Alpha's Betrayal, New Bond

The scent of pine and mountain air clung to my skin as I stepped into the sprawling neutral-territory lodge. My heart fluttered with anticipation, one hand instinctively resting on my still-flat stomach where our future heir grew. Three weeks of morning sickness had confirmed what my wolf, Luna, had already whispered to me – I was carrying Michael's pup, the future Alpha of Silver Creek Pack.

"He's going to be so happy," I whispered to my wolf, feeling her eager agreement pulse through our shared consciousness.

*He'll finally look at us the way he did when we first mated,* Luna murmured inside my mind.

I hadn't told anyone about my pregnancy, not even my mother back in the Moonstone Pack. This moment belonged to Michael first – my Alpha, my mate, the man who had swept me into his world three years ago with promises of devotion and protection.

The marble floors echoed beneath my careful steps as I followed the familiar trail of Michael's scent – sandalwood and authority, a commanding presence that had always made my knees weak. The diplomatic meetings between packs had kept him away for nearly two weeks, and though he'd ordered me to stay at our pack house, I couldn't bear to wait another day to share our miracle.

My fingers trembled slightly as I traced his scent down a long corridor lined with carved wooden doors. The Silver Creek delegation had taken over the east wing, and Michael's scent grew stronger with each step, mingled with something floral and feminine that made Luna whine uneasily.

"It's probably just the cleaning staff," I reassured her, though a cold knot formed in my stomach.

I paused outside a heavy oak door, left slightly ajar. Michael's scent poured through the crack, along with low murmurs. My lips curved into a smile as I prepared to surprise him. I peered around the edge of the door, ready to witness the joy on his face when I shared our news.

The world stopped.

My mate – my Alpha, my everything – stood in the center of the room, his powerful arms wrapped around Dr. Sarah Blake's slender waist. Her dark hair cascaded down her back as Michael's lips claimed hers in a passionate kiss that spoke of familiarity and desire. Her hands clutched at his shoulders with possessive urgency, her body pressed against his in a way that left no doubt about their relationship.

Luna howled in agony inside my mind, the sound reverberating through every fiber of my being. The pain was physical – a tearing, ripping sensation as though the mate bond itself was being shredded. My vision blurred, darkness creeping at the edges as I stumbled backward, a sickening gasp escaping my lips before I could stop it.

The sound broke their embrace. Michael's head snapped toward the door, his eyes widening when they locked with mine. For one heartbeat, I saw shock – then something darker, something calculated replaced it.

"Rachel," he said, my name sounding foreign on his lips. "You shouldn't be here."

Not an apology. Not shame. Just irritation at being discovered.

"I..." Words failed me as bile rose in my throat. My hand instinctively covered my stomach, protecting our child from a truth too devastating to process.

Sarah stepped forward, her perfect features arranged in a mask of professional concern. "Luna Rachel, you look unwell. Please, let me help you."

She approached with the confident stride of a healer, reaching into the pocket of her white coat to produce a small amber vial. My wolf snarled in warning, but my human half remained frozen, unable to reconcile the horror unfolding before me.

"This will help with the shock," Sarah said smoothly, uncapping the vial. The liquid inside smelled of herbs and something bitter that made Luna whimper in fear. "A prenatal tonic, actually. I can sense the changes in your body."

Michael's expression darkened. "Pregnant?" His voice held none of the joy I had imagined. Instead, his eyes narrowed as he exchanged a loaded glance with Sarah.

"Take it," Sarah urged, pressing the vial to my trembling lips. "For the pup's sake."

I tried to turn away, some primal instinct screaming danger, but Michael stepped forward, his Alpha aura crashing over me like a physical weight.

"Take it, Rachel," he commanded in his Alpha tone, the voice that no pack member could disobey. "Now."

My body responded automatically to the command, my will crushed beneath his authority. As the bitter liquid touched my tongue, Sarah leaned close to Michael's ear, whispering words that made his face contort with rage.

"I wonder whose pup it really is," I heard her say, the venom in her voice unmistakable as the poison burned down my throat.