After My Mate Chose His Pregnant Mistress

The heavy oak door of the Alpha’s office clicked shut behind me, sealing out the storm and the pack, but doing nothing to dampen the storm raging inside the room. The air here was thick, heavy with a pressure that made my ears pop. It wasn’t just the humidity of the London rain; it was *him*.

Alpha Colin Butler stood behind his desk, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the mahogany. The scent of cedar and ozone was so potent I could taste it on my tongue. My wolf, Sienna, was pacing in tight, frantic circles, chanting a single word: *Mate. Mate. Mate.*

"You should not be here," Colin growled. His voice was a low rumble that vibrated through the floorboards and straight into my bones. It wasn’t a rejection; it was a warning. His golden eyes burned with a hunger that terrified and thrilled me in equal measure.

"I came for an alliance, Alpha Butler," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady, though my hands trembled at my sides. "My proposal stands."

He moved then—a blur of speed that no ordinary wolf should possess. In a heartbeat, he was in front of me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his chest. He didn't touch me, but the air between us crackled like a live wire.

"You know what we are," he whispered, the sound rough, as if the words were being torn from his throat. "If I claim you now, Serenity... if I mark you... the Shadowclaw Pack will not see a political strategy. They will see their Alpha losing control."

I looked up into those predatory eyes. I saw the struggle there—the man fighting the beast. He wanted to claim me right here on the rug, but his discipline was made of iron.

"Then we don't," I breathed. The decision tasted like ash, but it was necessary. "We keep it secret. To the world, this is a business transaction. A merging of assets. If our enemies think this is a love match, they’ll look for weakness. If they think it’s a cold calculation, they’ll fear us."

Colin stared at me for a long moment, his gaze tracing the line of my jaw. Slowly, the golden light in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a dark, intense human intelligence. "You are dangerous, Serenity Evans."

"I learned from the best," I replied bitterly, thinking of Dominic’s betrayal.

Colin reached out. His large hand engulfed mine. I expected a handshake, a seal on a contract. Instead, he lifted my hand to his lips. His stubble grazed my skin, sending a jolt of electricity shooting up my arm that nearly buckled my knees. He pressed a kiss to my knuckles—reverent, possessive, and searingly intimate.

"We will play your game," he murmured against my skin. "But do not mistake my patience for indifference. You are mine."

***

The weeks that followed were a blur of rain, training, and cold strategy. I didn't hide in the guest wing. I threw myself into the life of the Shadowclaw Pack. If I was to be their Luna, I had to be more than a signature on a treaty.

I spent my mornings in the training ring. The Shadowclaw warriors were massive, brutal fighters, but they lacked finesse. Marcus, Colin’s Beta, was the first to test me. He was a mountain of a man who looked at me like I was a porcelain doll.

He didn't look at me that way after I used his own momentum to flip him onto his back in the mud. By the time I wiped the dirt from my split lip, I saw the shift in his eyes. Respect. It was a currency I valued far more than kindness.

But the past has a way of clawing at your heels just when you think you’re running free.

I was in the conference room, the large screen illuminating the dim space. My father, Alpha Evans, looked pixelated and weary on the other end of the video call. We were discussing supply routes for the upcoming winter—dry, boring logistics that kept my mind off the fact that Colin was sitting just out of frame, reading a dossier.

"The northern pass is blocked," my father was saying, rubbing his temples. "We’ll need to route the shipments through—"

The door behind him opened. My breath hitched.

Blair walked into the frame. She wasn't wearing an Omega’s uniform anymore. She was dressed in a soft cashmere sweater that I recognized—because I had bought it for myself three years ago. She placed a steaming mug on my father’s desk, her movements exaggerated and slow.

"Tea, Alpha?" she asked, her voice sugary sweet.

My father sighed, looking uncomfortable. "Thank you, Blair."

She turned toward the camera, feigning surprise. "Oh! Hello, Serenity. We miss you so much here. The nursery is almost finished."

She leaned forward, resting a hand on her chest. The silver chain around her neck caught the light, dangling heavily against the stolen cashmere. The amulet. My amulet.

The silver paw print with the moonstone center. The one I had spent weeks forging, pouring my own scent and energy into, praying to the Moon Goddess that it would bring Dominic home safe to me. She was wearing my love for him like a trophy.

White noise roared in my ears. The room narrowed down to that piece of silver on her neck.

"Serenity?" my father asked, squinting at the screen. "Are you still there?"

I didn't answer. I couldn't breathe. With a violent shove, I slammed the laptop shut. The crack echoed like a gunshot in the silent room.

I stood up, my chair clattering backward, my hands shaking so hard I had to grip the edge of the table to keep from collapsing. A growl ripped from my throat—not mine, but Sienna’s. She wanted blood.

"Serenity."

Colin was there instantly. He didn't ask what happened. He simply stepped into my space, his large hands gripping my shoulders, grounding me. The scent of cedar washed over me, battling the nausea churning in my gut.

"She’s wearing it," I choked out, the tears finally burning my eyes. I hated crying. I hated her for making me cry.

"What?" Colin’s voice was low, dangerous.

"The amulet," I whispered, looking up at him, my vision blurred. "I made it for Dominic. To protect his wolf. It was infused with my scent, my prayers. And she... she wears it. She wears it while she plays Luna in my house."

Colin’s expression didn't change, but the temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. His pupils dilated until his eyes were almost entirely black. He brought his hand up to cup my jaw, his thumb brushing away a tear I hadn't let fall.

"It is an insult," he said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "To you. And to the bond."

He leaned down, his forehead resting against mine. "Let her wear it for now. Let her believe she has won. Because when we return to Moonstone for the Marking Ceremony, I will not just take back your territory, Serenity. I will make them regret every second they thought they could replace you."

I closed my eyes, leaning into his strength, letting the fire of his anger cauterize the wound in my chest. The game was secret, but the war had just become personal.