Luna Leaves Her Alpha

"Dear Mrs. Franklin, it wasn't your fault that young Luke ate those toxic berries back then. It was because of Miss Maeve..."

“What?” It felt like I was being crushed under a massive weight, unable to move.

It was supposed to be a routine morning. As usual, my Alpha partner, who had been shirking his duties as leader for quite some time, urged me through our mental connection to go to the tribal headquarters to handle both internal and external affairs for him.

Instead, I found Richard’s secretary, Alaina, collapsed at the entrance. I quickly called the doctor to help and take her to the clinic.

When she woke up, tears in her eyes, she confessed a truth that made my entire body tremble. She couldn’t look me in the eye as I stood there, feeling pale and frozen.

"At that time, Miss Maeve brought a snack over, saying it was for Master Luke. We never imagined... there was poison in it..."

I stared at her, feeling as if I’d been thrown into a blizzard, my hands and feet icy cold, my chest tightening painfully.

Five years ago—I had taken Luke to the training ground, planning to leave briefly to take care of some affairs. I never expected him to mistakenly eat those poisonous berries while I was away.

I'll never forget the sight of my son lying in bed, his face terrifyingly pale, purple blotches spreading from his neck to his arm, nearly reaching his heart, his entire body convulsing, calling out to me in a haze.

And where was Richard? I reached out to him through our mental connection countless times, but there was no response—because he was wrapped up with Maeve.

While my child was fighting for his life.

For years, I blamed myself for the incident and couldn’t fend off the tribe’s upper leadership who wanted to take Luke away from me. My guilt left me powerless.

But from the start, it had been Maeve’s scheme...

Struggling through the tribe’s affairs, leaning against the wall, I tried contacting Richard to confront him about whether he knew anything about that incident.

He completely ignored my mental connection. As I stormed to his room to confront him, Maeve’s voice suddenly emerged from inside.

“She’s doing it on purpose, knowing full well we’re together, yet she sends people to disturb our lovely morning.” Maeve complained loudly.

Not just voices, but the sound of the bed creaking echoed—each sound a cruel jab to my ears.

“Don’t be upset, darling; nobody will bother us again.” And my partner, my Alpha, Richard, spoke reassuringly, his voice sweet and soothing, filled with the tenderness that once captured me.

“Oh, Rick, honey, why don’t you break the bond with her? Do you... still love her?”

“Ha, what a joke. I’ve been over her for a long time. That rosemary scent she carries makes me want to gag. You are my only happiness.”

I sat against the wall, knees drawn up, eyes shut, feeling my heart clench painfully. He once said it was his favorite scent, likening it to home.

He lied; he’d always been lying.

“She’s still useful. I couldn’t care less about those annoying subordinates. As long as she willingly handles tribe affairs, I’ll have more time for you.”

“Whatever you say, honey.”

—She’s still useful.

Listen to that judgment. I always believed I was his Luna, his partner in battle, the woman he loved. But in the end, in his eyes, I was just a convenient asset. The one he loved was the woman who nearly killed my son, who kept us apart for years, his lover.

Over ten years, I devoted myself entirely to Richard because he had been my obsession.

I saw him disregard his injuries on the battlefield, rushing to tear apart the assailant threatening me. That moment, drenched in blood, he held me tight, saying I mattered more than his own life. That was my moment of surrender.

Later, we had a bright and clever son, a future heir I was proud of. I thought we would become the happiest family, yet Richard flaunted his affair with Maeve while I was nurturing.

For Luke, I endured the immense pain, covering for him, claiming Maeve was merely a frequent visitor. Even with the ridicule behind my back for being the betrayed mate, I grit my teeth and shared years with Maeve.

But I never expected that my years of silent endurance would lead to their audacity. They took over what was also my Alpha’s room, brazenly indulging next door, openly pairing up in the tribe...

Even plotting against my only child.

I bit my lip hard, unable to stop the tears from spilling down.

...

Reflecting on when Alaina tearfully confessed before I left the clinic, “Mrs. Franklin... I’m pregnant. I finally understand how scary and painful it is to be a mother. I’m sorry; I’ll resign—even if you don’t forgive me.”

I couldn’t respond at the time because my mind was already in chaos.

Everything I’ve been through, all Luke has endured, cannot simply be summarized by “pain and suffering.”

For five years, my son and I were both condemned because of the poisoning incident. People said he was frail, blamed his carelessness, attributed his near-death to incompetence; they accused me of negligence, called me an unfit mother, mocked my pain as trivial gossip.

Even the tribe’s leaders publicly criticized me during meetings with Richard present: “Chief, we’re questioning Luna’s ability to teach the child. The Alpha’s heir cannot be raised as a failure.”

Richard said, “Phoenix lacked experience raising children before; we can’t blame her entirely. You should propose a suitable plan for the heir’s education. The decision will be made by the vote tally, and Phoenix, as the primary responsible party, won’t participate in the vote.”

Then, I thought he was speaking for me out of obligation. Only now do I realize, belatedly, he was merely offering a token gesture to excuse himself from responsibility.

I want to confront him: As the child’s father, aren’t you even remotely responsible? Where were you then? What were you doing? Luke nearly died!

All because he was the tribe’s Alpha, my partner, his word carried authority.

So, the fate of my only son was hastily decided by them—the leaders voted unanimously to send him to a boarding school far south, allowing me only one visit per year.

The pride of the tribe, Luna’s dignity, and a mother’s heart—all trampled into the dirt.

Today, at this moment, I finally see the truth. All of this stems from Maeve’s jealousy, Richard’s indulgence, and my own unwillingness to face reality.

Slowly, I stood, biting my lip hard enough to draw blood.

I’ve had enough.

For the first time, I considered leaving—not in defiance, not impulsively, but from a profound sense of despair.