After My Mate Gave Our Son to His Mistress
Chapter 1
The moonlight cast long shadows across my desk as I hunched over the maps, my fingers stained with ink and herbal residue. Three nights without sleep had left me hollow-eyed, but the strategy was finally coming together. I'd spent every waking hour analyzing the new rogue threat patterns, cross-referencing them with our territory's vulnerabilities.
"Just a few more adjustments," I murmured to myself, rotating the map to examine the northern ridge. My wolf, Luna, stirred restlessly within me.
*You need to rest, Scarlett*, she whispered in my mind.
"One moment," I replied, adding another notation to the defensive formation. The rogues had been growing bolder, more organized. Without a comprehensive strategy, our borders wouldn't hold.
I reached for the mortar, grinding moonflower petals into the mixture. The healing potion for the injured sentry needed to be ready by dawn. Jaxxon had promised me additional supplies for my work, but they never came. I'd learned to make do with what little I had.
"Almost there," I whispered, adding a drop of silver essence to the potion. It shimmered faintly as the ingredients combined properly.
My back ached as I straightened, the candle having burned down to a stub. Dawn was breaking over the mountains. I gathered the strategy documents and healing potion, carefully arranging them in a leather folder.
Jaxxon would be pleased. He had to be. This defense plan could save countless pack members.
---
"You're late," Jaxxon's voice cut through the morning air as I approached the council chamber. He stood tall and imposing in his Alpha attire, Elena hovering at his side in a dress that seemed more suited for a gala than a strategy meeting.
"I finished the defense strategy," I said, holding out the folder. "And the healing potion for Delta Marcus."
Jaxxon's eyes flickered to the folder, then to Elena. Something passed between them—a glance I couldn't quite interpret.
"Give those to Beta Ryan," he said dismissively. "You can help in the kitchen today. The elders expect a proper meal after the meeting."
"But..." I clutched the folder tighter. "This is my work. I've been up for three nights straight perfecting it."
Elena's lips curved into a smile that never reached her eyes. "Don't worry, Scarlett. I'll ensure your... efforts aren't wasted." She took the folder from my hands, her manicured nails scraping against mine.
"Actually," Jaxxon added, "Elena has some excellent insights on tactical positioning. She'll be presenting the strategy as our tactical advisor."
The floor seemed to tilt beneath me. "What?"
"Is there a problem, Omega?" Jaxxon's voice dropped into the Alpha tone that made my knees weaken.
"No, Alpha," I whispered, though Luna growled in protest within me.
---
Hours later, I slipped into Jaxxon's study to find wolfsbane for the healing potion. The sentry's wounds were worsening—infection had set in, and I needed stronger medicine than what Elena had authorized.
The room smelled of him—pine and smoke and authority—but underneath lurked another scent. Floral. Sweet. Elena.
I pushed aside the thought and searched through the cabinets. Nothing. The rare herbs I needed were missing.
"Where would he keep them?" I muttered, scanning the bookshelves.
A draft brushed my face—cool air from nowhere. I turned slowly, noticing a slight gap behind the leather-bound volumes on the far wall. When I pressed against the books, they gave way with a soft click.
A hidden door.
My heart pounded as I slipped inside. The room beyond was small but ornate, lined with paintings that stole my breath.
Elena. Dozens of renderings of Elena in various poses—laughing, dancing, her face in profile. Some were recent, but others...
I picked up a journal from a small table, my hands trembling as I opened it.
"Today she wore blue. It matched her eyes perfectly. If only she had danced with me at the Mate Ball. Everything would have been different."
The date at the top of the page was five years ago—before Jaxxon and I were mated.
I flipped through more pages, each entry more disturbing than the last.
"Elena looked at me today. Really looked. She knows I'm meant to be with her."
"The Moon Goddess made a mistake. My true mate is Elena, not the Omega healer."
My legs gave out as I sank to the floor, clutching the journal. Luna howled in anguish within me.
*He never wanted us*, she cried. *Never.*
A silk scarf caught my eye—Elena's signature perfume clinging to it. Beside it lay a crystal bracelet I'd seen her wear at the last pack gathering.
Jaxxon hadn't just betrayed me recently. This obsession had consumed him for years.
I reached for another journal, my fingers numb. The first page bore a single sentence that shattered whatever remnants of hope I'd clung to:
"When Elena is finally mine, I'll find a way to break the mate bond with Scarlett. The Moon Goddess will understand my heart's true desire."
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