Rejected Mate's Revenge

The familiar scent of pine and earth should have welcomed me home, but something felt wrong the moment I stepped out of my car. After three days helping the neighboring Moonridge Pack with their injured warriors, all I wanted was to rest in the sanctuary of my inherited territory—the main lodge that had been in my family for generations.

But as I approached the grand wooden structure nestled in the heart of Silver Creek Pack's domain, my wolf Luna stirred uneasily within me. *Something's not right,* she whispered, her anxiety bleeding into my consciousness.

The front door stood wide open, and unfamiliar laughter echoed from within. My hand instinctively moved to my still-flat belly, protecting the precious life growing there. At three months pregnant, my senses had become sharper, more attuned to threats.

I stepped inside and froze.

The former Luna, Jamison's mother, sat regally in my grandmother's antique chair, directing two pack members as they moved furniture. Her silver hair was perfectly coiffed, and she wore the expression of someone completely at home. Beside her, Xiomara Castillo—Wells' chosen mate—lounged on my family's heirloom sofa, painting her nails a blood-red color that made my stomach turn.

"Excuse me." My voice cut through their casual conversation. "What exactly is happening here?"

The former Luna looked up with those cold blue eyes that had never shown me warmth. "Esperanza, dear. How was your little healing trip?"

The dismissive tone in her voice made my jaw clench. "This is my territory. My inherited land. Why are you moving furniture?"

Xiomara's laugh was like breaking glass. "Oh, sweetie, didn't anyone tell you? This is our temporary residence now. Wells and I need somewhere more... appropriate for our status."

"Temporary?" I stepped further into the room, my wolf's protective instincts flaring. The scent markers throughout the lodge had been deliberately altered—they were claiming this space. "This property belongs to me. It was left to me by my grandmother."

"Was being the operative term," the former Luna said smoothly, rising from the chair with practiced grace. "Things change, dear. Pack needs evolve."

My heart began to race. "What are you talking about?"

Xiomara set down her nail polish and stood, her movements predatory. "Listen, Esperanza, I know pregnancy hormones can make she-wolves... unstable. But you can't just waltz in here making demands like some rogue trying to seduce another she-wolf's mate."

The accusation hit me like a physical blow. "Excuse me?"

"You heard her," the former Luna interjected, her voice gaining that authoritative edge she'd perfected during her years as Luna. "Your behavior lately has been concerning. Questioning pack decisions, challenging authority. Perhaps your condition is affecting your judgment."

Rage built in my chest, hot and fierce. "My condition? I'm carrying the future heir of this pack!"

"Are you?" Xiomara's voice dripped with false concern. "Because the way you've been acting, throwing yourself at Wells, trying to undermine pack unity... it makes one wonder about your fitness as Luna."

The room spun slightly. They were twisting