The alpha who chose me

Aya

I once thought Cliffe Salvatore was capable of love, the kind of love that made your heart skip and your soul ache. But I was wrong. So painfully wrong.

He was the alpha heir to the Crimson Moon pack, and I was just a human orphan he’d taken in out of pity…or duty. I told myself it didn’t matter. One day, when he’d fully embraced his role, maybe things would change. Maybe he’d see me. So, I waited.

But tonight, in the celebration hall, everything shattered.

The night was supposed to be special, Cliffe’s ascension as the future alpha. I’d spent hours preparing, wearing a dress I’d saved for months to buy. I wanted him to notice me, just once not as a little girl but as a woman. I wanted to believe I mattered.

Instead, I walked in to find him standing at the center of the room, his hand resting on Evelyn Morten’s waist. The way he looked at her was possessive, adoring… it made my breath catch. She was stunning, her silver hair glowing in the moonlight, every bit the perfect match for him.

A reporter broke through the murmur of voices. “Alpha Cliffe, can you confirm the rumors about you and Beta Evelyn?”

Cliffe smiled. That smile, the one I thought I knew… tightened around Evelyn like a noose. “What do you think?” he said, his tone smooth, teasing. Then, as if to drive the blade deeper, he kissed her.

Gasps and cheers erupted. My world crumbled.

The gift I’d brought for him slipped from my trembling hands. I stumbled back, the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Somehow, I made it outside, gasping for air as tears blurred my vision.

My phone buzzed. My mom’s name flashed on the screen.

“Mom…” My voice broke as I answered.

“I saw the ceremony,” she said softly. “Aya, come home. You’ve given him enough of your life. It’s time to let go.”

Her words hit me like a slap. Let go? Could I?

“I’ll come home,” I whispered, my throat tight.

“Good,” she said. “But get closure first. Say goodbye.”

Closure. How do you say goodbye to a dream?

I stayed up that night, haunted by memories of Cliffe and going through pictures of our younger selves. We were so happy together. He’d been my protector, my savior. He’d come back for me once, pulling me from the orphanage into a world I didn’t belong in. I’d clung to him like he was my lifeline, believing in a bond that was never real.

Where did it all go wrong? When did we start to drift apart? Was it when I confessed my feelings to him?

At two in the morning, the sound of the front door slamming jolted me awake. Cliffe was back. But he wasn’t alone.

Evelyn followed him in, her beauty as striking in the dim light as it was under the moon. “This is cozy,” she said, her voice syrupy sweet. Her sharp gaze landed on me. “You must be Aya. Cliffe’s… sister?”

The word cut like a blade.

“Evelyn,” Cliffe said, ignoring my stunned silence. “Be nice. Aya’s family.”

Family. The word crushed me.

Evelyn smiled, her expression predatory. “Hope you don’t mind us barging in. The reporters were relentless, and Cliffe thought it’d be safer here.”

“It’s fine,” I managed, though my voice betrayed me.

Cliffe turned to me, his tone casual yet commanding. “Aya, can you make tea or something? Evelyn’s had a long night.”

I froze. “I… didn’t prepare anything tonight.”

His brow furrowed, and for a moment, he looked at me like I was a stranger. “You always have tea or something ready.”

Evelyn giggled, placing a hand on his chest. “Don’t be so harsh, Cliffe. I’m sure she’s just tired.” Her voice was light, playful, and it made him smile.

I bit my lip, holding back the tears threatening to spill. I wasn’t sure what hurt more, his indifference or my inability to hate him

Later that night, just as I was about to fall asleep, a knock came at my door.

Evelyn.

“Hey,” she said, her tone deceptively warm. “Can I come in?”

I hesitated but nodded.

She stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. Her smile turned cold. “I’ve always wondered how someone like you managed to stay in Cliffe’s life for so long. It must be nice, having him take pity on you.”

I clenched my fists, the sting of her words burning deep my wolfless human blood felt like a curse now.

Leaning closer, she whispered, “Here’s some advice… Cliffe doesn’t need you anymore. Do yourself a favor and disappear before he asks you to.”

Her words were a death sentence, delivered with a smile.

As she paraded around my room, I stood there in the suffocating silence, her voice echoing in my head.

Disappear.

Maybe she was right.