Rejected Mate, Rising Alpha

Sitting in the living room of the Silver Moon Pack's alpha house, I alternated my gaze between my phone and a photo of Mom. Before she passed away, she had tearfully entrusted me to Alpha Mathias, imploring him to look after me.

The Alpha had knelt beside her hospital bed at that time, clutching her hand and assuring her with his deep, commanding voice, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll take good care of Lucia."

Yet not long after she left us, Alpha Mathias often didn’t return to the pack house at night. When he did, he carried the scent of another she-wolf's floral perfume—a scent that wasn’t mine. His neck and body were marked with numerous red patches, the kind left by possessive bites.

Whenever this happened, I would confront him in tears, asking if there was someone else. He would snap back in his alpha tone, the weight of his dominance pressing down on me, "You’re going stir crazy playing housewife all day. I have pack business to attend to, and it's only natural to pick up some scents."

Pushing away these memories, I packed my things and headed to Mom’s grave. The Silver Moon Pack cemetery was quiet, the moonlight casting long shadows over the tombstones. I knelt in front of hers, laid down flowers, and talked to her for a long time.

I told her how happy I was and how well the Alpha treated me. But those were just comforting lies. I hoped to soothe her spirit and keep her from worrying about me from above. With no family left in this world, I had to learn to rely on myself and grow stronger. My wolf stirred faintly in the back of my mind, a quiet whisper of support.

Night descended before I realized it, and my phone buzzed with a call from Alpha Mathias.

"Where did you go?" he demanded, his voice sharp and impatient.

Of course, he had forgotten today marked the anniversary of Mom’s death. Understandably, he was likely preoccupied with his supposed "adopted sister," Vanessa, the Gamma from the Crimson Fang Pack.

A wave of bitter hopelessness rose within me, but I forced myself to stay composed. "Today is Mom's memorial day. I'm at the cemetery."

There was a pause before he finally said, his tone softening slightly, "I'm sorry, Lucia. I was caught up with pack business and forgot. I'll come to pick you up right away."

Twenty minutes later, Alpha Mathias’s car pulled up at the cemetery. Light rain had begun falling, soaking my hair. He stayed inside the car, gesturing for me to hurry up and get in. I climbed into the passenger seat, the scent of Vanessa’s perfume lingering in the air, a cruel reminder of the bond that was slowly unraveling between us.