My Alpha's 52nd "No"

In the end, my family's warriors stayed behind to persuade me. "Princess, come back to Silvermoon City with us."

It wasn't the first time they had tried to convince me. I slumped down beside them, lifting my head to meet their hopeful gazes.

They were the guardians of the Silvermoon royal bloodline, the strongest pack in the Northern Territories. And I, Layla Silvermoon, was their princess.

I should have received the finest training in the Northern Territories, preparing to become the future queen. But five years ago at the Packs Summit, the Moon Goddess had let me sense that Kyle was my destined mate. So had I followed him to this barren wasteland.

He was a Rogue who'd built the Graywolf pack through sheer force of will. He hated relying on anyone, especially a powerful mate.

So for five years, I never showed him my full strength and never told him who I really was. In his eyes, I was just a she-wolf from some small northern pack with decent fighting skills.

Over those five years, I'd grown from a sheltered princess into his most capable Beta, helping him conquer half his territory.

I thought once he became strong enough, he wouldn't care about my background anymore. But I never found the right moment to tell him.

Lost in thought, I sighed. It didn't matter now. There was no point in telling him anymore.

"Alright. I'll go back with you."

The warriors' eyes lit up instantly. After settling them in, I returned to my cave and tried to calm my mind through meditation.

But the pack's mind-link buzzed with chaotic whispers. I forced myself to tune them out, but one clear thought pierced through like a needle, smug and deliberate. It was Elara's.

In the vision, she was curled up against Kyle's wolf form while he gently licked her forehead. A voice echoed through the image. "He was a little annoyed at first, but when I told him I had a nightmare, he softened right up."

Elara was bragging to her friends, and her excitement made the thought leak into the mind-link with crystal clarity.

Nausea rose in my throat. I knew he wouldn't come back tonight, just like countless other nights before.

At least our marking wasn't complete. I'd never have to lower myself like this again.

The next morning, I packed my things and went to say goodbye to the pack's second-in-command, Simon Darke. While we were talking, Kyle walked in.

I caught his scent immediately. The heavy smell of daisies clinging to him belonged to Elara. In our world, letting your scent cling to someone else was a more intimate declaration than anything else.

Clearly, he'd done a thorough job "comforting" her last night. He always hated it when I left my scent on him and claimed it undermined his authority as Alpha. It turned out he just didn't want my scent on him specifically.

"You're leaving?" He noticed my bag and frowned. "Just because I canceled yesterday's ceremony? I already told you it was for Elara—"

"This has nothing to do with you," I cut him off. "I'm tired. I want to go home."

"Home? Isn't this your home?" He stepped closer, reaching for me. "Stop being childish. Elara's just an Omega. She needs protection. As the future Luna, you should be more understanding."

I let my gaze settle on the spot on his neck where Elara's scent was strongest. I didn't say anything.

He noticed and instinctively covered it with his hand. "She was just too weak yesterday. It rubbed off by accident."

The excuse was pathetic. I nodded, not bothering to argue.

Thinking I believed him, he relaxed and smiled, slinging an arm around my shoulders. "That's more like it. Don't be upset. Tonight I'll take you to Moonlight Lake, just the two of us. Consider it an apology."

"Alpha!" Elara burst in without announcing herself, clutching a hide scroll. She latched onto Kyle's arm intimately. "I don't understand this patrol route..."

Kyle's attention snapped to her immediately. Without even glancing back at me, he started explaining it to her.

They whispered together right in front of me, creating a barrier no outsider could penetrate.

I watched quietly. Then I turned and left.

Back in my empty cave, I pulled out a broken stone. It was the heartstone he had given me when we first met. He said it symbolized our eternal, unbreakable bond.

Last night, the moment he abandoned me, this stone had shattered. I took those fragments, along with the last thread of connection between us, and threw them into the depths of the crevice.