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 face.

I'd put up with so much garbage from Roy over the years - the public insults, the blows no one else saw. But seeing Miss Cassie playing tonsil hockey with my so-called mate while whispering sexual favors in his ear? What was I honestly expected to tolerate anymore just because we didn't have a pup.

Roy's stare bored into me, practically daring me to kick up a fuss. I simply quirked an eyebrow as if to say, "Really... her?"

Finally Roy dismissed Trashy Cassie with a condescending pat on her backside. She slunk out past me, reeking of desperation and cheap beer. I fought the urge to crinkle my nose. Where did my mate even find these bimbos anyway?

As Roy stood up and stretched, I carefully kept my expression neutral. Truth was, Mr. High and Mighty Alpha hadn't laid so much as a claw on me in years, despite what pack law dictated about mate bonds. Fine by me. I actually avoided being alone with the guy.

Cause Roy had some twisted kinda love-hate thing going on where I was concerned. He despised me for being a "defective Luna" or whatever - not birthing his precious heir yet and all. But he also had this morbid obsession at the same time, like he wanted to break me under his control. Alpha mentality, go figure.

He stepped towards me then, no doubt expecting waterworks over Miss Homewrecker groping him. Instead I simply sidestepped his approach.

"We need to discuss next week's border patrols," I stated crisply, keeping up a calm Luna facade.

Roy blinked, wrong-footed by my indifferent reaction. Point to me there. But his eyes soon turned stormy. He grabbed my wrist so tightly I nearly flinched.

"Don't pretend you care about pack duties," he growled. "I'm not an idiot. You can't stand me. If you did care, you would've given me strong sons by now."

I wrenched my hand back, pulse racing. Possessive angry Roy was never good.

"If all you want's an heir maker, pick another womb," I fired back coldly. "The goddess paired us, but I'm not your property. Get over yourself."

Roy grabbed my shoulders fiercely and for a second I thought he might actually snap my neck. My courage wavered.

But after a breath he shoved me back in disgust instead. "Worthless bitch," he spat. "I should've rejected you the moment the goddess played this sick joke. Some low-life Omega becoming my Luna!"

I bit my lip, refusing to show the hurt. Yeah, the dislike was mutual, buster. Had to stay steady though. One day this toxic bond would snap.

Roy watched me like he expected tears or yells. But I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I turned to calmly walk away instead. Got two steps before Roy seized my arm, wrenching me back around.

"Oh no you don't," he growled, face inches from mine. "You don't get to pretend you're unaffected. Not after you made me the laughing stock of the whole territory."

My eyes narrowed. "You did that to yourself by fooling around openly."

Roy barked out a harsh laugh. "Keep telling yourself that, Luna. It's not my fault you're barren as dirt. What good is a Luna who can't give me heirs?" He squeezed my arm cruelly, his breath hot on my face. "Admit it - you hate that I have needs you can't meet."

Despite the pain, I lifted my chin. "I feel nothing, Alpha," I said coldly. "Because it doesn't matter who or what you do, you mean nothing to me."

Rage flashed dangerous and violent across his eyes. For an instant, I thought he might actually end my worthless life, defective Luna that I apparently was. His grip on my arm grew bruising.

Then abrupt as a storm passing, Roy's expression cleared. He released me with a careless shove that nearly sent me sprawling. When I regained my balance, massaging my throbbing arm, it was to find him watching me with an unreadable look. My defiant words seemed to have sparked something dark and thoughtful in him.

Unease trickled down my spine at what new cruelty could be brewing in that volatile mind of his. Roy smiling slyly like a wolf who'd cornered his prey - that was far more frightening than any violent temper tantrum.

I didn't intend to wait around finding out what he plotted next though. Gathering the tatters of my pride, I turned and walked away without waiting to be dismissed. What else could the arrogant brute do to me that he hadn't already?

I strode away, back rigid even as my pulse raced. I wouldn't let Roy see how much his cruelty shook me. I'd endured too much to show weakness now.

His voice arrested my steps, soft yet dripping with malice: "Six months."

I turned warily. Roy regarded me with a chilling smile.

"You have six months to give me an heir. If you remain barren..." His smile widened, wolfish and cruel. "I'll reject you as my mate."

My breath caught. Mate rejection - a fate we wolves only whispered about in dread. Worse than death - to be cast out alone, severed from one's destined bond by ritual magic. Few could withstand the isolation before they ultimately went mad, fading away. A terrible, lingering end.

Roy knew this. His smile said he relished the thought. My throat tightened.

"You can't-"

"I can do anything I please." Suddenly he was before me, clamping my jaw in his brutal grip as I stood frozen.

"No one will defend a defective bitch like you," he hissed. "Be grateful I'm giving you one last chance."

He shoved me back. I stumbled. Regaining my balance, Roy gripped my waist, his breath hot on my ear "Come to my room tonight so we can get started." Then he strode off, leaving me shaken.