Betrayal Unleashed: My Alpha Chose Her Over Me

The familiar path to Marcus's private study felt different today. My footsteps echoed against the polished wooden floors of the Shadowmere Pack House as the afternoon sun cast long shadows through the tall windows. I'd walked this corridor countless times over our five years together, but something in the air felt wrong—charged with a heaviness I couldn't name.

My wolf, Luna, stirred uneasily within me. *Something's not right, Sarah.*

*It's just pre-full moon nerves,* I assured her, though I didn't believe it myself.

I smoothed down my navy dress—Marcus's favorite—and touched the simple silver promise ring he'd given me on our third anniversary. The metal felt cold against my skin despite having worn it every day since.

When I reached the heavy oak door of his study, I paused, inhaling deeply. His scent—pine and rain—usually brought comfort, but today it mingled with something else. Something that made Luna whimper.

"Enter," his voice commanded before I could knock.

I pushed open the door, expecting to be greeted by the warm smile that had helped heal me after my parents' death. Instead, Marcus sat rigidly behind his desk, his posture formal, his eyes avoiding mine. The study that had witnessed countless intimate conversations between us now felt as cold as a stranger's room.

"Alpha," I said softly, confusion lacing my voice. We never used titles in private. "Is everything okay?"

He gestured to the chair across from him—not the comfortable loveseat by the fireplace where I usually sat. "Take a seat, pack member Mitchell."

Pack member Mitchell? Not Sarah, not Luna, not mate?

Luna clawed anxiously inside me. *Something's very wrong.*

I sat down, my hands trembling slightly. "Marcus, what's going on? Why are you speaking to me like this?"

He finally looked at me, his eyes lacking the warmth I'd come to depend on. The bond between us—that invisible thread that had connected our souls for five years—felt strangely muted.

"I've made a decision," he said, his voice taking on the unmistakable resonance of his Alpha tone—a voice he'd never used on me before. "Regarding our... situation."

"Our situation?" I repeated, my heart beginning to pound. "You mean our mate bond?"

He nodded curtly. "I've consulted with the pack shaman about an ancient ritual."

The room seemed to tilt. "What kind of ritual?"

"One that will temporarily sever our mate bond."

The words hit me like physical blows. Each syllable a knife to my chest. "Sever our bond? But why would you—"

"Rebecca needs me," he interrupted, his voice hardening. "Her condition is worsening. She can't shift at all now, and the pack healer says she's growing weaker."

"And you can't help her while being mated to me?" My voice sounded small, even to my own ears.

"The pull of our bond is... distracting. I need to focus on her care without the constant tug of our connection." He wouldn't meet my eyes as he spoke. "It's for the good of the pack. An Alpha must sometimes make difficult decisions."

Luna