My Mate Chose Her Over Me

The next morning, I made my usual rounds through the pack’s medical ward, my steps steady despite the storm brewing inside me. As I approached Lana’s room, I noticed a small, charming cat mug on her nightstand. The words “May my dear Lana always be happy” were scrawled across it in Rhys’s unmistakable handwriting.

My chest tightened, and I quickly averted my gaze, refusing to let the sting in my eyes betray me.

Lana lay on the bed, her expression soft but her eyes sharp. She looked at me with that same elegant smile she always wore, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “Healer Cruz, did you not sleep well last night? You look quite exhausted. And somewhat... aged.”

I clenched my jaw, but I didn’t rise to her bait. She wasn’t the first to mock my age, and she wouldn’t be the last. Still, my wolf stirred in the back of my mind, a low growl of irritation echoing in my thoughts. I silenced her with a mental nudge. Now wasn’t the time.

“Ensure she gets an ultrasound to check her recovery status,” I instructed the assistant, my voice calm despite the tension in the room.

The assistant nodded, but before they could respond, Lana tilted her head, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Healer Cruz, why don’t you handle it yourself? Surely, you’re more experienced.”

The assistant hesitated, clearly ready to decline on my behalf, but I held up a hand. “Alright,” I said, my tone clipped. This was the Blue Moon Pack’s medical ward, and I wasn’t about to cause unnecessary conflict with Rhys over something so trivial.

Lana lay back on the bed, her legs apart, her voice soft and drawn out as if she were savoring every word. “Healer Cruz, be gentle. I’m really scared of pain.”

I bit back a bitter laugh. Afraid of pain? And yet, here she was, carrying Rhys’s pup—a pup that should have been ours. My wolf growled again, louder this time, and I had to force her back into silence.

I inserted the probe slowly, my movements precise despite the tension in my hands. Lana curled her lips into a mischievous smile, her voice dripping with provocation. “Isn’t it delightful? My mate said it’s much better than his wife’s. I heard she leaks when she sneezes, Healer Cruz. Isn’t that just hilarious?”

My hand tightened on the probe, and I increased the pressure slightly. Lana let out a startled cry, her facade of composure cracking for just a moment.

“What are you doing? That really hurts,” she said, her voice sharp now.

I withdrew the probe, my expression cold. “That’s enough. You can get up now.”

She blinked, her smile returning as if nothing had happened. “Healer Cruz, surely you’re not upset? Wrinkles might form if you stress too much.”

Her words were the final straw. My wolf surged forward, and before I could stop myself, I slapped her hard across the face. The sound echoed in the room, and Lana’s eyes widened in shock.

“Not upset,” I said, my voice icy. “Disgusted, perhaps. There’s nothing more shameless than you.”

Lana’s hand flew to her cheek, her expression a mix of surprise and anger. For a moment, neither of us spoke, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a claw. My wolf snarled in satisfaction, but I quickly reined her in. This wasn’t the place for a confrontation, no matter how much I wanted to tear into her.

I turned on my heel and left the room without another word, my heart pounding in my chest. The mate bond burned faintly in the back of my mind, a constant reminder of the life I had lost—and the life I was determined to leave behind.