Chapter 4 Alpha's Whore

YELENA

My heart was beating so fast I was sure he could hear it. Like, actually listen to it. It thudded so loudly that I thought the ground might just open up and swallow me whole, preferably taking me straight to my husband while it was at it.

How could I forget that I hadn't met my mate yet? And yet, here I was already married. Married to the Alpha of this pack, of all people. The irony could choke me.

His eyes swept over me, slow and angry, like he was memorizing every inch of me just to burn it later. Then he turned and walked away. Just like that. No words, no threats... just cold, simmering fury.

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. Great. Maybe I'd survive the day after all.

People around me murmured, probably gossiping about the "Luna who already had a mate." I barely ignored them. If I listened, I might just faint or punch someone, and neither option was great for my Luna reputation.

"Wow," Nyra said, appearing beside me with that annoying smirk she wore whenever she enjoyed my misery. "Who would've thought? Luna Lena actually has a mate."

"Don't remind me," I groaned as she dragged me away from the curious eyes.

Once we reached our desk, I dropped my bag like it weighed a ton and opened my wardrobe. My eyes went straight to the golden ring on my finger. My heart twisted instantly. Tristan's ring. My first love.

I traced the edges with my thumb. My mate might be handsome, okay, fine, too handsome but he was nothing compared to Tristan. And Tristan loved me. I couldn't cheat on him. I couldn't betray him.

I'd chosen Tristan. That was final.

The rest of the day dragged painfully slow. We attended to three patients, but my mind was all over the place, stuck between guilt, curiosity, and confusion.

What would my mate do if he found out I was already married and not just to anyone, but to the Alpha himself?

'Would you accept him if you weren't married?' my wolf, Lena, asked quietly inside my head.

I didn't answer. Mostly because I didn't know. I thought I'd always wanted Tristan. And I did. Right?

I was still arguing with my wolf when a woman's scream snapped me back to reality.

"Nurse Luna!"

I blinked and froze. Oh no.

The mother of my patient was glaring daggers at me. Her son was wincing in pain.

My eyes dropped to the syringe in my hand. My stomach sank. Oh. My. Goddess. I injected his lap instead of his butt.

"OMG... I'm so sorry!" I squeaked, grabbing his thigh like I could undo the mistake with pure panic. "I swear it was an accident!"

The mother's mouth dropped open. "You injected my son's lap?!"

"I-I mean, technically, the drug still works no matter where it goes, right?" I stammered, reaching for the small bottle of relief oil, the one we used for burns and muscle pain. I rubbed it gently into the area, mumbling, "Just a little bit of herbal balm and moonleaf extract, he'll be fine, I promise."

The woman's face was pure horror. "What were you thinking about? You could've killed him!"

Okay, that made me almost laugh. Not out of disrespect, but because really? A tiny misplaced shot?

"I'm so sorry," I said quickly, trying to sound serious but calm. "You're right, I made a stupid mistake. But don't worry, he's not in danger. I just gave him the right medicine in the wrong spot. It'll still work. He'll just need some rest."

She eyed me suspiciously, as if trying to decide whether to trust me or stab me with the syringe.

After a pause, she sighed. "Fine. Just... focus next time. You're the Luna. People watch you."

"I will," I promised, giving her my best sheepish smile. "No more accidental injections. Probably."

When they left, Nyra was holding back her laughter so hard she was shaking. "You're so dead, Luna. First, you forget your mate exists, now you're trying to murder children."

"Shut up," I muttered, though a small smile broke through. "At least he didn't faint."

Before she could reply, another nurse hurried over. "Nurse Luna, Doctor Jackson needs your attention."

And there it was. My heart dropped.

There was no need for her to say his name. My wolf already went nuts. 'Mate. Mate. Mate.'

"Thank you," I said evenly, pretending my stomach hadn't just somersaulted into another dimension. "I'll go see him."

The nurse nodded and walked away.

Nyra tilted her head. "Are you sure you're ready for that? I can come with you, you know. In case he tries to bite."

I gave her a tight smile. "I can handle him. He doesn't scare me."

That was a lie. His eyes alone scared the moonlight out of me.

Still, I stood up, smoothed my nurse uniform, pushed my cherry-blonde hair behind my shoulders, and took a deep breath. Time to face the storm.

The hallway to the doctor's office felt longer than usual, like it was stretching on purpose. I knocked softly on his door.

"Come in," his deep voice answered, calm but sharp enough to cut through steel.

I pushed the door open, keeping my eyes on his. He was leaning against his desk, arms folded, his eyes unreadable but deadly. His aura filled the room... cruel, dominant, and arrogant. The kind of presence that made your lungs forget how to breathe.

Before he could speak, I blurted out, "I'm married."

His lips twitched. "I know." His tone was dry and cruel. "But I didn't know my mate would be a whore."

My blood boiled. I clenched my fists so tight my nails bit into my skin. "Watch your mouth! I'm the Luna of this pack!"

He tilted his head, smirking like I'd just told him a joke. "And so?"

He stepped forward slowly, every movement deliberate, confident like a predator studying prey that thought it could roar.

"Why didn't you wait to meet your mate before throwing yourself at your Alpha?" he asked, his voice was low but sharp. "Or were you too desperate for the title?"

I wanted to scream. He wasn't entirely wrong, but he didn't deserve to say it. He didn't know anything about me, about Tristan, about love.

"I had no reason to wait," I said coldly. "I was in love."

He chuckled darkly. "Love." He said the word like it was poison. "That's what all sluts say when they're caught."

That was it. My hand moved before I could think.

SLAP!

The sound echoed in the office. His head turned to the side with a tight jaw. For a moment, silence filled the air. Then his eyes glowed gold, pure Alpha rage.

Lena whimpered inside me. 'Mate!... you shouldn't have done that, Yelena!'

I stood my ground, though my heart was pounding so loud I could barely hear. I braced myself. He could slap me, choke me, throw me across the wall but he didn't.

He just stepped closer until his breath hit my face, hot and dangerous.

I didn't avoid his intense gaze and spoke again, "What's your full name?" I had to reject him as quickly as possible.

"You'll regret this," he whispered between clenched teeth.

His scent hit me hard... cedar, smoke, and fury. I hated how it made my chest tighten.

Then he stepped back sharply, dragging a hand through his hair like he wanted to rip it out. "My name is Jackson Luther," he said, his voice rough. "Do whatever you have to do and get out of my office."

My throat burned. Lena cried inside me, 'Please don't do this.'

But I had to. I chose Tristan. I chose love, not pain.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I, Yelena Moonrack, Luna of the Blue Moon Pack, reject you, Jackson Luther, as my mate."

The words left my mouth like blades. Pain exploded through my chest, a sharp electric pull that made me stumble. I pressed my hand over my heart as the bond began to burn away, thread by thread. My wolf howled inside, retreating to the back of my mind while crying softly.

Jackson's jaw tightened. He didn't even look at me. "I, Jackson Luther, accept your rejection," he said flatly.

And just like that, it was done.

I turned and walked out before he could see the tear that slipped from my eye. My legs felt weak, my chest hollow.

Outside the office, Nyra was waiting. The moment she saw me, she pulled me into a tight hug.

"Lena," she whispered, using my nickname softly.

I leaned into her, shaking slightly. "I hope I didn't make the wrong choice."

"You didn't," she said without hesitation, squeezing me tighter.

But as her words sank in, a strange ache lingered in my chest. I wasn't sure if it was from the rejection or from something deeper I didn't want to name.

Tristan loved me and I loved him. That was what mattered.

My wolf would heal.

Eventually.

But even as I told myself that, I could still feel the faint echo of Jackson's voice inside my head.

'You'll regret this.'

And something in his tone told me... he meant it.