That afternoon, I was in a meeting with the pack’s warriors at the Stewart Pack’s training grounds. On my way there, I noticed the pack members exchanging uneasy glances and whispering among themselves. Their scents carried a mix of curiosity and unease, but I couldn’t place the reason. Pushing aside the distraction, I focused on the meeting, overseeing the warriors’ progress and ensuring the pack’s defenses were secure. As the meeting concluded, my Beta, Winifred, approached me with a grim expression and handed me her phone.

It was then that I saw Joseph—my mate, the Alpha of the Stewart Pack—was the center of a trending video on the pack’s social network.

The footage showed Joseph in his human form, dressed in a sharp tuxedo, standing amidst a crowd at a pack gathering. Beside him was Elise, a rogue werewolf, draped in a delicate veil. The crowd roared as Joseph pulled her into a passionate kiss. Augustus, the Delta singer performing at the event, paused mid-song and joked into the microphone, “Is this a bonding ceremony? Should I dedicate ‘Endless Love’ to the happy couple?”

Joseph’s eyes flickered with a hint of red, a sign of his wolf’s intensity, and he shook his head. “I’m bonding with someone I don’t love,” he declared, his voice carrying the weight of his Alpha authority. “This gathering is my gift to myself. I want to express my love openly, even if I’m walking into a bond I don’t desire. Tonight, I’m free to be wild with the one I truly love—one last time.” He kissed Elise again, this time longer and more fervently, drawing cheers and howls of approval from the pack.

“To love!” he shouted, his voice booming with Alpha power, before tossing the microphone aside. He swept Elise into a bridal carry, her laughter ringing out as he carried her off the stage. The crowd erupted into applause, their howls echoing through the night.

The comments beneath the video were filled with praise for their “true love.”

“True love can’t be stopped, not even by the Moon Goddess’s will!”

“In love, those who aren’t loved are the ones left in the cold.”

“Our Alpha is so unfortunate, forced into a bond with someone he doesn’t love!”

“It’s the fate many face—bonding with someone they don’t truly desire.”

It was clear that, in Joseph’s heart, I was nothing more than a placeholder. His love was reserved for Elise, despite her being a rogue who had once betrayed him. I stared at the comments in silence, my wolf stirring uneasily in the back of my mind. Winifred watched me with concern, her Beta instincts making her protective. “Luna,” she said cautiously, “do you want me to suppress this news? I can ensure the pack’s network removes it immediately.”

I placed the phone down calmly, though my hands trembled slightly. “No, Winifred. Joseph was open about this. He wanted it to be seen. Let it remain.”

As it turned out, my decision was the right one. That evening, Joseph shared the video himself on the pack’s network with the caption “Proof of Love.” His defiance was clear, his loyalty to Elise undeniable.

Perhaps to indulge in one last act of recklessness, Joseph didn’t return to our packhouse that night, despite my repeated mind-link messages asking to speak with him. Instead, I received a message from Elise herself.

“Joey’s asleep now,” the message read, accompanied by an image of Joseph lying shirtless, his chest rising and falling in a deep sleep. Elise’s hair was draped over him, her smirk visible in the dim light. My sharp eyes caught the glint of an open condom wrapper on the bed beside them.

I smiled bitterly, the last flicker of hope in my heart extinguished completely. As the clock struck midnight, I made the call.

“Father,” I said, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m ready to return to the Red Crescent Pack and reclaim my birthright as its future Alpha.”

The next morning, I handed in my resignation letter to the pack’s Beta, Winifred. She took it with a sympathetic nod, her eyes lingering on me as if she wanted to say more but held her tongue.

Roger Stewart, the former Alpha of the Stewart Pack, was the first to hear about it. He summoned me to the pack’s estate for lunch, insisting I bring Joseph with me. I wasn’t surprised—Roger had always been one to meddle in pack affairs, even after stepping down as Alpha.

It was well past lunchtime when Joseph finally arrived, his presence as commanding as ever. His dark eyes flicked toward me briefly before he took his seat, a fresh mark on his neck glaringly obvious. He made no effort to hide it, as if daring anyone to comment.

Roger’s gaze hardened as he looked at his son. “You’ve been with Elise again,” he said, his voice low but firm. “I’ve warned you countless times that she’s trouble. Zhuri has done so much for this pack—how can you not appreciate that?”

I kept my eyes on my plate, eating in silence. Joseph shot me a glance, his lips curling into a smirk. “Dad, you claim Elise only wants to destabilize the pack, but she hasn’t done anything to harm us. Meanwhile, Zhuri holds all the authority. Even I, as Alpha, have to consider her every word carefully.”

I clenched my fork tighter, the injustice of his words burning through me.

“Last month,” Joseph continued, his tone dripping with disdain, “I wanted to allocate resources to Elise’s rogue pack for a joint training initiative, but Zhuri shot it down immediately.”

So this was what Joseph thought of me. All my efforts to protect the pack, to uphold our traditions, were reduced to petty jealousy.

Roger eyed me with suspicion, and I finally spoke up. “The Stewart Pack has established alliances. Elise’s pack is competing with our allies. I didn’t see any issue in turning down the proposal.”

Joseph sneered, “Zhuri, you’re quite the strategist. You can’t stand Elise’s success. No matter how hard you work, you’ll never match even a fraction of her strength or cunning.”

Roger glared at him. “Stop talking nonsense! Zhuri isn’t like that!”

But the favoritism in Roger’s tone was clear. He and Joseph always played this game—good cop, bad cop—and I was the one caught in the middle.

Joseph leaned back in his chair, his smirk widening. “Dad, she’s got you fooled. I merely went on a run with Elise once before our bonding ceremony, and she rushed to report it to you. I’m the Alpha; do I need permission to enjoy myself?”

Roger turned to me, his expression softening but his words still laced with disapproval. “Zhuri, resigning over something so trivial doesn’t look good. The Stewart Pack gave you this chance, and you’re letting a quarrel with Joseph ruin it?”

The absurdity of the situation struck me. I had fought for this pack, protected it from rogue threats, and yet it was portrayed as if they had handed me an opportunity out of pity.

I dabbed my lips with a napkin, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. “Alpha Roger, I’m not being impulsive. I truly want to resign.”

“Joseph’s right,” I continued, meeting his gaze. “He’s the Alpha of the Stewart Pack, and I have no right to meddle with his decisions. Whatever he wants to do, he’s free to do it. I won’t be involved anymore.”

With that, I stood and walked away, not wanting to glance back at that domineering father-son duo. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of frustration echoing in my mind, but I pushed it down.

Maybe it was the cold lunch, or perhaps the stress of the day, but my chronic stomach issues flared up again. I curled up on the bed in my room, clutching my abdomen as pain radiated through me.

Joseph just stood there, arms crossed, watching me with indifference. “Zhuri, stop the act,” he said, his tone dismissive. “Don’t think feigning illness will make me forgive your meddling!”

He sat calmly on the couch, typing away on his phone, then smiled smugly and stepped over my trembling body.

My voice quivered as I reached out to him. “Joseph, it really hurts. Could you take me to the healer?”

He leaned down and wiped the sweat from my forehead, his touch cold and clinical. “Good performance, but I’m not buying it.”

He laughed derisively, then sneered, “I know you’re envious of Elise, but our bonding ceremony is happening. Can’t you give me seven days to properly say goodbye to her?”

“Get up; stop the theatrics. I have an appointment with Elise this afternoon to finalize the details.”

I reached out to grab him, but all I saw was his emotionless back walking away.

For seven years, I’ve witnessed this countless times. I once believed I could stand by his side as his Luna, his equal. Now I understand—the place next to him is meant for one person only. Anyone else is just a placeholder.