His True Mate Wasn't Me

"My deepest condolences, Evelyn," the healer's voice pierced through the haze clouding my thoughts.

The words didn't register at first. Then reality hit me with crushing force.

I had been four weeks pregnant. Now I'd lost our baby. All because of the rogue attack that struck before sunrise.

While I lay bleeding on the cold ground, my husband Julian—Alpha of the Nightshade Pack—was absent. He'd been too busy rescuing Amelia, his childhood companion who constantly shadowed him.

When they finally discovered me, broken and barely conscious, Julian actually shielded Amelia's eyes from my suffering.

"Don't look, Amelia," he murmured, his voice protective. "It's too gruesome. This will haunt your dreams."

Nightmares? Was he forgetting I was living through the actual nightmare? Losing our child, bleeding out, my heart shattering simultaneously.

His concern wasn't for me, his wife. It was reserved for her.

Lying there, I finally understood my cherished marriage was a beautiful lie. His loyalty had always belonged to another.

After the healer treated my wounds and I staggered from the clinic, my path became clear. I had to leave. Leave him. Leave the pack. Leave everything poisoning my soul.

I immediately dialed a number I'd memorized for emergencies. It rang twice before a familiar voice answered.

"Hello, Alpha Daniel." My voice remained steady despite my inner trembling. "I've considered your offer. I want to return to the Blazemane Pack."

A brief pause, then I heard his smile. "Excellent news, Evelyn."

The relief washing over me was bittersweet, but it was my only option.

Later, as I reached Blazemane territory, Julian intercepted me at the border, desperation twisting his features.

"Evelyn, please," he begged, vulnerability rare in his tone. "Come back to Nightshade. We can fix this. I can fix this."

I looked at the man I'd once loved beyond measure, knowing there was no return.

"Never," I shouted, fiery pain rising in my chest. "You made your choice, Julian. Now I'm making mine."

Yesterday's attack had thrown Nightshade Pack into chaos. The devastation was so complete that none of us found peace afterward, especially me.

As Luna, I was expected to remain strong. But how could I, having just discovered my pregnancy, only to lose that fragile life moments later?

The pain was numbing. Blood loss and broken bones left me too drained for tears. Too exhausted to even cry.

I lay alone in our bed, staring at the ceiling, whispering, "This is too much."

My body ached. My soul ached more. Yet my husband Julian, Alpha of Nightshade Pack, was absent.

He was managing pack recovery, as duty demanded. He was Alpha, after all, with immense responsibilities. But part of me screamed in silent agony.

Couldn't he spare one moment for me? For his Luna fighting not just for her life, but for the life we'd created together?

Worse, when I'd lain helpless near our home after the attack, Julian hadn't rushed to me. He'd raced to save Amelia instead.

When they found me, Julian didn't comfort me or stay with me. He told rescuers to take me to the clinic while protecting Amelia from seeing my bloodied form.

I remained at the clinic alone. Julian never visited, not even to hold my hand when the healer delivered the devastating news about losing our child.

I grieved alone, surrounded by injured pack members battling their own wounds.

The overcrowded clinic made me feel like just another casualty. So I left and returned home alone. But home offered no comfort. The empty house mirrored my hollow heart. No trace of Julian remained, not even a note.

I curled up in bed, aching for the one thing I needed most—him. But only silence answered. Exhausted from the weight of everything, I fell into restless sleep.

When I woke next morning, the bedroom door stood slightly open. For a moment, I thought I dreamed it.

Then Julian entered, towel around his waist, tapping on his phone as if I were invisible. "Julian, when did you get home?" I asked, leaning against the headboard, fatigue still clinging to my bones.

"Just now," he muttered without looking up, heading straight for the closet.

I swallowed building frustration. "Are you going back to the office?"

He didn't bother glancing at me, attention consumed by his phone.

"After this attack, I'm swamped, Evelyn," he said sharply. "Unlike you, sleeping through it all. Instead of complaining, maybe make breakfast."

I clenched my jaw, biting back my retort.

He'd been like this lately—distant, irritable, always elsewhere even when physically present. Without a word, I turned and went to the kitchen.

While cooking, my mind wandered to Amelia. Had she been with him all night? Did he stay at her place?

I forced those thoughts aside, trying to think positively. Surely the attack's pressure made Julian so distant. Surely.

After breakfast was ready, Julian finally joined me. I remained silent, avoiding another curt response. But he spoke first, as if nothing happened.

"We've investigated the rogue attack," he said between bites. "Other packs were targeted too. I'll be late again today. Bring lunch to my office as usual."

"Okay," I replied softly, containing my inner storm.

He sighed, as if my compliance relieved him. "By the way, how are your injuries? The healer said they'll heal soon."

"Yes," I said quietly. "They're healing."

But as I prepared to mention the miscarriage, to finally voice the words aloud, the doorbell interrupted. Julian immediately rose, rushing to answer.

Minutes later, he returned holding a large flower bouquet. For a moment, hope flickered in my chest.

Maybe these were for me—a peace offering, proof he cared.

"Wow, flowers?" I asked, surprise brightening my voice. "But you know I'm allergic to pollen."

His response was a low murmur. "They're not for you, Evelyn."

My held breath escaped in a shaky exhale. "Then who are they for?"

"You're nagging again," he said, rolling his eyes. "These are for Alexander. He was injured in the attack. I'm visiting him later."

"Oh."

Alexander was Amelia's mate, Julian's Beta and closest friend.

Of course the flowers weren't for me, given my allergy.

But suddenly I felt excluded from their world, despite three years of marriage.

In their tight-knit circle of shared childhood memories and history, I remained the outsider, never able to get close enough.

As Julian continued eating, I watched him across the table, my heart growing colder each second. He didn't understand my pain's depth, and I doubted he ever would.

When Julian casually took the bouquet and left, something inside me shattered.

I knew those flowers weren't truly for Alexander. They were for Amelia, to comfort her while she cared for her mate.

Deep down, I'd always known Julian's feelings for her.

To him, Amelia wasn't just a friend. She was the girl who'd known him since he was three months old, someone whose presence shaped his entire life.

While I was the woman he'd chosen to marry, Amelia always came first, in ways that hurt more than I could admit.

Countless days I'd felt burning jealousy. Amelia had Alexander, her true mate, who doted on her endlessly. And she had Julian, my husband, who cared for her in ways he never did for me.