Betrayed by My Alpha Mate

The mountain air bit at my cheeks as I followed Albert's scent trail deeper into the pine forest. Something felt wrong about this hunt—the way he'd insisted I stay behind, the secretive glances between him and his warriors, the tension that had been building for weeks since I'd been stripped of my Luna duties.

But I couldn't shake the protective instinct that had driven me to follow anyway. My wolf whined anxiously beneath my skin, sensing danger that I couldn't name.

Albert's scent led me up a rocky slope where loose stones scattered under my boots. The trail grew fainter as wind whipped through the trees, carrying away the familiar musk and cedar that had once meant safety to me. Now it only reminded me of how far we'd fallen.

I pushed through a thicket of mountain laurel, branches catching at my jacket, when the ground simply disappeared.

The hidden ravine swallowed me whole. I tumbled down the steep embankment, rocks and roots tearing at my clothes, mud splashing across my face as I hit the bottom with a bone-jarring thud. Pain shot through my ribs as I lay gasping in the shallow creek that ran along the ravine floor.

For long minutes, I could only breathe and assess the damage. Nothing broken, but my jacket was torn, my jeans soaked through with muddy water. Debris clung to my hair, and when I touched my cheek, my fingers came away bloody from where a branch had scratched me.

The climb back up took forever. My hands kept slipping on the wet rocks, and by the time I hauled myself over the edge, I was covered head to toe in mud and creek water. My scent was completely masked by the earthy smell of wet soil and decaying leaves.

I heard voices before I saw them—Albert's commanding tone cutting through the forest air. Relief flooded through me as I stumbled toward the sound, eager to explain what had happened, to see concern in his eyes instead of the cold indifference I'd grown used to.

"There!" someone shouted. "By the oak grove!"

I stepped into the clearing, raising my hand in greeting. "Albert, I—"

The words died in my throat as I saw his expression. No recognition. No relief. Only the hard, predatory stare of an Alpha who'd found his prey.

"Rogue," he snarled, his wolf pressing against the surface. "How dare you trespass on pack lands?"

My blood turned to ice. "Albert, it's me. It's Birdie—"

But he wasn't listening. The mud and debris had completely masked my scent, and in his paranoid state, he saw only what he expected to see—an intruder, a threat to be eliminated.

"Take her," he commanded his warriors, his voice carrying the full weight of Alpha authority. "Strip her. Rogues don't deserve the dignity of clothing on our territory."

Hands seized my arms before I could react. Marcus Reid, his Beta, hesitated for a moment, his nostrils flaring as if trying to catch my scent. But Albert's next words cut through any doubt.

"Now! She's probably been spying on us for weeks. This is what happens to trespassers who think they can infiltrate the Moonstone Pack."

Tears streamed down my muddy cheeks as rough hands tore at my jacket, my shirt. "Albert, please! Look at me! It's Birdie!"

But my voice was lost in the chaos of his rage, in the warriors' grunts of effort as they followed their Alpha's orders without question. The cold mountain air hit my exposed skin like a slap.

"Break her legs," Albert ordered, his voice devoid of mercy. "Let her crawl back to whatever hole she came from and tell them what happens to rogues who dare enter our territory."

The first blow to my shin sent agony shooting up my leg. I screamed—not from the pain, but from the soul-deep anguish of watching my mate, my husband, my everything, order my destruction without a flicker of recognition.

"ALBERT!" I shrieked his name with everything I had left, my voice carrying across the mountainside like a wounded animal's cry.

The second blow never came. The warriors froze, their hands still gripping my arms as my broken voice echoed through the trees. Albert's face went white as realization crashed over him like a wave.

"Birdie?" he whispered, his Alpha mask cracking. "Oh, Moon Goddess... Birdie?"

I couldn't speak through the pain radiating from my shattered leg. Could only stare at him through tears and mud, watching him see me—really see me—for the first time in months.

"What were you doing here?" His voice hardened again, panic making him cruel. "Why were you following us? This is your fault—you shouldn't have been here!"

Even now, even after ordering my torture, he couldn't accept responsibility. Couldn't apologize. Could only blame me for caring enough to worry about his safety.

The warriors released me, and I crumpled to the forest floor, my broken leg useless beneath me. Albert stood over me, his face a mask of anger and guilt, while I dragged myself inch by agonizing inch toward the tree line.

No one helped me. No one followed.

I was truly alone.