Claimed by the Forbidden Alpha

As much as I longed for our mateship to sever in an instant, freeing me from years of neglect, Alpha Tobias brushed my feelings aside.

He urged me to concentrate on my duties as Luna, convinced that I was simply envious of his dedication to his responsibilities rather than craving his presence as my mate.

When Alpha Tobias was about to depart to handle his responsibilities, I walked into the bedroom. I returned with a bag, presenting it to him. “Please return this to your assistant, Nathalia.”

As he opened the bag, a look of confusion washed over him, and his eyes grew wide with shock at the lace bra inside.

He was about to offer an explanation, but seeing my calmness, he settled for, “I’ll remind her to be more careful. I don’t know why it was there.”

Yet, as Alpha Tobias sensed something was amiss, he offered to accompany me while I attended to my duties.

I hated him, not wanting to face my unfaithful mate.

After seven long years together, he had never once chosen to walk beside me, regardless of the stormy weather.

But Nathalia? On her very first day as his assistant, he had already become her devoted chauffeur.

As I pondered the troubling difference in how my mate treated his assistant versus me, a sigh of resignation slipped from my lips.

Later, while handling my duties and visiting various pack members, I returned to the office and noticed several pack members casting sympathetic glances my way as if they sensed my position as the overlooked Luna.

Then, out of nowhere, I caught snippets of their gossip, oblivious to the fact that I could hear their murmurs.

"Is it true? Luna Cassiopeia is set to be rejected, and Alpha Tobias has run off to be with his assistant?" one murmured.

Their words ignited a fire in me, causing the mug I held to slip from my fingers, shatter on the floor, and silence their whispers. I knelt down to collect the fragments, quietly tossing them into the trash can, choosing silence over confrontation.

Right. It stirred memories of the choices I made in the past. Back when I was a mere pup, our pack, a mystery to me even now, was attacked, and it was the Alpha of Lunarveil who rescued me, adopting me as his own.

He raised me to be a Luna warrior, teaching me the ways of strength and service. But then he made a chilling proposal, “You are an underestimated warrior of Lunarveil. I want you to become the mate of the Alpha of Celestfang Pack, our greatest rival, only to betray him and bring about his downfall.”

Though I hesitated to accept my father’s offer, his forceful demeanor left me no choice but to leave the pack the moment I laid eyes on my fated mate.

I found refuge in Wraithmoon, believing that Alpha Tobias held the key to avenging my biological parents, who had been attacked.

My heart soared with hope, especially when he claimed me as his mate and declared me Wraithmoon's Luna.

The warmth of his care and love began to fade the moment he brought an assistant on board, redirecting his attention solely to her.

I blinked twice, snapping back to reality, only to realize I was working late into the night. Out of the blue, I felt a weight on my shoulders.

It was Alpha Tobias, bombarding me with questions about why I had been ignoring his messages. His only concern was for my coffee order. Yet, in the past, he had scolded me for asking him to fetch coffee, insisting I should act like a Luna instead of indulging in childish whims.

Alpha Tobias stood before me, offering a steaming cup of coffee, yet I found myself ignoring him.

When he encouraged me to take a sip, I countered, “It's past ten. If I drink this now, I'll be up all night.”

A little later, as he slipped into the bathroom, his phone buzzed with a message from Nathalia: [Alpha, you've sent me so many coffees! Are you trying to keep me awake tonight? You silly!]

It dawned on me then that this was merely part of a surprise he had planned for her.

While I awaited Alpha Tobias’s return, my confidant appeared, leaning into a murmur, “Luna Cassiopeia, there's no use in tailing Alpha Tobias. His mind is set—he’s chosen Nathalia over you, his mate.”

Before I could reply, he slipped away. At that moment, Alpha Tobias reentered, determined to take us both back to the pack mansion.

It was already eleven when we made our way into our room, with Alpha Tobias heading straight for a shower.

When he emerged, he declared, “I have a trip to the capital regarding some business matters. Write down what you want, and I’ll get it for you.”

Knowing Nathalia would be with him, I felt a surge of frustration and opted for silence, which only fueled his anger.

“Stop being so dramatic! Cassiopeia, you’ve crossed a line. You should be thankful that I chose you as my mate and Luna,” he admonished before storming into his study and slamming the door shut.

Throughout our seven years of mateship, he had a knack for delivering silent treatments, often leaving me to grapple with the weight of his disapproval.

Each time, I humbled myself, seeking forgiveness and trying to make amends. But this time, I was exhausted. I stared at the door he had slammed, tears welling in my eyes as I chose to seek solace in sleep.

“Call me whatever you like,” I whispered to the empty room, “but when I finally break free from this pack, don’t come crawling back, begging for my return.”