Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the King

I froze mid-step, my hand clutching the doorframe as hushed voices drifted from around the corner. The pack house was usually buzzing with activity this time of morning, but today, an unnatural tension hung in the air.

"Luna Emilia is going to be devastated," came a whispered voice—Megan from the kitchen staff, if I wasn't mistaken. "Alpha Cooper took her to Moonveil Territory last night instead of accompanying Luna to her pregnancy check with Dr. Cross."

My heart stuttered. The pregnancy check. Today was the day we'd been waiting for—the day we might finally confirm that this pregnancy had taken hold after three devastating losses.

"I heard he called it 'urgent pack business,'" another voice replied—James, one of Cooper's Delta warriors. "But everyone knows what's really going on with him and that girl."

"Does Luna know?" Megan's voice dropped even lower.

"How could she? Alpha left before dawn. Said he'd be back in three days."

I pressed my back against the wall, willing my racing heart to slow. Three days. Our appointment with Dr. Cross was scheduled for this afternoon. I'd been so hopeful this time would be different—that maybe my body had finally figured out how to carry Cooper's pup to term.

Instead, he was gone. With her.

The whispers continued, unaware of my presence. "Briella's been staying in the guest wing for two weeks now. Always finding reasons to be near Alpha."

"She's young. Beautiful. Exactly his type."

"And Luna's been through so much already with the miscarriages..."

I didn't stay to hear more. My feet carried me silently away, each step heavier than the last. The betrayal wasn't just that he'd left—it was that he'd chosen her over me, over us, on the day that mattered most.

---

The pack clinic smelled of antiseptic and herbs, a strange combination that turned my stomach. Dr. Helena Cross's face was carefully neutral as she examined me, but I could see the concern in her eyes.

"Luna, I'm so sorry," she said softly, her hands gentle as they moved across my abdomen. "There's no heartbeat."

The words hit me like physical blows. No heartbeat. Another little life, gone before it had truly begun.

"When did the cramping start?" she asked, her voice clinical but kind.

"This morning," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "I felt it happening."

She nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "This is your fourth miscarriage, Luna. We need to consider other options."

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the physical pain that radiated through my lower body. But as I did, something else flooded my consciousness—Cooper. Through our mate bond, I could feel him. Not his presence, exactly, but his emotions.

Pleasure. Contentment. The warm glow of satisfaction.

My eyes flew open. "Dr. Cross," I gasped, "do you have a phone I could use?"

She frowned but handed me her mobile. With shaking hands, I dialed Cooper's number. It went straight to voicemail.

"He's not answering," I whispered, more to myself than to