After My Alpha Chose His Omega Over Me

The small glass vial felt cold against my palm as I held it up to the morning light filtering through the curtains. Five years. Five years of this poisonous ritual, of swallowing wolfsbane to mask my scent, to delay my heat, to play the perfect, docile Luna.

"Just one more day," I whispered to my reflection in the mirror.

My eyes looked back at me, dull and lifeless—a side effect of the wolfsbane that had become my constant companion. The poison suppressed not just my wolf, but my very essence. Sasha, my wolf, had been silent for so long that sometimes I wondered if she still existed within me.

"The contract expires at midnight," I reminded myself, tipping the vial and letting the bitter liquid slide down my throat. The familiar burn followed, spreading through my chest and settling in my stomach like a stone. "Just one more day of pretending."

Today marked both the Silver Moon Pack's annual Moon Festival and my fifth mating anniversary with Alpha Miles Hunter. A coincidence that felt more like a cruel joke than a celebration. The former Alpha—Miles's grandfather—had orchestrated our union as a strategic arrangement to stabilize the pack's leadership. A business transaction disguised as a mating ceremony.

I set the empty vial on my vanity beside four others—one for each year plus tonight's final dose. A small monument to my imprisonment.

"You've done well," I told my reflection, straightening my shoulders. "Just a few more hours."

I dressed carefully for the gala, choosing a modest silver dress that would neither draw attention nor provoke criticism. The Luna was expected to be present but invisible—a decorative accessory to the Alpha's power. I'd perfected the role over five years.

The Pack House buzzed with activity when I arrived, wolves from allied packs mingling in the grand hall decorated with silver and blue banners. I nodded politely to those who acknowledged me, though most eyes slid past as if I were merely part of the furniture.

"Valerie." Diana Rivers, the pack healer and one of the few who had shown me genuine kindness, approached with a sympathetic smile. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," I replied automatically, the lie smooth on my tongue after years of practice.

She squeezed my hand briefly. "If you need anything..."

I nodded, grateful for the small gesture of support.

Across the room, Miles stood tall and proud, his Alpha aura radiating power as he welcomed visiting dignitaries. Beside him, Lila Edwards clung to his arm, her Omega status elevated by his obvious favoritism. She wore a dress that hugged every curve, her eyes bright with triumph as she surveyed the room.

I took my assigned seat at the back of the hall, watching as Miles deliberately left the Luna's traditional place beside him empty. The whispers started immediately, rippling through the crowd like wind through tall grass.

"Where's the Luna?"

"Why isn't she at the Alpha table?"

"Did you hear...?"

I kept my expression neutral, though inside,