From Broken Bond to Unyielding Vengeance: A Luna’s Rise

Callen slept in the guest room, and when I woke the next morning, he had already left for the packhouse. His scent lingered faintly in the air, a reminder of the distance that had grown between us.

While I ate breakfast, I opened the pack’s internal communication system, a mind link network used for official announcements. The latest message was from the Alpha’s office, conspicuously stating with Callen Kelley’s approval that, effective immediately, Sophie Kelley was promoted to Gamma of the Yorin Pack.

I froze, the glass of milk suspended midair, staring at the bolded and highlighted words "Gamma" for what seemed an eternity.

I hurled the glass, milk splattering across the floor. The man I had personally trusted, the Alpha I had supported with my own lineage and influence, had ultimately betrayed me. The shards of glass on the floor mirrored the fragments of what I once believed were the intimate and unbreakable years between Callen and me.

I was not happy.

Just then, a message came through the pack’s encrypted mind link from Fernanda Vasquez, the Delta of the Yorin Pack.

*Luna Emma,* she sent, her tone respectful but urgent. *I thought you should see this.*

The image she transmitted was a screenshot of Sophie’s latest social media post. She sat in Callen’s office chair, snapping a selfie, with Callen visible in the background preparing what looked like a cup of coffee. The caption read: *In the Alpha’s chair, with coffee made by the Alpha. Total fan moment.*

Callen had been the first to like it.

Fernanda’s next message followed quickly: *The Alpha’s playing with fire.*

I lit a cigarette, ready to respond to Fernanda, when another notification popped up—a mind link request. Callen had shared a contact—Sophie Kelley was requesting to connect.

I raised an eyebrow. It seemed that not only did Callen have gall, but this little upstart did too.

I accepted the request, and Sophie’s messages began to pour in one after another.

*Good morning, Luna Emma. Nice to officially meet you. I’m Sophie Kelley, the Alpha’s newly appointed Gamma.*

*The Alpha mentioned I should report his daily schedule to you.*

*The Alpha arrived at the packhouse today in a foul mood, so I took him to a café on Main Street for croissants, and it cheered him up.*

*The Alpha said croissants were once his favorite, but since being with you, he’s been eating all sorts of gourmet dishes that don’t bring him joy.*

*You’re used to a life of luxury. I can stand in for you and accompany the Alpha in enjoying the simple pleasures.*

The messages kept coming, my mind buzzing with her audacity. My mood, which had calmed considerably, flared with anger once again.

In my world, everything falls into two categories: things I want and things I don’t want. There has never been an option for “taken from me.”

I picked up my phone and called Otis Elliott, my loyal Delta. It was time to head to the packhouse.