Betrayed by My Alpha Mate

The forest outside Seattle held its breath as I knelt before Seraphina's altar, moonlight filtering through the ancient pines to illuminate my trembling hands. The silver pendant that had once belonged to my mother glinted in my palm—the last connection to my former life as a pack healer, before I'd sacrificed everything for a mate who never truly wanted me.

"Are you certain you wish to proceed, little wolf?" Seraphina's voice carried on the night breeze, her silhouette tall and imposing against the backdrop of her woodland altar. The dark witch's eyes reflected the moonlight like a predator's, assessing my determination.

"I have nothing left to lose," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Five years I've been bound to an Alpha who looks through me rather than at me. Five years I've been his racing partner, his pack's omega, his marked mate—yet never his Luna in anything but name."

Seraphina circled me, her long fingers trailing across my shoulders. "The Moon Goddess blessed your mate bond, wolfless one. Such divine connections are not easily severed, even by my craft."

I flinched at the term 'wolfless.' It was a truth that had defined my existence—an omega without her wolf, marked by an Alpha who had only completed the bond out of obligation when my scent revealed our fated connection. Christopher Hayes had never forgiven me for not being what he wanted: a powerful she-wolf worthy of the Shadowridge Alpha.

"I don't care what it costs," I said, holding out the pendant. "This was my mother's. Pure silver, passed down through generations. It's all I have of value."

Seraphina's eyes narrowed as she took the necklace, her fingers brushing mine. A jolt of electricity shot through me, making me gasp.

"Curious," she murmured. "There's more to you than meets the eye, Natalie Harper."

The witch placed the pendant in the center of her altar, surrounded by black candles and strange herbs that filled the air with a sweet, disorienting scent. As she began to chant in an ancient language, the wind picked up, swirling leaves around us in a frenzy.

"Remember," Seraphina warned between incantations, "breaking what the Goddess has joined may have... unexpected consequences. Are you prepared for what may come?"

I closed my eyes, remembering Christopher's cold stare earlier that day when I'd tried to speak to him about the upcoming race. How he'd turned away mid-sentence when Stephanie Rivers had sauntered into the pack garage, her perfect wolf aura drawing him like a magnet while I stood forgotten.

"Yes," I answered firmly. "Anything is better than this half-life."

The witch's chanting grew louder, the candle flames stretching impossibly high. Just as the ritual reached its crescendo, my phone buzzed in my pocket, breaking the spell of the moment.

Seraphina paused, her expression darkening. "Your Alpha calls."

With shaking hands, I pulled out my phone. Christopher's message flashed across the screen, delivered through our mate link rather than a text—a connection that should have been sacred but had become nothing more than a tool for issuing commands.

*Prepare my car for tomorrow's race. Don't forget to check the nitro system this time.*

No greeting. No acknowledgment of my absence from the pack house. Just cold annoyance and expectation.

I showed Seraphina the message, a bitter smile twisting my lips. "See? Not even a question about where I am or if I'm safe."

"The bond is already weakened by his neglect," she observed, returning to her ritual. "Perhaps the Goddess herself wishes you free of him."

As Seraphina completed the final words of her spell, the pendant began to glow with an unearthly light. The witch's eyes widened in surprise, and for the first time, I saw uncertainty cross her features.

"What is it?" I asked, heart racing.

"Your path is not what I expected," she whispered. "The spell... it's working differently than it should."

Before I could question her further, my phone buzzed again with Christopher's impatient follow-up: *Where are you? The Cascade race is tomorrow. I need everything perfect.*

I stood, brushing leaves from my jeans. "I have to go. He'll be furious if the car isn't ready."

Seraphina grabbed my wrist, her grip surprisingly strong. "Be careful, Natalie Harper. You stand at a crossroads. Tomorrow's race may bring more than just victory or defeat."

A chill ran down my spine at her words, but I nodded and turned away. Little did I know that by this time tomorrow, I would be facing the ultimate betrayal from the mate who had sworn to protect me—and my life would change forever.