Rejected Luna's Royal Vengeance

I watched as Callan Ryan swaggered into the packhouse, his sly grin making my skin crawl. He reached out to touch me, and before I could think, my hand shot out, slapping him hard across the face.

"If you touch me again, I’ll report you to the Lycan Council for harassment!" I spat, my voice trembling with anger.

Moments later, a few pack members—relatives of Briar Ryan—grabbed files from the table and hurled them at me. Their growls of anger filled the room, their eyes flashing with hostility.

"You’re shameless! How dare you lay a hand on my uncle! I’ll teach you a lesson!" one of them snarled, stepping closer.

This packhouse was a mess. Eighty percent of the pack were Briar’s relatives, and the land title was in his father’s name. Yet, it was my mother, a respected Healer, who had sold her beloved emeralds to help Briar establish his position as Beta. I had sacrificed my dream of becoming a Gamma to support him, all because he claimed his father was traditional and wouldn’t accept a mate in a higher rank.

Suddenly, a soft, fragile voice broke through the chaos.

"Oh, Beta Briar, I’m so scared."

Everyone turned, and there was Ivey Cook, the delicate Luna wannabe, nestled in Briar’s arms like a fragile flower. Her eyes were wide with feigned innocence, and she clung to him as if I were some kind of monster.

Callan, ever the opportunist, quickly chimed in, "Son, I’ve told you before to cut ties with this horrible woman. Look at her! She even had the nerve to hit me today!"

I retorted, my voice sharp, "You were the one harassing me! Hitting you was self-defense!"

To my disbelief, Briar turned on me, his voice rising in a commanding alpha tone. "Shut up! That’s my father! So what if he said something to you or touched you? It’s just a sign of affection from an elder. Stop making baseless accusations against him!"

Callan was no saint. He’d clawed his way up from a rough background, using Briar’s pack resources to start his own pack. Now, he was the Gamma of Briar’s pack, and he’d grown more arrogant with every passing day. He’d always tried to get handsy with me, and despite mentioning it to Briar countless times, he’d dismissed it, saying his father would never compete with him over a woman.

For Briar’s sake, I had tolerated it. But now that I’d ended our mate bond, I had no reason to endure it any longer.

Ivey’s eyes welled up with tears, and she glanced at Callan apologetically. "Beta Callan, I’m sorry you’re dealing with this because of me. Luna Aviana is probably just upset that Beta Briar and I are formalizing our mate bond, so she’s taking it out on you."

Briar’s gaze hardened as he pointed at me. "Just now, you were so adamant about our breakup, acting like some tragic heroine, and now you come here to cause trouble for my father. Are you even a wolf? Everyone has their limits!"

"Do you want me to demote you from the pack? I won’t give you a single resource from your years of service!"

"Kneel down and apologize to my father!"

I suddenly wanted to laugh. What kind of wolf had I tied my life to for six years? At last, I could see clearly. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of anger and regret echoing in my mind. I had given up so much for this pack, for Briar, and for what? To be treated like dirt by the very wolves I’d sacrificed everything for?

"Enough," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "I’m done with this pack. I’m done with you, Briar. And I’m done with your family."

Briar’s eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in them—regret, maybe, or even fear. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by that cold, dismissive look I’d come to know too well.

"You’ll regret this," he said, his voice low and threatening.

But I knew better. I had already regretted everything. Now, it was time to move on.