Betrayed Luna's New Start

The mind-link slipped through my consciousness like a whisper I wasn't meant to hear.

"Alpha, I've arranged for you to meet with Aniyah tonight at the eastern border cabin. She's agreed to wait until midnight when the patrol changes." My Beta's voice was hushed, conspiratorial.

"Good. Make sure no one follows us. I don't need Caroline asking questions." Dexter's mental voice carried that familiar authoritative edge that had once made me feel protected. Now it made my blood run cold.

I stood frozen outside Dexter's office door, my hand hovering over the handle. I'd come to discuss the upcoming full moon ceremony—my tenth as Luna of Silvermoon Pack. The ceremony where we would renew our mate bond before the pack and the Moon Goddess.

Aniyah. The name echoed in my mind like a death knell.

My wolf, Sarah, stirred restlessly within me. *Something's wrong. He smells different lately.*

"I've been covering your scent with hers for months now," the Beta continued. "But Alpha, the Luna's been asking about your extended absences during pack runs."

"Caroline understands my duties as Alpha." Dexter's dismissive tone cut through me like a blade. "Besides, she's too busy with the pups and her Luna duties to notice anything else."

My fingers trembled against the polished wood of his door. Ten years. Ten years of morning sickness alone while he claimed to be handling "urgent pack business." Ten years of raising our pups while he missed their first shifts, their first hunts.

*He's betrayed us,* Sarah growled, her rage building inside me. *He's found another.*

I pushed the door open without knocking.

Dexter's eyes widened momentarily before narrowing into slits. "Caroline. I'm in the middle of something important."

"Aniyah," I said, my voice surprisingly steady despite the earthquake happening inside me. "Who is she?"

The Beta standing beside him shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting toward the window.

"You're eavesdropping now?" Dexter's voice took on that dangerous edge that made lesser wolves cower. "That's beneath you."

"Is she your chosen mate?" I stepped closer, my Luna training keeping my spine straight despite the weight crushing my chest. "While I've been planning our mate bond renewal ceremony?"

Dexter leaned back in his chair, studying me with cold calculation. "You've been a good Luna, Caroline. You've fulfilled your duties to this pack admirably."

*Fulfilled my duties.* Like I was a contract worker rather than his fated mate.

"I want a mate bond rejection," I said, the words tearing from my throat. "If you've found someone else, I won't stand in your way."

The room temperature seemed to drop ten degrees as Dexter's Alpha aura expanded, pressing against me like a physical weight.

"No." The single word carried the full force of his command. "I refuse the rejection."

"You can't—" I began, but he cut me off.

"I am Alpha of this pack, and I say no." His eyes flashed gold, his wolf rising to the surface. "Where would you go? What would you do? You can't survive as a