Betrayed by My Alpha, I Chose His Rival

The night before my wedding, I wore champagne silk and smiled until my cheeks ached.

Crystal chandeliers burned above the Ravenshade Pack estate. White roses crowded every table. I had written all one hundred and twenty invitations by hand. I had rewritten my vows for two months straight.

I had even turned down the Northern Pack Archives. My dream job. Because a future Luna stays home.

Across the ballroom, Ronan Ashford raised his glass. He was the Alpha heir, my fated mate, and the man I had loved for seven years.

"To tomorrow!" he shouted. "To the Moon Goddess finally getting her way!"

Everyone cheered. I laughed with them.

Then Brielle Hayes slid onto the arm of his chair. My best friend. The woman who had cried with me in the bridal shop.

"Boring," she sang. "Let's play a Moonstone Oath."

Jace Bennett, Ronan's Beta, lowered his drink. "Bri, those are binding."

"That's what makes them fun." She scooped a handful of moonlight candies from the silver tray and closed her fist. "Ronan. Guess how many. Winner names one thing the loser has to do."

Ronan barely glanced at her hands. "Five."

She opened her right fist. Three candies.

"Oh, no." Brielle pouted and reached for a glass of strong liquor. "Fine. I'll drink."

"Wait." Ronan caught her wrist. He opened his left palm. Two more candies rolled out. "Three plus two. You win, Bri."

My smile froze.

I had seen it. Before she grabbed the candy, Ronan had leaned in and peeked at her hands. He had known the whole time.

Brielle didn't miss a beat. She pulled a folded black slip of paper from her clutch. Already written. Already waiting.

She read it out loud.

"Postpone your bonding ceremony with Sienna for three years."

The room went dead quiet.

Then it exploded.

Jace was on his feet first. "Are you insane? Ronan, tomorrow isn't just a wedding. The Council confirms Sienna as Luna tomorrow!"

"Relax, Jace." Brielle pressed the black slip onto the moonstone at the center of the table. Blue runes flared under her fingers. "I never joke about a bet."

Every wolf in the room felt it. The oath had taken.

I waited for Ronan to get angry. To tear the paper. To laugh it off.

He took her hand instead.

"A bet's a bet," he said. "I lost fair and square."

Fair. I almost choked on the word.

I walked to him. My voice came out smaller than I wanted.

"Ronan. Are you really pushing our wedding back three years?"

He pinched my cheek like I was a child asking for dessert.

"Sweetheart, we're fated. Three years is a blink for wolves." His thumb tapped my jaw. "Don't be dramatic. Breaking an oath brings bad luck on the pack. You wouldn't want that over one party, would you?"

One party.

The guests suddenly found their shoes fascinating. Near the bar, two she-wolves whispered behind their hands.

"Poor thing."

"Seven years, and he still picks Brielle."

I looked at Ronan. At his easy grin. At Brielle's fingers still laced through his.

And I felt nothing crack. It was already broken. I just hadn't noticed.

"I don't understand," I said calmly. "But I accept your decision."

His shoulders dropped in relief. "See? That's my girl. You're finally growing up."

He didn't notice the clock. He didn't notice midnight had already passed.

The estate doors swung open.

Callum Voss walked in wearing a black suit, pushing a three-tier cake topped with white sugar roses. Callum was the Alpha of the neighboring Ironvale Pack, and the only guest who hadn't been drinking.

"Happy birthday, Sienna," he said.

Twenty-seven candles flickered.

Ronan blinked. Then he clapped, too loud. "Right! Her birthday! Everyone, come on—cake! We'll make it a birthday party instead!"

A few people clapped with him. Weakly.

I picked up the knife. Ronan draped his arm around me for the photos, and his jacket swung open against my hip.

Something rattled in his pocket.

I reached in without asking. My fingers came out full of moonlight candies.

He didn't even flinch.

"You planned this," I said.

"I let her win." He shrugged. "Bri's not feeling well. She can't drink that much. What was I supposed to do?"

"Tell her no."

"Sienna." He sighed, patient, like I was the one being unreasonable. "If it were you, you'd do the same thing."

I laughed.

I didn't mean to. It just came out, short and dry, and Ronan frowned like he'd heard a strange noise.

I set the candies on the cake plate and walked away.

I found Brielle by the window, fixing her lipstick in the glass.

"Why?" I asked.

She didn't turn around. "Why what?"

"You helped me pick my dress. You held my hand when I chose the flowers. Why would you destroy my wedding?"

Brielle capped her lipstick and finally faced me. No guilt. Not even a flicker.

"Because I love Ronan." She smiled. "I've stepped aside for you for seven years, Sienna. Now it's your turn."

I stared at her.

Seven years of sleepovers. Seven years of secrets. Seven years of her sitting at my table.

It was so ridiculous I almost wanted to applaud.

I turned to leave.

A glass of warm water appeared in front of me. Callum stood at my shoulder, close enough that only I could hear him.

"Seven years ago," he murmured, "I made you a promise. If you were twenty-seven and still didn't have the happiness you deserved, I'd ask you to marry me."

My fingers tightened around the glass.

His dark eyes held mine. Steady. Unhurried. He had never once broken his word to me.

"So tell me, Sienna," he said quietly. "Does that promise still stand?"

I didn't answer him.

Not yet.

I set down the water. I picked up the silver dice cup from the gaming table and turned to face Brielle.

Then I spoke loud enough for the whole ballroom to hear.

"Since you love gambling so much, Brielle—why don't you and I make a bet too?"

The music stopped.

Ronan's glass froze halfway to his lips.

And for the first time all night, Brielle stopped smiling.