1- The Alpha Betrayal

Maera

“Congrats Maera, you're carrying the Alpha's pub,” the pack's witch told me. 

Asta was the witch of our pack. Ulfsang(Wolf Song) was a small pack of shifters that lived on the northern side of the realm. She was called a witch because people believed she could cast spells and turn people into squirrels.

But for me, she had been my messiah. For five years after being married to the Alpha, I had been unable to produce an heir. Now fate had smiled down on me. I was pregnant, certain a sacrifice would be made to the goddess. Mostly I wanted to see the look on my Alpha's face. The excitement. I had already imagined it.

“Oh Asta, you are a real-life saviour,” I responded. “How can I ever repay you?”

“You can start by taking the good news to Alpha Derek,” She replied.

“Of course,” I responded, my heart gleaming with joy. I got up and took the little belongings I had brought with me to the witch's hut and left for Derek's chambers.

I had found him pacing about in his room. His hair was scattered from the consistent running of his fingers through them. Something had greatly disturbed him. Part of me had known he was in pressure for an heir. The pack demanded one, or he stood a chance of getting his status ripped off of him.

But all that was about to change. I had brought news that would change the entire story.

“My love, I have good news,” I said, trying to get his attention. He glanced at me, unphased by what I had just said.

“What is it?” He said, his voice sore like he knew the message I was about to pass on. I paid no heed to his tone. I was about to change it.

“I'm pregnant with your pub,” I said, smiling ear to ear.

“I have no time for games, woman,” he responded, cutting the air with his husky voice.

“I'm not playing games,” I replied. “Asta herself confirmed it.”

Suddenly his face changed. It was like he was disappointed. Then he brightened up.

“That's good news,” he said. 

For a second I could breathe. I had thought he was disappointed in the pregnancy, but his smile suggested something different. 

“We should celebrate, my love,” I responded. “I'm certain the rest of the pack would be pleased to hear this information.”

“Emm.. we should hold off on that information for now,” he said.

“Hold off?” I responded, unsure of what he meant by that.

“Emm.. you know, you've only just confirmed it from Asta. I say we wait until a bump shows, then we tell the rest of the pack,” he replied.

“But..” 

“I have good reasons for it, my love,” he said, cutting me short. “I say we celebrate, just me and you. How about we go running through the woods. Let's have our wolves enjoy the good news.”

A run through the woods had a nice touch to it. Only fated mates ever did go running together in their wolf form, howling at the greyish-white moon. 

Derek and I were not fated mates. As a daughter of the Beta to the former Alpha of this pack, a marriage had been arranged between my father and his father, just before the last war with a rival pack had claimed their lives, leaving me with my stepmother. 

Derek had loved me no less than he would, a fated mate. As a matter of fact, he had treated me more than my parents could ever. He had given me a home and loved me through my barren years. He had given me the satisfaction I craved for.

Passing up the opportunity to go howling at the moon together was not on my agenda. 

“Wait for me while I pass an important piece of information to Heimdall,” he said. “I'll be back soon, my love.”

I waited patiently, anticipating the wild run. The breeze brushed against our furs. His pleasant scent blew against the air. It was more than I had ever dreamed of.

He came back commanding me to shift to my wolf, which I gladly obeyed like a child taunted with milk from the mother's breast.

He shifted almost immediately as we sprinted off into the night. It was just as I imagined it, only it felt more alive than my thoughts. I embraced his amazing smell, thinking of all the wild things we would do this night, together.

I would suck his cock till it fell off. “Oh Freya,” I exclaimed. I had loved him, more than I would, myself. 

But something had gone wrong. We had run into another wolf's territory. But he hadn't stopped, so I followed him. We ran straight to the top of a cliff. Then we stopped.

I was scared because we had crossed the borders to another wolf's pack. But his presence had made me calm. I felt secure near him.

“Emm.. Derek, why are we in another wolf's territory?” I asked. He gave me no reply as he ordered for me to shift back. I did as he had instructed. I shifted back to myself, staring down at his wolf, wondering why he hadn't shifted too.

Then he let out a fierce howl. The sound cut through my ears. I wondered why he had done such, why he would want to let others know our exact location.

Before I could question him, wolves came in all directions, knocking me down to the floor, raking their claws and sinking their teeth into my flesh.

I tried to scream, but I could not. All parts of me were torn to bits. Then they stopped. The searing bites and slash had drowned out all my thoughts. My bone crunching sent a tremendous amount of pain through my body. It was like I was being pierced by a thousand needles, all at once.

My jaws had been ripped open, leaving me no medium of expressing my pains vocally. Then, I could feel Derek's wolf close in on me as he went straight for my stomach.

His teeth sank through the flesh on my stomach, ripping and pulling them apart as he sent his head further into my stomach. I tried to fight him off, but the damage done to my hands made it impossible for me to even lift them.

I lay still, watching, feeling his wolf rip my stomach apart. The only thoughts I had at that moment were for the safety of my pub and why he had done what he had just done. 

Then he stopped when he felt he had done enough damage, as he shifted back to himself. 

“You ingrate,” he said, his voice cold as death itself. “I gave you everything, my happiness included, but still, you went further to trap me in this unforgiven marriage.”

He continued. “Haven't I done enough for you? I was given five years, that if you could not conceive I would be allowed to get rid of you forever. I would be allowed to be with my fated mate. But you had to plan with that witch to trap me.”

“I've always disliked you, and now, I detest you even more. You are a pest to my life. Good thing you came to me before telling others. I will deal with that witch myself,” he ended.

Tears poured out of my eyes uncontrollably. I managed to bring my hands up to my stomach but could feel nothing in an open space. 

“My pub,” I thought to myself, my head thumping heavily. 

And with one final kick to my stomach, he sent me falling off the cliff, as my body came battering to the ground. I had passed out, not knowing if I was dead or alive.