After He Broke My Heart, the Alpha Begged Me Back

I was on my way to my husband Damons office, clutching the pregnancy test the pack healer had placed in my hands that morning. Two clear lines stared back at me, filling my heart with a joy I had been longing to share with him. In my other hand, I carried the keys to the mansion I had secretly prepared for him, intending to give him both gifts when I told him he was going to be a father.

Throughout the journey, I had rehearsed how I would surprise him. Perhaps I would place the pregnancy test in his palm and watch his face light up, or perhaps I would wait until we shared our evening meal beneath the moonlight and reveal the news then.

But all my carefully imagined plans vanished when I reached his office.

I had just raised my hand to knock when I heard voices coming from within.

Elara does not need to know, Larry, Damon said. It belongs to the past, and there is nothing more to be done about it.

My hand remained suspended in the air, and a strange uneasiness settled over me. What could they possibly be discussing that I was not meant to know?

Then Larry spoke, and his words struck me with such force that I nearly lost my balance.

You used her mothers organ to save Selene Ravenwoods sister. You lied to Elara, and her mother died because of it. What do you think she will do when she learns the truth?

The blood drained from my face.

Selene Ravenwood.

Even hearing her name was enough to make my stomach twist.

Selene, Damons first love. Selene, the woman Adrian Ashford, my former fianc and once-promised mate, had abandoned me for. Selene, the woman Damon had never truly stopped loving.

I pressed myself against the wall beside the door, my heart pounding so violently that I feared the men inside might hear it through the wood.

I did what I had to do, Damon replied coldly. Selene needed me, and her sister needed that organ. Elaras mother was already dying.

So you let her die? Larry demanded.

I saved Selenes sister, Damon corrected, without the slightest trace of remorse. And I married Elara. Is that not enough?

You have spent five years lying to her, Damon. Five years pretending to be the husband she deserved. The poor girl loves you.

Elara means nothing to me, Damon said flatly. I have repaid whatever I owed her by fulfilling my duty as her husband. But if she discovers the truth, then so be it. I will cast her from my life if necessary. As long as Selene is happy, nothing else matters.

The pregnancy test slipped from my trembling fingers and fell silently to the floor.

For a moment, I could not breathe.

All these years, I had believed Damon loved me. I had believed every gentle touch, every reassuring word, every time he had wrapped his arms around me and made me feel like the most precious female in his world.

I had been a fool.

My mother had died so that Selenes sister could live, and the male I had loved had known the truth all along.

I bent down, picked up the test, and stared at those two lines through the tears gathering in my eyes. A child. Our child. A future I had been so happy to give him.

Now, it felt like another cruel joke.

I turned away before either male could discover me, leaving the mansion keys beside the corridor before I hurried from the room.

I did not know where I was going. I only knew that I needed to get away from him before the pain inside my chest consumed me.

I barely remembered reaching the packs main road before tears blurred my vision. Every word I had overheard repeated itself in my mind, each one cutting deeper than the last. My mother had died because Damon had chosen Selenes sister over her, and for five years he had looked me in the eyes while keeping that truth from me.

My hands trembled against the reins as I tried to steady myself, but grief had already robbed me of reason.

Then a sharp cry from my wolf sounded through the bond.

Elara, watch

The warning came too late.

A violent impact threw me from my horse, and the world disappeared beneath a wave of darkness.

When I opened my eyes again, the bitter scent of healing herbs filled my nose. Pain throbbed through my skull, while every part of my body seemed to ache from the fall.

I blinked several times until the dim shapes around me became clear.

Then I saw him.

Elara.

Damon sat beside my bed, his hand wrapped tightly around mine. His eyes were bloodshot, and his usually composed face was pale with what appeared to be fear.

What happened? he demanded, his voice trembling. Why did you leave the pack grounds alone? You could have been killed.

I stared at him without answering.

He brought my hand to his lips and pressed a trembling kiss against my knuckles before lowering his forehead to them.

Do not ever frighten me like that again, he whispered. I cannot lose you.

His eyes held such convincing anguish that, once upon a time, I would have believed every word.

He looked at me as though I were his entire world.

He played the part beautifully.

I forced a faint smile and swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat.

I am fine, I murmured.

Relief softened his features. He leaned closer, kissed my forehead, and whispered that he loved me, that I was precious to him, that he could never bear the thought of living without me.

I listened quietly, allowing him to believe that I was still the trusting mate he had deceived for five years.

I did not tell him that I had heard everything.

I did not tell him that I knew what he had done to my mother, nor that I knew his heart still belonged to Selene.

For now, I would let him believe his secret remained safe.

Because Damon Whitecastle had taken my mother from me, stolen five years of my life, and made a fool of my love.

He had no idea that the female lying quietly in his arms was no longer the woman he thought he knew.

And when the time came, I would make certain he lost everything he had sacrificed my life to protect.

Damon told me he would be leaving the pack territory for a few days on a business trip.

Only a couple of days, he had said, brushing a kiss against my forehead with the tenderness of the devoted mate he had pretended to be for five years. I will miss you.

I smiled and watched him leave, pretending that his absence saddened me. The moment his scent faded beyond the estate, however, I returned to the study and began putting my plan into motion.

For the past several days, I had quietly observed Damons habits, paying close attention to the places where he kept the things he valued most. I knew he had always been careful about protecting his secrets, but even the most cautious Alpha could become careless when he believed his mate trusted him completely.

It did not take long to find the hidden safe behind an old painting in his study.

The combination was even easier.

Selene Ravenwoods birthday.

My fingers barely trembled as I turned the dial. On the first attempt, I heard the quiet click of the lock releasing.

Inside, everything had been arranged with almost obsessive precision.

The first documents I found came from the pack hospital: agreements concerning organ donation, records from the surgery, and the authorization bearing Damons seal that proved he had ordered my mothers organ to be given to Selenes sister.

My vision blurred as tears burned behind my eyes, but I forced myself to keep reading.

There were also records of gold transfers and payments made to Adrian Ashford, my former fianc. The documents described them as business transactions, yet I knew now that there was nothing innocent about them.

My hands trembled as I went through the rest of the records.

Jewelry. Rare fabrics. Expensive gifts. Even arrangements for journeys to distant territories.

Damon had disguised them as business expenses, but every gift had been meant for Selene.

Then I found another bundle of receipts, this one bearing my name.

Necklaces, rings, gowns, and other gifts Damon had given me throughout our marriage were listed there. For years, I had believed those things were proof of his affection, and I had even felt guilty sometimes for accepting such extravagant gifts.

Now I understood the truth.

Compared with what he had spent on Selene, what he had given me was insignificant.

The realization cut deeper than I expected.

He had never loved me.

I had merely been the convenient wife who occupied his side while his heart remained with another female, a placeholder he could keep beside him while protecting the woman he truly cherished.

I lowered myself onto the floor, surrounded by five years of lies, and for a moment I could no longer hold back my tears.

Then my wolf stirred within me.

Do not give them your tears, Elara.

I closed my eyes and drew a slow breath, allowing the familiar warmth of the bond to steady me.

You are stronger than this.

I wiped my cheeks and reached for my phone, but the moment my fingers touched it, I stopped.

There was no need to rely on such a thing.

Instead, I pulled a small enchanted memory stone from my satchel, one commonly used by pack healers and scribes to preserve written records. I placed it over the documents one by one, allowing its magic to capture every seal, signature, transaction, and receipt exactly as they appeared.

The evidence would remain safe even if Damon discovered the originals were missing.

At the very bottom of the safe, I found another folder marked Future Assets.

Inside were property deeds, investment agreements, insurance contracts, and plans concerning several territories and businesses under Damons name. I studied each document carefully before preserving copies of them with the memory stone.

When I had everything I needed, I returned every paper to its proper place and closed the safe. I even straightened the painting exactly as I had found it.

Damon would not know I had been there.

Not yet.

I left the estate before dusk and went directly to the office of the packs legal adviser.

Mrs. Whitecastle? The old lawyer rose from his chair when I entered without an appointment, surprise flashing across his face. I was not expecting you.

I need a divorce agreement prepared.

His expression changed immediately.

Does Alpha Whitecastle know about this?

No, I replied calmly. And I want to keep it that way for the time being.

He studied my face for several moments, clearly searching for an explanation, but I gave him none. At last, he opened one of the drawers beneath his desk.

We already have a standard agreement prepared. I only need your signature and a few details.

He placed the parchment before me.

I read every clause carefully, then took the quill and signed my name at the bottom without hesitation.

Send it to him after I have left, I instructed. Not before.

After you have left? he repeated, his brow furrowing. Mrs. Whitecastle, what exactly are you planning?

I folded the agreement and rose from my chair.

You will know soon enough.

I left before he could ask anything else.

My next destination was a place few respectable members of the packs would ever admit existed.

It was hidden beneath an abandoned tavern on the edge of the territory, far from the great pack houses and the watchful eyes of the Alpha Council. The entrance was concealed behind a weathered wooden door, and no sign marked the narrow passage leading underground.

This was where I had been told to go.

An underground network that specialized in helping wolves disappear.

When I pushed open the door, the stale smell of smoke and damp parchment greeted me. A male sitting behind the counter lifted his head, his face half-hidden beneath the hood of his cloak.

You are lost, he said.

No, I answered, meeting his gaze. I came because I need your services.

His eyes narrowed as he looked me over.

What kind of services?

I want to disappear.

For the first time, the amusement left his face.

Disappear?

Completely.

He leaned back in his chair, studying me as though trying to determine whether I understood the weight of what I was asking.

You know what happens to wolves who disappear from their pack without a trace?

Yes.

And you still want this?

I reached into my bag and placed a heavy pouch of gold on the counter.

His gaze dropped to it, and a slow smile appeared.

Well, he murmured, that certainly makes your intentions clearer.

He opened the pouch, examined the gold, and then motioned for me to follow him.

We passed through another door into a hidden chamber beneath the tavern. Maps covered the walls, along with false pack records, forged seals, and documents bearing the names of wolves who had supposedly died years ago.

This is how we work, he explained. We can arrange a death convincing enough to satisfy the pack healers and the Alpha Council. A hunting accident, a fall, a drowningwhatever best suits the circumstances. Once the death is accepted, we give you a new name, a new pack, and a new identity.

I remained silent.

No one will know where you went, he continued. Not your family, not your husband, not even the wolves who share your blood.

I looked at him steadily.

I do not want anyone to find me.

His smile faded as he realized I was not speaking out of anger alone.

I want my death to appear deliberate, I said. It must be convincing enough that no one will question it, and there must be no trace leading back to me.

He studied me for a long moment before placing a sheet of parchment on the table.

Then write down everything we need to know.

I picked up the quill.

My hand was steady as I began to write.

For five years, Damon Whitecastle had believed he held the power to decide my fate.

He was about to learn how wrong he had been.

The parchment caught my eye before I even realized what I was reading.

Alpha Damon Whitecastle and Selene Ravenwood Seen Together at the Moonstone AuctionTheir Bond Still Burns After All These Years.

My heart seemed to stop as I stared at the words, a sharp ache spreading through my chest.

There they wereDamon and Selene, dressed in fine pack attire, standing close enough to make their familiarity impossible to mistake. Selenes fingers rested lightly against his arm, while Damon gazed at her with a warmth I had not seen directed toward me in years. They looked like a mated pair whose bond had never weakened, the kind of couple other wolves would envy.

And he had told me he was away on a business journey.

This was not business.

The Moonstone Auction was an exclusive gathering attended by influential Alphas and their families. Damon had not gone there to negotiate pack affairs.

He had taken Selene there.

It was a date.

My fingers tightened around the parchment as I continued reading. The article went on about their undeniable chemistry and the affection they supposedly still shared after all these years. Every word made my stomach twist, because I knew that what the writer called lingering affection was something far more intimate.

I let the parchment fall onto the table and closed my eyes as tears blurred my vision. The betrayal I had tried to convince myself could not possibly be true was now impossible to deny. I had heard Damon's words with my own ears, and now I had seen the truth with my own eyes.

Yet as the pain threatened to consume me, my hand instinctively moved to my stomach.

My baby.

I took a slow breath and rested my palm over the small life growing within me. My child was innocent of every betrayal Damon had committed, and I would not allow the ugliness of his choices to poison the precious gift the Moon Goddess had placed in my life.

Whatever happened between Damon and me, this child would always be loved.

I had to remain strong, not because I was no longer hurting, but because I now had someone else to protect.

That was why I went to the pack healer that afternoon.

The familiar scent of herbs and moonflower filled the healing chamber. The healer placed her palm over my abdomen and murmured an ancient prayer before moving a polished moonstone across my skin. A soft silver glow spread beneath the stone, and moments later, the faint rhythm of my pups heartbeat filled the chamber.

Everything is well, the healer said warmly. The pup is healthy and growing exactly as it should.

Tears filled my eyes, but this time they were not tears of grief.

Relief washed through me, easing something inside my chest that had been aching for days.

For the first time in weeks, I felt something other than pain.

I felt hope.

When I left the healers chamber, I knew what I needed to do.

I went to Whitecastle territory, to the great stone hall where Damon conducted the packs affairs. For years, the place had felt like another home to me, but that day, as I passed beneath its towering entrance, I felt like a stranger trespassing on land that had never truly belonged to me.

The guards lowered their heads respectfully when they saw me, while the servants stepped aside as I entered. I held the parchment containing my resignation tightly in my hand before approaching one of the attendants.

Is Alpha Whitecastle in his study?

Yes, Luna, she replied, though her expression immediately became uneasy. But you cannot enter at the moment.

I frowned.

And why is that?

Alpha Whitecastle has an important visitor and ordered that he not be disturbed.

My chest tightened.

An important visitor? Who?

The young female immediately lowered her gaze.

I am sorry, Luna. I was ordered not to say.

I stared at her for a moment, anger slowly replacing my shock.

Damon had not even told me he had returned from his supposed business journey.

I am his mate, I reminded her firmly. Surely I do not need permission to see my own husband.

She swallowed nervously.

I am sorry, Luna, but Alpha Whitecastle gave strict orders.

I clenched my jaw before forcing myself to nod.

Very well.

I turned away as though I intended to leave, but instead of walking out, I waited until the attendant disappeared around the corner before making my way toward Damons study.

The door was slightly open.

I stopped outside it, my heart beginning to pound.

Some part of me already knew what I would find inside. Another part begged me to turn around before I witnessed something that could never be unseen.

But I had spent enough of my life believing lies.

I pushed the door open just enough to look inside.

The sight before me stole the breath from my lungs.

Damon stood beside his desk with Selene in his arms.

She was pressed against his chest, her face tilted toward his, and there was a tenderness in his expression that I had once foolishly believed belonged to me.

Then his lips met hers.

I stood frozen in the doorway as they kissed, completely unaware that I was watching them.

His hand rested possessively against her waist while Selenes fingers curled against his chest. The intimacy between them made it painfully clear that this was not the first time they had crossed that boundary.

For a moment, I wanted to rush inside and demand an explanation. I wanted to scream at Damon for every lie he had told me and ask Selene how she could stand in my husbands arms without shame.

Then I remembered my pup.

I remembered my mothers death.

And I remembered the promise I had made to myself.

I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me break.

Instead, I quietly stepped back and reached into my satchel for the enchanted memory stone I carried with me. With a whispered spell, I captured the scene within its surface, preserving the image of Damon kissing Selene exactly as I had witnessed it.

I had my proof.

That was all I needed.

I returned to the table where I had left my resignation parchment and placed it where Damon would certainly find it. Then I turned and walked away without making a sound.

Once I reached the courtyard, I mounted my horse and rode home.

There, I gathered every gift Damon had given me during our five years together. The jewelry, gowns, ornaments, and keepsakes I had once treasured because I believed each carried a piece of his love now meant nothing to me.

I carried the boxes outside and built a fire beneath the open night sky, feeding the flames with everything he had given me.

The fire had barely begun consuming the first box when I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned.

Selene stood several paces away.

Before I could ask how she had entered the estate, she stepped forward and kicked one of the burning boxes.

The force scattered its contents across the ground, sending photographs and half-burned keepsakes into the flames. Glowing embers drifted through the air and landed against her cheek, yet she merely smiled as though she had done nothing wrong.

I stared at her in disbelief.

Selene, what are you doing?

She widened her eyes and offered an innocent expression that did not reach her smile.

Oh, forgive me. I must have slipped. I certainly did not mean to do that.

Her gaze dropped toward the burning photographs.

Wait, she said sweetly. Are those pictures of you and Damon? Why are you burning them? Have you finally realized how little you mean to him?

My brow lifted.

What did you just say?

Selenes smile deepened.

I was only wondering whether you finally understood your place. You could not even protect your own mother when she was dying, after all.

My entire body went rigid.

She stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction.

You were so useless back then, she continued. Your mother died, and there was nothing you could do to save her. Perhaps that is simply what happens when a weak female tries to hold on to things that were never meant to belong to her.

Something inside me snapped.

Before I had time to think, my hand moved.

The slap echoed across the courtyard.

It was not hard enough to send a trained wolf flying, but Selene staggered backward with a startled gasp. Her heel caught on the edge of the burning box behind her, and she lost her balance.

Her body fell directly into the flames.

My eyes widened in horror as the fire surged around her.

I stared in surprise as Selene fell into the flames. I had not expected what happened next, but before I could even move, a figure rushed toward me from behind and shoved me to the ground before gathering Selene into his arms.

My heart had already been shattered, yet somehow, seeing Damon cradle her as though she were the most precious female in the world managed to break it even further.

He looked at me with fury burning in his eyes.

What in the name of the Moon Goddess is wrong with you, Elara? he demanded. Selene came here peacefully, and you struck her without provocation.

There was no tenderness in his voice, no concern for me, and certainly no trace of the affection he had once pretended to possess. In that moment, I felt less like his mate than a complete stranger standing before him.

I pressed my lips together before meeting his furious gaze.

She insulted my mother and called me useless. Do you truly expect me to stand there quietly when you have never given me a proper explanation about what happened five years ago? You told me only that the operation failed because of her condition, so tell me, Damon, what else am I supposed to believe?

His brows drew together, and for the briefest moment, I saw panic flicker across his face before he quickly concealed it.

An explanation? We have already spoken about this, he said. The operation failed because your mother was in critical condition. Why are you behaving as though I deliberately kept something from you?

Because you did.

The words burned at the back of my throat, but I swallowed them. I could not afford to reveal what I knew yet. There would be a proper time for the truth, and when that time came, Damon Whitecastle would have nowhere left to hide.

Before I could answer, he continued, Whatever happened between you two, it gives you no right to hurt Selene when she came here peacefully. Now apologize to her.

I barely had time to draw breath before Selene spoke.

It is all right, Damon. Perhaps Elara still resents me because Adrian broke their engagement and chose me instead. If that is the reason she struck me, then perhaps I deserved it. Please do not make things harder for her. Let us consider this my way of making amends.

Damon's expression softened immediately.

They turned away from me without waiting for another word.

Halfway across the courtyard, I heard Selene sigh softly.

If she despises me so much, perhaps we should stop seeing each other. I do not want my presence to cause problems between you and your mate.

I clenched my fists.

That was the last thread holding me to Damon.

I no longer cared whether he defended me, loved me, or even remembered that I was his wife. I simply turned back toward the fire and continued feeding it the gifts and memories I had collected during five years of marriage.

One by one, everything I had once treasured became ash.

Not long afterward, a message arrived from Damon through the pack communication crystal.

I am sorry, love. I know asking you to apologize to Selene hurt you, but she is overseeing the Ashford territory project, and I cannot allow a personal disagreement to affect our business. Once everything is settled, I will make it up to you. I told you I would bring you a gift, so do not be upset, all right?

I stared at the message for a long moment before extinguishing the crystal.

He still believed a gift could make everything right.

He still believed I was the same foolish female who would forgive him simply because he called me love.

He had no idea that I already knew his heart belonged to Selene and that I had long since accepted the truth: I had never been his chosen mate. I had merely been the woman he kept in his home because she was convenient.

I went upstairs, picked up the small travel bag I had prepared earlier, and left the estate without looking back.

The inn on the outskirts of the territory was quiet when I arrived. Its stone walls were cold, and the room contained nothing familiar, yet the emptiness brought me an unexpected sense of peace.

I was alone, and for the first time, that was exactly what I wanted.

I had barely settled beside the window when the pack communication crystal began to glow.

Luna Elara? one of the company attendants asked anxiously through the mind-link. Where are you? Have you forgotten that you are expected at the meeting with the investor today?

Before I could answer, another voice entered the connection.

Damon.

Send for the best healers in the territory and have them attend to Selene immediately.

I almost laughed.

Selene had suffered nothing more than a superficial burn, yet Damon was already summoning the most powerful healers in the territory as though she had been mortally wounded.

Apparently, her smallest injury was worth more to him than everything he had ever done for me.

I will not be attending the meeting, I told the attendant before severing the connection.

Not long after, Damon tried reaching me through our mate bond, but I refused to answer. I knew he would assume I was merely upset about the incident with Selene.

He had not yet discovered my resignation.

That thought almost made me smile.

Then, after several unanswered attempts, his voice finally came through the bond.

Elara, I am sorry, but they told me you missed the meeting. Are you feeling unwell? It was an important meeting.

I am not feeling well, I replied quietly.

His tone immediately softened.

Then do not concern yourself with anything. I will handle it. Rest, and I will return as soon as I can.

I did not ask whether he intended to return home.

I already knew that whatever business had occupied him, Selene would always come first.

I spent the rest of the day alone at the inn, waiting for the right moment to carry out the final part of my plan.

Then, as dusk settled over the territory, I happened to glance at the scrying crystal in my room. A popular young female was broadcasting from one of the finest dress shops in the city, and although I had little interest in her chatter, a familiar figure caught my attention in the reflection behind her.

Selene.

And beside her stood Damon.

He was helping her choose a gown, his expression warm as he held one dress after another against her.

The sight no longer surprised me.

Instead, it confirmed what I had already known.

This was the moment.

I contacted my lawyer through the pack mind-link and instructed him to deliver the divorce papers to Damon's office immediately.

Then I contacted the wolf who had promised to help me disappear.

Everything was ready.

My death would be announced before Damon had the chance to find me, and by the time he realized what had happened, I would already be beyond his reach.

Not long afterward, Damon's secretary rushed into the dress shop, her face pale.

Alpha, we have a serious problem.

Damon frowned.

What happened?

She held out a sealed parchment with trembling hands.

It appears Madam Elara has discovered what happened to her mother five years ago. She has filed for divorce.

For several heartbeats, Damon simply stared at the parchment.

Then another attendant came running toward them, nearly breathless.

Alpha! Someone has reported that Madam Elara is dead.

Damon's face went completely pale.

The attendant swallowed before forcing the words out.

They say she took her own life because she could not bear what happened to her mother.

For the first time, the man who had always believed he controlled my fate looked as though the ground had vanished beneath his feet.

And I watched from the shadows, knowing that Elara Whitecastle had indeed died that night.

The woman he had deceived for five years was gone.

The female who remained had no intention of ever forgiving him.