Claimed by the Alpha’s Lies

Kairi Weaver stepped forward, her lips curling into a sly smirk as she addressed Maisie Robertson. "Maisie, are you upset because I’ve moved into the Mitchell Pack house?"

Before Maisie could respond, Cayden Mitchell, her son and the heir to the pack, stepped in. His voice carried the authority of a future Alpha, though it was laced with youthful defiance. "Aunt Kairi, don’t worry. I’ll protect you. She’s just an outsider here. This is the Mitchell Pack territory, and Dad and I are the ones in charge."

Maisie remained silent, her expression unreadable. Cayden, misinterpreting her silence as defiance, shoved her roughly to the floor. The impact was sharp, her back hitting the edge of a table. "Aunt Kairi, relax. I’ll take you upstairs to rest," Cayden said, his tone dismissive as he escorted Kairi away.

As Maisie lay on the floor, she watched her son’s retreating figure with a faint, resigned smile. Kairi glanced back over her shoulder, her smug grin widening when she saw Maisie’s subdued reaction. But Maisie wasn’t fazed. She had endured Kairi’s antics for years, and now, with her departure from the pack imminent, it all seemed trivial.

After a moment, Maisie pushed herself up and retreated to a bedroom to rest. Her back throbbed where it had struck the table, and she reached for a jar of ointment. But as she struggled to reach the spot on her lower back, a large, warm hand took the jar from her.

Quinn Mitchell, the Alpha of the Mitchell Pack, stood behind her, his presence as commanding as ever. His voice was soft, though it carried the weight of his authority. "I’m sorry about today with Kairi and Cayden. I’ll talk to them."

Maisie shook her head slowly, her voice calm but distant. "It’s fine. Cayden wasn’t wrong. I’m just an outsider here, while you’re all family. I’m not upset."

Quinn’s brow furrowed slightly. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to Maisie’s indifference, but something about her tone today felt different, though he couldn’t quite place it.

Before he could say more, Kairi burst into the room, her movements quick and possessive. She clung to Quinn’s arm, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Quinn, why are you here? Cayden and I were waiting for you."

Quinn’s expression softened involuntarily, his Alpha aura dimming in Kairi’s presence. "I’ll be there soon. Just let me—"

Kairi interrupted with a pout, her tone whiny and insistent. "I want you to come with me now. I don’t want you spending time with her!"

At her insistence, Quinn nodded quickly, his Alpha demeanor slipping further. He glanced at Maisie awkwardly. "I’ll go with Kairi now. Your birthday’s in a few days; I’ll make it up to you."

Maisie nodded casually, her expression unreadable. Kairi’s face briefly flashed with jealousy before she eagerly dragged Quinn away.

In the empty room, Maisie reflected that this was likely the last time she would appear as Luna of the Mitchell Pack in front of everyone.

Three days later, on Maisie’s thirty-second birthday, she walked into the grand hall with Quinn, surrounded by the polite greetings of the pack’s allies and business partners. Her smile was perfectly composed, her posture regal despite the tension simmering beneath the surface.

Quinn presented her with a velvet box containing a delicate necklace, his voice gentle but carrying the weight of his Alpha tone. "Kairi was out of line before. I’m sorry for the trouble she caused. Happy birthday, Maisie."

Maisie merely glanced at the necklace before returning her gaze to Quinn, offering polite thanks. Quinn lifted the necklace, carefully raising her hair to secure it around her neck. The surrounding guests showered them with praises and congratulatory remarks, commending their harmonious relationship and touching love story.

Maisie found it all bitterly ironic.

As she prepared to blow out the candles on her birthday cake, Quinn’s phone rang at the worst possible moment. He answered it, and his smile froze. Maisie sensed something was wrong and followed his gaze to his phone screen, where a message from Kairi displayed a photo of Quinn placing the same necklace on her.

Moments later, a call came through, Kairi’s voice filled with tears. "Quinn, if you’ve chosen Maisie, then I won’t bother you anymore. This is goodbye."

Quinn clutched the phone, panic-stricken. "Kairi, where are you? Don’t do anything rash. I’m coming for you."

But the call ended abruptly.

Maisie watched him uneasily, about to speak when Quinn shoved her aside. Champagne splashed onto her dress, and without a backward glance, he bolted out of the hall.

Others began to notice, casting curious glances in her direction. Maisie composed herself, forcing a smile. "I’m sorry, my mate has an urgent matter at the office. I’ll go change and be back to apologize for the disruption."

Back in the bedroom, Maisie frowned, tired of Kairi’s repeated disturbances during such events. Afterward, she was the one left to smooth things over with the pack’s allies and reporters, exhausted by it all. But thankfully, those days were nearly over.

She had barely started to change when Quinn returned abruptly. Grabbing her arm, he pleaded, his Alpha tone laced with desperation. "Kairi’s devastated over our situation and is threatening to harm herself. She doesn’t believe me; you need to come with me to explain."

Maisie yanked her arm free, disbelief flashing in her eyes. "Are you out of your mind? Everyone’s watching; how would it look if we both left? Besides, we agreed on terms ages ago. I’m not obligated to explain our relationship to your stepsister!"

Quinn’s face darkened, his Alpha aura flaring with intensity. "Maisie Robertson, this is serious. If Kairi does something because of you, I’ll never forgive you!"