Outcast Luna: The Alpha's Hidden Twins

Yet, despite everything I knew—despite his absolute lack of love for me—I had held onto hope. I had believed that one day he would finally open his heart to me. I had hoped he would eventually see how much I truly loved him.

"I stayed in this marriage because I thought, one day, we could build a happy family with our chil—"

"Children?"

His gaze turned to ice.

"How could you even entertain such a thought? Do you honestly think I'd ever let you bear my heir, you idiot? Wake up."

I stood there, paralyzed by the sheer cruelty of his words.

In that split second, one terrifying truth became clear: he could never find out about my pregnancy.

My babies would be mine, and mine alone.

I would raise them myself.

"What?" His fingers dug viciously into my jaw. "Lost your voice?"

I scraped together whatever courage I had left.

"Then just sign the papers."

His eyes darkened, flaring with a dangerous intensity.

"You think I won't?"

I met his stare without flinching. Despite my heart hammering against my ribs, I tilted my chin up, defying the brutal grip of his hand.

Deep down, however, some pathetic part of me still prayed he would change his mind.

Instead, he released me with a shove and stepped back.

A harsh sneer twisted his lips.

He snatched up the documents he had previously tossed onto the floor, then grabbed a pen from the nightstand.

My gaze flicked from his hand to his face.

No regret.

No hesitation.

Only absolute, freezing indifference.

Even though I was the one who had the papers drawn up, I wasn't prepared for this. I hadn't anticipated the hollow, crushing emptiness that washed over me as I watched him sign our marriage away.

A searing pain ripped through my chest.

It felt like a thousand needles driving straight into my heart.

How could he be so utterly callous while severing ties with the woman who had devoted her life to him? Was my love really worth nothing? Had I not given him enough?

As if his coldness wasn't enough, he carelessly tossed the signed divorce papers back onto the floor.

Then, he pulled out his wallet.

Extracting a bank card, he flicked it at me like I was a beggar.

Tears welled in my eyes.

A single drop slipped down my cheek as he turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

I lowered my head.

I had been used. Completely and utterly used.

His cruel words echoed in my head, each syllable a fresh reminder of his betrayal. I had given him my heart, my trust, my absolute devotion.

And in return, I was nothing more than a temporary convenience.

The rigid plastic edge of the card dug into my palm.

I stared at it for a long time before letting my gaze drop to the floor.

I didn't know how long I stood there, paralyzed by my own thoughts as every memory we shared played on a relentless, agonizing loop.

Slowly, I rested a hand over my flat stomach.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into the quiet room. "I have to take you both far away from him."

This time, I set the bank card down on the nightstand.

Then, I dragged out a suitcase and began shoving my things inside, furiously wiping away the tears that refused to stop falling.

He had mocked my love.

He had treated me like an object, something to be used and discarded once his needs were met.

"I will never forget this, Arvian Mavendon," I vowed, zipping the suitcase shut with a sharp, final tug.

***

Sitting in a smoky VIP booth, surrounded by deafening bass and flashing neon lights, I stewed in my own rage, glaring at the amber liquid in my glass.

"How dare she hand me divorce papers?" I muttered through gritted teeth.

To me, Narelia wasn't just a painfully dull woman. She was a calculating, manipulative snake. I remembered with agonizing clarity exactly how she had trapped me into this marriage.

It happened on the night of my twenty-first birthday. Narelia had slipped something into my drink. When I woke up in a hotel room the next morning, she was lying in the bed beside me.

It had to be her doing. No one else could have orchestrated such a perfect trap.

From that day forward, I despised her.

My hatred only deepened when my father ordered me to marry her.

I knew damn well she had begged him to intervene on her behalf. After all, as the daughter of a Gamma, she never would have had a shot at becoming the Luna of our pack otherwise.

My father hadn't hesitated for a second to sacrifice his own son's happiness. Worse, he had used my future title as Alpha as leverage to force my hand.

Just thinking about it made my blood boil all over again.

She had cornered me just to get into my bed. Even at such a young age, she had been ruthless enough to execute a calculated scheme to get exactly what she wanted.

Even though we had shared a bed that night, I had never felt the slightest mate bond with her. No spark. No connection. That was exactly why I had refused to mark her.

What baffled me, however, was my wolf's reaction to her.

Despite the fact that Narelia was completely wolfless, my wolf harbored an inexplicable, maddening affection for her.

Fortunately, fate had thrown me a lifeline.

I had met Lyrina.

She was gorgeous, seductive, and undeniably alluring.

Then, I discovered she was the same little girl who had saved my life when we were children. And even now, she was still trying to save me. The moment she heard about the divorce, she had rushed straight to my side to comfort me.

A soft hand settled onto my thigh, pulling me from my thoughts, and I turned my head.

Lyrina leaned in, pressing her warm curves against my side.

"Don't let it bother you," she murmured. "That woman never deserved you. Choose me, Arvian. I'll always be right here."

She pulled back just enough to offer me her hand.

I took it, letting her lead me through the throngs of grinding bodies. We navigated our way to a heavy door that opened into a secluded, plush private room.

The heavy door clicked shut behind us, cutting off the noise.

The sight of her silhouetted in the dim light instantly stoked my desire. Without a second thought, I backed her toward the leather sofa, ready to finally give in to the urge.

But my wolf violently slammed the brakes.

He flared up with such aggressive resistance that it left me staggering backward, completely bewildered.

"No."

His defiance infuriated me.

"If you don't want Lyrina because she isn't our fated mate, then why the hell do you care so much about that wolfless bitch?" I snarled at him through our mental link.

He completely ignored the question.

Instead, his voice rumbled with a dark warning.

"If you touch her, I will take control of this body."

The sheer weight of that threat was enough to force me to back down.

I couldn't risk a forced shift in the middle of a club.

Exhaling a harsh, frustrated breath, I straightened my clothes and put distance between myself and Lyrina.

Her brow furrowed in instant confusion.

"What's wrong?"

I reached out and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"You're a good woman, Lyrina. I don't want to rush this and hurt you. Let's just wait for the right time."

It was a pathetic, improvised lie, but I couldn't exactly tell her my own wolf was holding me hostage.

Shortly after, I walked out of the bar.

Frustration gnawed at my insides. I was sick to death of having my entire existence dictated by my father and my own wolf.

During the silent ride home, my driver kept shooting me nervous glances through the rearview mirror, clearly sensing my foul mood.

The moment the car pulled up to the estate, my eyes locked onto Narelia.

Just the sight of her was enough to pour gasoline on the anger simmering in my chest.

Needing an outlet for my rage, I shoved the car door open before we even fully stopped, slammed it shut, and stalked straight toward her.

She spotted me instantly.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" I demanded, my voice dripping with authority as I pointed at the suitcase in her hand.

"I already told you."

"Told me what?" I roared.

She flinched at the volume.

Pathetic weakness.

If a simple human yell was enough to make her cower, how would she survive if I actually used my Alpha command?

"I'm leaving your house," she replied, her voice trembling. "And I'm leaving this pack."

A harsh, mocking laugh tore from my throat.

Who the hell did she think she was?

Did she honestly believe she could just walk away without the express permission of my parents—the Supreme Alpha and Luna of the pack?

She immediately averted her gaze, unable to meet my eyes.

As always.

"You absolute coward," I spat, stepping into her space. "You have nowhere to go. Who would ever take in the discarded ex-wife of the future Alpha? No one. You belong to this pack. If you dare step foot past our borders, the wolves out there will kill you."

Right on cue, tears began to spill down her cheeks.

To me, they were nothing but crocodile tears.