When I Stopped Loving the Alpha

Scarlett’s POV

“Did you catch that? The Alpha only took that stray as his mate because of the child. Everyone knows a fated mate’s offspring is meant to be the most powerful.”

“Why else would he bind himself to someone like her? A spineless nobody… What’s her name again? Scarlett?”

“It’s irrelevant.” The Alpha, my destined partner, Griffin Stone, spoke, his voice cutting through the chatter. “The divorce is practically finalized.”

“Exactly. She’s worthless.” The crowd around him—his inner circle, his loyalists—erupted in laughter, the sound sharp and mocking, as if they’d just heard the punchline to a hilarious joke.

Their words hit me like a physical blow. The pregnancy test stick I’d been clutching slipped from my numb fingers, clattering softly against the polished floor.

I had come here to tell him. After three endless years, I was finally pregnant.

A new life, born from our matebond. From us.

I’d foolishly believed this news would bring him some measure of joy; he’d always spoken of the need for a strong heir.

But instead of finding him alone, I’d rushed from our cold, empty house to his usual haunt, The Gilded Haven, only to discover Griffin holding court, with everyone laughing at my expense. They called me the stray, the low-born, the desperate clinger.

And curled against his side was a woman.

His former lover.

Vivian Blackwood.

Through the lounge’s ornate glass partition, Griffin sat in the secluded booth, his dark hair impeccably styled, the severe line of his jaw illuminated by the bar’s ambient golden glow. His tailored suit hugged the powerful breadth of his shoulders, every detail speaking of controlled strength and an impenetrable calm.

One arm was draped casually along the velvet seatback, the other holding a crystal glass of amber liquor he hadn’t touched. He looked like a statue carved from winter and authority—distant, devastatingly handsome, and completely untouchable. As always.

Vivian’s voluptuous form was molded to his, her crimson dress straining over curves that threatened to spill over. A cascade of golden hair, like spun silk, fell over one shoulder as she laughed, a throaty sound, and let her manicured finger trail a slow path along the sleeve of his jacket. He didn’t pull away. Didn’t acknowledge the intimacy. He simply allowed it, his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond her, utterly detached.

My stomach clenched. Vivian had left Silvercrest Pack years ago, right after Griffin and I were forced into our union… Was this lavish gathering in her honor?

The Gilded Haven was a place of polished marble and whispered deals, a realm I seldom dared enter. Tonight, I hadn’t cared about the sidelong glances from the powerful, polished people who never bothered to conceal their disdain.

I pushed the heavy door open a crack, hesitating on the threshold, uncertain how—or if—I should intrude. Nearby, a cluster of pack members watched the scene with avid interest, their laughter deliberately loud.

“Look at them. Griffin and Vivian, together again. It’s how things were always meant to be.”

“Vivian is a Beta’s daughter. She has breeding, unlike that… scavenger.”

“Scarlett practically begged on her knees for the mating ceremony. It’s pathetic. She can’t possibly expect him to be faithful. She should be grateful he ever acknowledged her.”

Their cruelty was a living thing, biting and cold. Not a single one lowered their voice. And Griffin… he didn’t stop them.

The air vanished from my lungs. I gripped the doorframe, my knuckles white, waiting for him to deny it. To say something, anything, in my defense.

All he offered was a slight, dismissive lift of his shoulder.

“I found the entire arrangement… forgettable,” he stated, his tone as empty as his eyes. “There was never any spark worth cultivating.”

The floor seemed to lurch beneath my feet.

They noticed me then. A few flicked glances in my direction before turning away, hands covering smirks. Others didn’t bother to hide their amusement. Griffin’s eyes found me last. And when they did, there was no flicker of remorse. No shame. Just that same glacial indifference.

“Get lost!” someone shouted, as if shooing away a stray dog. A drunken man near the bar hurled his glass in my direction, the liquid splashing near my feet. “Go dig through the trash where you belong, rogue!”

The last fragile shard of hope within me exploded into silent, painful dust. I whirled around and fled, my movements clumsy and uncoordinated. I didn’t know where I was going.

A voice called after me. Kellan, one of Griffin’s Betas. “Scarlett, wait! It’s not safe out there alone—”

“Let her go.”

That was Griffin’s voice, cool and final, slicing through the noise.

“Perhaps she needs to learn her true place.”

I hadn’t even registered the rain until it was soaking through my thin dress. My head pounded from unshed tears, my vision swam, and I was utterly lost—

It wasn’t fair.

I had given him everything. Twisted myself into knots trying to earn a single glance of approval, a shred of affection. I had clung to the silent, desperate hope that he would thaw, that one day he might reach for me the way I ached for him, despite my standing.

I stumbled past a brick archway, my cheap shoes splashing into a deep, murky puddle.

A deafening horn blared.

Blinding headlights flared, filling my world.

I turned, too slow.

CRASH.

The impact was a universe of pain, erupting through every bone, every nerve.

A searing, white-hot light bloomed behind my eyes—and then there was only darkness, the fading echo of a wolf’s howl tangled with the screech of tires.

The sterile scent of antiseptic and starched linen invaded my senses first.

I blinked, my eyes protesting the assault of harsh fluorescent lights.

A hospital room. Only those lights could burn with such a clinical, heartless glare. My body felt like lead, my mind swaddled in thick, confusing fog. The steady, rhythmic beep of a monitor provided a lonely soundtrack.

“Scarlett!”

The voice pierced the haze. I turned my head slowly, muscles protesting. A woman with vibrant red hair leaned over the bed rail, her face pale, eyes wide and swollen with worry.

“Are you alright? Moon Goddess, Scarlett, you terrified me! They said you just walked right into the road. What were you thinking?!”

I tried to form words, but my tongue felt thick and useless. Walked into the road?

What happened?

Why couldn’t I remember?

The door swung open, and a nurse entered, followed by a man in a healer’s white coat. The healer murmured instructions to the nurse before turning his attention to me.

“How are you feeling, Ms. Hayes?”

I just stared.

“Alright,” he said, clearly not expecting a coherent answer. He pulled a stylus from his pocket and tapped a tablet. “Your name is Scarlett Hayes, correct?”

I remained silent. The healer—Dr. Carter, his badge read—frowned and scrolled through his notes. “We contacted your mate. Alpha Griffin Stone. He attempted a mindlink earlier, but…”