When the Alpha’s Stand-In Mate Betrayed

Pain was the first thing that greeted me when my eyes finally opened. It seeped through my body like slow-burning moonfire—my arms aching dully, my leg screaming with sharp, vicious intensity. I tried to sit up on instinct, but a firm yet gentle hand pressed me back down. “Easy,” a healer said, her voice calm and practiced. “You were caught in a collision near the eastern road. Your ankle is fractured, and the rest are minor wounds. Your wolf hasn’t recovered yet. Don’t move.” A collision. The word echoed hollowly. And then everything rushed back—Thorne. Rionna. The glowing council parchment in her hands. My brothers laughing. The way my heart felt like it had been torn open. Running. The blare of a warning horn. White light. The carriage. I swallowed hard. “How long… have I been here?” “Nearly a full day,” she replied, checking the rune-lit crystal beside my bed. Then she slowed, her expression softening. “There’s something else you need to know.” My pulse spiked. “What is it?” She paused only briefly. “You were carrying a pup. Just over two months along. I’m sorry—the impact severed the moon thread.” The words didn’t register at first. I stared at her. “A pup…?” She nodded and gently squeezed my fingers. “I didn’t know,” I whispered. “I really didn’t…” My mind went eerily still, while something inside my chest shattered completely. In one night, I had lost everything I never even knew I had. “Would you like me to summon someone from your pack?” the healer asked softly. My thoughts drifted to Thorne—the Alpha who had claimed me in name only. Then to Arion and Axton, the brothers who once swore blood-oaths to protect me, who now laughed about discarding me. But I couldn’t bear the emptiness. “I… need my communicator,” I said hoarsely. She placed it in my hand. The first name I called was Thorne’s. No answer. I tried again. “The bond you seek is unreachable.” Again. Nothing. The tears came fast and unbidden. He wasn’t coming. None of them were. Rionna had returned—and I had already been erased. Later, the healer returned and placed a small basket on the table. “Someone left this for you,” she said quietly. “Food, moon-lilies. He said he was a healer… the one who brought you in.” I frowned. “A healer?” She nodded. “He didn’t give his name. Just told me to make sure you rested.” After she left, I stared at the basket. The scent of food turned my stomach. I pushed it aside and picked up my communicator, opening the pack network feed—desperate for anything. Guilt. Concern. Proof I still mattered. That was when I saw it. Images. Recordings. Arion. Axton. Thorne. Rionna. Laughing beneath enchanted lights. Holding sugarfruit and festival bread. Standing before Silvercrest Palace like a perfect family unit. The caption read: “First outing as a true Alpha family. Long overdue.” My chest locked painfully. True family? Then what had I been? I cried until my vision burned, until my throat ached, until there was nothing left inside me but hollow exhaustion. By morning, my communicator buzzed. It was Thorne. I stared at the name before answering. “Rayna!” His voice sounded sharp, almost frantic. “Why didn’t you say you were in the infirmary? Why didn’t you contact us properly?!” Us, he said? Before I could reply, the door opened. Thorne entered, with Arion and Axton close behind, all three wearing carefully measured expressions of concern. “We rushed over as soon as we heard,” Axton said, adjusting my pillow as if he’d always been there. “I only noticed your missed call late last night,” Thorne added. “You should’ve kept trying.” I looked at them quietly. “Where were you?” “Council matters,” Thorne answered too quickly. “You know how it is.” No, I don’t. Because it was our bond anniversary. Because you claimed my sister. Because you replaced me without hesitation. But I stayed silent. “I’m here now,” he said more gently, brushing my hair back. “I won’t leave.” I turned my face away. “I need the washroom.” “You can’t walk,” he said at once. “I’ll carry you.” He lifted me carefully, and for one dangerous moment, it felt like the past—like the Alpha I once loved hadn’t vanished. Then the illusion broke. Arion burst through the door. “Thorne! Hurry!” he shouted. “Rionna collapsed!” Thorne froze. “What?” “She fainted,” Arion repeated urgently. And just like that, Thorne’s arms slackened. He let go. I fell hard onto the stone floor, my back slamming down, my injured ankle screaming in agony. But he didn’t look back. Not even once. He ran out, already calling Rionna’s name. Then what about me? I curled inward, shaking, humiliated, shattered—until a different pair of arms carefully lifted me up. I blinked through my tears and looked up. Dark hair. Warm brown eyes. “Ardyn…?” My voice barely carried. The healer I once knew. Ardyn Valemont. The one who once stayed. The one who disappeared without explanation. A faint smile touched his lips. “Still finding ways to get hurt?” he murmured. I couldn’t speak. He brushed a loose strand of hair from my face. Then, softly, sincerely, he said— “Rayna… do you want to disappear with me?”

I stayed at the infirmary far longer than I expected. Part of it was the fractured ankle, which pulsed with pain no matter how still I lay. But the real reason was quieter, heavier—there was no one waiting to bring me back to the pack estate. No one, except Ardyn. Ardyn, who had once shared lecture halls with me at the Academy. Ardyn, who had confessed his feelings years ago and stepped back without resentment when I told him my heart already belonged to another. To Thorne. And now, somehow, he was the one sitting beside my bed when the nights stretched too long. He brought meals gentle enough for my weakened body. He stayed silent when I cried, never asking questions, never demanding answers. He appeared without making me feel indebted. The morning the healers finally cleared me to leave, he wheeled me into the small moon garden behind the infirmary. Sunlight filtered through silverleaf trees, warm and calm. We sat in silence, listening to the wind brush the branches. “I meant what I said before,” Ardyn spoke at last, watching me carefully. “You don’t have to return to Ridgefern Territory. If you want to leave… I’ll help you build a new life.” I lowered my gaze to my hands. They looked thinner. Slightly unsteady. Like hands that had clung too long and were finally letting go. “Give me five days,” I said quietly. “There are things I need to settle. After that… if you’re still willing, I’ll go with you.” His smile was soft, edged with something sad. “I won’t move an inch.” *** By the time I reached the estate, the sun was already high. Everything felt cruelly ordinary—wolves passing through the streets, guards changing shifts, neighbors tending courtyards—while something inside my chest twisted tight. The cane tapped softly against the stone path as I limped toward the door. Each step reminded me how broken I still was. Choosing Ardyn felt like stepping into the unknown. But staying in a place where no one saw me felt worse. I opened the door. Laughter greeted me. I froze. They were all there—Thorne, Arion, Axton… and Rionna. Sitting comfortably in the main hall, drinks in hand, like nothing had ever shattered. Rionna leaned easily against Thorne’s shoulder, her body angled toward his. My mate. My sister. My brothers. Together. Relaxed. Their expressions shifted the moment they saw me. “Oh,” Thorne said blankly. “Right… you’re back. How are you feeling?” He had forgotten. The urge to laugh rose sharp and bitter in my throat. None of them had visited me. Not once. Before I could speak, Rionna stood, moving toward me with a gentle, practiced smile. “Ray,” she said sweetly. “I missed you. I’m sorry we didn’t come—I've been unwell. But I’m better now. What about you? Are you alright?” I stepped back instinctively, my skin crawling. “No,” I said flatly. “I’m not.” Her smile faltered as she reached for me. “Rayna—” I knocked her hand away. “Don’t touch me.” Axton stood immediately. “What’s wrong with you?” he snapped. “You know she’s fragile right now.” Arion joined him. “She’s suffering. You don’t get to act like this.” My voice cut through the room. “I was in the infirmary. I was hit by a carriage.” Thorne exhaled sharply, irritated. “That was your fault,” he said. “You ran into the road. But Rionna—she’s ill. She’s not like you.” “I’m still her sister,” Rionna said softly, eyes shimmering. “We’re both hurting. We should support each other.” I shook my head. “I was hurting too. None of you came. I lost my pup and—” Rionna suddenly swayed, clutching her abdomen. Axton rushed forward. “She’s sick again.” They moved instantly. Thorne caught her. Arion fetched cloths. Axton murmured softly, holding her as if she might break. And I stood there. Unseen. Unheard. Invisible. No one acknowledged what I’d said. I considered screaming it—forcing them to listen. But exhaustion settled into my bones. I was fighting for space in a den that had never saved a place for me. So I turned away. I walked slowly toward the bedroom. When I opened the door, my breath stopped. Everything that belonged to me was gone. My clothes. My keepsakes. My framed memories. All replaced. Rionna’s scent filled the room. Her cosmetics on the dresser. Her gowns hanging neatly by the mirror. My hands trembled so badly I nearly dropped the cane. I stepped back—and she was there. Rionna. Smiling. Not the fragile mask she wore for others. This smile was sharp. Satisfied. “I really tried to be kind,” she said lazily. “But kindness never gave me anything. While I was gone, you took my life. My position. My mate. Even my brothers.” She moved closer. “I’m only reclaiming what was always mine. I should’ve done it five years ago.” Her eyes were cold. Then she added lightly, “I’ll give you a few days to leave. I’m not cruel. It wouldn’t look good if you ended up on the streets.” I stared at her. My voice was quiet. “Are you truly ill?” Her eyes snapped. “What do you think?” But memories surfaced—fake collapses, invented pain, tears used like weapons. “You think I’m pretending?” she raised her voice, loud enough to carry. I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to. Footsteps rushed down the hall. Arion and Axton appeared. “She’s doing it again,” Rionna sobbed instantly. “She keeps saying I’m lying.” Axton’s gaze hardened. “You’ve always been venomous,” he said. “No one ever liked you growing up. This is why.” Arion stepped forward. He grabbed the chain around my neck and tore it free—the pack pendant he’d given me years ago, swearing it meant loyalty. “You don’t deserve this anymore,” he said coldly. I didn’t resist. I didn’t cry. I just stood there, empty. One by one, they left. I lowered myself to the floor, my ankle burning, my side aching. I stayed silent. Because in a few days, I would be gone. And when they finally understood what they had done… It would already be too late.

I was finishing the last of my packing, pressing folded clothes into a half-closed travel satchel, when the ward bell rang. I froze. For a heartbeat, my pulse jumped. Ardyn? I checked my communicator. No missed calls. No messages. After a slow breath, I walked to the entrance. A large white chest rested neatly before the door, bound with a wide ribbon of gold-threaded silk. Heavy. Refined. My name was etched across the lid in flowing runes. No seal. No message. Only my name. Unease and curiosity tugged me forward. I carried it inside, set it on the table and lifted the lid. My breath stopped. Inside lay a ceremonial Luna gown. Not just any gown—my gown. The exact design I had drawn years ago, when I still believed Thorne and I would stand beneath the Full Moon together. Moon-ivory silk that shimmered softly. Lace sleeves spun fine as frost-thread. My fingers trembled as I brushed the fabric. A tag had been sewn into the lining. ‘Rayna’, stitched by hand in gold. My vision blurred. Was this real? Was this… him? For one dangerous moment, hope surged—sharp and foolish. After the distance. The coldness. The betrayal. Was this Thorne’s apology? Was he finally ready to complete the Moon Rite? To give me what he had denied me for five years? I let myself believe it. Just for a moment. I slipped into the gown slowly, breath held as the fabric settled against my skin like it had been waiting for me. It fit almost perfectly. I turned toward the mirror, hands pressed to my chest, eyes shining with fragile hope. Then the door slammed open. “Rayna, what do you think you’re doing?!” I jumped. Thorne stood there, fury and disbelief darkening his features. He crossed the room in long strides and seized the fabric at my shoulder, yanking it so hard the seams nearly tore. “Why are you wearing that?” “I—” My voice shook. “Isn’t this meant for me? My name is inside. It’s my design. The gown I dreamed of. I thought maybe… we were finally completing the bond.” He laughed—short and cold. “Have you lost your mind? We’re already mates.” “Then why send this here?” I whispered. “It’s not yours,” he snapped, brushing his hands over the silk like he was cleansing it. “It’s for Rionna. She wants a Moon Rite. A real one. She deserves it. She’s ill.” My blood turned cold. “She’s ill,” he repeated, as if that explained everything. “She wants to stand beneath the moon,” he went on. “Wear the gown. Have the ceremony she was meant to have five years ago. This was always her fate.” “It was mine too,” I said quietly. “I drew it. That dream was mine. Why give her something that belonged to me?” Footsteps followed him in. Arion and Axton entered. “What’s all the noise?” Arion asked, then scoffed when he saw the gown. “Oh, this? Rayna, you’re not dying. Let her have it. If she likes your design, you can make another.” Axton nodded. “You always overreact. It’s just one night. She deserves that much.” “She deserves my dream?” The words barely left my mouth. Rionna appeared in the doorway, wrapped in a pale shawl, playing fragility perfectly. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I just want to be a bride once. To stand beneath the moon before…” She let the words fade, eyes filling with practiced tears. “I won’t take him forever. Just for the ceremony. Let me borrow him.” I looked at her. At all of them. Something inside me went completely still. “You’re all unbelievable,” I said quietly. Her lips trembled. “Do whatever you want,” I continued flatly. “Hold your Moon Rite. Take the gown. Use my design. Borrow my mate. Take everything. I’m finished.” I turned and walked away. My legs felt numb, but my chest burned like it was being split open. Back in my room, I opened drawers, chests, and shelves. I gathered clothes, letters, sketches—every remnant of the girl I had been. Every fragile hope I had guarded. Behind the estate stood an old iron brazier. I dropped everything inside. And struck a flame. Fire surged upward, hungry and bright. Smoke twisted into the night sky, carrying away photos of Thorne and me, handwritten vows, and the sketches of the gown I would never wear. I remembered my brothers swearing loyalty. I remembered believing I belonged. I remembered Rionna clinging to my arm, calling me her favorite. All lies. Every one. As the last page of my sketchbook curled into ash, arms wrapped around me from behind. “Ray…” Thorne murmured, breath warm at my ear. “I’m sorry. I know this hurts. I didn’t want it to go this far. Just do this for her. She’s ill. You’re stronger. You can endure it.” I said nothing. “I’ll make it up to you,” he whispered. “Tomorrow. Just us. I’ll fix everything.” Too tired to argue, I nodded. “…Fine.” He exhaled in relief and pressed a soft kiss into my hair. That night, I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to numb the ache. But just as darkness claimed me… “Rayna! Wake up!” I jolted upright. Thorne stood beside the bed, urgent and pale. “We need your blood,” he said quickly. “Your sister’s condition is worsening. Your bloodline matches.” My throat went dry. “What…?” “She’s failing,” he said, already gripping my arm. “Don’t make this difficult. Be useful for once.” Then, colder… “Be her blood reserve.”

“No.” My voice was calm as I yanked my arm free. “I won’t give her my moon-blood.” Thorne’s eyes darkened at once, the Alpha mark on his throat pulsing faintly. “Don’t start this again, Rayna. Her wolf core is failing. The healers said she needs blood bound to the full moon. Yours matches.” “That has nothing to do with me,” I said flatly. “I’m not the only one breaking.” Arion stepped closer, his scent sharp with anger. “How can you be this cold? She’s fading, Rayna.” “She’s not fading,” I snapped. “She’s acting. Just like when we were pups—every time she wanted attention or an excuse.” Axton slammed his palm against the wall. “Enough. You sound unhinged.” Before I could move, hands closed around my arms. All of them. I fought back—kicked, twisted, tried to shift—but I was still injured, still weak, my wolf barely responsive. Three grown wolves were more than enough. They dragged me out of the territory house like I was property, shoved me into a vehicle etched with pack sigils, and drove straight to the Moon Healers’ Hall. I barely had time to think. Within the hour, runes burned cold against my wrists. No one asked for permission. No one listened as I begged. Moon-needles pierced my skin. Silver-lined tubes drained dark blood glowing faintly with lunar light. Healers exchanged tense glances as more vials were ordered. The world tilted. Then darkness swallowed me whole. *** When I woke, I felt hollow. As if my wolf had been scooped out, leaving only an empty shell. My limbs were heavy. Cold crept through my chest. Light stabbed my eyes. The first face I saw was the last one I wanted. Rionna. She sat beside the bed, holding a small tray etched with healing symbols. “You’re awake,” she said gently. “I brought you nourishment.” For a heartbeat, my heart almost believed her. Then everything rushed back. I knocked the tray from her hands. It shattered against the stone floor. The door burst open. Thorne. Axton. Arion. “What is wrong with you?” Arion snapped. “She came all this way for you.” “You’re impossible,” Thorne added. “She’s trying to mend things, and this is how you act?” “You forced me!” I shouted. “You bound me and drained my moon-blood!” “Rayna…” Rionna whispered, tears trembling in her voice. “Please. We’re sisters. I only wanted peace between us.” She stepped closer, arms lifting as if to embrace me. Her lips brushed my ear. “Do you understand now?” she murmured sweetly. “They’ve chosen already. So don’t resist.” My body went rigid. Thorne’s gaze sharpened. “Apologize. Now.” My fingers dug into the sheets. “I did nothing wrong.” Axton took one step forward. “Watch yourself.” My throat tightened. “…Fine,” I said quietly. “I’m sorry.” Not because I meant it. Because I had nothing left to fight with. They relaxed, satisfied, like a broken thing had been corrected. I turned my face to the wall and closed my eyes, pretending not to hear Rionna’s soft sobs or my brothers murmuring comfort until they finally left. *** That night, my rune-phone vibrated. Ardyn: [Tomorrow. Are you still ready?] I stared at the glow, then typed back. [Yes.] *** By morning, I didn’t want to leave the Healers’ Hall. My body ached. My wolf was silent. My heart felt worse. But Thorne didn’t ask. “We’re going,” he said coldly. “You owe her. You swore it. Stop acting immature.” So I went. Not because I wanted to. Because refusing only meant more punishment disguised as duty. I wore a pale dress woven with old pack thread—the one from our first bonding feast. Back when I believed in forever. Back when his hand had felt like safety. He told me to meet him at a restaurant on neutral territory. Just us. To fix things. So I waited. I arrived early, unsure whether I hoped he would come—or hoped he wouldn’t. Time passed. The moon lamps dimmed and brightened again. “He should be here soon,” I told the server softly. He never came. Neither did Arion or Axton. Then my phone buzzed. Rionna. Rionna: [Looks like they’re busy, sister. With me. Enjoy your meal alone.] Photos followed. Once, I would have broken. This time, I didn’t. *** I stood calmly and called the manager over. “I need to leave a few things,” I said. From my bag, I placed the papers on the table. The false mating bond record. The healer’s report confirming the loss of my pup. The ring Thorne gave me five years ago. “If he asks,” I said quietly, “tell him Rayna of the Feralwood Pack no longer exists.” I walked out. The bell chimed once—clear and final. *** Ardyn was waiting outside. Just like he promised. “Ready?” he asked, holding out his hand. I nodded. “Completely.” We drove straight toward the airship port. Inside the car, I scrolled through old messages, old names. Then I removed the rune-chip and dropped it into a bin. Gone. As I boarded the ship beside Ardyn, a calm I hadn’t felt in years settled deep in my chest. Tomorrow, they might notice. They might panic. They might search. But they will never find me. Never again.

The pack manor was unnaturally quiet when Thorne returned late that night with Rionna, Arion, and Axton. Their laughter echoed through the stone corridor as they struggled with the warded lock, still drunk on moonwine and the thrill of the evening. After leaving the neutral-territory tavern, they had lingered far longer than they should have—celebrating without restraint. Thorne entered first and snapped his fingers, triggering the light runes. Nothing happened. The corridor remained drowned in shadow. “What the hell?” Thorne muttered, activating the sigils again. The runes flared to life, revealing the great hall. Chaos. Cushions lay scattered across the floor. Dishes sat untouched on the long table. A faint trail of dried mud streaked toward the door. The manor looked abandoned, as though no one had tended to it all day. Thorne’s jaw tightened. “What is this mess?” he snarled. “Rayna! Explain this—now!” Silence answered him. He turned sharply toward the stairs, but Rionna caught his arm, laughing lightly. “Relax,” she said. “Don’t ruin the night. She’s probably sulking again. Asleep, maybe.” “She always does this when she wants attention,” Arion added, kicking off his boots. Axton smirked. “Yeah. Leave her alone. She’ll clean it up by morning like she always does.” Thorne hesitated. “But this place—” Rionna tugged him closer, her voice lowering. “Come to bed,” she whispered against his ear. “Don’t let her spoil tonight.” She chuckled softly. “She’s probably hiding somewhere, pretending she still matters. You know how dramatic she is.” That ended the discussion. With one last glance at the stairs, Thorne allowed himself to be pulled away. Inside the chamber, Rionna slowly unfastened her dress, letting it fall like a performance meant to be seen. “You know,” she murmured, looping her arms around his neck, “this used to be her room, didn’t it?” She smiled coldly. “Must hurt—realizing she’s been replaced, even here.” Laughter soon dissolved into muffled sounds behind the sealed door. The rest of the manor stayed dark and untended, while inside that room, Thorne erased Rayna’s existence with every touch and whispered mockery. *** Morning sunlight pierced through the curtains. Thorne groaned, then jolted upright. “Damn it—my council meeting!” Rionna shifted lazily beside him. “What meeting?” “You didn’t wake me,” he snapped. She stretched. “I didn’t know I had to.” He threw off the covers and dragged on his trousers. “Rayna should’ve woken me—where is she?” Storming into the hall, he called out, “Rayna!” No response. His frown deepened. He checked her chamber. Empty. The bed untouched. No scent. No presence. That was when Arion and Axton emerged, still half-asleep. “What’s wrong?” Arion asked. “She’s gone,” Thorne said tightly. “She’s not here.” “Maybe she went out early,” Rionna said lightly from behind him. “She’s probably sulking again.” They went downstairs. The kitchen was silent. No breakfast. No steaming cups of brew. No food warming on the hearth. Nothing. Thorne slammed his palm against the table. “She didn’t even cook?!” He pulled out his rune-phone and called her. No response. “Unreachable,” he hissed. “Where the hell is she?” Rionna twirled a strand of hair. “She probably went to buy supplies.” “No,” Thorne said sharply. “That’s not her. She never leaves the manor untended. She never misses my meetings. She never skips meals—” He stopped. A sick realization crawled up his spine. “Last night,” he muttered. “The dinner…” “What dinner?” Axton asked. “I told her I’d take her out.” Rionna’s gaze shifted. “You think… she waited?” “She wouldn’t,” Arion scoffed. “She’s not that desperate.” “Yeah,” Axton laughed. “She knew you were just saying it to shut her up.” But Thorne was already grabbing his keys. *** He drove like a man possessed. At the restaurant on neutral ground, he rushed inside. “There was a woman here last night,” he said urgently to the server. “She’s my Luna, Rayna. Did she say anything? Did she wait?” The woman nodded slowly. “Yes. The Luna waited for hours.” She handed him an envelope. “She left this for Alpha Thorne Ridgefern.” His hands shook as he opened it. Inside lay her mating ring. A copy of their bond record—stamped Nullified. And a single document. A healer’s certificate. Declaring the death of their unborn pup. The world tilted. “Before Luna Rayna left,” the woman added softly, “she asked me to give this to you. And tell you to never find her again.’” Thorne stood frozen. The envelope felt heavier than any burden he had ever carried.