促銷資訊載入中...
My Alpha Chose His Mistress, So I Became Queen
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I gave my mate seven years of unwavering loyalty, sacrificing everything to stand beside him as Luna while helping him strengthen his pack from the shadows. In return, I found a moon diamond bracelet ...
章節（3）
第1章
Arabella’s Pov
“No. Recall every patrol and suspend all negotiations with the neighboring packs. It seems I will be returning to the Moon Shadow Pack far sooner than we expected.”
I lowered the moonstone communication crystal from my ear, watching its pale silver glow fade until it became nothing more than an ordinary stone. The moment the connection broke, the strength I had forced into my voice disappeared with it.
A trembling breath slipped from my lips as I stared at the velvet gift pouch resting in my hands. My vision blurred, and I let out a bitter laugh that sounded hollow even to my own ears.
“Seven years,” I whispered. “Seven years of giving him everything... and this is all it was ever worth.”
With stiff fingers, I lifted the small carved box hidden inside my mate's ceremonial cloak.
For seven years of our mating bond, Tony had never once given me a meaningful gift. Whenever I admired a necklace displayed by a merchant or lingered before the jewelry crafted by the pack's finest silversmiths, he would dismiss me with the same cold words, claiming such things were frivolous and that a Luna should not concern herself with vanity.
Yet inside the box rested a bracelet fashioned from moon diamonds, each flawless stone catching the afternoon light like fragments of the full moon itself. It was worth a fortune, a treasure worthy of a Luna.
Only it had never been meant for me.
It belonged to Hailey.
My heart splintered as my gaze fell upon the delicate engraving etched along the silver band.
My love, beneath every full moon and beyond every lifetime. From Tony to Hailey.
Those words were sacred among our kind. They echoed the promise Tony had whispered while placing the Luna's mark upon my wrist during our mating ceremony beneath the Blood Moon seven years ago.
He had simply given those vows to another woman.
The bedroom door creaked open.
Tony stepped inside, his dark cloak still dusted with dirt from the training grounds. His brows drew together the instant he saw me standing beside the wardrobe.
"What is taking you so long to fetch my cloak, Arabella?" he asked, sounding more impatient than concerned.
I walked toward him without answering until only a single step separated us.
Then I pressed the gift box into his hands.
"This."
His expression faltered for the briefest moment before he released a weary sigh.
"Hailey has been heartbroken," he explained smoothly. "Her chosen mate rejected her before they could complete their bond. She has been grieving for days, so I wished to lift her spirits."
A quiet laugh escaped me.
The ease with which he lied no longer surprised me.
Hailey had arrived at our pack nearly two years ago as Tony's personal attendant, and from the moment she crossed our borders, the home we had built together slowly unraveled.
He stopped sharing our chamber most nights, claiming pack matters demanded his attention. Entire weeks would pass before he returned to sleep beside me, and even then he often smelled of vanilla blossoms and cinnamon bark instead of the pine forests surrounding our territory.
I had suspected the truth for a long time.
I simply lacked proof.
Perhaps because I had been too occupied protecting everything he believed he had built himself.
Every alliance with neighboring packs, every trade agreement, every negotiation that strengthened Moon Shadow Pack had been arranged through my own family connections and my reputation as Alpha Edgar's daughter. Tony accepted every tribute and every success as though they were the rewards of his own leadership, never realizing how often I worked quietly behind him to preserve the respect he enjoyed.
"Arabella," he continued after my silence stretched between us, "this is hardly worth arguing over. Hailey serves this pack faithfully. As Alpha, I may reward any member I choose. Whether I gift her silver, jewels, or coin is entirely my decision."
I met his gaze steadily.
"Does rewarding your attendant also require repeating the vows you once swore to your mate beneath the Moon Goddess?"
His jaw tightened.
For an instant, he had no answer.
Then his expression hardened.
"You misunderstand everything," he replied. "I instructed the silversmith to engrave her former mate's name. The fool carved mine instead because I commissioned the bracelet. It was nothing more than an unfortunate mistake."
I laughed again, though my chest ached with every breath.
"You truly expect me to believe that?"
His eyes narrowed.
"You speak to me as though I were an ignorant pup, Tony. You can commission moon diamonds for your attendant, yet in seven years you've never once thought your own mate deserved the same kindness."
His patience finally shattered.
"Enough!"
His voice thundered through the chamber, making the windows tremble.
"Do you have any idea what I've sacrificed for this pack?" he shouted. "Everything we possess exists because I have carried this burden alone while you remained inside these walls with nothing to do but question me. Instead of gratitude, all I receive is endless suspicion."
Before I could answer, he snatched the gift box from my hands and stormed from the room, the heavy door slamming shut behind him.
Silence settled over the chamber once more.
I stood perfectly still.
If his words had reached me years ago, perhaps they would have left wounds.
Now they only felt empty.
Today we had been expected to attend the Moon Farewell ceremony together.
One of Tony's longtime warriors had lost his life protecting the northern border from rogue wolves, and the pack would gather beneath the sacred oak to return his spirit to the Moon Goddess. I had grown close to the fallen warrior's mate over the years, and regardless of everything happening within my own marriage, I intended to stand beside her during her grief.
I changed into a simple black mourning gown, fastening a silver crescent brooch over my shoulder before leaving our chambers.
Outside, one of the palace servants bowed apologetically.
"Alpha Tony has already departed, Luna."
Of course he had.
Suppressing another sigh, I walked toward the stables instead.
Tony's favorite black stallion remained saddled, pawing impatiently against the earth.
As I secured my own cloak before mounting, a small wooden casket tumbled from the saddlebag and landed at my feet.
I frowned.
Another gift?
Curiosity overcame hesitation.
The moment I opened it, the familiar fragrance of vanilla blossoms and cinnamon drifted into the air.
I knew that scent.
For nearly two years it had clung to Tony whenever he returned home after spending long nights away from the packhouse. Each time I questioned him, he dismissed it with effortless confidence, saying warriors and visitors from neighboring packs carried all manner of fragrances, and naturally some lingered after council meetings.
Inside the casket lay delicate crimson lace undergarments, far too revealing to mistake for anything else.
Folded neatly atop the silk was a handwritten note.
To remind you of the unforgettable night we shared beneath yesterday's moon.
My fingers curled so tightly around the parchment that it crumpled in my grasp.
Yesterday.
Tony had not returned until dawn.
He had claimed urgent pack business required him and Hailey to remain in the council hall long after moonrise before escorting her safely home through rogue territory.
I had believed nothing then.
Now I had proof.
A cold laugh escaped my lips as I threw the casket back into the saddlebag.
For two years I had endured whispered excuses, empty promises, and carefully crafted lies, convincing myself I simply needed patience.
No longer.
Seven years of sharing my life, my title, and my wolf with him had earned me at least one thing.
The truth.
I urged the stallion forward, galloping toward the Alpha Hall where Tony spent most of his days.
The guards immediately stepped aside as I entered the great stone building, bowing respectfully to their Luna.
My eyes swept across every attendant and warrior moving through the corridors.
Hailey was nowhere in sight.
Without slowing, I climbed the winding staircase leading to the Alpha's private council chamber.
I pushed open the heavy oak doors.
The scene before me froze me where I stood.
Hailey stood beside Tony's desk, smiling brightly into a polished crystal recording orb as she lifted her wrist for everyone watching to admire the moon diamond bracelet.
"So," she said sweetly, turning the bracelet so it shimmered beneath the light pouring through the tall windows, "what do you think of the gift my Alpha gave me?"
第2章
Arabella’s Pov
“Your Alpha, is he?” I asked quietly, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.
Hailey flinched.
The color drained from her face before she hurriedly dismissed the image floating above the recording crystal. Its pale blue glow vanished at once, and she turned toward me wearing a smile so practiced it almost looked convincing.
“L-Luna Arabella,” she greeted, lowering her head respectfully. “I wasn't expecting you. What brings you here?”
A humorless laugh escaped me.
“You're asking what I'm doing in my mate's council chamber?” I looked around the room before meeting her gaze again. “I believe that is a question better directed at you.”
She shifted uneasily, clasping her hands before her.
“Alpha Tony is attending a council meeting with the elders,” she replied. “I was only waiting here. Please... don't mention that I was sitting behind his desk.”
I took another step toward her.
“Enough of the performance, Hailey.” My voice became colder with every word. “I know you're sharing my mate's bed.”
I pulled the small wooden casket from beneath my cloak and tossed it onto the floor between us.
The crimson lace spilled across the polished stone, along with the folded note.
For a heartbeat, she stared at it.
Then the timid expression she had been wearing dissolved as though it had never existed.
The corners of her lips curved into an amused smile.
"Oh," she murmured, bending gracefully to retrieve the garments. "So you've finally found them."
I frowned.
There wasn't even the slightest trace of shame in her golden eyes.
She merely dusted the silk between her fingers before folding it carefully.
"You aren't even embarrassed?" I asked, unable to hide my disbelief. "You knowingly accepted the affections of a mated Alpha."
She lifted her wrist, deliberately allowing the moon diamond bracelet to catch the sunlight pouring through the chamber windows.
"No," she answered with a shrug. "Why should I be ashamed? If anyone should feel humiliated, Luna, it is the woman whose mate no longer chooses her."
The words struck like claws across my chest.
Before reason could restrain me, my hand moved on its own.
The crack of the slap echoed sharply through the chamber.
Hailey staggered a step sideways, one hand flying to her cheek.
I stood over her, every ounce of restraint I had clung to finally snapping.
"You disgrace the Moon Goddess," I said, my voice trembling with fury. "Watch your tongue before you speak to your Luna again."
Hatred flashed across her features so quickly that anyone less observant might have missed it.
When she looked back at me, her eyes had turned icy.
"No, Arabella," she whispered. "You're the one who will regret raising your hand against me."
Before I could understand what she meant, she suddenly threw herself backward.
She crashed onto the stone floor with a cry, clutching her reddened cheek as tears instantly welled in her eyes.
"Luna... please..." she sobbed brokenly. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to come between you and Alpha Tony. You've misunderstood everything."
I stared at her in astonishment.
Moments ago she had been smirking in my face.
Now she looked like a helpless victim.
"What are you doing?" I demanded.
"Begging for mercy now?" I scoffed.
That was when I caught it.
The tiniest smile tugged at the corner of her lips before disappearing beneath another tearful sob.
My blood ran cold.
She had planned this.
The chamber doors burst open before I could expose her deception.
Tony strode inside with several council elders following behind him, his expression darkening the instant his eyes landed on Hailey lying on the floor.
"What happened here?" His voice boomed through the room.
The elders exchanged uneasy glances before quietly withdrawing, closing the doors behind them.
Tony hurried to Hailey's side without sparing me a single glance.
"Hailey."
He gently helped her to her feet, his hands lingering on her shoulders before carefully examining the red mark across her face.
Only then did he turn toward me.
His eyes burned with anger.
"Why are you here, Arabella?"
I let out a hollow laugh.
"So this is where your concern lies."
I looked from him to the woman standing safely behind him.
"You rush to comfort your mistress before asking your own mate what truly happened."
Hailey quickly lowered her head.
"Alpha..." she whispered pitifully. "Please don't be angry with Luna Arabella. She misunderstood the bracelet you gifted me. She acted out of pain. I don't blame her."
I stared at her in disbelief.
She even knew when to sound merciful.
"Remarkable," I said bitterly. "You should perform before traveling bards. They would sing songs about your talent."
"Enough."
Tony's voice cut through mine like a blade.
"Leave."
For a moment, I thought I had misheard him.
"...What?"
"I said leave," he repeated, each word colder than the last. "Do not ever come into the Alpha Hall again simply to cause chaos."
"But I found—"
The rest of my sentence vanished.
A sharp sting exploded across my face.
The force sent my head snapping sideways.
For several heartbeats, I couldn't even breathe.
Slowly, I lifted trembling fingers to my burning cheek.
Tony...
Had struck me.
His eyes held no regret.
Only irritation.
"I am the Alpha," he said coldly. "And I am your mate. You will respect my authority."
His voice rose until it echoed through the chamber.
"Leave. Now."
Tears blurred my vision, though I refused to let them fall before either of them.
Behind Tony's shoulder, Hailey met my gaze.
The triumphant smile she wore was small enough that only I could see it.
Without another word, I turned and walked from the chamber.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
The pain burning across my cheek was nothing compared to the ache spreading through my wolf.
Tony had once sworn before the Moon Goddess that no harm would ever come to me while he still drew breath.
Now those same hands that had once promised to protect me had become the ones that wounded me.
**
By the time I reached the sacred burial grounds beyond the western forest, I had forced my expression into one of calm.
Today's ceremony honored a warrior who had fallen defending the northern borders from rogue wolves.
His widow knelt beside the flower-covered bier, surrounded by grieving pack members while the High Elder offered prayers to guide the fallen warrior safely into the Moon Goddess's embrace.
I stood quietly beside her, offering what comfort I could.
I tried to forget everything that had happened.
I failed.
The wound in my heart deepened when Tony finally arrived.
Hailey walked at his side.
Neither of them attempted to hide how naturally they stood together.
Those who knew nothing would have mistaken them for an Alpha and his Luna.
I, the true Luna, seemed little more than another attendant standing nearby.
When the final prayers ended, the warrior's body was lowered into the earth beneath the sacred silver maple.
His widow collapsed into tears.
Her cries echoed across the silent clearing, carrying the unbearable grief of someone who had lost the mate destined for her by the Moon Goddess.
Watching her, my own chest tightened painfully.
Tony still lived.
Yet for the last two years, the mate I once knew had slowly disappeared until all that remained was the shell of the man I had loved.
It felt no different from mourning someone already gone.
The peaceful silence shattered without warning.
A chorus of terrified horses erupted from the edge of the forest.
Moments later, nearly a dozen mounted wolves burst through the trees, each rider cloaked in black with their faces hidden beneath hoods.
"Rogues!"
Someone screamed.
The burial grounds exploded into panic.
Warriors shifted into their wolf forms as mourners scattered in every direction.
The sharp whistle of arrows sliced through the air.
Chaos swallowed the clearing.
Instinctively, my eyes searched for Tony.
I found him immediately.
He had thrown himself over Hailey, shielding her completely as he pulled her behind a stone monument.
Not once did he look for me.
Not once.
The realization struck harder than any blade ever could.
Danger surrounded us all.
Yet my mate had chosen another woman.
He had left me standing alone.
"Get down!"
A deep voice roared from somewhere behind me.
I barely had time to turn.
A powerful force slammed into me, knocking me to the ground just as an arrow hissed through the place where I had been standing moments earlier.
Pain exploded through my side.
The world spun violently.
The sounds of battle grew strangely distant, fading beneath the frantic pounding of my own heartbeat.
Warm hands gripped my shoulders.
"Stay with me," an unfamiliar male voice pleaded, sounding impossibly far away.
Darkness crept across my vision.
My eyelids became unbearably heavy.
Unable to fight it any longer, I surrendered to the shadows.
第3章
Arabella’s Pov
The rhythmic chiming of a healing moonstone was the first sound that reached my ears as consciousness returned. For several long moments I lay still, gathering the scattered pieces of memory.
Then it came rushing back. The burial ceremony. The rogue attack. Tony, throwing himself in front of Hailey without a second thought, wrapping his body around hers while I stood abandoned in the middle of the battlefield.
A sharp ache spread through my abdomen, forcing a gasp from my lips.
The wooden door opened, and an elderly healer entered carrying a bowl of medicinal broth. Her robes bore the silver crest of the Moon Goddess, marking her as one of the High Healers entrusted with treating Alphas and Lunas. Relief softened her weathered features when she saw my eyes were open.
"Luna Arabella," she said warmly. "Thank the Moon Goddess. You have awakened."
My throat felt raw. "What happened?"
A crease appeared between her brows. "You remember nothing after the attack?"
"I remember the rogues. Then everything became unclear."
She helped me sit up. The movement tore pain through my side, and I couldn't suppress a groan.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, tucking cushions behind my back before handing me a cup of herbal water infused with moonleaf. Only after I'd taken several sips did she continue. "You were struck by a silver arrow."
I froze. So it hadn't been a nightmare.
The healer lowered her gaze. "When we cleansed your wound and removed the arrowhead... we discovered you were carrying a pup."
Everything around me stopped.
"...What?"
"You were with child, Luna." Her eyes filled with sympathy. "We tried everything. Every healing rite known to our order was performed beneath the Moon Goddess's blessing. But the little one was too young."
A strange numbness settled over me. My hand drifted to my stomach. Empty.
"I was pregnant?"
She nodded slowly. "We are deeply sorry."
I could not cry. I could barely breathe.
Only a month ago, after nearly two years of keeping his distance, Tony had returned to our chambers drunk after a feast celebrating an alliance with another pack. That had been the first — and only — night he'd touched me as a mate since Hailey entered our lives. That single night had given us a child neither of us had known existed.
And now our pup was gone.
The healer reached toward me. "If there is anything you require—"
"When may I leave?" I interrupted.
She blinked. "Luna, your injuries are serious. I strongly advise remaining here while your wolf continues healing."
"When can I leave?"
She studied me, then sighed. "If your wound stays closed through the night and no fever develops, you may depart tomorrow. But you must not strain yourself or shift until your wolf has fully recovered."
I inclined my head. "Thank you."
She gave me one last sympathetic look before leaving.
The instant the door closed, I reached beneath my pillow and withdrew a small moonstone, pressing my thumb to the rune carved into its center. Through the mindlink woven into it, one sentence passed between myself and the warrior on the other end.
Everything is prepared. Begin.
The stone pulsed once. As you command, Mistress.
A knock sounded, and before I could answer, Tony stepped inside. His clothes were wrinkled, fresh scratches covering his arms and jaw — no doubt earned shielding Hailey. His expression was filled with guilt, or a convincing imitation of it.
"Arabella... I'm sorry." He stepped closer. "I panicked. Hailey was standing nearer to me. She's younger, inexperienced. I believed you would know how to protect yourself." His voice faltered. "I never imagined you would remain standing until the arrow struck you."
I said nothing. Not anger, not sorrow. Only emptiness. The silence unsettled him more than tears ever could.
"Please," he whispered. "Say something." He swallowed hard. "The healer told me about our pup. I know how much you've wished for one." He reached toward me. "We'll have another."
A bitter laugh escaped me. Another? After ignoring me for two years, after treating me as if our bond no longer existed? One drunken night had given me the miracle I'd prayed for every full moon. Now even that had been stolen from me.
I lowered my gaze to the moonstone. Its surface flashed repeatedly — replies already arriving. Everything was moving exactly as I'd ordered.
"Luna Arabella..." Hailey peeked timidly from behind Tony. "I'm truly sorry."
I raised my eyes. Not a single bruise marked her delicate skin. Not one scratch. Meanwhile Tony's arms still bore fresh wounds from protecting her.
Before either of them realized what I intended, I ripped the healing threads from my arm and swung my legs off the bed. Pain tore through my abdomen, but I ignored it.
Tony's eyes widened. He knew me too well — he saw the fury blazing beneath my calm. He stepped in front of Hailey, shielding her again.
"Arabella," he pleaded. "Please. She's still young. Whatever anger you feel, direct it at me."
His sentence never finished. The crack of my palm against his face echoed through the chamber. He staggered sideways, frozen with shock — he hadn't expected me to strike him.
I moved before he could recover. Hailey gasped as my first slap sent her stumbling back. The second knocked her to the floor, clutching her burning cheeks, tears streaming down her face.
Tony rushed to her side. "Hailey!" He gathered her into his arms, then glared up at me. "Have you lost your mind? She's innocent!"
I laughed bitterly. "Innocent?"
He rose. "She didn't summon those rogues. She didn't force you to stand there while everyone else took cover."
I looked at him for a long moment. Then I smiled — the first genuine smile either of them had seen from me in years, though it held no warmth.
"No," I said softly. "Neither of you understands what you've truly lost." I met Tony's eyes, then Hailey's. "I promise you this. My revenge will not end until both of you beg the Moon Goddess for a mercy she will never grant."
I turned and walked from the healing hall. Each step hurt more than the last. By the time I reached the courtyard, warmth had spread beneath my robes. Fresh blood seeped through the bandages. The wound had reopened.
"Damn it," I muttered, steadying myself against a stone pillar.
Moments later, black wolf-drawn carriages bearing no pack insignia rolled through the gates. Nearly a dozen warriors descended, each dropping to one knee. The captain bowed and offered me a sealed parchment.
"It is finished, Mistress."
I broke the seal. Inside lay a completed severance decree dissolving the sacred mate bond under pack law, along with documents transferring my authority, wealth, and family holdings beyond Tony's reach. Without hesitation, I signed my name and handed it back.
"Make certain Alpha Tony signs every page."
"As you command." He helped me into the carriage.
As the horses carried us from Moon Shadow Pack, the captain spoke from the driver's seat. "Rest, Mistress. By moonrise we reach the hidden mountain sanctuary. The elders loyal to your father are already waiting."
I closed my eyes, finally letting exhaustion take me. Before long, the communication moonstone beside me began glowing. Tony.
I accepted the link. His fury exploded in my mind. Arabella! Instead of apologizing to Hailey, you've sent warriors to force me into signing a severance decree! Return to the pack immediately!
I listened until he finished, then answered with perfect calm. From this moment on, you no longer have the right to speak into my mind. Sign the decree — and pray our paths never cross again.
Without waiting for a reply, I crushed the moonstone. The connection shattered forever.
Leaning back, I rested a hand where my unborn pup had once lived. The grief remained. So did the betrayal. But neither would weaken me again.
Tony and Hailey believed they'd cast aside a discarded Luna. They had yet to discover they'd declared themselves enemies of the daughter of one of the oldest Alpha bloodlines on the continent.
And when that truth reached them, it would already be too late.