After My Alpha Abandoned Me for His Luna

I awoke to chaos. The mind link hit like a sledgehammer to my consciousness, flooding every corner of the Black Moon Pack with panicked energy: *Luna Veronica has been attacked by rogues near the eastern border! She's missing!* The collective howl that rose from the pack house made the walls vibrate, a primal sound of fear and rage that sent ice through my veins.

I bolted upright in the plush armchair where I'd fallen asleep, my fingers still clutching the silver-fox pelts Dante had given me. The sketches for Arleth's dress were scattered across the desk, and for one terrifying moment, I thought they'd been discovered—that someone had seen what I'd been working on in the Alpha's private suite.

But the pack's panic wasn't about me. Not yet.

The door to the suite burst open, and Zayden strode in, his powerful frame radiating tension. Dante was close behind, his usually warm eyes now hard with focus.

'The Luna's been attacked,' Zayden said, his voice clipped and urgent. 'We're organizing search parties.'

My heart lurched. 'I need to check on Arleth,' I said, already moving toward the door. 'If there are rogues—'

'You're not going anywhere.' Zayden's arm shot out, blocking my path. His eyes, usually so controlled, blazed with something that looked almost like... fear? 'It's not safe for an unprotected Omega out there.'

'I can't just leave her,' I protested, trying to step around him. 'The healer's den is exposed if the rogues are—'

'Cecilia.' Dante's voice was gentle but firm as he positioned himself between me and the exit. 'We've already sent guards to secure the healer's den. Arleth is safe.'

Zayden moved to the door and engaged the lock with a decisive click that made my stomach tighten. 'You're staying here where we can protect you.'

The concern in their voices seemed so genuine that I found myself nodding, relief washing over me. They cared—about my safety, about Arleth. Maybe the mate bond was real after all. Maybe I wasn't just a convenient source of information.

'What can I do to help?' I asked, my voice small but determined.

Dante's expression softened. 'Just stay safe. That's helping enough.'

They left me alone again, joining the search parties that were combing the territory. I paced the suite, my mind racing with images of Veronica bleeding, of rogues breaching our borders. But mostly, I thought about Arleth, wondering if she was scared, if the healer was keeping her calm.

The kitchenette in the corner of the suite caught my eye. I'd never cooked for anyone but Arleth before, but the idea of doing something—anything—useful while I waited felt necessary. I gathered the ingredients for a simple pack stew, my hands working automatically as my mind churned.

Hours passed. The stew simmered, filling the suite with its savory scent. When I heard the door open again, I turned expectantly, wiping my hands on a kitchen cloth.

Zayden and Dante entered, looking exhausted. Their clothes were torn, faces drawn. They'd clearly been searching non-stop.

'I made stew,' I said softly, ladling it into bowls. 'It's not much, but...'

The surprise on their faces made my cheeks burn. They accepted the bowls without comment, settling at the small table in the kitchenette.

The silence that fell between us wasn't uncomfortable. It was intimate in a way I'd never experienced—three people sharing a meal without pretense or hierarchy. Zayden ate slowly, his eyes occasionally meeting mine across the table. Dante smiled at me once, a tired but genuine smile that made my heart flutter.

For those few precious moments, I belonged. Not as an Omega, not as a servant, but as someone worth protecting, worth sharing a meal with.

'Thank you,' Zayden said quietly as he set down his empty bowl. 'This was... good.'

The warmth that spread through my chest at those simple words was dangerous. I knew better than to trust so easily, but the mate bond hummed between us like a living thing, making rational thought impossible.

I fell asleep that night on the couch, the silver-fox pelts tucked safely beside me, feeling safer than I had in years.

But morning brought a different reality.

The urgent mind link hit just as dawn broke: *The Luna has been found! She's returning to the pack house!*

I sat up, rubbing sleep from my eyes, a smile already forming. 'Is she—'

The words died in my throat as Zayden and Dante strode into the room. The warmth of the previous night had vanished. Their faces were closed, distant. Professional.

'Get your things,' Zayden ordered coldly. 'You need to leave. Now.'

'What? But—'

'The servant's exit is through there.' He pointed to a narrow door I hadn't noticed before. 'Use it. Don't let anyone see you.'

Dante stood silent, his eyes fixed on the floor, refusing to meet mine.

The mate bond, the shared meal, the protection—it had all been an illusion. I was still nothing but an inconvenience to be hidden away.