The Alpha Rejected mate is now his step mother

I spent the entire day pacing my cabin, replaying every word I'd overheard. Maybe I'd misunderstood.Maybe Damon was just putting on an act for Celeste's sake. He had to be protecting me somehow.By evening, I'd convinced myself there was an explanation. Damon loved me—I'd felt it in every touch, every kiss, every of his promise.That couldn't all be fake. Can it?The Alpha gathering was already in full swing when I arrived at the pack house. Wolves filled the great hall, celebrating tomorrow's ceremony with food and drinks.I spotted Damon immediately—he stood near the fireplace, commanding attention as always.My heart hammered as I approached. He looked devastatingly handsome in his black shirt, his gray eyes scanning the crowd.When he saw me, something flickered across his face. Annoyance? Fear?"Damon," I said softly when I reached him. "Can we talk privately?"Several pack members turned to look. I felt their curious stares but ignored them.Damon's jaw tightened. "I'm busy, Fi

DAMON POVNEXT MORNING "I'm telling you, Celeste has the best tits in the pack," Jake laughed, taking another swig of whiskey. "But Fiona? That omega had moves that would make a grown man weep."I leaned back in my chair, enjoying the envy in my friends' eyes. "You have no idea," I smirked. "Three months of the tightest—""Enough."The voice cut through our laughter. We all turned to see my father standing in the doorway of the private lounge.How long had he been there? How much had he heard?"Alpha!" Jake jumped to his feet, nearly spilling his drink. "We didn't know you were back from the capital—""Out." My father's voice was deadly quiet. "All of you. Now."My friends scrambled for the exit like scared puppies. Jake shot me a look of pure terror before disappearing through the door.The silence that followed was suffocating."Father," I stammered, trying to salvage the situation. "I didn't know you'd returned. Should I have been notified of your—""Sit down."I obeyed immediatel

FIONA'S POVMagnus didn't leave my side for hours after I woke up. He sat in the leather chair beside his bed, watching me with those dark eyes that seemed to see straight through my soul."You need to eat," he said, nodding toward the tray Mrs. Chen had brought up. Soup, bread, tea…simple food that my churning stomach might actually keep down.I picked at the bread, hyper-aware of his presence. Every movement he made, every breath, every slight shift in his posture. The pregnancy hormones were making everything more intense—his scent, the pull I felt toward him, the guilt eating me alive."Magnus," I started, then stopped. The words stuck in my throat like glass. How could I tell him I was carrying his son's child? How could I explain that I needed to leave before this destroyed us both?"What is it?""I should go. Back to my room, I mean. People will talk."His jaw tightened. "Let them.""You don't understand. Your position—""My position is strong enough to protect what's mine."

FIONA'S POV It started as I was walking back to my room after the confrontation with Damon. A strange warmth low in my belly, spreading outward like liquid fire. No. Not now. I pressed my hand to my stomach, panic rising in my throat. My heat wasn't due for another three weeks. But stress could trigger it early….Dr. Hendricks had warned me about that when he came for my treatment. And God knows I'd been under enough stress lately. The warmth intensified, sending little shocks of electricity through my nervous system. My skin became hypersensitive, my wolf stirring restlessly beneath the surface. Not here, I thought desperately. Not in Magnus's house. But my body didn't care about inconvenient timing. The heat was coming whether I wanted it or not, and I had maybe an hour before it became obvious to every wolf in the mansion. I practically ran the rest of the way to my room, slamming the door behind me. My guards were stationed outside, but even they would smell the change

DAMON'S POVThree days. Three fucking days of living like an outcast while my father played house with my rejected mate.The hunting lodge reeked of stale whiskey and my own rage. I'd been drinking since dawn, but the alcohol couldn't wash away the bitter taste of humiliation.Fiona. Sweet, submissive Fiona who'd been so eager to please me in bed. Who'd looked at me like I was her whole world right up until I told her the truth. That she was nothing but a convenient fuck while I waited to marry Celeste.The memory of her face when I rejected her still made something twist in my gut. Not guilt. Never that. More like... irritation that she'd dared to think she meant something more.And now my father, the great Alpha King, was sniffing around her like a dog in heat.Pathetic!"Time to remind him who the real heir is," I muttered, checking my reflection in the cracked mirror.The emergency council meeting would start soon. Half the pack was ready to revolt over Magnus's obvious obsession