Forsaken Luna's Reclaimed Power

The project I was handling for the Silver Fang Pack was nearing its end, and communication with the client pack had become increasingly frequent. Within an hour, the proposal might need revisions two or three times. I’d been working overtime for nearly a week, and today marked the peak of my efforts. If I could just push through, the project would be completed.

I stretched my arms, deciding to reward myself with a nice dinner out tonight. Just then, I accidentally bumped into someone, making me jump. When I turned around, I found Alpha Leon standing behind me. When did he get there?

“Burning the midnight oil again?” Alpha Leon asked casually, unfazed by my startled expression.

I tried to collect myself, unsure of his sudden appearance. “Anything you need, Alpha?”

A flicker of irritation crossed his face at my formal tone, but he kept it together. “Why not let Beta Yasmin handle the client and the project you're working on? She needs the experience.”

A chill ran through me. Alpha Leon could be unreasonable, but this was beyond belief. Seeing my silence, he stepped closer, resting his hands on my shoulders. “There's always gossip around the pack. Beta Yasmin’s just starting out; she can't handle that kind of pressure. If she takes charge of this project, the doubters will quiet down. As someone with more experience, you should help the newcomers.”

I couldn’t help but give a dry laugh, rolling my eyes. Alpha Leon knew how many nights I’d devoted to this project, to the point of ending up in the hospital from exhaustion. Yet when I entered the emergency room, one call from Beta Yasmin had him rushing off. My life seemed less important than her coat.

And now, he wanted to hand the project I’d poured myself into over to Beta Yasmin, just like that.

Alpha Leon was considerate of Beta Yasmin, eager to protect her reputation, without thinking about whether this was fair to me. “Fine, have her come tomorrow to take over,” I said. I might as well hand in my resignation too. I’d given this pack more than enough.

Alpha Leon seemed surprised by my calm response. But quickly, he was overjoyed, pulling me into a hug. “I was wrong before. I always thought you were petty and stubborn. It's great to see you’re understanding now. Let's have dinner at that lakeside revolving restaurant. You've wanted to go there for ages, haven't you?”

The lakeside revolving restaurant—the chic Italian spot. Once, I dreamed of spending our anniversary there, but now it felt hollow.

Alpha Leon’s voice softened as he draped an arm around my shoulder. “After all our years together, isn’t there anything we can't overcome? Just adjust your attitude a bit. We’ll withdraw the rejection soon. Then I'll go with you to visit your family. You haven’t been back in years, right? Let’s stay a few more days this time.”

As Alpha Leon painted this rosy picture, I stayed silent. He assumed I was in agreement, chatting enthusiastically until I finished saving my files and joined him in the car.

Sitting in the back seat, I scrolled through social media and stumbled across Beta Yasmin’s post. She was in an elegant evening gown, enjoying a candlelit dinner at a spacious open-air restaurant. The picture was taken an hour earlier.

Noticing the river behind her in the photo, I couldn’t help but scoff at myself. She had already enjoyed the evening, and Alpha Leon, ever so considerate, finished that date only to come running to set up another with me—without even bothering to change the venue.