The Alpha’s Second Choice

I had been excited for the journey with my husband, Marek Wolfhart, and our daughter, Lunara. I hoped a few peaceful days away from the pack would mend the distance growing between us.

But on the morning we were meant to leave, Marek abandoned us without warning.

I reached for him through the mindlink, hurt and confused, yet his response was cold.

Something came up with pack matters, Lyanna. Just leave without me and stop making trouble out of everything.

Still, Lunara and I continued the journey alone.

Later, while waiting at the airfield, I absentmindedly scrolled through my crystal mirror feed until a post from Aramintamy so-called closest friendmade my blood run cold.

Thanks for taking me to paradise, M.

The words burned into my mind.

The post showed Araminta smiling along a sunny shore, looking smug and carefree. In one picture, Mareks hand was entwined with hers.

I would recognize my mates hand anywhere.

For years, I had struggled to keep our family together while Marek chased after her, neglecting both Lunara and me. I gripped the mirror stone so tightly my fingers trembled.

The worst came the following day.

After Lunara and I settled into the Moon Tide resort, I stepped away briefly to bathe. During that time, someone sent Lunara a message crystal claiming there was sweetbread waiting for us at the front hall.

She went alone.

The food had moonnut oil in itsomething she had always been deathly allergic to.

By the time they found her struggling for breath, it was too late.

Losing my daughter shattered something inside me.

That was the moment I finally chose myself. I severed my mate bond with Marek and walked away from the lies. But not long after, a truth surfacedone that destroyed what little remained of him.

And by the time Marek understood the full weight of his betrayal, it was already too late.

**

On the seventh day, I finally returned home with Lunaras coffin.

Everything felt unreal, as though my soul had left my body days ago and only an empty shell remained.

I had stopped trying to reach Marek after every mindlink attempt was blocked and every messenger wolf returned unanswered. During the worst moment of my life, my mate had been nowhere to be found.

Looking back now, I should have expected it.

Marek had always vanished whenever I needed him most.

A bitter laugh escaped me as I stepped inside the manor. I had truly been foolish enough to believe he would someday become the husband and father we deserved.

The house felt unbearably quiet.

My gaze drifted toward the sitting room where I used to teach Lunara her letters beside the fireplace. Then toward the garden where she chased butterflies beneath the moonflowers.

And finally

Her bedroom.

The small blankets. The scattered toys. The little wooden wolf figurines she loved so much.

The memories closed around me like claws.

Dizzy, I reached for the wall to steady myself.

Luna Lyanna! one of the maids cried as several hurried toward me.

Please sit downsomeone fetch water!

I pressed trembling fingers against my temple.

No, I whispered weakly. Take me to my chambers and move all of Lunaras belongings to the attic. Everything. I cannot bear to look at them right now.

The maids exchanged uneasy glances before carefully guiding me upstairs.

But halfway there, voices echoed from the lower hall.

I froze.

Marek.

And Araminta.

My jaw tightened immediately.

Marek was helping Araminta onto the sofa, her arm wrapped around his shoulders. Both of them still wore light beach garments, their hair tousled by sea wind.

They had only just returned.

When Marek noticed me, his eyes shifted away almost instantly. Araminta looked startled for only a second before forcing on a guilty expression.

Lyanna, Im so sorry, Araminta said softly. I slipped near the cliffs and injured my knee. Marek insisted on helping me

Enough, Lyanna, Marek interrupted sharply before she could finish. Do not start causing trouble.

He focused entirely on Araminta while ordering the servants to bring bandages and healing herbs, as though I did not even exist.

My chest tightened painfully.

Causing trouble? I repeated. You claimed pack duties kept you away. So why were you with her?

Marek sighed heavily, already irritated.

Answer me, Marek!

Oh, come now, he muttered dismissively. I promised Araminta first. Lunara could have traveled another time. Why are you making such a massive issue out of this?

My hands curled into fists.

You promised Lunara, I said, my voice shaking. You promised our daughter.

Marek looked momentarily surprised by my outburst.

Perhaps because I had endured every disappointment in silence until now.

Why must you always behave so dramatically? he snapped.

This is why I cannot stand speaking with you. You make me feel trapped every time. I said I would make it up to both of you eventually. Lunara would have understood.

Understood?

My grief turned ice-cold.

A hollow laugh escaped my lips.

You cannot make it up to her anymore, Marek. My voice cracked. Lunara is dead.

His expression darkened instantly.

Then anger flashed across his face.

You are disgusting, he growled. How dare you lie about your own pups death just to guilt me?

I stared at him in disbelief.

Even now he still refused to believe me.

Before I could speak, Araminta stepped forward with fake concern painted across her face.

Lyanna, I know I should not have asked Marek to come with me, she said gently, but saying something like that is dangerous. Speaking death over your own child could invite the Moon Goddesss wrath.

The innocence in her voice made my blood boil.

This was the same woman who once swore there was nothing between her and my mate. The same woman who cried and played victim while destroying my family behind my back.

I had stayed silent for Lunaras sake.

But now she was standing there, pretending my daughters death was some cruel lie.

Rage exploded inside me.

Before I could stop myself, my hand struck her across the face with a sharp crack that echoed through the entire hall.

The hall fell into a heavy silence after my slap landed.

For a moment, even the wind outside the manor seemed to still.

Then Marek moved.

His shock turned quickly into fury as he rushed to Aramintas side, helping her up as though she were made of fragile glass. I watched him hover over her, checking her face, asking if she was hurt.

As if I wasnt even there.

Something inside me finally gave way.

Without another word, I turned and walked upstairs. His voice followed meangry, demandingbut I didnt stop.

Lyanna! Come back here!

I shut it out.

Once inside my chamber, I locked the door and slid down against it. The weight of everything pressed into my chest until I could barely breathe. I buried my face in my hands, trying to steady myself, but nothing worked.

Too tired. Too empty.

At some point, I crawled onto the bed fully clothed, still wearing yesterdays torn emotions like a second skin, and drifted into a shallow, broken sleep.

**

Morning came without warmth.

When I stepped out, the scent of food drifted through the hallfresh bread, roasted meat, honeyed fruits.

And there she was.

Araminta.

Sitting comfortably at the dining table like she belonged there.

Marek stood beside her, carefully placing food on her plate, his attention entirely fixed on her as if she were the one who had suffered.

As if I hadnt lost everything.

Neither of them even reacted when they saw me. Not really.

I sat across from them in silence.

Only then did Araminta lift her gaze, her expression soft and carefully painted.

Lyanna, youre awake, she said gently. I stayed the night because Marek insisted I rest. I took the guest chamber, of course.

Her voice was sweet.

Too sweet.

I said nothing.

Marek didnt even look at me properly.

You slapped Araminta yesterday, he said flatly, as if reciting a judgment. Apologize.

I let out a slow breath through my nose.

So that was the first thing he cared about.

Not Lunara.

Not me.

Just her.

Araminta lowered her eyes, shaking her head slightly. Its fine, Marek. I dont need an apology. Lyanna didnt mean it

Stop defending her, he cut in sharply. She doesnt deserve your kindness.

I picked up my spoon and began serving myself food.

I hadnt eaten since everything fell apart. My hands were steady only because I no longer had anything left to shake.

That seemed to irritate him more.

In a blink, Marek was beside me. His hand closed around my arm and yanked me up from my seat.

My spoon fell to the floor with a sharp clatter.

Marekwhat are you doing? I snapped, trying to pull away.

I said apologize, he growled.

The air in the hall thickened.

Even the servants froze where they stood.

And if I dont? My voice came out quieter than I intended.

His eyes hardened.

Then Ill make you.

Before I could move, he shoved me down.

I hit the floor hard, the impact knocking the breath from my lungs. His hand pressed into my shoulder, pinning me as I struggled beneath him, but I was too drainedtoo brokento fight properly.

A few maids stepped forward hesitantly.

A single roar from Marek stopped them cold.

I told you, he said through clenched teeth, three times. And you still act like a spoiled child.

Then he looked at Araminta.

Now, he said coldly. Return what she gave you. Slap her.

Silence.

For a moment, I thought I had misheard him.

Even the air seemed to freeze around us.

I lifted my gaze slowly.

Mareks face was unmoving.

Unfeeling.

And in that instant, something inside me finally shattered completely.

Seven years ago, everything changed.

My mother was already lying weak upon her sickbed when she called me to her side. Her breathing was shallow, her hand cold in mine, but her eyes were still sharp with worry.

She told me she could not leave this world in peace if she didnt see me properly settled first.

I was all she had left. My father had returned to the Moon Goddess long before that.

So she made a final requestsimple, but heavy with expectation. A mate. A marriage. Someone who would remain by my side after she was gone.

Marek Wolfhart was the one she chose.

He was not a stranger to us. He was the son of a distant relative, taken in by our household when his pack had fallen into ruin. My mother had fed him, educated him, and given him standing again. In return, he became someone capablerespected, evenwithin our lands.

And when she asked him to bind himself to me, he could not refuse.

Neither did I.

I admired him then. I thought that was enough.

So we went before the pack elder, stood beneath the stone carved with moon runes, and spoke the binding vows.

No celebration. No gathering of wolves. Only silence, ink, and fate.

I thought it was the beginning of something steady.

I was wrong.

Because I didnt know that before me, there had already been someone else in his heart.

Araminta.

My closest friend. The girl I grew up beside beneath the same moon.

I still remember the night the truth slipped out.

Marek came home reeking of strong drink, his guard lowered, his tongue unbound. I had been waiting for him like I always did.

You are nothing but an obstacle, he muttered, not even looking at me properly. An obstacle between me and Araminta. If not for you I would already be bound to her.

Those words did not just wound me.

They carved something out of me.

But even then, it wasnt the last time.

Over the years, I learned what it meant to be unwanted in your own bond.

He missed the naming day of our daughter, Lunara. He missed her first steps in the sacred courtyard. He missed feasts, rituals, even the simple nights when a child only wanted her father to lift her into his arms.

And still, Lunara waited for him.

Every night she would refuse sleep, asking the same question.

When will Father return?

And every night, I gave her the same lie.

He is busy with pack matters, my love.

But children do not live on lies for long. I would find her asleep near the hearth, waiting for footsteps that never came. In the morning, she would wake with disappointment already in her eyes.

That was when I began planning the journey. A simple retreat beyond the packlands, under quieter skies. Just the three of us. A chance for Lunara to finally feel like she had a father who stayed.

I wanted to believe it might change something.

It didnt.

Marek refused, as always. And I should have stopped hoping then.

Still, I told Lunara. I remember her facebright, alive, full of faith I could no longer match. She had been so happy she could barely stand still.

Even now, that smile haunts me more than anything.

Because I lost her.

And with her, I lost the last piece of myself that still believed in him.

The man I once saw as my mate no longer existed.

What stood before me now was a strangerone who could order another woman to strike his own wife without hesitation.

The Marek I once loved had already died somewhere along the way.

I only hadnt noticed the burial.

Then Araminta struck me.

The force snapped my head to the side, my vision blurring as I steadied myself against the cold floor.

Silence followed.

And then her sobs filled the hall.

I I slapped my best friend she cried, trembling as tears fell freely. What kind of person have I become?

She covered her face as if she were the one who had been broken.

Marek moved instantly. He pulled her into his arms like she was something precious, something worth protecting.

It is alright, he murmured softly. You are too kind-hearted for this world. Do not cry.

I stared at them, numb.

The performance was almost beautiful in its cruelty.

She had just struck meand yet somehow, she became the victim.

I turned away, unable to bear it any longer.

But before I could leave, a hand clamped around my wrist.

Marek.

Where do you think you are going? he said coldly.

My breath hitched.

Let me go, I whispered, my voice breaking as tears finally threatened to fall.

Is this your new trick? Crying now? Mareks voice was sharp, laced with contempt. You failed to use Lunara against me, so now you resort to false tears?

My chest burned.

Anger surged so fast it almost stole my breath.

How dare you I wrenched my wrist free from his grip. Dont you ever mention her name again!

His brows drew together. Where is she? I havent seen Lunara since yesterday.

Only then did it seem to register in his mind that something was wrong.

I let out a cold laugh. So you finally noticed.

You insane woman! His voice rose. Where is she?

Panic flickered in his eyes as he looked toward Lunaras chamber.

I told you, I said slowly, every word like ice, shes gone.

That single word snapped something in him.

Marek seized a nearby maid by the arm. Bring the child downstairs!

The maid froze. She did not move. She could not even meet his eyes.

His grip tightened.

Answer me!

The maid trembled, silent.

Before I could speak again, Marek released her and stormed up the stairs himself, his boots striking the wood like thunder.

Moments later, I heard it.

Silence.

Then

His voice, cracked.

No where is she?

He came back down slower this time.

His face had lost color.

Where is Lunara? he demanded, grabbing another maid. Where did you hide her?

The girl shook in his grasp, terrified and speechless.

Let her go, I said sharply. She will not answer you.

Marek turned on me, fury returning like fire. What have you done?

Before I could answer, Araminta stepped forward, her voice soft and dripping with false concern.

Lyanna you are going too far. Do not separate a child from her father.

I almost laughed.

Almost.

You? I looked at her coldly. Concerned now?

Mareks jaw tightened. Stop this nonsense. Tell me where she is.

I met his eyes without blinking. If you are so desperate, then go and find her yourself.

His hand moved faster than I expected.

A summoning crystal was crushed in his palm, sending a sharp pulse through the bond network of the manor.

My daughter is missing, he barked into it. Find her. Now.

The hall filled with tense silence.

I sat down slowly, as if my bones had finally given up on carrying me.

Minutes passed.

Too quiet.

Too heavy.

Then his crystal flared again.

Marek answered immediately.

At first, I could not hear the words clearlyonly the shift in his expression.

Confusion.

Then disbelief.

Then something like terror.

No he whispered. That cannot be right.

His hand trembled.

What did you say?

A voice came again through the crystal, firm and final.

The child is dead. On her naming day. Poisoned by a nut-based curse.

The world seemed to tilt.

Mareks eyes snapped to me.

But he was not looking at me anymore.

He was looking through me.

This is a mistake, he said hoarsely. This is impossible.

Then the voice continued, colder this time.

It was no accident. Someone guided the child to it. Evidence has been delivered to your chamber.

Marek lowered the crystal slowly.

For a moment, no one moved.

Then he opened it.

A glow of runes flickered into the air.

An image formed.

Araminta.

And a recorded echoher voice, unmistakable, giving the command.

The hall went silent.

Even the wolves outside seemed to stop howling.