Rejected by the Alpha’s Heart

The photo was bound to cause a stir in the pack, and I knew it would reflect poorly on Gunnar’s leadership as Alpha. I quickly reached out to the pack’s PR team, instructing them to issue a statement and craft a timeline to quell the rumors.

"[Alpha Gunnar was with our daughter and me that day. Please disregard the baseless rumors.]"

I did everything I could to protect Gunnar’s reputation and shield the pack from unnecessary chaos. But Gemma, his Beta, seemed to have her own agenda. She swiftly posted on the pack’s social media platform, her tone light and dismissive.

"[Haha, it was just Alpha Gunnar and me. He accidentally broke my earring and insisted on replacing it.]"

Her post ignited a wave of skepticism among the pack members.

"[Come on, everyone knows Alpha Gunnar and Luna Monica have been mates since their younger years, with a bond we all admire. Are you just trying to stir trouble?]"

"[Like Alpha Gunnar would buy you earrings from a flea market. Dream on!]"

...

To my disbelief, Gunnar couldn’t stand to see her criticized and confirmed her story in the comments. The pack’s social media erupted with speculation, and my efforts to maintain order became the subject of ridicule. My position as Luna, my carefully crafted statement—all of it was now a laughingstock.

As I had worked to build the Tran Pack’s influence, I had made enemies along the way. Rival packs seized the opportunity, and soon, I was at the center of a storm I hadn’t anticipated.

Gunnar finally seemed to realize the gravity of the situation and called, his voice laced with reproach.

"Monica, what exactly are you doing?

"Gemma and I are just packmates; it’s a simple matter. Your actions make it seem like we’re hiding something.

"Now you’ve damaged the pack’s reputation!"

I could only guess that someone had confronted Gemma, and Gunnar was rushing to her defense. My tone turned icy.

"Then why don’t you just announce to the pack that you were on a date with her?"

He hesitated, caught off guard, before snapping, "Monica, you’re being unreasonable!

"I broke Gemma’s earring and replaced it, that’s all there is to it. Do you really have to suspect me like this?

"Forget it, I’m not going to argue with you right now.

"Stay out of this mess. I’ll handle it myself."

With that, he ended the call. But before the line went dead, I caught the faint sound of a girl’s voice complaining:

"Why did Luna Monica lie to everyone? She’s just making things difficult for you and the pack.

"This whole situation is blown out of proportion because of her, and now you have to clean it up."

"Forget her, she’s just being irrational."

Gunnar’s voice was cold and detached, a tone I had never heard from him before.

I held the phone tightly, my fingers growing stiff and cold as the weight of his words settled in.

My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of frustration and pain. *He’s blind to what he’s doing to you,* she whispered, her voice tinged with anger. *But you’re not.*

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. For years, I had stood by Gunnar’s side as his Luna, supporting him, believing in our bond. But now, I couldn’t ignore the cracks that were forming. The way he defended Gemma, the way he dismissed my concerns—it all felt like a betrayal.

I stared at the phone in my hand, the silence of the room pressing in on me. Was this the beginning of the end of our mate bond? The thought made my chest ache, but I couldn’t deny the truth that was staring me in the face.

Perhaps it was time to consider whether I should continue to fight for this bond—or if it was already too late.