After My Alpha Chose Her Over Our Pup

I couldn't sleep after dinner. The image of Greyson feeding Kyro, the intimate gestures between them, played on repeat in my mind. My hand rested protectively over my stomach as I paced our bedroom—alone. Greyson hadn't returned.

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.

"Riley? It's Palmer. Can I come in?"

I hesitated before opening the door. Palmer stood there, her expression concerned, her Beta authority radiating from her in waves of protective energy.

"We need to talk," she said, stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

"I'm not in the mood for lectures," I warned, turning away.

"This isn't a lecture." Palmer's voice was unusually gentle. "I saw something today. Something you need to know."

I faced her, crossing my arms defensively. "What?"

"Gracelyn." Palmer's jaw tightened. "I caught her in the laundry room this morning. She was... she was deliberately rubbing her scent on Greyson's clothes."

The accusation hung in the air between us. My wolf snarled inside me, but I pushed the reaction down.

"You're wrong," I said automatically. "She wouldn't dare."

"Riley." Palmer stepped closer, her eyes pleading. "I know what I saw. She was marking his clothes with that vanilla scent of hers. It's what rogues do when they're trying to claim territory—or wolves."

"That's ridiculous." But even as I denied it, doubt crept in. The vanilla scent that had been lingering around Greyson...

"Greyson wouldn't allow it," I continued, more to convince myself than Palmer. "He's my mate. We have a bond."

"A bond he's been ignoring," Palmer countered gently. "Riley, I've been watching this unfold for weeks. You're not the only one who's noticed."

I turned away, unable to face her sympathy. "Once he knows about the pup, everything will change."

Palmer's silence spoke volumes.

"What?" I demanded, whirling back to her.

"Nothing," she said softly. "I just hope you're right."

---

The week before the Moon Goddess Festival was always hectic. As Luna, I typically worked alongside Greyson to prepare the ceremonial fire—a tradition as old as our pack itself.

"This year's offerings need to be blessed before sunset," I reminded him at breakfast, my tone carefully neutral.

Greyson barely looked up from his phone. "You handle it."

"I need your help with the ceremonial wood," I insisted. "It requires both Alpha and Luna."

"Can't Thomas do it?" He shrugged, already standing to leave. "I have other priorities today."

I watched him walk out, frustration building in my chest. The ceremonial wood needed to be blessed by both of us—it was tradition, a symbol of our united leadership.

An hour later, I spotted them leaving the pack house—Greyson, Gracelyn, and Kyro piling into his black SUV.

"Where are they going?" I asked Beta Thomas, who was passing by.

"Into town," he replied uncomfortably. "For clothes shopping, I believe."

"Shopping?" I echoed incredulously. "The Alpha is shopping while I'm here preparing our most sacred ceremony alone?"

Thomas shifted uncomfortably. "He said it was important. For the festival."

I watched the SUV disappear down the drive, my hands clenched at my sides. "Of course it is."

---

The night of the festival arrived with a sky full of stars. I stood alone on the ceremonial dais, the blessed wood arranged perfectly around the fire pit. The pack had gathered in concentric circles, their faces expectant.

"Where is Alpha Greyson?" Elder Marcus whispered beside me.

"He'll be here," I assured him, though uncertainty gnawed at me.

The crowd murmured as minutes ticked by. I maintained my composure, though my wolf paced anxiously inside me.

Headlights cut through the darkness, and Greyson's SUV pulled up at the edge of the clearing. The crowd parted as he emerged, but it wasn't his presence that caused the collective gasp—it was who was on his arm.

Gracelyn stepped into the firelight, her dress a deep midnight blue that perfectly matched Greyson's Alpha ceremonial robes. The fabric shimmered as she moved, drawing every eye. Kyro trotted beside them, dressed in a miniature version of Greyson's formal attire.

"Sorry we're late," Greyson announced, his voice carrying across the clearing as he approached the dais. "We had important preparations to make."

The pack's shocked whispers reached my ears—the matching outfits were unmistakable in their implication. My cheeks burned with humiliation as Greyson helped Gracelyn up the steps to stand beside him.

"Brothers and sisters of Dark River," Greyson addressed the crowd, his Alpha voice resonating with power. "Tonight, we celebrate not only the Moon Goddess's blessing but also a new beginning for our pack."

He placed his hand on Kyro's shoulder, drawing the boy forward.

"Tonight, I announce my intention to formally adopt Kyro Sanders as my son."

The crowd erupted in murmurs. My vision blurred as Greyson continued speaking, but his words seemed to come from far away.

"...a son of the pack..." he was saying, his arm now around Gracelyn's waist.

I stood frozen beside them, invisible in the shadow of their manufactured family portrait.