Rejected by the Alpha’s Deception

The day my ex-mate, Eric Silva, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, returned from a neighboring territory, he conveniently got into an accident and ended up with amnesia. When he woke up, he asked his daughter, Judith, who I was. Judith, with a face as calm as still water, said, "Just the Omega of the Silva family." That moment felt like being plunged into an icy abyss. For six years, I had treated Judith as my own pup, yet failed to melt the ice around her heart.

On the day Eric decided to mark Alexandra, his ex-mate and Judith’s biological mother, as his Luna again, I left the Silver Moon Pack and moved to the Shadow Fang territory. Our next encounter was at a pack gathering, three years later. Old pack members questioned me on the sidelines, "Not long after you left, Eric regained his memory but didn’t mark Alexandra as his Luna. He was searching for you everywhere, nearly losing his mind, promising to mark you as his Luna if you came back." I smiled, knowing they were unaware that Eric had pretended to have amnesia to test Alexandra that day. They presumed I'd come back and forgive Eric and his pup. But they were wrong.

"Vivienne, don't hold a grudge against Alpha Eric," pleaded Lenora Morrison, a longtime friend and Beta of the Shadow Fang Pack. "He only said those things because he had amnesia from the accident. He's been looking for you everywhere these past years, nearly going mad."

I found it ironic and asked calmly, "And what about Judith?"

Lenora hesitated, then said, "She was only eight back then, too young to understand. You shouldn't hold it against her." She added, "After Alpha Eric regained his memory, he did reprimand Judith. You practically raised her. I can't believe you would really abandon her."

I couldn't understand why Lenora chose to deceive me even now. Eric had the accident on his way to pick up Alexandra. I was on a patrol out of the territory when I got the news and ran back overnight. But when I rushed to the healer’s den against all odds, I overheard their conversation right outside his room:

“Alexandra's back, and I realized I still haven’t forgotten her after all these years,” Eric had confessed. Lenora, looking at Judith in surprise, said, "But what about Vivienne? We've all seen how dedicated she's been in taking care of young Judith."

"She's not Judith's real mother. If she has her own pup in the future, will she still treat Judith the same?" Eric's next words made my blood run cold. "When Alexandra arrives, I plan to pretend I still have amnesia to test her. If she's willing to reconcile, I'll explain everything to Vivienne."

But before Alexandra could arrive, I had already pushed the door open. Eric was momentarily taken aback before launching into his amnesia act. He asked Judith who I was. Judith turned to look at me, her voice placid, "Just