After My Husband Cheated, I Reclaimed My Pack

The council chamber door slammed open with such force that the ancient oak panels shuddered against the stone walls. James stormed in, his face contorted with rage, the scent of his fury filling the room like smoke.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" His voice boomed in full Alpha tone, the pressure of it washing over the room.

I didn't flinch. Neither did my Beta and Gamma officers seated around the circular table. We'd been expecting this.

"Council meeting adjourned for fifteen minutes," I said calmly, my eyes never leaving James's face. "Kael, Torvin—stay."

The other council members filed out silently, their eyes downcast to avoid James's glare. Only when the heavy doors closed behind them did I rise from my chair, my movements unhurried.

"You've frozen my access to everything," James snarled, stalking toward me. "The vault, the ceremonial grounds, even my damn credit cards. Fix it. Now."

I tilted my head slightly. "Why would I grant pack resources to someone who clearly has other priorities?"

"What are you talking about?" His eyes narrowed, but I caught the flicker of uncertainty.

Without a word, I opened the pack bond—not just to him, but to Kael and Torvin as well. I projected the memory that had burned itself into my mind: James and Ashley at Silver Lake, laughing, kissing, his hands possessive on her waist. The timestamp in the corner of the memory showed clearly—during our son's blessing ceremony.

James's face drained of color. "That's—that's not—"

"Not what?" My voice was soft, dangerous. "Not what it looks like? I think it's exactly what it looks like."

He recovered quickly, his shock morphing back to anger. "You're spying on me now?"

"I don't need to spy when my pack sees everything." I gestured to the empty chairs around us. "Did you think they wouldn't notice? Did you think they wouldn't care that their Alpha's mate was flaunting his mistress while his son stood before the Moon Goddess without him?"

James's jaw worked, his wolf rising close to the surface. I could see it in his eyes—the gray of his irises bleeding into his wolf's amber.

"This is ridiculous," he finally spat. "I'm acting Alpha while you play mother. The pack needs leadership, not—"

"The pack has leadership," I cut him off. "Mine. The only leadership it has ever truly had."

He laughed, a harsh sound that echoed off the stone walls. "You can't control an Alpha male, Victoria. Not even you."

With that, he turned and stormed out, leaving the scent of his rage and—beneath it—fear.

When the door slammed shut behind him, Kael spoke first. "Alpha, what are your orders?"

I returned to my seat, my composure perfect despite the ice-cold fury of my wolf. "Continue the investigation. And send word to Lyra Vasile that I look forward to her visit next week."

Torvin frowned. "The European Lycan representative? I thought James was handling that diplomatic hunt."

"Oh, he still will," I said, a small smile playing at my lips. "And he'll have company. Send for Ashley Morgan. I have an assignment for her."

---

Three days later, I watched from my study window as James and Ashley greeted the European Lycan delegation at the territory border. Even from this distance, I could see the rigid formality in James's posture, the way he kept Ashley slightly behind him—trying to minimize her presence.

Too late for that.

Kael stood beside me, his arms crossed. "Are you sure about this, Alpha? The Lycans are powerful allies. If this backfires—"

"It won't," I said, sipping my moon tea. "Ashley craves attention too much to stay in the background. And James is too arrogant to believe she could damage his standing."

The hunting party moved into the forest, James leading the way with Lyra Vasile—a striking woman with silver-streaked hair and the unmistakable regal bearing of European Lycan nobility. Ashley trailed behind them, already fidgeting with impatience.

I turned away from the window. "Have the Delta scouts in position?"

"Yes, Alpha. They'll report everything."

I nodded, setting down my teacup. "Good. Now we wait."

The reports came back faster than even I had anticipated. First, Ashley shifted during the formal introductions—a serious breach of protocol that left the Lycans bristling. Then she growled at Lyra's second-in-command when the woman politely suggested a different hunting route. By midday, she was openly mocking the neighboring Stone River Pack's hunting grounds, unaware that their Alpha's cousin was part of the Lycan delegation.

I received the final report as the sun began to set: Lyra Vasile had cut the ceremonial hunt short, her aura so offended it had disrupted the ritual completely. The alliance—worth valuable northern hunting territory—was lost.

My wolf purred with satisfaction within me. The first piece had fallen exactly as I'd planned.

That night, as I tucked Leon into bed, he asked me a question that made my heart ache despite my victory.

"Mommy, why does Daddy smell like another lady now?"

I froze, my hand still smoothing his dark curls. My son's innocent question cut deeper than any betrayal, reminding me why this war had to be fought—and why I would win it, no matter the cost.