Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the King

I didn't sleep. How could I, with Hudson's betrayal burning through our mate bond like acid? Every time I closed my eyes, I saw flashes of his memories—his hands in another woman's hair, his lips whispering promises that should have been mine alone.

By dawn, rage had crystallized into cold determination. I found Hudson in our kitchen, casually sipping coffee as if he hadn't shattered our mating the night before. He looked up when I entered, and I caught the flash of guilt in his eyes before his Alpha mask slipped back into place.

"We need to talk," I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Hudson set down his mug with deliberate slowness. "Alyssa, about last night—"

"About last night? About Rosie Willis?" I watched him flinch at the name. "Yes, Hudson. I know exactly who she is. Your former chosen mate. The Omega's daughter you've been meeting behind my back."

His jaw tightened. "You don't understand—"

"I understand perfectly." I stepped closer, letting my Alpha aura unfurl. "I understand that you've been lying to me for months. I understand that while I've been honoring our mate bond, you've been dishonoring it with someone else."

"It's not that simple!" Hudson's own dominance flared, but I didn't back down. "Rosie and I have history. She's been through hell because of our mating—"

"Our mating?" The words came out as a snarl. "You mean the sacred bond blessed by the Moon Goddess? The bond you swore to honor above all else?"

Hudson's face darkened. "Don't lecture me about sacred bonds, Alyssa. You have no idea what it's like to be torn between duty and—"

"And what? Love?" The word tasted bitter. "If you love her so much, then let's end this charade right now. I want to break our mate bond."

The coffee mug shattered against the floor as Hudson shot to his feet. "You can't be serious."

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life." I met his gaze without flinching. "I won't be the mate you settle for because the Moon Goddess chose me. I won't be the political alliance you maintain while your heart belongs to someone else."

"You're being ridiculous!" His Alpha tone crashed over me like a tidal wave, but my own power rose to meet it. "You can't just break a fated mate bond because you're jealous—"

"Jealous?" I laughed, the sound sharp enough to cut. "I'm not jealous, Hudson. I'm done. Done with the lies, done with the disrespect, done with you."

His eyes flashed gold with fury. "Fine! If that's how you want it, maybe we should take a break from each other. Maybe then you'll realize how good you have it!"

He stormed out, slamming the door so hard the windows rattled. Through our bond, I felt him heading straight for the pack house—straight to her.

I was still standing in the wreckage of our kitchen when Luna Black arrived an hour later. She swept in without knocking, her expression a mask of controlled displeasure.

"Alyssa, dear." Her voice dripped false sweetness. "I think we need to have a little chat."

I straightened, every inch the Alpha's daughter. "Luna Black. How lovely of you to visit."

She settled into our living room as if she owned it, her calculating gaze taking in every detail. "I've heard some concerning rumors about you and Hudson having... difficulties."

"Difficulties?" I kept my voice level. "Is that what you call your son's affair?"

Luna Black's composure cracked slightly. "Hudson is under tremendous pressure as future Alpha. Sometimes that manifests in... regrettable ways. But breaking a fated mate bond over some momentary indiscretion would be catastrophic for both our packs."

"Momentary indiscretion?" I sat across from her, letting my Alpha presence fill the room. "Your son has been carrying on with Rosie Willis for months. That's not momentary—that's calculated betrayal."

"That girl," Luna Black spat, her mask finally slipping completely. "That Omega's daughter has been nothing but trouble since the day she was born. I sent her away once, and I should have made sure she stayed gone."

"But you didn't. And now she's back, staying in your pack house as your 'guest.'" I leaned forward. "Tell me, Luna Black, did you know? Did you know your son was meeting with her while mated to me?"

Her silence was answer enough.

"I see." I rose, my decision crystallizing with each heartbeat. "Then you'll understand why I have no choice but to break the mate bond. I won't be tied to a man who dishonors me, and I won't be part of a pack that enables his betrayal."

Luna Black's eyes widened. "You can't! The scandal alone would destroy both our reputations. Think of your father's pack, think of the alliance—"

"I am thinking of my father's pack," I cut her off. "I'm thinking that the Silvermoon Pack deserves better than to be tied to a family that values political convenience over honor."

She left in a flurry of threats and warnings, but I barely heard them. My mind was already moving beyond this conversation, beyond this house, beyond the life I'd thought I wanted.

By evening, I had to face the pack. The weekly meeting was mandatory for all ranked members, and despite everything, I was still Hudson's mate—at least officially.

I entered the pack house with my head high, wearing the deep blue dress that proclaimed my Alpha heritage. But the moment I stepped into the meeting hall, I felt it—the weight of dozens of stares, the whispered conversations that stopped abruptly when I appeared.

"There she is," someone murmured. "Poor thing, can't even keep her own mate satisfied."

"Well, what did she expect? Hudson always preferred Rosie. Everyone knew that."

"An Alpha's daughter, and she still couldn't hold onto him. Maybe she's not as strong as everyone thought."

Each whisper was a knife between my ribs, but I kept walking. I found my usual seat near the front, ignoring the pitying looks and barely concealed smirks. When Hudson entered with Rosie at his side—Rosie, in the pack house, at an official meeting—the whispers turned to barely contained gasps.

She looked radiant in a way that made my wolf snarl with fury. Her honey-blonde hair caught the light, and she wore a dress that was just expensive enough to show she had Hudson's attention, just modest enough to play the innocent victim.

Hudson's eyes found mine across the room, and for a moment, I saw something that might have been regret. Then Rosie placed her hand on his arm, and his attention shifted back to her with devastating finality.

"Well," Eve Ferguson whispered from beside me, her Beta loyalty unwavering even in this moment. "I guess we know where we stand now."

I nodded, my decision settling into my bones like steel. "Yes. We do."