Rejected by the Alpha Who Betrayed Us

The funeral was undeniably a grand event, with the entire Blue Moon Pack and members of neighboring packs in attendance. Alpha Austin seemed intent on using this moment to vindicate Beta Rose in front of everyone, trying to curb any further whispers that had been circulating. Rose was sobbing inconsolably, nestled in his arms, her delicate frame trembling as if she were the one who had suffered the greatest loss.

"Sierra, do you really not hold me responsible? Alpha, you’ll stand by me and not let her harass me, right?" she whimpered, her voice trembling with practiced fragility.

Austin’s arms tightened around her, his Alpha tone low and commanding. "Don’t worry. She wouldn’t dare. Everything will be sorted out."

It was almost absurd—the person who had orchestrated the tragedy now playing the victim so convincingly. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of frustration that I quickly suppressed. Now wasn’t the time.

I moved forward to light a candle for Natasha, Austin’s mother and the former Luna of the Blue Moon Pack. Despite how she had treated me—her demands, her dismissiveness—she was gone now, and clinging to past grievances felt pointless. The flickering flame cast a soft glow over her portrait, her regal features frozen in time.

Rose approached the casket, her steps slow and deliberate, and suddenly tossed a pile of documents onto the floor. She sighed, her expression tinged with an insincere reluctance that made my stomach churn.

"Sierra, I know we should let things go once someone has passed, but my life has been impacted by all this," she said, her voice carrying just enough weight to draw the attention of everyone in the room.

"Some matters need to be clarified in front of everyone."

I bent down to pick up the papers, my hands trembling as I scanned the accusations of embezzlement and bribery levied against my mother. My wolf growled again, louder this time, but I forced her back. Throwing the papers to the ground, I glared at Rose.

"That day, Natasha simply gave my mom a slice of cake, and you call that a fifty-dollar bribe? None of these accusations are true!"

The sound of papers hitting the marble floor echoed through the hall, and Rose shrank back, her eyes wide with feigned fear. Austin immediately stepped in, his Alpha aura flaring as he moved to shield her.

"Why are you throwing those? You’re scaring her! Rose gathered this information herself! Are you saying it’s fake?"

"Don’t think I don’t know your mother was using my name to con people out of money everywhere!" he added, his voice rising with each word.

Rose, still teary-eyed, clung to Austin’s arm. "Alpha, maybe you shouldn’t say anything more. We should let the deceased rest in peace."

"If you’ve brought it up, stop pretending," I snapped, my voice sharp enough to cut through her façade.

Austin’s eyes darkened, his Alpha tone now laced with barely restrained anger. "I brought it up because I want everyone to know the truth! Your mom got what was coming to her, and this has nothing to do with Rose!"

Whispers rippled through the crowd, the pack members exchanging glances, their loyalty swaying with every word Austin spoke.

"I’ve seen Sierra’s mom at the pack market regularly. If that wasn’t bribery, then what was?"

"Exactly. After Sierra became Luna, their family suddenly had a refrigerator and a radio. There’s no way they didn’t take bribes!"

I clenched my fists, my wolf’s growl now a low rumble in my chest. "Those are things I bought for my mom! She never took a dime!"

Rose shot me a smug look, her lips curling into a barely concealed smirk as she poured gasoline on the fire. "Sierra, with your allowance as Luna, could you really afford a refrigerator and a radio? You know deep down where that money came from."

Austin scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "Not long ago, a crowd showed up at the packhouse wanting to see me. I bet your mom pocketed money from them to leverage my influence."

They had the upper hand, the pack’s loyalty swaying with every accusation. Rose, emboldened by Austin’s support, suddenly proposed, "Since she took bribes, shouldn’t the money be confiscated? Let’s go to her house and collect it!"

The murmurs of agreement from the crowd were like a knife twisting in my chest. My wolf snarled, but I held her back, refusing to let them see how deeply their words cut. I would not break—not here, not in front of them.