Claimed by the Ruthless Alpha

~ARIA~

The car halted right in front of the pack house, and a wave of comfort washed over me. It felt wonderful to finally return home. Evening was settling in, casting a gentle glow over the surroundings, and a handful of servants bustled about their tasks around the pack house. The cab driver, with a swift movement, came around to my side, opened the door, and extended my cane towards me. I accepted it, clasping the handle tightly as I prepared to exit the vehicle. The driver offered his assistance, but with a gentle raise of my hand, I signalled that I could manage on my own.

The thought of being seen as fragile, simply because my leg didn’t function like it used to, bothered me deeply. I was anything but weak, and the last thing I wanted was anyone’s pity. Ever since the battle that nearly claimed my life, I couldn’t help but notice a subtle shift in my husband’s demeanour towards me. While Cole wasn’t overtly distant, but the warmth and affection that once lit up his eyes seemed to dim. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed, though I desperately hoped it was just my imagination.

Six months earlier, I had set out for a Luna gathering at a pack in the Eastern Region. Since it was close by, I chose to run there instead of going by car—a practice I often enjoyed when visiting my best friend, Clarissa, the Luna of the neighbouring pack. However, that day took an unexpected turn when I stumbled upon a group of rogues attacking a young girl. Driven by instinct and the duty of a warrior Luna, I didn’t hesitate to dive into the fray, despite being heavily outnumbered. The fierce battle that ensued nearly ended my life. I fought fiercely, risking life and limb to protect the defenceless girl. In the end, I emerged victorious, rescuing her from the clutches of those vile rogues.

Exhausted and wounded, I carried the girl to the edge of our territory. The last thing I remember before collapsing was attempting to send a distress signal to Cole through our mind link. When I regained consciousness, I found myself confined to the pack’s clinic, my body throbbing with pain. Though the encounter had left me with a crippled leg, I found strength and a new purpose—I welcomed Sierra, the girl I had saved, into my life as a member of our pack and a sister.

I began my climb up the stairs, filled with anticipation to surprise Cole, who I knew was home from spotting his car in the driveway. My heart was set on a delightful reunion, hoping for moments of shared passion if luck favoured me. However, as I approached our bedroom, a sinking feeling took hold as I heard sounds—cries that were unmistakably moans. My good leg trembled, forcing me to rely heavily on my cane. I desperately hoped my ears deceived me, praying it wasn’t my husband in our room with another woman.

My first instinct was to turn away and leave, to shield myself from the painful truth and to live in denial. But curiosity and a need for truth propelled me forward. Mustering all the courage I had, I approached the bedroom door and gently pushed it open. What I beheld stole the very breath from my lungs. It was like a physical punch to the gut. There, on our matrimonial bed, lay Cole, my husband of seven years, locked in a passionate intimacy with Sierra—the same girl whose life I had saved. She straddled him and was riding him. They were so engrossed in their sinful passion they didn’t even notice me standing there.

I fought against the surge of tears threatening to spill, silently closing the door and walking away from the heart-wrenching scene. How could they betray me in such a cruel manner, after all I had been through for their sake? The pain of their betrayal was overwhelming, leaving me questioning where I went wrong. What did I lack? Where had I failed? Without a second thought, I made my way to the garage, ignoring the doctor’s warning against driving for the meantime. Igniting the engine, I sped off into the night, directionless and consumed by anguish.

My thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind, tears streaming down my cheeks uncontrolled as I drove in the darkness. Though Cole and I had not initially been fated mates and had not even married under the best circumstances, but we had fallen in love and had been in love for seven years, or so I thought. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine this betrayal, not from Cole, and certainly not from Sierra. When my father had bartered my hand in marriage to settle his debts, neither he nor anyone else could have foreseen the depth of affection that blossomed between Cole and me, nor the role I would come to fulfil as Luna. Not even my stepsister Alina could have imagined such a turn of events.

Alina possessed a rare gift of vision, a talent that led our father to make a crucial decision based on her visions. She had foreseen chaos tied to my future, convincing our father that offering me in marriage would avert impending disaster. Our father, unquestioning of her visions, readily offered his troubled daughter to Alpha Cole when he came seeking his repayment. He hoped the Alpha could tame my rebellious spirit. However, Cole did more than just tame; he unlocked my true potential, nurturing me to become more than what I, or anyone else, had envisioned.

But now, everything had gone now, hadn’t it? Cole, my staunchest ally, had joined the ranks of those who betrayed me. The man I loved, the man who held my heart, had shattered it into irreparable fragments. What was left for me now? As I drove aimlessly, seeking refuge from my storm of emotions, the night sky began to darken. I sought solace in the anonymity of a downtown bar. With my shades and scarf for disguise, I found a quiet corner to nurse my wounds. Although not one to seek comfort in alcohol, the need to escape the ache in my heart led me to order a strong drink, hoping to find temporary relief in its numbing embrace.

As I sat there, the weight of my situation pressed heavily on me. The thought of confronting Cole and Sierra, of facing the reality of their affair, was overwhelming. How could I ever face them again? How could I bear to look upon Sierra and the man who had once been my everything? How long had their affair been going on unnoticed? Despite bearing Cole’s mark, why did I not feel the sting of betrayal each time he slept with her? I recalled troubled dreams that plagued me, where I would be in a lot of pain, but when I awake, I forget the feel of that pain. It had started a month after my hospitalization. I initially attributed it to the trauma of my near-death experience, but I now questioned if there was more to it. How could Cole deceive me without my senses alerting me to his infidelity? How had I remained oblivious for six agonizing months?

The evening spiralled into a blur of tears and unanswered questions. Tears flowed freely, mingling with the bitter taste of alcohol, until eventually, the pain became a dull ache, and then... nothing. The night faded into oblivion, carrying with it the burden of my shattered heart.