My Alpha Begged Me Back

The crystal flutes trembled on the silver tray as I navigated the crowded ballroom. The air inside the Silverclaw Pack House was thick with the scent of pine, roasted venison, and the overpowering, cloying perfume of expensive wolves. It was the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, and while the rest of the pack celebrated in velvet and silk, I wore the rough, gray cotton of a servant.

"More champagne, Omega," a Gamma commanded, not even bothering to look at my face.

"Yes, sir," I whispered, keeping my head lowered. Seven years. It had been seven years since Gideon rejected our mate bond, seven years since I was demoted from a fated mate to a glorified maid. My hands, red and chapped from scrubbing floors, tightened around the tray.

I moved toward the VIP section, where the Alpha and his chosen Luna held court. Gideon stood by the fireplace, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He looked regal, powerful—everything a Silverclaw Alpha should be. He was laughing at something a visiting dignitary said, the sound vibrating through the floorboards and straight into my chest. My wolf, or the dormant shadow of her, didn't even whimper anymore. She had gone silent years ago, crushed under the weight of his betrayal.

Athena stood beside him, her hand resting possessively on his arm. She wore a gown of shimmering crimson, looking every bit the perfect Luna. As I approached to refill the dignitary’s glass, Athena’s eyes locked onto mine. A cruel, predatory smirk curled her red lips.

Just as I stepped forward, her foot hooked sharply around my ankle.

It happened in slow motion. I stumbled, the heavy tray tipping. I tried to correct my balance, but it was too late. The tray crashed onto the table, sending a cascade of sticky, golden champagne all over the dignitary’s pristine white suit.

The music stopped. The laughter died. The silence that followed was deafening.

"Oh, Maia!" Athena gasped, her voice dripping with fake concern that didn't reach her cold eyes. "Look what you've done! You clumsy, useless thing."

I scrambled to pick up the shards of glass, the champagne soaking into my knees. "I... I'm sorry, Luna. I tripped. I didn't mean to—"

"You didn't mean to?" Athena’s voice sharpened, cutting through the room like a whip. "You embarrassed us in front of our guests. Is this how you repay the pack that feeds you? By acting like a feral dog?"

I looked up, desperate, my eyes finding Gideon’s. *Help me,* I begged silently. *You saw her. You know she did it.*

Gideon’s jaw tightened. He looked at me—really looked at me—for a heartbeat. I saw the flash of guilt, the ghost of the boy who had once promised to love me. But then he looked at the angry dignitary, and then at his father, the former Alpha, scowling from the corner.

Gideon turned his back on me. He took a sip of his drink, signaling to the room that I