The Alpha's Banished Mate

The absolute last place I wanted to be was back at the main house, but duty called I guess. I braced myself as I walked through the door. One whiff told me everything I needed to know - the stench of stale beer and cigarette smoke still hung heavy in the air from last night's rowdy poker game no doubt. And where there's smoke, there's my mate Roy, Alpha Man-Child himself.Sure enough, there was Roy, sprawled out on the couch amid empty bottles and overflowing ashtrays, as if he did it just to spite me. But it wasn't actually him that made my stomach turn this time. Oh no, that honor went to the Beta's nineteen-year-old daughter Cassie, reputation ruiner extraordinaire.Yet there she sat parked on my mate's lap, dressed in scraps of fabric pretending to be clothes. Locking eyes with me, she had the audacity to smirk as she snuggled up closer to Roy, as if they were the happy couple and I was the unwanted wife. Roy of course ate up the attention, a smug grin plastered across his scruffy

I ran my fingertips over a tube of bold red lipstick before applying it to my lips, gazing intently at myself in the mirror. The vivid hue stood out starkly against my pale complexion.My red hair cascaded down to my shoulders in loose curls, framing my face. My dull blue eyes reflected back at me from the mirror with no sign of life or feeling. A smattering of freckles dotted my nose and cheeks, uninvitedly adding some color to my otherwise drab tone.I wasn't the fiery redhead that often portrayed us to be. No, I was far from it. Instead, I carried myself with cold indifference, my demeanor aloof and unfeeling. As Alpha Roy would call it 'As cold as the moon.'The mirror reflected my true nature - a stark contradiction to the stereotype that came with my fiery locks. But I didn't let it bother me. After all, appearances could be deceiving. And this one was no exception."Well, well, look who decided to get dressed up today."I kept my expression neutral as I capped the lipstick and

"You look fucking ridiculous teetering around like that." I gritted my teeth at Roy's remark as I carefully descended the staircase, each step sending a jolt of pain through my aching feet. It wasn't a piece of cake in those damned heels – they weren't designed for someone like me who favored practical shoes over stylish torturing devices. But Alpha Roy had demanded that I wear them tonight, asserting they lent an additional dash of sophistication to my attire.Despite hating to give in to his requests, particularly ones as minor but uncomfortable as shoe choices, I knew better than to butt heads with him. We were well aware of who wore the pants in our relationship. Thus, there I was, teetering on high stilts while keeping track of time, eagerly waiting to ditch them and exhale freely.Finally reaching the bottom step, I smiled weakly at Alpha Roy, hoping to appease him despite knowing full well how futile such attempts usually were. At least now I could focus on enduring whatever

Panic prickled at the back of my neck as I blinked my eyes fully open, taking in the pile of his clothes strewn across the floor. The stale stink of cheap booze loomed thick in the air. Oh no, not this again."Roy?" The word slipped out before I could catch it, a tiny trembling sound that made me wince. Dead silence. The quiet made the knots in my stomach twist even tighter.I hugged my knees up to my chest, pulling the sheets tighter around me like a shield. A tiny part of me couldn't help but wonder...had he listened for once and gotten the hell out?My mind was racing as I stepped out of the bedroom. There was Roy at the kitchen table, nursing a beer. And draped all over him like a cheap tablecloth was Cassie, that little home-wrecker, batting her heavily made-up eyelashes as she tried desperately to get his attention. She shot me a smug look.Roy looked up and saw me. "Get lost," he said gruffly, pushing her away.Cassie pouted like a toddler denied a toy. "But baby, I thought w

From then on, I snuck into Ethan's quarters every time Alpha Roy was away. At first, I felt incredibly bad for what I was doing, but slowly, I relished in the forbidden. It was dark, and the sheer night dress I was wearing under the black cloak was barely shielding me from the cold. I knocked at Ethan's door. But it wasn't Ethan who answered it.My heart froze in place.Eyes stretched wide, I took in the frightening tall form of my mate. "Roy..." Roy's face morphed into a terrifying visage, his eyes burning with a fury that chilled me to the bone. Rage seethed from every taut muscle, his clenched fists trembling as if restraining an eruption of violence. When he spoke, his voice was little more than a guttural growl.If I turned back and ran, would he catch me?"You ungrateful little whore," He gritted out, stalking towards me, like he wanted to snuff the life out of me with those big hands of his. "I... I'm sorry," I pleaded. "Where's Ethan?"Roy's hand shot forward, wrapping it