My Alpha Marked a Rogue in Our Mating Den

The morning of our third mating anniversary arrived with a gentle spring breeze that carried the promise of new beginnings. I stood in our private Alpha-Luna quarters, arranging white moon lilies—Colton's favorite—in a crystal vase. Three years of sacred bonding deserved something special.

"Perfect," I whispered, stepping back to admire my work. The room smelled of fresh flowers and the lingering scent of our wolves' markings—his cedar and rain, my jasmine and moonlight.

My wolf, Selene, purred contentedly within me. *He'll love this surprise.*

"He better," I replied aloud, smoothing down the silk dress I'd chosen for tonight's private celebration. "I've spent weeks planning this."

The sacred mate bond between Alpha and Luna was the foundation of pack stability. Colton and I had built something unbreakable—or so I believed.

With a final glance at the romantic setup, I headed toward the kitchen to check on the anniversary cake. The pack house corridors were unusually quiet this morning, most wolves already dispersed to their daily duties.

As I turned the corner near the servants' quarters, Selene's ears perked up. *Voices,* she warned.

I slowed my steps, my enhanced hearing picking up hushed tones from behind a partially closed door.

"...can't believe Alpha Colton actually did it," a female voice whispered.

"Which Alpha would risk his Luna's wrath?" another replied. "The Moon Goddess necklace is sacred—only meant for Luna ceremonies."

My blood turned to ice. "Moon Goddess necklace"?

"The rogue didn't even try to hide it," the first voice continued. "Wearing it openly at the border checkpoint yesterday."

"Chloe Kennedy," the second voice hissed. "Half-sister or not, she has no right to Luna artifacts."

Their words hit me like physical blows. Chloe—my father's bastard child, the living reminder of his betrayal of pack law. The rogue wolf who'd spent years lurking at our borders, begging for acceptance.

Selene growled low in my mind. *Our mate would never dishonor us like this.*

I forced myself to breathe evenly as I continued walking, my Luna composure intact despite the storm brewing inside me. But my wolf knew better—she could sense the crack forming in our bond.

Back in our quarters, I closed the door and leaned against it, eyes closed. "Colton," I called through our mind-link, my mental voice steady despite Selene's increasing agitation.

His response came immediately, warm and distracted. "Rosalie? I'm in the middle of something."

"We need to talk," I insisted. "About a necklace."

A pause. Then, carefully controlled tones. "What necklace?"

"The Moon Goddess ceremonial necklace you purchased for Chloe."

His mental sigh echoed between us. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear from servants."

"I didn't," I replied coldly. "I heard it from Omegas who saw you with the ceremonial keeper."

Another pause, longer this time. When his voice returned, it carried the unmistakable weight of Alpha command—the tone he'd never used on me before.

"You will not question my decisions regarding pack protection," he stated, each word pressing against my consciousness like a physical force.

Selene whimpered, instinctively submitting