After My Alpha Betrayed Me for Royalty

I stood at the back of the Silver Moon Pack's grand hall, my heart pounding against my ribs as I watched the scene unfolding before me. The Pack Alliance Ceremony was in full swing, with delegates from neighboring territories mingling beneath crystal chandeliers that I had personally selected years ago. This was supposed to be a routine diplomatic event—one that I, as Luna, should have been informed about weeks in advance.

Yet here I was, slipping in like an unwelcome ghost through my own pack house.

"Luna Sophia," whispered a young Delta wolf, her eyes widening in surprise. "We didn't know you would be attending."

Neither did I, I thought bitterly, but forced a gentle smile. "Just making a brief appearance."

I moved through the crowd, the familiar scents of pack members mingling with those of visitors. My Luna aura naturally parted the sea of bodies, though I noticed several of our own pack members averting their eyes. They knew something I didn't.

Then I saw him—Ryan. My mate. My Alpha. My everything for the past eight years.

He stood tall and commanding at the center of the hall, his broad shoulders draped in the ceremonial black cloak that I had embroidered with silver thread during our first year together. The sight of him still sent a flutter through my chest, a primal recognition that transcended the growing distance between us.

But it wasn't Ryan who made me freeze in my tracks. It was the company he kept.

The Lycan King himself stood before my mate, resplendent in furs and ancient silver, his imposing presence drawing every eye in the room. And beside him, a striking female with the unmistakable regal bearing of Lycan royalty—Madison Harper.

I'd heard whispers of her beauty, but seeing her in person was different. She was tall and sleek, with an exotic scent that reached me even across the crowded hall—vanilla and something wild, something distinctly Lycan. Her hand rested casually on Ryan's forearm as she laughed at something he said.

The moment I stepped closer, her head snapped up, her nostrils flaring slightly. Our eyes locked across the room, and I felt the clash of our auras—Luna against Lycan princess—like static electricity in the air between us.

Ryan sensed it too. His head turned, and for a brief moment, naked shock registered on his face before he schooled his features back into the mask of the Alpha King.

"Sophia," he said, his voice carrying easily to me despite the distance and noise. Not "my Luna" or "my love"—just Sophia. As if I were any other pack member. "I wasn't expecting you tonight."

Obviously, I thought, but kept my expression neutral as I approached. "I wasn't aware I needed an invitation to pack functions, Alpha King."

The formality in my tone made his jaw tighten. The Lycan King observed our interaction with shrewd eyes while Madison's lips curved into the barest hint of a smile.

"Of course not," Ryan replied smoothly. "Allow me to introduce