Twilight of Betrayal: The Alpha’s Broken Promise

How far would you go for love?

As for me, I devoted my entire life to being the strongest support for the man I loved. But no matter how much I gave, it was never enough for him to return my feelings. It took fate playing a cruel joke on our wedding day for me to realize I had been doing it all for nothing.

“This is a disaster. Where’s the young Alpha? The bride’s been standing at the altar for over an hour!”

I shrunk before the moon as their voices rattled like empty cans behind me. I’ve been dying to run away and bawl my eyes out in some hole in the corner but I couldn’t. As the future Luna of the Wind Claw pack, I couldn’t display any weakness—not in front of our people, not in front of the allied packs who had gathered. I had to stand there, even as the shame piled on me. But this... this was too much.

Ever since we were kids, I’d dreamed of being Liam’s wife. Our fathers weren't just the Alpha and his Beta, they were sworn brothers, and we grew up watching them rule with strength and grace. Liam and I promised we would follow in their footsteps. I didn’t care what role I played, as long as it meant being by his side.

Then one day, he chose me to be his Luna. I knew it wasn’t out of love, but out of all the she-wolves out there, he picked me. It made me feel like I was important to him. I thought that would be enough—that maybe he’d learn to love me someday.

So why wasn't he here? What went wrong?

I closed my eyes, desperate to keep the tears from falling. This wasn’t the mating ceremony I had dreamed of.

Had I been too greedy? I silently begged the moon goddess for answers.

“Astrid, it’s going to be alright,” Leia, my best friend, whispered, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Something must’ve happened. Liam’s not the type to do this.”

I nodded, a bitter smile pulling at my lips. I wanted to believe that too, but what could possibly be more important than our wedding today?

I sighed, glancing up at the sky as the moon slipped completely out of alignment with the altar’s arch. The golden moment of the ceremony was gone.

I squared my shoulders and turned to face the crowd, but my courage wavered when I caught sight of my dad. The hurt and disappointment in his eyes were almost unbearable. He had opposed this marriage from the start, wanting me to marry my fated mate, just like my mom would have wanted if she were still here. But I had set my heart on Liam, and for my sake, he stepped aside.

With trembling lips, I took a deep breath and was about to address the guests when one of the patrol guards barged into the hall.

“Young Luna, I have a message from the young Alpha.”

My chest drummed wildly. I didn’t know what to expect. What could he possibly say? But the guard’s next words almost broke me.

“Think of it as if it never happened.”

Gasps erupted from the crowd, echoing like a blaring siren in my mind. What did he mean? The fact that he was late? The humiliation of this ceremony? Or... that he ever proposed to me in the first place? Which one was it?

While my mind spun in confusion, my dad’s furious roar jolted me back to reality.

“Where did that bastard run off to?” he growled.

But before the guard could answer, my father staggered, clutching his chest as he dropped to his knees.

“Dad!” I screamed, fear gripping me as I rushed to his side.

He’d been injured years ago during a rogue attack—his heart couldn’t handle too much stress. He could die if he wasn’t careful.

“No, Dad… please,” I whispered through tears, watching helplessly as the Alpha, Liam’s father, hoisted him onto his back.

“I’ll take care of Elliot,” he said, his voice controlled, though his rage was clear. “Go find my idiot son.”

I nodded, tears streaming down my face as I watched them rush toward the pack hospital.

Suddenly, emotions I never thought I’d feel toward Liam surged through me. Calling it anger didn’t even scratch the surface. I wanted to tear him apart, limb by limb, if it would dull the searing pain in my chest.

Fueled by rage, I sprinted toward the pack house. Leia called after me, her voice barely registering through the haze. I kicked open every door, hunting for any sign of Liam, but found nothing—no shadow, no trace.

Then I spotted his best friend, Brandon, emerging from the forest. He hadn’t been at the ceremony either. If anyone knew where Liam was, it would be him.

Without thinking, I charged across the field, slamming into him, sending us both crashing into the mud.

“Talk. Where is he, Brandon?” I snarled, my hands tightening around his neck.

Brandon coughed, struggling to breathe. “Liam… found his mate.” His voice was strained. “I don’t know where he went. He just… took off with her.”

I froze, stumbling backward as his words hit me like a silver bullet. Of all times, why now? Why when I had all of my hopes up?

I collapsed onto the ground, clutching my chest, the pain unbearable. This was worse than having a silver stake driven through my heart. And in that moment, I let out a howl that came from the deepest part of my soul, consumed by a grief I could no longer contain.