Rejected Luna's Revenge

On Ibrahim’s birthday, I sat alone at the dining table in the packhouse, waiting for my mate and our daughter, Taylor, to return. The Alpha’s den was quiet, the usual hum of pack activity absent as the night stretched on. Instead of their arrival, my phone buzzed with another video from Avery Turner, the Gamma who had been a thorn in my side for years. The clip showed Ibrahim and Avery in matching Victorian-style outfits, their lips locked in a passionate kiss at his downtown apartment. These videos had become a regular torment, but what shattered me was Taylor’s voice at the end of the recording.

"Aunt Avery is so pretty and capable, unlike my silly mom. I want Avery to be my mom."

My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, a low, pained sound that mirrored the ache in my chest. That was the moment I knew I couldn’t keep pretending this bond was worth saving. When Ibrahim finally walked in, Taylor trailing behind him, I was ready.

“Alpha,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. “I want to end our mate bond.”

He paused, his dark eyes narrowing as if he hadn’t heard me correctly. Then he laughed, a cold, derisive sound that echoed through the den. “Christina, when did you start playing such childish games?”

I held out the papers, my hand steady. “I’m serious. It’s time we moved on.”

He took the documents, flipping through them with a smirk. “What will you do without me? The den you live in, the car you drive, your comfortable life—all thanks to me.”

His words stung, but not as much as they once would have. I glanced at Kaylani, the Omega who had cared for Taylor since she was a pup. At least she was compensated for her work; I had been living off Ibrahim’s position as Alpha, my contributions to the pack forgotten. It was no wonder Taylor saw me as less than Avery. Like father, like daughter. They both believed I couldn’t survive without them, which gave them the confidence to trample my dignity.

I slid the signed agreement across the table, my voice firm. “I’m serious, Alpha. Let’s proceed with the separation.”

He glanced at the papers again, his smirk fading into a frown. “You’re settling for just this much money?”

Yes, every time Ibrahim threatened to end our bond, he’d mentioned giving me a generous settlement. To him, it was pocket change. To me, it was freedom—enough to live comfortably for the rest of my life.

Ibrahim stood, his towering frame casting a shadow over me. “Just money? You don’t want your beloved daughter?”

I met his gaze, my voice calm. “No, I don’t.”

My words stunned both him and Taylor, but children react the quickest. She jumped up, her eyes bright with excitement. “Does that mean Aunt Avery can be my mom now?”

I looked down at her, her joy a sharp contrast to the heaviness in my chest. “Yes, Taylor. You can have a new mom.”

Ibrahim’s expression darkened as he studied me, his Alpha aura pressing down on the room. “Christina, we’ve held on for all these years. Why throw it all away now?”

“Because I’m tired of pretending,” I said, my voice steady. “I want to be free.”

He tossed the papers onto the table with a frustrated growl. “If you don’t agree, that’s fine. I can file for separation. It’ll be messier for you.”

I didn’t flinch. “Do what you need to do, Alpha.”

After a moment, he snatched the papers, signed them with a sharp flourish, and shoved them back at me. “Are you happy now?”

“Christina, don’t come crawling back to me later.”

I held the papers close, my heart aching but resolute. “I won’t.”

He added one last condition, his voice sharp. “I want a clause added: After this, without my permission, you’re not allowed to see Taylor.”

In the past, that would have been my greatest vulnerability. But now, I had none. I nodded calmly. “Agreed.”

He stared at me, his Alpha aura crackling with intensity, but I didn’t back down. Meanwhile, Taylor danced around him, oblivious to the tension, celebrating the prospect of having a new mom. I was glad for her; she could choose the mother she preferred.