After His Luna Poisoned Him, He Believed I Betrayed Him

The pack house loomed before me, its stone facade cold and imposing in the morning light. I clutched my portfolio tighter, my bandaged hands still throbbing from yesterday's humiliation. The security guard barely glanced at me as I entered—word had spread quickly about the Alpha's new entertainment.

"Ms. Ellis." Beta Marcus greeted me at the entrance to the conference room, his expression carefully neutral. "Alpha Davis is waiting for you."

I stepped inside, and my heart stopped.

Spread across the massive oak table were blueprints—our blueprints. Vintage, yellowed with age, showing a small cabin with a wraparound porch and floor-to-ceiling windows. The "Dream Cabin" Nolan and I had designed when we were teenagers, dreaming of a future together away from pack politics.

"Do you remember these?" Nolan's voice was soft, dangerous.

I couldn't speak. My fingers traced the lines of our past—the kitchen with the island we'd planned to cook together on, the bedroom with the skylight to watch the stars through.

"You kept them." The words escaped before I could stop them.

"I keep everything that belongs to me." His eyes flashed gold. "Including debts."

Kylie sauntered in, her perfectly manicured hand resting on Nolan's arm. "What's this? Ancient history?"

"These," Nolan said, tapping the blueprints, "are the foundation for our Pack House Extension. Jane will use these designs as the basis for your new wing."

I swallowed hard. "These were for a small cabin. A private retreat."

"Exactly." Nolan's smile didn't reach his eyes. "A private retreat for the Alpha and Luna. Now, show us how you'd transform this... peasant dwelling... into something worthy of the Silver Moon Pack."

For the next hour, I walked them through the designs, forced to point out every intimate detail we'd once planned together.

"This bedroom would be too small for the Luna's needs," I said professionally, ignoring the knife twisting in my chest.

"Enlargen it," Nolan commanded. "And remove that ridiculous skylight. Kylie prefers privacy."

As I sketched the changes, his voice slid into my mind through our mate bond.

*This is the life you threw away.*

I flinched but kept working, altering our dream piece by piece.

---

"The foundation should be complete by next week," Nolan announced as we stood in the muddy construction site three days later.

Rain poured down, soaking through my thin jacket. I shivered, wishing I'd checked the forecast before leaving my umbrella behind.

"This is disgusting," Kylie complained, her designer boots sinking into the mud. "Can't we do this another day?"

"We're on schedule," Nolan replied coldly. "Unless you have a problem with that, Jane?"

I opened my mouth to respond when I noticed something wrong with the foundation being laid. The concrete mixture looked off—too much water, not enough aggregate.

"That won't set properly," I blurted out before I could stop myself.

The contractor turned to me with surprise. "What do you mean?"

"The concrete-to-water ratio is wrong. If you pour it like that, it'll crumble under pressure."

Silence fell over the site. Nolan stared at me, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.

"She's right," the contractor admitted, checking his measurements. "Good catch."

For a split second, I saw the old Nolan—the one who admired my eye for detail, who valued my expertise. His wolf purred audibly, the mate bond flaring between us.

Then his expression hardened.

"You dare contradict a pack member?" he snarled, stepping closer. "Know your place, Omega."

The workers exchanged uncomfortable glances as he publicly berated me.

---

"The ceremonial robes need final adjustments," I explained to Kylie as I entered her suite with the garment bags.

She lounged on a velvet chaise, sipping red wine. "About time. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten who you're working for."

I laid the delicate silk robes on the bed—white for the Alpha, silver for the Luna.

"Try them on," I suggested, keeping my tone professional despite her hostility.

Kylie stood, slipping out of her silk wrapper to try on the ceremonial robe. The white fabric cascaded over her body, embroidered with the Silver Moon Pack's emblem.

"It's perfect," I said, reaching for the measuring tape.

"Of course it is." She twirled, then suddenly froze. Her eyes darted to the door as Nolan's footsteps approached in the hallway.

In one fluid motion, she dragged her claws across the silk, tearing the delicate fabric. Then she knocked over her wine glass, the red liquid splashing across her hand.

"Look what you made me do!" she screamed as Nolan burst through the door.

I stood frozen, watching the scene unfold with horror.

"She ruined it!" Kylie sobbed dramatically. "She deliberately made me spill wine on my robe!"

Nolan's eyes darkened as he surveyed the damage. The torn silk, the spilled wine, his mate's theatrical tears.

"Jane," he said, my name a warning on his lips. "Explain yourself."