Alpha's Regrets and Tears are Too Late

When I lost our child on the night of the Frost Mountain Festival, I thought my mate—Alpha Callum—would be there to catch me as I fell. But instead, he was with her—Riva, the she-wolf who had wormed her way back into his heart. He didn’t even know I was gone, let alone that I was carrying our pup.

“I can’t lose you again,” Callum’s voice broke through the night, low and raw.

But it was not for me.

That night, everything I believed in shattered—our baby, our bond, the love I once held for him. Now, with my heart fractured and Callum’s betrayal burning in my chest, I must find the strength to reject the mate who failed me and forge a new future, even if it means embracing a Second Chance Mate... and a destiny I never saw coming.

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The crisp night air of Frost Mountain chilled my skin as I watched the pack members move about in festive joy. The annual pack festival had always been my favorite time of the year, a time to celebrate our strength, unity, and heritage under the glowing full moon. But tonight felt different. The usual excitement that buzzed in my veins was absent, replaced by an ever-growing weight in my chest.

I clutched my belly, barely noticeable beneath the thick layers of my cloak. I hadn’t told anyone, not even Callum. The joy of knowing that I was carrying his pup should’ve made me elated, but instead, dread settled in its place. For months now, things between Callum and me had been strained, like a taut string on the verge of snapping. He wasn’t the same Alpha I had fallen in love with, and no amount of reassuring smiles or whispered promises could quell the unease that gnawed at me.

As I stood near the pack house, watching the fires dance and the wolves laugh, my eyes instinctively sought out Callum. It wasn’t hard to find him. He stood tall and proud, the powerful aura of the Alpha radiating off him like heat. But he wasn’t alone.

Riva.

She was by his side again, her silver-blonde hair catching the moonlight like she was born from it. She’d only joined our pack a few months ago, a warrior from a distant territory. Callum had taken a particular interest in her, much to my dismay. At first, I told myself it was nothing. She was new, and Callum was just doing his duty as Alpha, making her feel welcome. But over time, the way he looked at her, the way he sought her out, began to chip away at my trust.

I shook my head, trying to push away the dark thoughts. Tonight was supposed to be special. Tonight, I was going to tell Callum that we were having a pup, that the Moon Goddess had blessed us with this gift. Maybe that would remind him of what we were, of the bond we shared.

But then, as if the universe had a cruel sense of timing, a wave of dizziness washed over me. I stumbled slightly, gripping the nearby railing for support. My body felt heavy, the pregnancy already beginning to take its toll. I needed to rest. Just for a moment.

I retreated to a quieter corner, leaning against one of the large oak trees that bordered the festival grounds. My head swam with conflicting emotions—joy, fear, anger. My thoughts kept circling back to Callum and Riva. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something more was going on between them, something beyond the surface.

As the minutes ticked by, I felt a pull. Something—instinct, maybe—urged me to move, to follow the scent of my mate. I straightened, my breath shallow, and allowed my wolf senses to take over. My feet carried me toward the far end of the clearing, where the trees thickened and the light from the festival dimmed.

And that’s when I saw them.

Callum and Riva stood alone in the shadows, their figures close but not touching. My heart raced, a strange mixture of hope and fear battling within me. Maybe it was innocent. Maybe—

“I can’t lose you again,” Callum’s voice broke through the night, low and raw.

I froze. Again? What did he mean by again?

Riva stepped closer, her voice soft but clear. “You won’t. I’ll always be here for you.”

The world tilted beneath my feet, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. The words, the tone, the look on Callum’s face—it all clicked into place.