Luna Rejects Her Traitor Mate

The morning after Mazie's arrival, Isaac summoned me to his study. The room felt colder than usual, the air thick with tension as he sat behind his desk, a stack of papers before him.

"Charlotte," he began, his voice carrying that formal tone he rarely used with me. "I've prepared a schedule for you."

I remained standing, my wolf bristling inside me. "A schedule?"

"For Mazie's care." He slid the papers across the desk. "Her recovery requires specific attention."

I took the documents with trembling hands. The detailed daily schedule outlined everything from meal preparation to laundry duties—all tasks typically assigned to Omegas, not Lunas.

"Six a.m.: Prepare Mazie's breakfast. Seven a.m.: Wash her bedding. Eight a.m.: Assist with the pup's feeding." I read aloud, my voice growing tighter with each line. "Isaac, these are Omega duties."

"Needs are more important than titles right now," he replied dismissively. "Mazie needs a wolf dedicated to her recovery."

"And what will you be doing while I'm washing her sheets?"

His eyes narrowed. "Important pack training. The northern border patrols have reported rogue activity."

My wolf snorted. *Lies.*

"Is that all?" I asked, folding the papers.

"Charlotte." His voice dropped to that Alpha tone that made my skin crawl. "This isn't a request. As your Alpha, I'm ordering you to follow this schedule exactly."

The command settled over me like a heavy cloak. I felt my wolf retreat deeper inside, her silence more disturbing than her earlier protests.

"As you wish," I murmured, turning to leave.

"Oh, and Charlotte?" Isaac added. "Make sure Mazie's clothes are washed separately. She's sensitive to common detergents."

---

Three nights later, I woke to the sound of a door closing. The digital clock on my nightstand read 2:17 AM.

My wolf stirred. *Follow him.*

I slipped from bed, my bare feet silent on the cold floor. Through our bedroom wall, I could hear movement in the hallway—Isaac's familiar footsteps moving toward the east wing.

Toward Mazie's room.

I followed, my heart pounding against my ribs. The corridor was dark, but my wolf's enhanced vision guided me easily. I pressed myself against the wall outside Mazie's door, my breath caught in my throat.

"I never forgot our bond," Isaac's voice drifted through the thin wood, intimate and tender in a way he hadn't spoken to me in months. "All those years you were gone..."

"Mazie..." His voice broke slightly. "I wish I had fought harder for you before you left. Maybe then—"

"Maybe then what?" Mazie's voice was soft, inviting.

"Maybe then we wouldn't have wasted all these years apart."

I stood frozen, my nails digging crescents into my palms. My wolf, who had been so vocal in her protests before, now went deadly quiet.

*He's betraying us,* she whispered finally. *Not just our position. Us.*

Inside the room, I heard the soft rustle of fabric, the creak of a bed. My stomach twisted into knots.

"Charlotte doesn't understand what we have," Isaac murmured. "She never has."

I backed away from the door, my legs unsteady beneath me. The truth crashed over me like ice water—this wasn't just about pack politics or Mazie's recovery. This was about a bond that predated mine, one Isaac had never truly severed.

---

The next morning, while Isaac attended a pack council meeting, I slipped into the laundry room with a small vial from my personal collection.

Wolfsbane extract—diluted to just the right concentration.

My hands worked methodically as I sprinkled the clear liquid onto Mazie's freshly laundered clothes. Just enough to cause mild irritation, not enough to raise serious concerns.

"Just a little discomfort," I whispered to myself, carefully folding each garment. "Nothing permanent."

I moved to her bedding next, applying the extract to the sheets and pillowcases with precision.

"Perfect timing," I murmured as I heard the front door open—Isaac returning from his meeting.

I quickly finished, tucking the empty vial into my pocket before gathering the laundry basket.

"Mazie will be so pleased with how fresh everything smells," I called out, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.

My wolf watched silently as I carried the basket to the Luna suite—my former suite—and placed it on the bed.

"Your laundry, as requested," I told Mazie, who was nursing her pup.

She smiled up at me, oblivious to what I'd done. "You're so thoughtful, Charlotte. Isaac always said you were."

I returned her smile, my wolf finally stirring with a sense of grim satisfaction.

"Yes," I agreed softly. "I'm full of surprises."