The Dark Witch Forced the Alpha to Cheat on Me

Curious about the news he might bring, I made my way to meet him. As I entered the room, the messenger greeted me with a polite bow.

"Luna Alara," He greeted, and I motioned for him to sit.

"Messenger Pascual, what brings you here?" I asked softly.

"I'm here to bring news and a message from your sister, Helen," He began.

I shifted in my seat, my attention fully captured. "What is it about her?"

He cleared his throat. "Luna Alara, your sister completed her five-year sentence in Lair Lock Prison just recently. When I saw her yesterday, she mentioned she'd tried to mind-link you, but it didn't go through, so she asked me to deliver her message instead."

"What… what message?" My voice wavered as a surge of nerves prickled through me.

Messenger Pascual met my gaze. "She wants to know if you'd consider meeting her for dinner, to talk and try to make amends."

I hadn't realized how much time had passed, nor had it dawned on me that Helen's release from prison was imminent. Hearing the news, and her invitation, stirred hesitation, fear, and, strangely, a glimmer of joy and excitement.

Unsure of how to react, I shared the news with Elija. As I expected, his immediate reaction was to forbid me from meeting her.

"My love, I know you still care for her, but given everything she's put you through, I can't risk your safety by letting you see her. It's too dangerous, I'm sorry." His voice was thick with concern.

"I'm scared too," I admitted, "but isn't there some way for me to meet her? Elija, I need to talk to my sister…"

In the end, Elija agreed to let me meet Helen, but with five pack warriors as escorts, and only for an hour. He made it clear he didn't want me with her at night.

When the day of the dinner arrived, I entered Penophy Restaurant with the warriors in tow. My eyes scanned the room until they landed on her.

My heart skipped a beat.

This was the first time I'd seen Helen in five years as her imprisonment had barred her from any visitors.

I turned to the warriors, asking them to take a table behind Helen's and order whatever food they liked. Then, slowly, I made my way over to her. A few moments passed before our eyes met, and my breath caught as I fought to hold back the tears threatening to spill.

Helen had always been beautiful, but now she looked so different—pale, thin, and weary. It was clear prison had been harsh, lonely, and unkind to her.

Yet, as I gazed deeper into her eyes, the anger and resentment were gone. She looked like the same sister I had once bravely protected from anyone who tried to hurt her.

"Hi…" She murmured, her voice soft. Despite the sadness in her gaze and the awkwardness between us, she managed a small, hesitant smile.

I returned her smile and gently reached for her hands. "Hi."

She took a deep breath, her fingers closing around mine. "I don't think just holding hands is enough. Alara, can I… can I hug you?"

I nodded, then pulled her into a tight embrace. In that moment, all other emotions faded, leaving only the warmth of Helen's presence and the love that had survived the years apart.

After a while, we settled into our seats, ordered our meal, and began talking—about life, the changes we'd been through, and everything else that had mattered in between.

"I've only been out of prison for a few weeks, but I've already noticed how much the Ravenwood Pack has grown. It's thriving in every way possible," She said, looking at me with admiration. "Alpha Elija's leadership must be incredible, but he couldn't have done it without a supportive, loving, and intelligent Luna by his side—and that's you."

"You think so?" I asked.

"Absolutely, Luna Alara! Honestly, after seeing how the pack has flourished under your leadership, I can't help but laugh at myself from five years ago for ever competing with you to be Elija's fated mate and Luna. You truly deserve this role more than anyone else—even me," Helen admitted.

Her words dragged me back to the shadows of our troubled past…

We were both eighteen that time—the age when every she-wolf meets their fated mate. By then, our relationship was already strained. Helen resented me, and I had grown accustomed to it.

Just when I thought our bond couldn't be damaged further, fate twisted harder…

We were both Elija's fated mates.

Such occurrences were remarkably rare and cruel, forcing the wolf to choose between two fated she-wolves—leaving the unchosen one mateless.

Back then, Elija was just the future Alpha of the pack, so whoever he chose between Helen and me would also be the future Luna…

The day before we were to meet him at the Ravenwood Kingdom, Helen confronted me.

"You once said you cared about me, didn't you? Then prove it now," She said, her eyes glinting with desperation and bitterness. "Don't show up at the meeting with Elija tomorrow. Tell him you don't want him to be your mate. Make that sacrifice for me, Alara."

"No—"

"I've lived my entire life in loneliness, Alara. Being mated to Elija, being this pack's Luna, is my only chance to change that. And it still all depends on you," She pressed.

"The choice is Elija's, not mine. And I'm sorry, Helen, but I won't give up my fated mate just to spare you from loneliness—especially when all you've ever shown me is resentment." I looked her in the eye. "Whoever he chooses tomorrow, I'll accept it, and I hope you can do the same." With that, I turned and walked past her.