Rejected By My Alpha, Claimed By His Powerful Uncle

CARA POV:

If it weren't for the fact that he had to rush to an emergency meeting this morning and forgot his tablet at home, I probably will never find out that he had an affair.

At this moment, I stared at that explicit photo of a bed on the screen, completely blank-minded.

My husband, Alpha Danny Mora, was propped against the headboard, one arm curled around her waist, the other hand resting on her bare thigh. The covers barely draped over their lower bodies, bunched messily at the foot of the bed.

However, the moment I saw the woman in his arms clearly, my blood turned icy.

Cindy Hooper.

That female lycan in trouble, whom I personally funded, I convinced the wolf pack to cover her tuition and accommodation costs.

She was curled up in his arms, her golden hair scattered across his chest. Her cheek rested against his collarbone, and she smiled sweetly at the camera. Yet, the hint of arrogance in her eyes could pierce right through the screen.

Then, my gaze stopped on her neck.

A silver chain, adorned with a Tiffany heart pendant – delicate, shiny, and expensive. It was a graduation gift I gave her.

She wears the gifts I gave her, enjoys my financial support, and enjoys the love of my husband.

But before I could process any of this, the screen lit up with a notification. A message from Cindy Hooper.

Cindy: Heard you had to see you father this morning. Thinking of you. Don't let him stress you out too much. Our little secret needs you relaxed.

Our little secret.

The words swam before my eyes. My breath caught in my throat. It wasn't the message itself, but the string of them I saw beneath it.

A history of casual intimacy, of shared moments I was never a part of. I scrolled up, my fingers cold and numb.

Danny: I'll handle Cara. She won't suspect a thing.

Cindy: Are you sure? She's not stupid.

Danny: She's weak. She needs me. She'll believe whatever I tell her.

Cindy: I can't wait until this is all over and it's me by your side. Me and the baby.

The baby.

The two words slammed into me with physical force, knocking the air from my lungs.

A wave of intense nausea overcame me. I clung tightly to the edge of the dresser to prevent myself from slipping down.

I bent over, retching, but nothing came up. Tears streamed down my face instead.

I'm crying not only because my husband betrayed my feelings, but also because these two people worked together to turn my life into a joke.

Everyone in the wolf pack knows that Danny and I grew up together. He pursued me for eight years, always being very thoughtful and caring towards me. So, after graduating from college, I accepted his proposal.

I never expected that just two years into our marriage,this man would cheat on me with that female student I was sponsoring.

A bitter, metallic taste filled my mouth. The sacred bond didn't feel sacred. It felt like a chain, and the links were rusting through.

Maybe I should've realized sooner.

Two years since marriage, he comes home less and less often. Every time, I make excuses for him in my heart: He's the Alpha, and the pack can't do without him. As his Luna, I should understand.

But those nights spent lying alone until dawn have worn away all my feelings for him. Now, to me, he's merely what a Luna is supposed to be to her Alpha-a duty, not a desire.

My movements were steady, almost robotic. I forwarded the picture to my encrypted email account. Then, I navigated through his messages, found the thread, and deleted it. I cleared it from the trash. Wiped every trace.

I took a deep, shuddering breath and walked over to my laptop. I opened it, the quiet click echoing in the silent room.

The website for The Lycan Legacy Council loaded, its interface ancient and severe. I typed in my ID and password without hesitation.

I found the "Mating Bond Administration" page.

A single, blood-red button dominated the screen: "Initiate Rejection Protocol."

My cursor hovered over it. My fingertip was white from the pressure.

I didn't click. Not yet.

I opened a new window, a blank document. The title I typed was "Identity Erasure & Asset Liquidation Request." I began to list everything, every asset tied to the Moran name that needed to be severed.

The sound of a car engine in the driveway cut through my concentration.

Danny was home.

I snapped the laptop shut. My face, when I glanced in the mirror, was a mask of placid calm. The perfect, docile Omega.

As soon as he entered the house,smelling of pack business and a faint, floral perfume that wasn't mine, he smiled, cupping my face in his hands.

"Sorry I was late, my love," Danny murmured, his blue eyes-the eyes I once thought held the moon-crinkling with feigned sincerity. "My father was being difficult."

I leaned into his touch, my own body a traitor I had to command. I forced a soft, understanding smile."It's okay,I saved you dinner."

"You're the best, Cara. My perfect Luna." He kissed my forehead, a gesture that felt like a brand.

When I watched him eat, I thought of myself.

After getting married, I turned down job offers from all those big companies. Every day, I spent my time taking care of his shirts, ties, and dinner.

He enjoys all this without any remorse, but he's probably forgotten that before marrying him, my hands were involved with contracts, projects, and negotiations involving millions of dollars.

Not just those stinky socks he leaves on the sofa.

I felt the last vestiges of my love for him flicker and die, leaving behind only the cold, hard certainty of my new purpose.

He wanted me to be a weak, wolfless Omega who would never suspect a thing. Fine. That's exactly who I would be.

I would play my part in his charade. I would smile, and I would obey, and I would be the perfect, clueless mate.

And all the while, I would be planning. Planning how to cut the bond, how to escape the pack, and how to erase every trace of Cara Weiss, the Alpha's fool.

The Rejection was coming. But it would be on my terms.