The Luna’s Cold Revenge (Betrayed By Her Alpha)

Lyra’s Pov The migraine hit me halfway through Elder Matthias's speech about border treaties. I pressed two fingers against my temple, trying to focus on his words, but they kept sounding like gibberish. Around me, the Crescent Fang Pack stood attentive, their faces solemn as they listened to the visiting Northern Ridge delegation. I should've been paying attention too. These alliances mattered. They kept us safe. But God, my head was killing me. "Luna?" Marcus touched my elbow. His voice stayed low, concerned. "You look like you're about to pass out." "I'm fine." The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. "You're pale as a ghost." He'd known me since we were kids, back when I was nobody special, just the healer's daughter who had no business dreaming about the Alpha's son. "Damian won't care if you slip out early." Damian won't care. That was probably true. My husband stood across the ceremonial grounds in his formal clothing, deep in conversation with the Northern Ridge Alpha. He looked every inch the powerful leader he was… tall, controlled, and untouchable. He hadn't glanced my way once tonight. Five years of marriage, and I still couldn't tell if he even noticed when I entered or left a room. "Go home, Lyra," Marcus said quietly. "Rest." I wanted to argue. A proper Luna stayed until the last guest left. A proper Luna stood beside her Alpha. But my legs felt weak, and another hour on my feet sounded like torture. "Thank you." I squeezed his hand. The drive home should've calmed me down. The forest road wound through our territory, familiar and safe, moonlight filtering through the pines. Usually, this sight reminded me that I belonged here now. That this was home. Tonight felt wrong. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, anxious. Something's off, she whispered. Wrong, all wrong. "It's just the headache," I told her. "We'll take something for it and sleep." Then I pulled through the estate gates and saw Elena's Mercedes in the driveway. My foot hit the brake hard. The car jerked to a stop. Elena Rivers. Pack member for almost two years now. Beautiful, capable, trusted. She'd risen quickly through the ranks, earning Damian's respect with her efficiency and intelligence. But she had no reason to be at the Alpha's private residence at eleven o'clock at night. My wolf snarled, suddenly alert despite our exhaustion. That uneasy feeling turned into something sharper. There could be innocent explanations. A pack emergency. A security issue. Maybe her car broke down and she'd called for help. Innocent explanations. So why were my hands shaking? I parked and climbed out slowly. The front door stood slightly open. Damian was obsessive about security… that door was never left open." Damian?" I pushed inside. My voice came out too quietly. I tried again, louder. "Damian, I'm home." Nothing. I moved through the foyer on instinct, checking the rooms. The Study was empty. The Living room idle. Even Aiden's room upstairs was empty, which made sense. My parents had him for the weekend. Rare time alone for Damian and me. Time we never used. I stopped at the base of the grand staircase, one hand on the polished bannister. The master bedroom was on the third floor. Our sanctuary. The one place that was supposed to be just ours. A sound drifted down from above. Faint. Barely there. My heart kicked hard against my ribs. It could be nothing. Television. A phone call. Something completely innocent. And then I heard it, the sound of skin on skin and loud moans. My feet moved before my brain caught up. I climbed the stairs, each step taking forever. The sounds got clearer. Damian grunts, and a woman moans his name. No. My wolf howled inside my chest, a sound only I could hear. Not this. Please, anything but this. The bedroom door stood half-open, light spilling into the hallway. The sounds were unmistakable now. I couldn't pretend otherwise. Couldn't tell myself I was imagining things. My legs gave out. I caught myself against the wall, breathing hard. Maybe I should turn around. Go back downstairs. Wait until morning. Pretend I never came home early, never heard anything, never— No. Five years. Five years of trying to be enough. Five years of loving a man who treated me like an obligation. I pushed off the wall. My hands had stopped shaking. Something cold settled over me, like ice forming on water. I walked to the door with steady steps. The sounds continued on the other side, oblivious, so i pushed the door open. It swung wide, and the bedroom beyond came into focus. Our bed… the bed I'd shared with my husband for five years, the sheets I'd changed yesterday morning held the end of every hope I'd ever held. Damian and Elena were tangled together. His hands in her hair, his mouth on her neck, His c**k going in and out of her in a steady motion Elena saw me first. Those striking green eyes met mine over Damian's shoulder. And she smiled. Not shocked or guilt. Just satisfaction. Like she'd been waiting for this moment. Like she wanted me to see. "Damian," she purred. "We have company." He didn't stop right away. For three heartbeats, he kept moving in and out of her as she moaned, coming undone beneath him, while I stood there, dying. Then he lifted his head. Those ice-blue eyes I'd memorised, dreamed about, stared into on our wedding day, they looked at me with no warmth at all. No surprise or remorse. Just cold irritation, like I was interrupting them. “Lyra." My name sounded like a business associate's. Formal. Distant. "You're home early." That was it. That was all he had to say. You're home early. Not "I'm sorry." Not "This isn't what it looks like." Not even an explanation. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. The words tangled in my throat, choking me. My wolf keened, a high-pitched wail that shattered something in my chest. The mate bond… that mystical connection I'd felt since he marked me cracked down the middle like breaking glass. Small footsteps echoed in the hallway behind me. No. Please, no. "Mommy?" Aiden's sleepy voice cut through everything. "I heard yelling." I spun around. My five-year-old son stood there in his dinosaur pyjamas, hair sticking up, rubbing his eyes. He was supposed to be at my parents' house. He wasn't supposed to be here. Wasn't supposed to see any of this. His gaze slid past me, landing on Elena and his whole face lit up. "Elena!" He ran past me… actually ran past me without a second glance and wrapped his arms around her legs as she stood there in Damian's shirt. "You're here!" "Mommy, will you tuck me back in?" Mommy? My son had just called another woman Mommy.