My Alpha Made Me Rescue His Mistress Instead

The body bag felt heavier than it should have as Ty and I lifted it onto the dock. Water dripped from our gear, forming puddles on the wooden planks as we secured the remains. My hands trembled slightly as I unzipped the bag, the fabric clinging to my gloves.

"Let's document everything before we move the remains," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.

Ty nodded, his expression grim as he pulled out his camera. "I'll start with the external examination."

I gently brushed away debris from what remained of the victim's clothing. The fabric was partially decomposed, but certain features stood out clearly—the distinctive embroidery along the collar, the unique stitching pattern I'd seen countless times before.

"No," I whispered, my breath catching in my throat. "It can't be."

Ty looked up from his camera. "What's wrong?"

I traced the embroidery with my fingertip, the pattern so familiar it made my stomach twist. "This dress... my mother showed me the design when she visited last month. She'd made it as a gift."

"For who?" Ty asked, though I could see in his eyes he already suspected the answer.

"For Daniel's mother," I said, my voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of waves against the dock. "She said it was a special design—one of a kind."

The implications hit me like a physical blow. The victim wasn't just anyone—it was the former Luna of our pack, Daniel's own mother.

"Oh god," I murmured, gathering the fabric carefully. "We need to notify Daniel immediately."

As if summoned by my words, headlights swept across the parking lot above the dock. Daniel's SUV screeched to a halt, and he stormed down the ramp, Adrianna trailing behind him.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded, his Alpha tone making the air vibrate. "You were supposed to find Adrianna's locket, not waste time with some anonymous corpse!"

I stood slowly, clutching the fabric sample in my hand. "Daniel, I think you need to see this."

"Not until you explain why you defied my direct order!" His eyes flashed dangerously in the darkness.

"Daniel," I said again, my voice softer but firm. "I believe we've found your mother."

The words hung in the air between us. For a moment, everything went still—even the waves seemed to stop their gentle rhythm against the dock.

"That's impossible," he said finally, his voice hollow. "My mother is visiting her sister in Vancouver."

I held out the fabric sample. "This is the dress my mother designed for her. The one she was wearing when she left three weeks ago."

Daniel stared at the fabric, his face draining of color. "No," he whispered. "No, it can't be."

Adrianna stepped forward, her eyes wide with mock sympathy. "Oh my god, Daniel. How terrible!"

But I caught the flicker of something else in her expression—calculation, not compassion.

Daniel's denial lasted only moments before reality seemed to crash down on him. His knees buckled slightly, and he gripped the railing for support.

"This is your fault," he hissed suddenly, his head snapping up to glare at me. "If you had listened to me—if you had found Adrianna's locket first like I ordered—we might have reached her in time!"

The accusation hit me like a physical blow. "Daniel, we were delayed by almost an hour searching for the locket. By the time we reached the coordinates—"

"Excuses!" he roared, his Alpha voice making several pack members who had gathered at the scene flinch. "You're the professional diver, the Beta! You should have found a way!"

I stood my ground, even as his words cut deep. "The water conditions were treacherous. We did everything we could once we reached the coordinates."

"Liar!" Daniel's face contorted with rage and something else—fear. "If you had been competent, my mother would still be alive!"

The pack members exchanged glances, some looking uncertain, others openly suspicious. I could see the seeds of doubt taking root in their expressions.

"Daniel," I said quietly, "we need to focus on recovering all the remains and notifying the authorities."

"No," he snarled, pointing at me with a trembling finger. "You need to admit your failure. Your incompetence cost my mother her life!"

Adrianna stepped closer to Daniel, her hand sliding possessively around his arm. "Maybe if Olivia had been more efficient," she suggested softly, "this tragedy could have been avoided."

I watched as the pack's eyes turned toward me, some filled with questions, others with outright accusation. The weight of their collective judgment pressed down on me like a physical force.

"Daniel," Ty spoke up, his young voice steady despite the tension. "Beta Olivia did everything by the book. The delay wasn't her fault."

"Be quiet!" Daniel snapped. "You're just her apprentice. You don't know anything!"

The whispers began then—low murmurs that rippled through the gathered pack members. I stood straight-backed and proud, but inside, something cold and heavy settled in my chest.

The discord had begun.