After My Alpha Framed Me for Attacking His Luna

The sun glittered off the water as Rhett's yacht sliced through the lake, music and laughter spilling from its decks. I stood at the railing, tray of champagne flutes balanced carefully in my bandaged hands, watching pack members celebrate Saige's pregnancy announcement.

"Mackenzie." Saige's voice cut through the party chatter. She approached with Rhett at her side, her hand protectively cradling her still-flat stomach. "I need to speak with you."

I followed them to the bow of the yacht, away from curious ears. The wind whipped my hair across my face as Rhett's expression darkened.

"Saige tells me you looked at her with malice earlier," he said, his voice dangerously low. "That you wished harm upon her and our unborn child."

"What? No!" I shook my head vehemently. "I would never—"

"Silence!" His Alpha tone vibrated through the air, making my knees buckle. "You dare deny it when she saw the hatred in your eyes?"

Rhett turned to the gathering crowd. "Everyone! Your attention!" The music died as all eyes turned toward us. "My mate has informed me of a disturbing incident involving our Omega servant."

My cheeks burned with humiliation as pack members whispered among themselves.

"Mackenzie," Rhett continued, his voice carrying across the deck, "you will apologize to your future Luna. Now."

I swallowed hard, fighting against the command. "I'm sorry," I managed to whisper.

"Louder," he demanded. "And on your knees."

The Alpha command hit me like a physical blow. My legs trembled as I fought against it, blood trickling from my nose as I struggled to remain standing.

"I said KNEEL!" Rhett roared, his eyes flashing gold with Alpha power.

My knees hit the deck with a painful thud. The champagne glasses shattered around me, but no one moved to help.

"Apologize properly," Saige instructed sweetly. "Kiss the hem of my dress."

I looked up at her, at the triumphant gleam in her eyes, and felt something inside me crack.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, blood dripping onto my lips as I leaned forward to press them against the fabric of her expensive gown.

Rhett watched, his chest tightening with an emotion he refused to acknowledge. He turned away, grabbing a bottle of whiskey from a nearby table and drinking deeply.

---

Weeks passed with no glimpse of Andy. My only connection to him was through brief mind-links, which had become increasingly strange.

"Andy?" I called through our link during one of my rare moments alone in the basement. "Are you there?"

"I'm here, Kenzie," came the reply, oddly mechanical. "I'm fine. The healer is taking good care of me."

Something felt wrong. The responses were too repetitive, too perfect.

"I miss you," I pressed. "Do you remember the time we snuck out to catch fireflies?"

A pause. "Yes. We had fun."

No mention of how we'd gotten caught in the rain. No memory of how we'd laughed when our clothes got stuck to our skin.

A distraction came in the form of smoke billowing from the kitchen. Chaos erupted as servants rushed to extinguish the fire. I slipped away, following the familiar path to the healer's ward.

Andy's bed was empty.

"Where is he?" I demanded when I found Elena alone, tears streaming down her face.

"He's gone," she whispered, her hands trembling. "They took him."

"Who took him? Where is he?"

Elena's shoulders shook with silent sobs. "The dungeon in the rogue territories. It was Saige's orders, not the Alpha's. She wanted... leverage."

The room spun around me. "The mind-links?"

"A witch," Elena admitted, shame coloring her features. "She's been mimicking his signature to keep you compliant."

---

I didn't remember the walk to Rhett's office, only that rage propelled me forward. Beta guards tried to stop me, but I pushed past them, my body vibrating with fury.

"Where is my brother?" I screamed as I burst through the door.

Rhett looked up from his desk, surprise flashing across his face before darkening into anger. "What are you doing here?"

"They took Andy to a dungeon!" I spat, advancing on him. "Your precious Saige had him moved to the rogue territories!"

"That's impossible," he said, rising from his chair. "I would have known."

"You're lying!" My voice cracked with desperation. "Elena told me everything! The mind-links are fake—a witch has been pretending to be him!"

Rhett grabbed my wrists as I lunged at him. "Calm down," he ordered, but I could see confusion in his eyes.

For a moment, his grip softened. He inhaled deeply, scenting my distress, and something flickered in his expression—doubt, perhaps even concern.

His wolf surged forward, eyes flashing gold as he pulled me closer. His face lowered toward mine, and I thought—foolishly—that he might kiss me.

The door opened.

"Mackenzie?" Saige's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "What is going on here?"

Rhett's expression hardened instantly. He shoved me away with such force that I stumbled backward into the wall.

"Get out," he snarled at me. "You're confined to your room for insubordination."

As the guards dragged me away, I caught a glimpse of Saige's satisfied smile—and the dawning realization in Rhett's eyes that something was terribly wrong.