After My Alpha Rejected Me, I Stole His Pack

The guards dragged me from the Omega quarters at dawn, their hands rough against my arms. Mabel clung to my leg, her small fingers trembling.

"Mama, where are they taking us?"

I smoothed her silver-blonde hair, trying to mask my fear. "Just to work, my little moon. Stay close to me."

They marched us to the main hall where Amora's gathering was already underway. Dozens of pack members mingled, their laughter and conversation filling the space. At the center stood Amora in a flowing blue dress that matched my eyes—another piece of my identity she'd stolen.

"Lilith will serve drinks," announced Beta Marcus, his voice flat. "As befits her Omega status."

A weighted tray of crystal glasses was thrust into my hands. The silver collar burned against my throat as I moved among the guests, invisible except when someone needed refreshment.

"Tell us more about Lilith's betrayal," an elder called to Amora, her voice carrying across the room.

Amora's eyes found mine as she spoke, her smile venomous. "When Lilith left with the rogues, she abandoned everything sacred to our pack."

"I didn't leave," I whispered, the words barely audible even to myself.

"She chose a rogue over her fated mate," Amora continued, her voice breaking with false emotion. "She chose darkness over the Moon Goddess's blessing."

Something snapped inside me. Five years of captivity. Five years of fighting to survive. Five years of singing lullabies to Mabel in the dark—all reduced to a lie.

"No," I said, louder this time.

Silver surged within me, clawing against the silver collar's suppression. For one breathtaking moment, she broke through—

A feral snarl tore from my throat, raw and primal. The room fell silent.

Amora stepped back, her eyes widening in momentary fear before her mask of composure returned.

"Maverick!" she cried out. "She threatened me!"

He materialized beside her in an instant, his Alpha aura exploding outward like a physical force. The weight of it crashed into me, driving me to my knees.

"Submit," he commanded, his Alpha tone vibrating through my bones.

The silver collar burned white-hot against my skin. I fought against it, muscles straining, tears streaming down my face.

"Mama!" Mabel screamed, trying to pull away from the guard who held her. "Stop hurting my mama!"

The elders watched with cold eyes as I collapsed fully to the floor, my body convulsing under the pressure of Maverick's dominance.

"Remember your place," he said quietly, for my ears alone. "You are nothing here."

---

"The Alpha's office needs cleaning," Beta Marcus informed me the next day. "Every surface, every book, every drawer."

I nodded numbly, Mabel safely hidden with an elderly Omega who had shown her kindness.

Maverick's office smelled of him—pine and winter frost, once intoxicating, now suffocating. I dusted his mahogany desk, careful not to disturb the precisely arranged papers.

A leather-bound journal caught my attention as I wiped the shelf behind his desk. It was pushed far back, almost hidden. I glanced at the door before pulling it free.

Mind-link logs. Dating back five years.

My hands trembled as I flipped through the pages. The entries had been altered—ink smudged, words changed. But one thing remained consistent: mentions of search parties being redirected, patrol routes changed.

And beneath it all, the faintest trace of scent—rare herbs that could alter one's natural fragrance. The same herbs Amora used to mimic my jasmine scent.

"She planned it," I whispered to Silver, who stirred weakly within me. "She orchestrated everything."

---

The forest edge was shrouded in shadow when I slipped away to meet Talon. Mabel was asleep in the Omega quarters, the wooden wolf pup clutched to her chest.

"You found something," Talon said as I approached, his amber eyes reflecting moonlight.

I handed him the journal I'd managed to steal. "Look at these entries from five years ago."

His expression darkened as he studied the pages. "These routes... these were the search parties looking for you."

"Amora changed them," I said. "She deliberately sent them away from where I was being held."

Talon's jaw tightened. "The pack is corrupted, Lilith. From top to bottom."

I nodded, the truth settling like ice in my veins. "The mate bond is poisoned beyond repair."

"We need to leave," Talon said quietly. "Both of you."

"How?" The territory was heavily guarded, especially now with my return.

Talon took my hand, his touch warm against my cold fingers. "I have contacts beyond the border. Former packmates who owe me favors."

"Where would we go?"

"Somewhere safe," he promised. "Somewhere Mabel can grow strong without fear."

As we planned our escape in whispers, the moon rose higher in the night sky. For the first time since my return, I felt something beyond pain and betrayal.

Hope.

But as Talon sketched a route on the forest floor, a twig snapped in the distance. We froze, scenting the air.

Someone was coming.