack house.
And then… chaos. Out of nowhere, a crazed hunter started firing silver-tipped arrows in every direction.
One arrow found its mark—straight through my little girl’s chest.
Holding her tiny body, blood soaking her dress, I desperately tried to call Alpha Rigel—seventy-five times—before the line finally connected.
But instead of his voice, I heard soft, sultry moans from someone I knew all too well. Mata Hari Ritcher.
My hand froze, phone still pressed to my ear.
"My Alpha… I’ll repay your sacrifice once you get rid of Andromeda’s child—for Oasis, the true heir to your Alpha bloodline. She must be crying right now, wishing you were there. I’ll give you pleasure beyond heaven… after you mark me." Her triumphant voice dripped venom.
And then came his voice, broken but clear enough to crush me.
"My love, Mata Hari… I’ll give you paradise—and hell for Andromeda. Starting with that cursed brat—so she won’t ruin my plans to rule South Hallow."
I hung up. The betrayal slammed into my chest from miles away.
My wolf whimpered, tormented by the bond he’d broken the moment he marked her.
Blood trickled from my nose. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart as Athena’s fragile life slipped through my hands.
And now I understood. He’d left us to die—following some cruel prophecy that haunted him—just so Mata Hari and her bastard son could claim the South Hallow Legacy.
With what little strength I had left, I dialled Altair’s number.
"I’ll accept your offer… but on one condition. A fake death—complete identity erasure." My throat was tight, my voice barely a whisper.
"It would be my pleasure, Andie." Altair’s chuckle sounded like relief.
**
For five years, we clung to the hope that prophecy was nothing but lies.
Under the blood moon, the child who carries embers will ignite hell within your own home. An Alpha, proud and mighty, will perish by the hand of his blood.
The words haunted me every time I closed my eyes.
But I buried them, convinced that love could silence destiny—that Athena would never harm her father.
When she needed his approval for the Blood Purification Protocol, I endured the agony of a shattered bond. Nosebleeds, blood spilling from my lips.
I pretended to be mate-less, just so the Healers would believe Athena only had me.
"I’m sorry, Ms Nielsen. We did everything we could… but Athena’s organs are too damaged. Her body couldn’t hold on."
The Lead Healer gave my hand a gentle pat.
I broke. Completely. The claw pendant—the birthday gift she never got to wear—felt like ice in my palm.
Two days later, I gazed at Athena’s still body, the chill of the morgue biting into my bones.
“Mum will return, love. I swear on every breath I’ve got left. Forgive me… for being too late.”
I walked out of the hospital. Alone
No one came for me. No flowers. No hug. Not even from my mate.
Just a text from Alpha Rigel:
On my way to the Catacombs of Paris. Don’t wait up.
Cold. Empty. As if I was never the woman he once chased through a thunderstorm.
My mind wandered back—To the night he marked me under the Crystal Moon Festival, promising me eternity.
I believed him. I believed in us.
Now, sitting in that sterile waiting room, my soul felt hollow. Like I’d died with Athena—but my lungs refused to stop breathing.
When I finally made it back to the pack house, something felt… off.
I opened the bedroom door—and there, on the sofa, was a neon pink lace thong.
I’ve never bought lingerie in neon pink.
The unease simmered, then boiled over when I saw Margareth—Rigel’s mother—posting her latest iMessage status.
A picture-perfect family holiday at the luxurious Carlson Resort.
Margareth. Alpha Rigel. Mata Hari. And a pup—about two years old—with Rigel’s hair… and Mata Hari’s eyes.
Finally, our family is complete. Can’t wait to see Oasis grow up in his father’s arms.
The caption was cheery. The emojis, sickeningly happy.
Meanwhile, her granddaughter died because of her son.
"You’re my one and only, Andromeda. I’ll protect you with my life." What a bloody joke.
He broke that vow the moment he crawled back to the she-wolf from his past.
Leaving me to bleed, to grieve, to rot in loneliness—while he writhed in pleasure in her bed.
My hands trembled, but I reminded myself—I was a victim.
Back in the academy, Alpha Rigel sent white roses to my locker every Friday.
I avoided him at first—I knew my place. He was the golden boy, once half of the academy’s golden couple with Mata Hari.
But when she left for Paris and their romance crumbled, his eyes turned to me.
"Mata Hari is the past. You’re my future. You’re the mate the Moon Goddess chose for me, Andie." That’s what he used to say.
Until I found that museum gala ticket to Paris. A night at the Grande Revue. Two tickets. Rigel Carlson and Mata Hari Ritcher. Dated 25th May 2025.
His excuse? Business trip. Website launch for the company. And I bought it. Like a fool.
But while I was arranging Athena’s funeral, a message came through from an unknown number.
A photo of Alpha Rigel. At the hospital. Holding Athena’s cold, lifeless body—moving her to the morgue.
Don’t bother calling yourself Luna. Alpha Rigel will never be yours. Even your daughter couldn’t keep him.
It was Mata Hari who send the picture.
My fingers shook violently as another file came in—a video. I pressed play with a frozen hand.
Alpha Rigel’s voice filled the silence. Talking to someone in a dark room.
"Make sure you look insane. Let her think she’s cursed. But don’t kill her yet. I want her crawling. I want her shattered before she dies. Finish the job, and the rest of your payment on your assassin hunter’s account."
"And the child?"
"Kill her too. She and that child will poison South Hallow. Only her death will break her."
I couldn’t breathe. Every piece fell into place.
Athena’s death. The hunter. The betrayal. All of it—planned.
When he came home that night, reeking of Mata Hari’s scent, he wrapped his arms around me and said,
"Sorry I couldn’t pick you up. I chased that hunter all the way to Paris."
"Did you catch him?" I asked, playing along.
"No. He slipped away. But I swear I’ll rip his heart out for Athena." He kissed my hair. "We can have another pup, Andie. Our love’s legacy for Carlson Hallow."
You lying bastard. You let him go because the truth would expose you.
I stood there, calm, masking the inferno inside me.
"If I ever find her killer, I’ll drag him through rivers of blood myself," I said coldly.
His eyes flickered. His hands trembled before he shoved them into his pockets.
"Focus on healing first. I’ll make you a herbal tonic, my Luna. Tomorrow I’ll Bury Athena." he murmured, voice unsteady.
He left. And the silence he left behind roared louder than any scream. I grabbed my phone and called Altair.
"Five days. I’m pulling my investments from Nebula Playworks. And I’m tearing down their firewall. I’m no longer Alpha Rigel’s mate. That bond is dead."
Altair’s voice was calm, almost amused. "Consider it done, Andie. I’ll keep you updated."
