When The Alpha Chose Her Over Our Son

The chaos of the Great Hall swirled around me as I clutched Hollis to my chest. His blood seeped through my fingers, staining the white ceremonial cloth. The pack members' whispers faded to background noise as I focused solely on my son's wound.

"Hollis, look at me," I whispered, tilting his chin up. His small face was pale with shock, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Mama's going to fix this."

I pressed my hands against the gash on his arm, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. The wound was deep—too deep for a child his age. Panic surged through me, breaking through the carefully constructed walls I'd built around my true self.

"Heal," I murmured, forgetting everything except my need to protect my child.

Something stirred within me—a power I'd suppressed for years. A faint violet light shimmered beneath my palms, and I felt a surge of energy flow from me into Hollis. The bleeding stopped almost instantly, the edges of the wound drawing together at an unnatural speed.

Hollis's eyes widened. "Mama, your eyes..."

I froze, realizing my mistake. In my panic, I'd allowed my suppression to slip. My eyes—my royal Lycan eyes—must have flashed their true color.

"Close your eyes, sweetheart," I whispered urgently. "Mama's going to tell you a secret."

I quickly reconstructed my mental barriers, forcing the power back down. The violet light faded, but the wound had already closed significantly—far faster than normal.

"What's happening?" Hollis whimpered, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Just a trick I learned from your uncle," I lied, my heart racing. "Don't tell anyone, okay? It's our secret."

He nodded solemnly, and I kissed his forehead, relief washing over me. No one else had noticed—or so I hoped.

---

Later that night, I sat beside Hollis's bed in the nursery, watching his chest rise and fall as he slept. The bandage on his arm was clean and dry—no sign of the silver dagger's work remained.

The door opened without a knock. Nathaniel's scent—tinged with Bridget's perfume—filled the room before he did.

"You're still up," he said flatly, not bothering to lower his voice.

I rose from the chair, gesturing toward the hallway. "He's finally asleep. Please don't wake him."

In the corridor, I turned to face my mate. "How is Bridget?"

His eyes narrowed. "Traumatized. The ceremony triggered her heat prematurely."

"There was no heat," I said quietly. "There never is."

Nathaniel's face darkened. "Watch yourself, Kehlani. You forget your place."

"My place is protecting our son," I countered, my voice trembling with suppressed rage. "The son you abandoned during his ceremony."

"You dare blame me?" He stepped closer, his Alpha aura pressing against me. "Your weak genes are to blame. A true Alpha pup would have withstood the energy backlash."

The words cut deep, but I refused to cower. "Hollis is three years old."

"Which is why he needs a strong influence." Nathaniel's tone shifted to one of cold command. "You will apologize to Bridget tomorrow. She's distraught over the incident."

"Distraught that she ruined our son's ceremony?"

His hand shot out, gripping my wrist painfully. "Enough. You will make amends, or there will be consequences."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me shaking with anger and something else—something that felt dangerously close to rebellion.

---

The next afternoon, I stood in the corner of the Pack House's grand parlor, invisible in my plain dress while Elena directed preparations for the High Tea.

"The Silver Creek Luna prefers her tea with honey," she instructed one of the pack's Omegas. "And the Moon Valley Luna takes hers with lemon."

I watched silently as tables were arranged in a horseshoe formation, with the place of honor—next to Nathaniel—clearly reserved for someone special.

"Luna Kehlani," Elena's sharp voice cut through my thoughts. "You will be serving today."

I stepped forward. "Of course, Elder Elena."

"Not at the table," she clarified, her lip curling slightly. "You'll be pouring tea and serving cakes. Bridget will be seated with the other Lunas."

As if summoned by her name, Bridget swept into the room. She wore a pale blue dress—Luna colors—with silver accents that matched the traditional Luna pendant around her neck. My pendant.

"Perfect timing," Elena smiled warmly at Bridget—a smile I'd never received. "Take your seat, dear. The other Lunas will arrive soon."

Bridget's eyes met mine as she took her place at Nathaniel's right hand. A small, triumphant smile played at the corners of her mouth.

I turned away, busying myself with the tea service. But inside, something was shifting—the first cracks forming in the dam I'd built around my true self.

As I arranged delicate china cups on a silver tray, I caught sight of my reflection in the polished surface. For just a moment, my eyes flashed violet—a warning of what was to come.