After My Alpha Chose Her Over Our Pup

I couldn't sleep. The ultrasound photo burned in my pocket like a secret waiting to be told. Our miracle pup—the answer to years of prayers and tears—deserved a father who would cherish it. A mate who would celebrate this blessing.

Greyson's scent led me through the pack house corridors. I followed it instinctively, my wolf guiding me even as my mind struggled with what I might find. The cedarwood aroma was stronger now, mixed with something else—the faint musk of another wolf.

The private drawing room door stood slightly ajar. I approached quietly, my footsteps silent on the plush carpet. Before I could push it open, voices drifted through the crack.

"The Blue Lake Pack's Beta arrives tomorrow," Greyson was saying, his voice low but clear to my enhanced hearing. "He thinks he's coming to finalize the mating ceremony with Gracelyn."

"And you've allowed this?" Beta Thomas replied, confusion evident in his tone.

"I've encouraged it," Greyson said coolly. "It makes things easier."

My hand froze on the doorframe. What was he planning?

"Alpha, I don't understand," Thomas said. "If you want Gracelyn as your—"

"As my second mate," Greyson finished for him. "My wolf craves her, Thomas. It's a connection I can't ignore."

The world tilted beneath my feet. Second mate? The sacred bond between us meant nothing?

"The Luna has given you everything," Thomas ventured cautiously. "And the pack—"

"The pack will understand," Greyson cut in. "Riley was never meant to be my only mate. The Moon Goddess has shown me another path."

I pressed my hand against my stomach, protecting the tiny life growing there. Our pup deserved better than this betrayal.

"I'll stop the ceremony," Greyson continued, his voice hardening with resolve. "Gracelyn belongs here, with me. My wolf won't let her go to another."

"Even if it means breaking your mate bond?" Thomas asked quietly.

"Riley will adjust," Greyson dismissed. "She's always been... practical."

Something inside me snapped. Practical? Is that all I was to him?

I pushed the door open, stepping into the room with my chin high despite the tears threatening to fall.

"Practical enough to hear every word," I said, my voice surprisingly steady.

Greyson's eyes widened momentarily before narrowing in irritation. "You shouldn't eavesdrop, Riley."

"Eavesdrop?" I laughed bitterly. "On my own mate planning to take another woman?"

Thomas backed toward the door, clearly wanting to escape the confrontation.

"Stay," Greyson commanded him, then turned to me. "You're overreacting."

"Overreacting?" My voice rose despite my efforts to control it. "You're planning to destroy another wolf's mating ceremony to claim a rogue!"

"She's not just any rogue," Greyson snapped. "She needs protection."

"And I need a mate who honors his bond!" I countered, stepping closer. "The Moon Goddess blessed us—"

"The Moon Goddess is giving me a second chance," he interrupted, his amber eyes flashing. "You should be grateful I'm still here at all."

---

Dinner that evening was torture. Greyson had insisted we all eat together—him, me, Gracelyn, and Kyro. A family portrait with the wrong players.

"More potatoes, Kyro?" Greyson offered, his voice warm as he scooped a spoonful from his own plate.

Kyro nodded eagerly, opening his mouth for the bite. It was an intimate gesture, one reserved for parents and their pups.

"Alpha Greyson is so good with children," Gracelyn remarked, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "Kyro's never had a father figure before."

The words were carefully chosen, each one a dagger to my heart.

"Some women just aren't meant to be mothers," she continued, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "It's not your fault, Luna Riley."

My fingers tightened around my fork as I fought the urge to throw it at her smug face. Instead, I placed my free hand under the table, resting it protectively over my stomach.

"Gracelyn has been through so much," Greyson said, reaching across to squeeze her hand. "Raising Kyro alone, surviving as a rogue..."

"She's remarkable," I managed through clenched teeth.

"Kyro deserves a real family," Greyson continued, feeding another bite to the boy. "Someone who can protect him."

The implication hung heavy in the air. Someone like him. Not someone like me.

I watched as he wiped a smudge of gravy from Kyro's chin with his thumb—a tender gesture that made my wolf howl in anguish. That should have been our pup. Our family.

But as Greyson smiled at Gracelyn across the table, I realized with crystal clarity that he had already chosen his path.

And it didn't include me.