After The Alpha's Betrayal I Reclaimed Myself

Living in the same suburban neighborhood of the Silver Moon Pack territory, Alpha Drake Ryan and I grew up side by side, our lives intertwined from childhood. The summer we graduated from the pack's high school, he confessed his feelings to me. It felt like a mere formality, as we seamlessly transitioned into being mates, our bond sealed by the Moon Goddess herself.

That same year, my father introduced us to a girl a year younger than me—his illegitimate daughter from a previous affair. My mother had passed away less than six months prior. The man I once saw as a gentle and scholarly ideal mate and father now appeared to me like a hidden monster. We had a major argument, and I insisted that if Adeline Nelson stayed in the house, there wouldn't be room for me. It was her or me.

He merely glanced at me with indifference and said, "Do as you wish." I grabbed the money my mother had left me, packed a few clothes, and moved out. I arranged to live at the pack's school dorms and severed all ties with my family. A year later, Adeline joined the same university as me, thanks to my father's donation for a new campus building.

On the outside, she was all smiles, but behind the scenes, she constantly tried to drive a wedge between me and my packmates and friends. She even leveraged my father's connections to secure investments, eventually pushing me out of the student council. Then she'd proudly flaunt her achievements in my face. But I never cared for these things. If anyone or anything could be taken away from me, they weren't worth my time. There were always people she couldn’t take away from me, no matter how hard she tried. Chief among them was Alpha Drake Ryan.

Adeline repeatedly tried to get close to Drake, even boldly declaring her love for him. She ingratiated herself with his Beta and Gammas to keep tabs on him, conveniently showing up at lectures, the cafeteria, the gym, and pack meetings. On Instagram, she chronicled her secret love affair, detailing her unrequited feelings. Every move Drake made became a reason for her heart to flutter. She was like a moth drawn to a flame, risking everything for that little glimmer of hope.

Drake often vented to me about Adeline’s obsessive behavior. In public, he'd directly tell her to leave him alone, trying to distance himself from her as much as possible. Yet Adeline was relentless, refusing to be discouraged. Three years of university passed with her hovering around us. At times, I almost believed she genuinely loved Drake deeply—until she confronted me, declaring that Drake would eventually fall for her and betray me.

I dismissed her claims without a second thought. Anyone could see how much Drake loved me. When I chose to live on campus, he rented an apartment nearby, urging me to move in with him. He wanted to share meals with me every day. I loved the spiced honey cakes from a bakery south of the city, but they were always in limited supply. Drake, ever the devoted mate, would rise early just to queue for them. When he handed me the cakes, they were still warm.

Both of us shared a passion for traveling, but I was inherently lazy and not great at planning. So Drake took charge of everything—booking hotels, scheduling sightseeing, reserving tickets, packing luggage. All I had to do was follow his lead.

Having grown up together, we shared countless memories. I never believed he could betray me.

After college, Adeline went overseas for further studies. I thought that marked the end of her chapter with Drake. But unexpectedly, her Instagram updates revealed a different story. In her third year of pursuing Drake, his attitude towards her began to shift.