Rejected By The Alpha, Crowned By The Pack

I took Bonnie to the mall to pick up a custom-made bowtie for Orlando’s birthday—a gift worth around $150,000. Bonnie had insisted on coming with me, saying she wanted to help choose something special. We were in the luxury section when we unexpectedly ran into Melina Reynolds, Orlando’s beta and, as I had come to suspect, his mistress.

Melina’s eyes narrowed as she saw us. She sauntered over, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. “What are you two doing here? Looking for clearance items?” she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. Before we could respond, she reached out and stomped on the bowtie, grinding it into the floor with her heel. “Alpha Reed wouldn’t settle for something so cheap. If you can’t afford luxury, don’t come to a place like this. You’re just a couple of Omegas pretending to belong.”

Bonnie, ever the peacemaker, calmly turned to the sales associate and pointed to a watch on display. “We’ll take that one,” she said, her voice steady. The watch was priced at around $900,000. The associate nodded and began packaging it, but Melina’s face twisted with envy.

“How dare you spend Alpha Reed’s money!” she hissed, her voice rising. Before I could react, she slapped Bonnie across the face. The sound echoed in the quiet mall, and Bonnie staggered back, clutching her cheek. “Let me make this clear,” Melina continued, her voice venomous. “He’s tired of you, Sophie. He’s going to reject you and take me as his mate. Soon, everything in the Reed Pack will be mine. You two should start looking for a better bargain while you can!”

Bonnie’s face turned pale, and she clutched her chest. “Sophie,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I don’t feel well…” Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor. My heart raced as I knelt beside her, calling her name, but she was unresponsive.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Orlando, my hands shaking. He picked up on the fourth ring, his voice cold and impatient. “What do you want, Sophie? I’m busy.”

“Orlando, it’s Bonnie! She had a stroke at the mall. We’re taking her to the hospital—you need to get there now!” I shouted, my voice breaking.

He scoffed. “Bonnie hardly leaves the packhouse because of her legs. Why would she be at the mall with you? Stop making up stories to get my attention. Melina already told me what happened—she just slapped your mom. You both need to be disciplined.”

I called him three more times before he finally answered again. “What now?” he snapped.

“I’m at the hospital! Your mom is in critical condition—they’re about to issue a critical condition notice. You need to come now!” I screamed into the phone, my voice raw with desperation.

A woman’s voice came through the line—Melina’s. “Orlando, don’t let her manipulate you. She’s just trying to pull you back. Don’t you want to be with me anymore?”

There was a muffled groan, followed by the sound of fabric tearing. My stomach churned as I realized what was happening. Tears streamed down my face, and my hands trembled so badly I almost dropped the phone.

“Orlando, get to the hospital right now!” I screamed, my voice cracking. “Your mom is fighting for her life, and you’re—you’re—” I couldn’t finish the sentence. The line went dead, leaving me with nothing but the sound of my own sobs.

Left with no choice, I signed the critical condition notice on Orlando’s behalf and sat in the corridor, praying silently. Bonnie had always treated me like her own daughter, even when Orlando’s wandering heart left me feeling hollow. She had hoped this shopping trip would help mend things between us, but instead, it had led to this.

Two hours earlier, we had been at the mall, trying to find the perfect gift for Orlando. Bonnie had been so excited, her eyes lighting up as we browsed through the luxury section. But then Melina had appeared, and everything had spiraled out of control. From the moment she saw us, Melina had been relentless, her words cutting deep, her actions even worse. And now, Bonnie was lying in a hospital bed, her life hanging in the balance, while Orlando was off with his mistress, indifferent to it all.