Betrayed By My Alpha Mate

I am the long-lost Lycan Princess of the Lycan Queen, destined to reclaim my rightful place at the mark ceremony. But my mate, Callahan, told me I had attracted the attention of the Rogue King and must hide my identity. He stripped me of my ceremonial attire to dress his Beta, Nayeli, and drained my aura to enhance hers. Believing their lies, I prepared to flee to the Rogue territory for safety. The moment I stepped out of the packhouse, strange messages flashed before my eyes.

【She’s being played! The Rogue King threat is a lie. They’re waiting for the Lycan Queen to descend and mistake Nayeli for the true Lycan heir, elevating her to royalty without years of training.】

【The second you step into Rogue territory, the Rogue King will capture you and destroy your wolf, turning you into nothing more than a shell.】

【Meanwhile, Callahan and Nayeli will cement their bond, and the Lycan Queen, pitying Callahan for his 'sacrifice,' will grant them royal status. Their love story will become legendary.】

I froze, then turned back to the packhouse where the ceremony was being held.

---

Before I even stepped inside, the sight before me stabbed at my heart. Callahan was exchanging vows with Nayeli, while Wayne, the pack’s Gamma, stood by, offering his blessing. The ceremonial dress that had looked so ill-fitting on me seemed tailor-made for Nayeli. No wonder I had always disliked the floral patterns he insisted on, yet he had stubbornly chosen this design. When I complained it didn’t fit and needed alterations, he had scolded me for being distracted instead of focusing on my training. Now I understood—this ceremony was never meant for me.

The moment I entered, Callahan’s smile vanished, replaced by panic. “Cataleya! What are you doing here? I told you to stay away!”

Wayne grabbed my arm, his expression equally urgent. “You’re ruining everything! Get out of here and head to Rogue territory like we planned!”

Seeing their identical expressions of fear, I suddenly believed the messages were true. I scoffed and shook off Wayne’s grip, striding into the room. My eyes locked on Callahan as I said, “If this is our mark ceremony, how can it happen without me?”

The pack members turned to me, their faces filled with disapproval. One of them snapped, “Are you delusional? This is Callahan and Nayeli’s ceremony. What does it have to do with you?”

They threw an invitation at me, and I saw their names printed clearly on it. Callahan’s expression darkened, and he growled, “Don’t cause trouble here! If you ruin this ceremony, you’ll face the consequences!”

I smirked, my gaze shifting to Nayeli’s ceremonial dress. “That dress is mine. Give it back.”

The messages had said the Lycan Queen expected me to be the bride at this ceremony. I needed to reclaim my place. As I reached for the dress, Nayeli let out a pitiful cry, clinging to Callahan. He grabbed my wrists and shoved me back with force. “Cataleya! I’ve tolerated your tantrums before, but this is *my* ceremony with Nayeli. If you don’t stop, I’ll have you punished according to pack law!”

I stumbled, weakened from days of fasting in preparation for my supposed exile. My eyes met Callahan’s cold gaze as I said, “I don’t care who you’re bonding with. That dress was made for me. It’s mine.”

Nayeli burst into tears, her voice trembling. “Are you accusing me of stealing your dress? I know you’ve always been jealous of Callahan’s attention toward me, but you can’t just slander me like this!”

Callahan’s arm tightened around her, his expression growing darker. “What do you even want? Even if you wore that dress, I would never bond with you! Are you really here to make a fool of yourself?”

His disdain cut deep, but I forced myself to stay calm. I reached for the part of the dress where I had secretly embroidered my initials. Just as my fingers brushed the fabric, Nayeli cried out, “There’s no embroidery, Cataleya. No matter how hard you pretend, it’s not there.”

She turned to the pack, her voice soft and pleading. “I feel sorry for her. She’s been in love with Callahan for so long, and I’ll give her the dress. Let her have this moment, even if it’s just an illusion.”

Her words were a calculated move to prevent me from exposing the truth. The pack members immediately rallied around her, hurling insults at me. “How dare you ruin their bond like this! You’re shameless!”

I clenched my fists, taking a deep breath. The most important thing was to wait for the Lycan Queen to arrive and prove my true identity. Everything else could wait.