Abandoned by My Alpha, Chosen by the Rogue King

The rogue king dipped his head, acknowledging the newborn, before turning back to face the remaining attackers. Relief, so profound it bordered on delirium, washed over me. I was alive. My pup was alive. But what now?

As if reading my thoughts, the rogue king nudged a female wolf forward. She was smaller, her fur a softer gray, her eyes filled with a gentle warmth. One of Xander’s Omegas. I recognized her scent from the periphery of the previous fight. She approached cautiously, her gaze fixed on my pup. With a silent understanding that transcended words, I placed my newborn in her care.

I had to go back. I had to face Kai. I had to understand. But in this moment of fragile peace, surrounded by the unexpected mercy of rogues, I knew one thing for certain: my life with the Crimson Pack was over.

The scent of my own blood, stale and metallic, clung to me as I stumbled through the villa gates. My body ached, every muscle screaming in protest from the ordeal of childbirth and the rogue attack. My wolf, wounded and exhausted, whined within me, a constant reminder of Kai's abandonment. I just wanted to collapse, to find solace in the familiar comfort of my den, of our den.

As I rounded the corner into the courtyard, the sight that greeted me stole what little breath I had left. Kai. My Kai. Entwined with Lyra, the Gamma’s daughter. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, her laughter echoing in the night air, a jarring counterpoint to the silent screams of my wolf. He was kissing her, his hands roaming possessively over her body, as if the events of the blood moon had never happened. As if I had never happened.

“Kai,” I rasped, my voice raw with exhaustion and a pain that ran deeper than any physical wound.

They sprang apart, guilt flashing across Kai’s face before being replaced with a carefully constructed mask of indifference.

“Elara,” he said, his voice flat. “You’re back. Are you alright?” His gaze flickered over me, a cursory assessment that barely registered the dried blood staining my clothes, the tremor in my limbs.

“Alright?” I repeated, the word a bitter echo in the courtyard. “Rogues attacked the birthing dens. I almost died. And you ask if I’m alright?”

“You’re the Luna,” he said, his tone dismissive. “I knew you could handle yourself.”

Lyra, ever the opportunist, nestled back against Kai’s side, her voice a trembling whisper.

“Kai, I was so scared. Those rogues… they were everywhere. Thank the Moon Goddess you came for me.”

He tightened his arm around her, a protective gesture that sent a fresh wave of agony through me.

"You look fine, Elara. And Lyra needed me. It was the right call." He never even asked about our pup. The pup he had abandoned me to protect. He didn’t even ask about our child.

A cold, hollow ache settled in my chest, a chilling realization that extinguished the last embers of hope. He didn't care. He hadn’t cared for a long time. Otherwise, this wouldn't be the second time I’d found them together, their intimacy a blatant disregard for my position, for our bond.

I turned away, the bile rising in my throat, and walked towards the villa, the weight of his betrayal a crushing burden. I happened by the kitchen, the scent of herbs and simmering stew usually a comfort, now a nauseating reminder of the life I had lost.

“…heard Lyra’s showing,” one of the Omega house helpers whispered, her voice hushed with excitement.

“Showing?” another giggled. “She’s practically glowing! The Alpha’s pup is strong.”

“Imagine,” a third chimed in, “Lyra as Luna. She’s much prettier than Elara, and she's the Gamma's daughter.”

“They look so much better together, don’t they?”

A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I stumbled against the doorframe. The omegas’ chatter ceased abruptly as they noticed me, their faces paling.

“Luna Elara,” one stammered, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and… pity. “We… we didn’t see you there.”