99 Times for Alpha's Bestie

I stood at the gate of the Sterling Moon Packhouse, clutching a cake box that had begun to melt in the summer heat. My usually pristine blonde hair was now stuck to my neck and face in damp strands, and my designer dress was now ruined with mud and swamp stains. I hadn't meant to arrive at my third mating anniversary looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backward and then tossed in the swamp lands beyond the pack grounds. But then again, being cornered and ambushed by rogues, conveniently knowing my whereabouts without an escort or protection, wasn't exactly part of my agenda either. A mysterious yet heroic stranger had rescued me and driven me back to the edge of my mate’s pack territory when Liam Sterling, my mate and the pack's Alpha, hadn't answered any of my fifteen frantic calls. I had almost convinced myself he was simply busy orchestrating some grand anniversary surprise. That had to be it. Otherwise, why else would he send me out alone for the cake retrieval and then not bother to answer my calls? I quickened my pace toward the entrance of the packhouse, not wanting to delay the celebration any longer than I already had. I rounded the corner only to stop dead at the sight before me. The entire packhouse had been transformed with floral arches, helium balloons, and an enormous banner. My fingers tightened around the cake box. I had doubts about walking into the grand hall; perhaps I should slip upstairs to change first. Then Liam's familiar voice called out. "There's my beautiful mate! Took you long enough, sweetheart. Everyone's waiting for the cake. Were the directions not clear enough?" He teased, not taking in the dishevelled state of my appearance or the fact that my smile didn’t reach my eyes. He often failed to see me. I looked up to find my mate looking devastatingly handsome in a white Tom Ford suit, his gray waistcoat accentuating those broad shoulders I used to trace my fingers over. He hadn't dressed like this for me in years. I pushed aside the gnawing doubts starting to fill my heart and embraced the fact that he was trying to make things right. This was not the time to voice my disappointments with his lack of attention or concern. We're here to celebrate our mate bond with the pack. This was also the year that he promised to swear me in as the official Luna, to lead by his side. Three years of proving myself capable despite not having a wolf of my own, and now here we were. My lips began curving into a smile despite myself. Maybe the rogues and the ambush, the ruined dress, the ignored calls—perhaps none of it mattered now that I was home. Liam would keep me safe, and we were going to announce that I was stepping into a role that should have been mine when we first mated. "Liam, I was just—" I was about to explain the rogues, the ambush, the mysterious saviour, but was cut off mid-sentence. "Liam! Is that my cake?" A shrill voice interrupted as Breanne Telder materialized behind Liam, looping her arm through his as though it was where she belonged. She was Liam’s father's Beta’s daughter. Otherwise known as the third wheel in our relationship and the pick me girl that Liam always did. She was also not supposed to be here. She was sent away a while ago, and Liam promised to focus solely on us. "You flew me home just for this birthday surprise? Best Alpha bestie ever!" The cake box slipped from my fingers, landing with a sickening splat on the custom marble flooring beneath me. The same flooring I wanted to either swallow me or Breanna up in this moment. Birthday surprise? What the hell did that mean? Those two words echoed in my skull like gunshots. For weeks, I had known Liam was planning something secretive. The custom-ordered flowers were delivered under the cover of darkness. The expensive Eclipse Stone rough he'd purchased at auction. All those whispered phone calls I had pretended not to hear. It all led to this moment, but it wasn’t the moment I had expected. I had woven every scrap of evidence into fantasies of candlelit vows renewed, of Liam dropping to one knee all over again. Even when he hadn't picked up during my attack from rogues, I had made excuses for him. Now Breanne's smug smile shattered those delusions like a hammer through stained glass. "What the hell were you thinking, Claire?" Stephanie Sterling's razor-sharp heels clicked across the flooring as she advanced. "We've been waiting two hours for that cake! You can’t do one single task; no wonder you will never be Luna material for the Sterling Moon pack." Stephanie was Liam's mother. From the moment I mated into the Alpha family, Stephanie had made no secret of her dislike; she was the reason Liam was convinced to hold off and force me to prove myself as Luna material. Over time, that contempt had only grown bolder, more vicious, no longer even pretending to hide it. Failing to see Liam, their Alpha, standing up for me, much of the pack started to support and see the validity in the points that their retired Luna was making. My hands shook. "This was supposed to be our anniversary party." Liam caught my elbow and steered me out of the room for privacy. "Baby, I'd planned a surprise for you, but Breanne asked for a pack-wide birthday celebration when she returned, so—" "So, instead of standing up for your mate, yet again, you conceded and did what they wanted. It’s fine for me to be let down, but not her? Message received, Liam." I wrenched my arm free, the movement sending fresh pain through my bruised ribs from the attack. I doubled over with a gasp. Before Liam could reach for me, Stephanie's voice sliced through the garden again. "Liam! Stop coddling her and get over here. This is why the wolfless should never hold ranks; they're weak and attention grabbers. Forget the cake, we'll just serve the petit fours instead." "Coming." He hesitated, then pressed a kiss to my temple. "We'll talk later." I remained crouched in the foyer of the packhouse as another wave of pain, this one far deeper than physical, crashed over me. Not a single pack member had asked why I looked like I'd been in a car wreck, why I'd been crying. From the other room where everyone gathered, the opening chords of "Happy Birthday" floated toward me. Each syrupy note felt like another papercut to my heart. It hit me suddenly—I hadn't celebrated a birthday since mating into the Alpha family, not once, though my own fell just days apart from Breanne's. And Liam had known this; he made a joke about the coincidence of his two best gals' being birthday buddies, but mine was always overshadowed. He quickly forgot about mine. I wiped my cheeks, giving myself a self-mocking smile. I should have known better than to hope for something more than what I already received. As the sun dipped low, I rose, my shadow stretching lonely behind me. Without a word, I climbed the stairs and clicked the bedroom door shut of the Alpha suite. Under the bathroom's harsh lighting, I peeled off my ruined dress and threw it in the trash. Steam fogged the mirrors as I scrubbed at skin that still felt dirty from the rogue's hands. I stayed under the scalding water until my fingers pruned. Wrapped in an oversized robe, I sat curled on the window seat watching party lights twinkle below until the last guest departed. At 11:00 PM, the bedroom door finally creaked open. I didn't turn when Liam's familiar cologne filled the room. I heard him hang up his jacket, then felt his whiskey-warm hands on my shoulders. "Happy anniversary, my beautiful, stunning mate." His lips brushed my ear. "Guess what I got you?" I shrugged him off. "I honestly don't care." He knelt before me, producing a velvet box with the flourish of a magician. "I had this carved from that Eclipse Stone rough. It is rumoured to help awaken latent wolfen spirits, strengthen auras and bring new beginnings.” Liam fastened the pendant around my neck. The cold stone settled between my chest like a brand. "Stunning." He kissed the hollow of my throat. "I was thinking that it’s been three years since we mated, and you have done so well proving yourself to me and this pack. I want us to now try for a pup. Bring this pack a new heir.” "Yeah, that’s not happening," I rejected the idea instantly. His chuckle was dark velvet. "You won't have to lift a finger, darling. I'll do all the—" "Liam." I met his gaze for the first time that night. “I want to submit an official request to break our mate bond!”