I Reject the Alpha King

A video of me shaming my father spread to every pack in North America within three hours.

My phone blew up with notifications.

"Princess of the Laurel Pack Admits Father is a Murderer."

"Future Luna Disowns Family in Public Ceremony."

"Draven Vance Betrayed by His Own Daughter."

My mother sat in the living room, her phone slipping from her trembling hands.

"Tricia..." her voice was broken. "Why did you..."

"I had to," I knelt before her, taking her cold hands in mine. "He would have killed you."

She shook her head, the light in her eyes dimming.

"Our family..." she murmured. "Three hundred years of honor..."

Just then, the phone rang.

It was a call from the detention center.

"Miss Vance, your father..." the voice on the other end was frantic. "He stabbed himself with a silver dagger. He's losing a lot of blood."

My blood froze.

"What?!"

"He's being rushed to the medical center now. You need to come quickly!"

I pulled my mother up and we ran for the door.

The medical center was in the heart of the Blackwood Pack territory. We raced there, arriving in a frantic ten minutes.

But the gates were locked.

Two Beta warriors stood guard.

"Let us in!" I yelled, running to the gate. "My father is in there!"

"Sorry, Luna," one of them said, blocking my path. "Alpha's orders. No one is allowed inside."

"What? Why?!"

"The champion warrior, Thunder, was injured during training," the warrior explained. "The Alpha said no one is to disturb the medics until Thunder is out of danger."

I couldn't believe it.

"My father is dying!"

"Orders are orders," he said, his face a stone mask.

My mother threw herself against the iron bars of the gate.

"Draven! Draven!" she screamed, her voice raw. "Let me in! Please!"

We could hear frantic footsteps and the beeping of medical equipment from inside.

But no one opened the gate.

I reached for Baton through our mind link, only to slam into a wall of solid ice. He had blocked me. I pulled out my phone and dialed his number again and again. No answer.

Time ticked by, each second an eternity.

The sounds from inside grew more frantic, then suddenly went quiet.

A terrible feeling washed over me.

"No..." I collapsed to the ground. "Please, no..."

Half an hour later, the gates finally opened.

A doctor walked out, pulling off his gloves.

"Miss Vance..." His eyes were full of pity. "I'm so sorry. We did everything we could."

My world shattered.

My mother and I rushed into the medical bay.

My father was lying on a bed, his face as white as a sheet. His chest was wrapped in blood-soaked bandages.

"Dad..."

His eyes fluttered open. He saw us, and a flicker of relief crossed his face.

"Tricia..." he rasped. "My little moonbeam..."

"Don't talk," I sobbed, grabbing his hand. "The doctors will save you."

He shook his head, using his last bit of strength to squeeze my hand.

"Listen to me..." Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. "Don't... don't beg him for anything."

"Dad..."

"Contact... Caleb Reed of the River Shore Pack," his voice grew weaker. "He'll help you... get away from here."

"I'm not leaving! I'll get revenge for you!"

"No." The light in his eyes was pure fatherly love. "Live well. That is your victory. Promise me."

His hand went limp in mine.

The last breath rattled in his chest, and the light in his eyes went out.