I was the Alpha’s chosen mate, but he was devoted only to his Luna.

The Luna, Veda Rice, spent her days lost in love with Alpha Raiden Larson, paying no mind to the pack’s internal affairs. With the responsibility of managing the pack falling by the wayside, the task fell to me. I became the de facto Beta, overseeing the pack’s daily operations.

Years later, when Raiden ascended as the Lycan King, the pack elders pushed for me to become the Queen. I rose from a chosen mate to the Luna, while the once-untouchable Veda was demoted to the position she once looked down upon—a chosen mate.

I joined the pack at 14, just as Raiden and Veda’s bond was sealed. Their love story was the stuff of legends, celebrated by the entire pack. And I? I was the unwelcome shadow in their perfect tale.

Veda had no interest in the pack’s mundane affairs. She spent her days lost in Raiden’s company, playing music and sharing quiet moments. The responsibility of managing the pack fell to me, and Raiden, reluctantly, handed me the reins.

For three years, I served as the pack’s Beta, managing everything flawlessly. The pack members respected me, and I earned their trust. But this only fueled Veda’s resentment.

Whenever she found the time, she’d summon me to her chambers, her tone sharp as she reminded me of my place. “Remember your role, Ava,” she’d say, her voice laced with thinly veiled disdain. “You’re here to serve, not to aspire.”

I had grown accustomed to her behavior, and over the years, I learned to navigate her moods with ease. Veda was beautiful but fiercely jealous, and she had little tolerance for the other chosen mates in the pack.

Raiden, though deeply bonded to Veda, was still the Alpha. To maintain balance within the pack and appease the elders, he took on additional chosen mates. Year after year, new faces joined the pack, each vying for a sliver of Raiden’s attention.

Raiden, bound by duty, divided his time among them, though his heart remained with Veda. This infuriated her, and she’d often take her frustration out on the chosen mates who had spent the night with him.

It wasn’t my concern, until one day, when Veda’s relentless torment drove one of the chosen mates to the edge. The woman, Shay Sanders, was pushed too far and attempted to drown herself in the river.

She was rescued, but the incident sent shockwaves through the pack. Shay’s servant, desperate for help, came to me in the dead of night, tears streaming down her face.

As the Beta, it was my duty to maintain order. I couldn’t let the pack descend into chaos, so I called for a healer to tend to Shay. This act of defiance, however minor, earned me the enmity of Veda’s closest confidante, Raya Aguilar.

Raya had always held a grudge against me, and this was the final straw. Veda, ever protective of her inner circle, summoned me the next day.

The pack’s members watched as I knelt in the courtyard, the sun beating down on me. Veda’s message was clear: she was the Luna, and I was nothing more than a servant.

Hours passed, and my knees grew numb. Just as I was on the verge of collapse, Raya approached, a bucket of ice-cold water in her hands. She poured it over me, her eyes glinting with satisfaction.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice dripping with mock concern. “I didn’t see you there, Ava.”

I said nothing, my teeth chattering as the cold seeped into my bones. A servant came forward, her tone indifferent. “The Luna is resting now. You may leave.”

My own servant, Cecelia, rushed to my side, her face a mask of anger. “Ava, this is too much,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

I shook my head. “Cecelia, be careful. The Luna’s word is law.”

The incident with Shay didn’t go unnoticed. Raiden called me to his office, his expression stern as he questioned me about what had happened. The next day, Shay received gifts from Raiden, a small token of apology. But Raiden, bound by his bond with Veda, couldn’t confront her directly. The matter was swept under the rug.

In the days that followed, Veda continued to find ways to humiliate me. She’d summon me to her chambers, forcing me to stand for hours or serve her meals. I endured it all, knowing that resistance would only make things worse.

One day, as I was peeling nuts for Veda, Raiden returned from a patrol. He paused when he saw me, his brow furrowing.

“Ava,” he said, his voice softening. “You’ve grown so much since you joined the pack.”

I quickly hid my red, swollen hands, bowing my head. “Alpha.”

Veda emerged from the room, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. “Raiden,” she said, her voice sharp. “I thought you were taking me out today. Or have you already forgotten?”

Raiden’s jaw tightened. “I was just speaking to Ava. Don’t make this into something it’s not.”

Veda’s laugh was bitter. “Don’t make it into something? You’re the one who’s always surrounded by your chosen mates. Tell me, Raiden, is this how you love me?”

I excused myself quickly, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire. As I left, I heard the sound of a glass shattering, followed by Veda’s furious voice.

“You promised me, Raiden! You promised me it would only be us!”

“Veda, stop this. You know I have no choice.”

Raya rushed past me, her eyes flashing with anger as she shot me a glare.

I walked away, the weight of the pack’s politics heavy on my shoulders.

I overheard her in the inner room, coaxing softly, “Luna, how could you speak to the Alpha like that? He cares for you deeply. Why must you be so stubborn?”

Then came the sound of muffled sobs. I didn’t linger to hear more and left the courtyard quietly.

By evening, the entire pack knew the Alpha and Luna had a heated argument. And so, in his drunken state, the Alpha spent the night in the room of an Omega who was known for her melodious voice. The commotion was loud, and it wasn’t until the dead of night that water was called for.

The next morning, it was rumored that the Luna had smashed every piece of furniture in her room. The Alpha’s actions had undeniably delivered a harsh slap to her pride. She had always believed she held his heart completely, that his time with the other chosen mates was merely out of obligation. But now, she could no longer deceive herself. With an Omega, there was no obligation—only desire.

As the pack’s loyal Gamma, I approached the Alpha to formalize her new status. He seemed unsatisfied, even giving her a personal name and assigning her private quarters. Unsurprisingly, he spent the next few nights there as well.

This sparked another explosive fight. The Luna, in a fit of rage, shattered a cherished token of their bond right in front of him. And so, they entered a cold war.

During this time, the Alpha drifted from one chosen mate’s room to another. The Luna, holed up in her quarters, refused to eat for three days. Raya, her loyal servant, had no choice but to summon the Healer. As soon as the Healer arrived, the Alpha rushed to her side. They reconciled, and by the next day, it was clear they were back together.

Meanwhile, the Omega who had caught the Alpha’s attention, Shay, sat in my quarters, nervously twisting a handkerchief. Seeing me, she hurried over. “Gamma, what do I do? The Luna will kill me.”

I sipped my coffee, unfazed. “Why panic? Once trust is broken, opportunities arise.”

I didn’t love the Alpha, but I craved the power that came with his favor. Perhaps I was the villainess in this tale, but even those of us who stood in the way of love needed to survive.

Shay had once been an Omega in the Luna’s quarters until the Alpha complimented her voice, earning her a beating and a demotion to the kitchens. I saw her beauty and cunning and decided to help her.

On the third day of their reconciliation, the Alpha left on a mission, and the Luna seized the chance to strip me of my position as Gamma. She confined me to my quarters under the pretense of praying for the Lycan Queen’s health. The chosen mates who once surrounded me scattered like leaves in the wind, afraid of being caught in the fallout.

Shay, however, visited me secretly at night, slipping me a pouch of cash. I glanced inside—it was likely her entire savings. I was surprised. “Shay…”

Her eyes red, she smiled weakly. “I’m doomed anyway. Might as well help you.”

After a long silence, I spoke. “There might still be a way.”

She exhaled in relief. “Save me once more, and I’ll owe you my life.”

I nodded. “Consider it done.”

During the day, as I sat in my simple clothes copying old texts, I could hear mocking laughter outside my quarters. Many reveled in my downfall, and Shay’s fate was worse. The Luna, accusing her of disrespect, demoted her to washing clothes.

The Luna’s personal servant, Analia, now held power in the pack. Under her rule, my conditions worsened. Moldy food, tasteless coffee—it became my daily fare. Occasionally, a mouse would be tossed into my quarters for good measure. Analia wasn’t satisfied until she dismissed all my servants, leaving only Cecelia to tend to me.

Cecelia often wept when she saw me. I could only comfort her. “Don’t cry. These days will pass.”

The Alpha was away for three months. Analia, eager to please the Luna, cut rations for the pack while the Luna’s wardrobe and jewelry piled up in her quarters. The pack’s members were reduced to bread and soup, even the chosen mates. Complaints were met with swift punishment from Analia.

When the Alpha returned, he went straight to the Luna’s quarters. There, she twirled in a new gown, admiring herself in the mirror. She flew into his arms like a butterfly, and they spent the night in each other’s company.

The next morning, as he left, he noticed the pack’s members looked haggard and drained. He joked, “Why do you all look half-starved?”

The driver chuckled but said nothing. Raiden had been rewarded for his achievements, and after enduring pack members’ flattery, he hurried home to share the good news with his mate. But as his car rolled on, the Omegas outside looked weary.

Suddenly, an old man collapsed in front of the car, tears streaming down his face. “Alpha, have mercy! My wife is gravely ill. Please, give me my two months’ wages.”

Recognizing the voice, Raiden pulled back the window. It was Nasir, an elderly Omega who had served him for years. Shocked and furious, he ordered, “Nasir, get up and speak plainly.”

From him, Raiden learned the old man had been dismissed for being “too frail” and was owed two months’ pay. The Alpha’s first reaction was disbelief. How could his pack treat its own so poorly?

In the grand hall, his aura was commanding. “Summon Gamma Ava to me at once.”

The Beta hesitated before replying, “Alpha, it’s Analia who manages the pack now.”