Chased By the Regretful Alpha

When a rogue attack sets our Shadowmoon Pack ablaze, chaos erupts, and everything changes. Amid the flames, my chosen mate, Alpha Maverick, rushes to save his childhood friend, Hailey, without even a glance back at me.

Later, he tries to justify it, saying, "I had to help Hailey first. We’ve known each other forever—there’s nothing more to it."

I can’t help but smirk. "Right, because saving the damsel in distress is the honorable thing to do. Don’t worry, Alpha—I understand. Just keep your excuses to yourself."

--

"An attack!"

"They set the packlands on fire!"

The night air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke, mingling with the coppery tang of blood that permeated the battlefield. I could barely see through the billowing black clouds, the fire’s ravenous glow casting eerie shadows across the courtyard. Screams of my packmates echoed through the darkness, punctuated by the vicious snarls of rogue wolves. My heart pounded in my chest.

“Get to the safe room! Now!” I shouted, herding the younger wolves toward the hidden entrance beneath the packhouse floor. My voice was rough, torn from my throat by the smoke and sheer panic that threatened to consume me. But I couldn’t let that happen—not now. Not when so many lives depended on me.

A small girl, no more than ten, stumbled beside me, her wide, terrified eyes locked onto mine. I knelt beside her, trying to mask my own fear with a calming smile. “It’s going to be okay, sweetie. Just keep moving, stay low, and you’ll be safe soon.”

She nodded, her tiny frame trembling as she clutched my hand. I gave it a reassuring squeeze before pushing her gently toward the others who were already descending into the safety of the underground tunnels.

The packhouse, our home, was being swallowed whole by the fire, the wooden beams snapping like brittle bones under the fire’s assault. My heart ached at the sight, but I had no time to mourn. The rogues were too powerful as if they were driven by a dark force that I couldn’t yet understand.

I was halfway to the hidden door myself when a sudden crash echoed from above, and the ceiling buckled, raining fiery debris down around me. I dove to the side, rolling to avoid the burning wreckage. Pain shot through my shoulder as I hit the ground, but I gritted my teeth and forced myself up. I had to keep going. There was still more to save.

“Vera!” A familiar voice cut through the chaos, and I turned to see Maverick, his broad frame silhouetted against the fire. Relief flooded through me.

“Alpha, over here!” I called out, waving him over as I dragged another injured pack member toward the hidden entrance. “We need to get them out of here!”

He nodded, his eyes scanning the destruction before locking onto mine. But then, something behind me caught his attention. His expression shifted—uncertainty clouded his gaze. I turned to follow his line of sight, and my stomach twisted when I saw her.

Hailey. She was huddled against a wall, surrounded by flames, her face streaked with soot and tears. “Maverick! Alpha!” She screamed. “Help me!”

My heart lurched. This was it—the choice that would haunt me forever. Hailey, Maverick’s childhood friend, the girl who had always been by his side, always competing for his attention. I knew the depth of their bond; it was undeniable, even if Maverick had chosen me as his mate. But at this moment, I feared that the bond would be stronger than anything we had built together.

“Maverick,” I whispered, barely audible over the roar of the flames. “Please.”

He hesitated, torn between us. His eyes flicked back and forth, the internal struggle playing out on his face. For a moment, I allowed myself to hope—hope that he would choose me, that the bond we had forged through years of mutual respect and growing love would outweigh anything else.

But that hope was shattered in an instant.

Hailey’s voice rang out again, shrill and panicked. “Alpha Maverick, please! I’m scared!”

And just like that, he made his decision.

“I’ll come back for you, I promise!” he shouted to me, his voice strained with guilt. Then, without another word, he turned and rushed toward Hailey, his figure disappearing into the smoke and flames.

For a moment, the world seemed to stop. The crackling fire, the distant howls of battle—all of it faded into the background as I stood there, numb. The pain of betrayal cut deeper than any wound, more intense than any flame. My mate had chosen her. Hailey, with her sweet smile and innocent demeanor, had won again.

But this wasn’t about me. This wasn’t the time to break down. My pack was still in danger, and I was their Luna. They needed me to be strong.