My Daughter Died Because of My Cheating Mate

The hunters, as if their mission was already complete, retreated into the shadows. I broke free from the warriors and stumbled toward my daughter's body, my legs giving way beneath me. I fell to my knees beside her, my hands trembling as I reached out to touch her cold, lifeless face.

"I'm so sorry, my sweet girl... I'm so sorry..." I whispered, my voice cracking with the weight of my grief.

I cradled Lyra in my arms, my heart shattering with every sob. The world around me faded into a blur of pain and loss as I rocked back and forth, clutching the only piece of her I had left.

The remaining warriors, bloodied and defeated, stood silently, their heads bowed in sorrow. They had failed to protect the most precious part of my life, and the weight of that failure hung heavy in the air.

"Luna, we need to leave. It's not safe here," one of the warriors said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

But I couldn't move. My soul was shattered, and all I could do was hold my daughter's lifeless body, my cries echoing through the silent forest—a mother mourning the unbearable loss of her child.

And there, I could feel my wolf howling at her grief.

While I mourned my daughter, Alpha Orion’s first love, Lilith, posted on her social media, “You always appear just when I need you. Grateful to have you around!” Accompanying her post was a photo of the two of them, looking content and intimately close.

My hands trembled as I took a screenshot and sent it to Orion, my mate. My message was laced with the anguish and betrayal I felt, "Is this why you didn’t bother to meet us at the border, despite knowing we were in danger?"

Days passed in a haze of grief. It wasn’t until after Lyra's cremation and burial that Orion finally responded. His words were a cruel knife to my already shattered heart. "You and Lyra can manage yourselves, but Lilith can't be without me!"

I couldn’t believe what I was reading. My mind swirled with disbelief and sorrow, but clarity pierced through my pain. "Alpha Orion, let’s break our mateship," I replied, my fingers trembling as I typed the words that would sever the bond I had cherished for so long. After sending that final message, I blocked him.

Orion had been my guiding light for so many years. We had grown up together since I was eighteen, fresh from leaving my previous pack. He had been my best friend, my confidant, and eventually, my love. From the beginning, everyone knew that I would always follow him, no matter where he led.

I stayed by his side through everything—supporting his pursuits, witnessing his heartbreaks when Lilith left to be with her true mate, and standing by as his faithful friend. During his relationship with Lilith, I silently endured the agony of unrequited love. I don’t remember when I started developing feelings for him, but I knew they deepened during his darkest times. When Lilith left, he was devastated, and it was then that I finally confessed my feelings. We decided to choose each other as mates, and for a while, it seemed like we had a future together.

Our life together unfolded with the passage of time. We had known each other since we were eighteen, began dating at twenty, married at twenty-six, and welcomed our daughter Lyra into the world when we were twenty-nine. Lyra was just six years old.

For years, I followed Orion with unwavering devotion. My gaze never left him, always burning with love. I spent my youth and the prime of my adulthood by his side, believing that one day I would hold a cherished place in his heart. But I was wrong. To him, I was never more than a second-best option. While he basked in the affection of others, I grew accustomed to being humble and making sacrifices.

Despite being mated and sharing a child, I never dared to ask too much of him. He was constantly busy leading the Blood Rose Pack, and I knew better than to disturb him. Whether it was dealing with illness, attending prenatal check-ups, or even giving birth, I bore everything alone, afraid that my needs would annoy him. I never wanted to be a burden.

The only time I had ever personally asked him to come for us was when I heard rumors of rogue sightings at the border. I feared for our safety, for Lyra's safety. But even then, because of Lilith, he abandoned me—his Luna—and our daughter. His decision led to Lyra’s death. She was only six, full of potential and dreams.

Does he even know how excruciating it was to watch our daughter die in front of me? Does he understand that a part of me died with her? Those mornings and nights lost their meaning after her death.

I knelt at Lyra’s grave, sobbing until there were no more tears left to shed. My body felt as empty as my heart. When I finally rose, I left with a heart that felt as though it had died.

Not long after, I saw Alpha Orion and Lilith approaching. He held her shoulders tenderly while she cradled an urn in her hands, her face haggard and grief-stricken. My mate looked at her with eyes full of pity and tenderness—a gaze he never spared me.

"The cemetery is beautiful, full of birds and flowers," Lilith said softly. "Farrow would have liked it, right?"

Farrow was Lilith’s poodle. I felt a bitter pang of irony at the thought.

Orion’s expression was one of deep concern as he looked at Lilith. But when his eyes met mine, his gaze hardened, the pity replaced by a cold indifference.

"Seraphina, you're never going to stop, are you?" He said, his voice filled with disdain. "First, you talk about ending our mateship, and now you're following me here. Do you have nothing better to do?"

He stepped toward me, frowning with irritation.

"Step aside," I replied coldly, my voice devoid of any emotion. I didn't want to exchange another word with him.

At that moment, I could feel my wolf's rage turning ice-cold.