My pack was about to collapse under the weight of difficulties. My family no longer had the means to support the pack, and I had to work day and night to maintain the unity and security of my pack brothers and sisters. While juggling my responsibilities, I met Freya, a magnificent wolf and coveted by all the young wolves. It was obvious that she was from another world, too beautiful and too perfect for me, simple mountain alpha. However, I took my courage in both hands and admitted my feelings for her. To my surprise, she agreed to be my partner, my Luna. She told me with an enchanting smile that, to prove my love to her, she wanted me to offer her a rare moonstone, a symbol of power and protection in our culture. After weeks of hard work and sacrifices, I was finally able to get my hands on this precious stone. The day I was going to offer him this present, I surprised him kissing another wolf, the beta of our pack, Kellan. She then laughed at me, cruelly mocking my efforts and my sacrifices. To top it off, Kellan challenged me in public, ridicule me in front of the whole pack. Despair and shame overwhelmed me, and I no longer had the strength to retaliate. But when I thought I was lost, a former member of the pack returned to reveal a long hidden family secret to me: I am actually the last descendant of a line of powerful and rich alpha, the Valdaren. My destiny is much bigger than I imagined, and it is time to claim my real place and restore the honor of my pack.
Chapter 1
He hadn't seen this first humiliation coming. For him, it all started with a dream, with this love that he believed he shared with Freya, his long-awaited Luna. For weeks, he had worked tirelessly, gathering strength and courage to offer her this moonstone, a symbol of power and protection, a sacred heritage in their culture. He had done it for her, so that she would be proud of him, so that she would see how much he was willing to sacrifice for her happiness. Every day, every night, he had only had her on his mind. She, with her captivating eyes and her charming smile, she who was the pride of the pack, this perfect creature in his eyes.
But that morning, when he was finally ready to give her the precious jewel, everything changed. His steps led him instinctively towards the clearing, where Freya used to isolate herself. But as he approached, muffled laughter reached him, bursts of voices that he did not immediately recognize. It was only when he heard Freya's whisper, full of a tenderness he thought was reserved for him, that he knew something was wrong. He stepped forward, hesitant, the moonstone clutched in his palm, and froze at the sight of the spectacle unfolding before him.
Freya was there, in the arms of another. No, not another, but Kellan, his right arm, his Beta, the one in whom he had placed all his trust. Their embrace was gentle, intimate, far too intimate for him to pretend not to understand anything. He felt his heart break into a thousand pieces, each shard sticking painfully into his chest, as if a part of him was dislocating, lost forever.
Before he could look away, Freya looked up and saw him. Instead of getting confused or feeling trapped, she had the audacity to smile, a cold, mocking smile. Kellan turned around, an arrogant grin on his lips, and gave him a defiant look, as if he had never been his Beta, but rather a lifelong rival. A wave of rage and pain coursed through the Alpha, but he couldn't even move, paralyzed by the intensity of his pain.
"Oh, look who there," Kellan said mockingly. "The Alpha himself. What a surprise. »
Freya chuckled, placing a hand on Kellan's shoulder as if to encourage him to continue. Every gesture, every word, every look seemed calculated to destroy him a little more. The Alpha wanted to say something, but no words came. His throat was tight, his voice choked with bitterness and incomprehension.
"You really thought I would stay with you," Freya added, crossing her arms dismissively. "Poor fool. Did you think a simple moonstone was going to be enough? That a few sacrifices made you worthy of me? »
His tone was sharp, cruel, and each word was a stab in the Alpha's heart. He had never imagined that the one he loved could make fun of him like this, play on his feelings, his loyalty, his efforts. All those nights spent watching over the pack, protecting their home, making difficult decisions, suddenly seemed meaningless. He was nothing more than a broken man, unable to understand what he had done to deserve such betrayal.
Kellan, seeing the devastating effect of their words, allowed himself an arrogant laugh and placed a possessive hand on Freya's waist. "You were never good enough, Alpha," he whispered. "This role should always have been mine. »
The word "Alpha" was spat out like an insult, a stark reminder of everything Kellan despised about him. The Alpha tried to stand up, to regain control, to find the strength to respond, but the words eluded him. How could he face this double stab? On the one hand, the woman he loved had betrayed him, and on the other, his closest ally had betrayed him.
Freya, seeing that he remained frozen in his silence, burst out laughing. "There you go, is this your Alpha? A silent, unresponsive, unstrength wolf? »
The words echoed in the air like a sentence. Around them, a few members of the pack had stopped, attracted by the voices and the aura of tension emanating from the scene. Soon, a small crowd had formed, watching this public humiliation without knowing how to react. Some seemed to hesitate, others whispered among themselves, unable to look away from this unexpected confrontation.
The Alpha felt every look on him, every whisper pierced him like invisible arrows. He had to do something, say something, show the pack that he wasn't as weak as they thought. But the weight of betrayal, humiliation, pain paralyzed him, pinned him to the spot.
Kellan, taking advantage of this moment of weakness, raised his voice to address the assembled pack. "Is this really the Alpha you want to follow? A wolf incapable of defending his own honor, who allows himself to be humiliated without even reacting? I would offer you a future worthy of our pack. A strong future, where the weak are not tolerated. »
Kellan's words inflamed the spirits. He knew how to perfectly manipulate emotions, playing on everyone's doubts and fears. Little by little, some members of the pack nodded, others exchanged glances, as if they suddenly realized that an alternative to the Alpha was possible. Doubt set in, slipping like poison through the ranks.
Freya, still at Kellan's side, cast one last look of contempt at the Alpha before placing a hand on Kellan's shoulder. She seemed radiant, as if she had finally found her place, her true place, with a wolf that she considered worthy of her. "You don't belong here anymore," she whispered loudly enough for the whole pack to hear. "We no longer need a weak Alpha. »
These words were the straw that broke the camel's back. Shame, sorrow, anger, all merged within him in a torrent of resentment and regret. But beneath this whirlwind of emotion, something else emerged: a cold determination, a desire to regain control, to restore his honor. He clenched his fists, promising inwardly that he would get back up, that he would make Kellan pay for every insult, every humiliation, and that Freya herself would bitterly regret having trampled on his love and trust.
As he walked away, his gaze fixed on the horizon, he felt a glimmer of hope born in the midst of his darkness. He may have had nothing left, but he still had a heritage, a lineage, a pride to restore. He would never allow himself to be humiliated like this again.
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