I Rejected My Mate Just Before Giving Birth to Our Child

I could hear Ezekiel’s footsteps echoing through the silent pack house as he slipped out the door. I almost didn't hear his voice when he muttered something about “urgent pack matters.” He didn’t wait for me to ask questions. He didn’t even look back as he disappeared into the shadows outside, leaving nothing but the scent of pine and that sickening hint of something floral.

I waited only a moment, letting him think he’d escaped unnoticed. But as soon as the door clicked shut, I was on my feet. My instincts kicked in with a fierce determination. I shifted quietly, feeling the surge of power as my wolf took over. My senses sharpened as I tracked his scent through the night air.

He moved quickly. He led me out of Silver Fang territory and closer to the boundary of the Crescent Moon Pack. My heart hammered as I followed, feeling the strain in our bond as he ventured further from our territory.

As I approached the edge of the Crescent Moon Pack’s lands, I caught sight of him through the trees. He was standing in the moonlight. His figure was illuminated as he waited. And then she appeared.

Lucia.

Her silhouette emerged from the shadows. She moved delicately as she made her way to him. Her eyes were fixed on Ezekiel with a longing gaze that made my stomach churn.

I crept closer, and crouched low in the brush. My heart pounded as I took in the scene before me. Ezekiel’s face softened as she reached him. He reached out, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered against her skin in a way that felt like a dagger in my chest.

Their voices drifted toward me as if they were the only ones in the world.

“I’m sorry it took so long to get here. The pack business is… complicated. But I’m here now,” he explained.

Lucia pouted, leaning into him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “You shouldn’t have to apologize, Ezekiel. I know you’re carrying the weight of your responsibilities. But I worry… I’m afraid of being alone.” Her voice quivered just enough to elicit his sympathy. Her vulnerability was carefully crafted. And each word was supposed to bait him.

He held her closer. Then he rested his hand on her back as he whispered, “You’re not alone, Lucia. You have me.”

I clenched my fists. My nails dug into my palms as the mate bond flickered and sputtered. The pain of his betrayal laced through it like poison. My vision blurred. And the edges of my mind were fraying as I struggled to keep my emotions in check, to keep from storming into their twisted little moment and tearing apart the illusion they’d created.

Then, with a soft smile, Lucia placed a hand on her stomach. Immediately, Ezekiel’s expression shifted. His gaze dropped to her abdomen. My heart stopped as he reached down, covering her hand with his own. His face lit up with tenderness that I hadn’t seen in years.

“Do you really think he’ll be safe here?” she whispered worriedly.

Ezekiel’s grip tightened. “I’ll protect you both, Lucia. You and the child. Nothing will harm you under my watch.”

I stifled a gasp, feeling the mate bond strain and tear as the final threads holding us together began to unravel. The pain was sharp and relentless. It was like fire that seared through me. My wolf howled within me. A cry of betrayal that echoed through every part of my being.

He believed her. He believed her lies about a child that didn’t even exist. The realization settled over me like ice, chilling me to my core. He was willing to sacrifice everything we had, everything he’d ever sworn to protect, for a deception spun by a rival wolf who had wormed her way into his heart.

As their laughter echoed through the trees, mingling with whispers of a future I would never be part of, I felt the mate bond shatter completely, its final pieces disintegrating like ashes on the wind. The pain tore through me. It was unbearable and merciless.

Ezekiel had betrayed me, betrayed our bond, and our pack. But I would not let him continue this farce. I would not let him carry on as Alpha while his loyalty lay with a wolf who had no claim to our pack. No right to stand beside him.

I forced myself to turn away, back toward Silver Fang territory. My chest felt hollow. But as I crossed back into our lands, I made my decision. I would reject him. I would strip him of the bond he had so carelessly discarded.

The ritual of rejection was a painful one. And I knew it would be excruciating to sever the last remnants of the bond. But I had no choice. The role of Luna was mine by right. And I would not allow him to desecrate it any longer.

The moon hung high above me, casting its light over the pack house as I approached. The time had come. I would face him, call upon the ancient power of the Moon Goddess, and end this once and for all.