Not my pup

Oh, the audacity of it all.

 I blinked several times to ensure my eyes weren't deceiving me. My heart thundered in my chest as I stared at the scene before me. My mate, my Alpha Nicholas, was standing in the pack's dining hall beside another woman, her scent mingled with the unmistakable musk of pregnancy. She claimed to be his mate and said Nicholas will banish me from the pack if I dare speak to her like that again.

The air felt charged, suffocating, as I fought the growl threatening to escape my throat. This was my Alpha. My mate. And yet, here he was, standing beside her without so much as a word of protest.

I stepped forward, my voice low and raspy, thick with emotion. "Nicholas?", I called.

His piercing amber eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw regret flicker in them. But when he spoke, his voice was calm, unbothered, as though being caught here with another woman claiming his loyalty was nothing out of the ordinary.. “Renna,” he said, as if my name held no more significance than the wind brushing past him.

I stared at him, waiting, demanding an explanation but before he could respond, the woman stepped forward, her hand brushing Nicholas's arm possessively and my claws instinctively extended, though I kept them hidden beneath the table.

“Oh, you must be Renna, I’m so sorry for the misunderstanding,” she said sweetly, her sharp green eyes betraying her true intentions. “I’m Sofia, Nicholas ’s...old friend. He’s been so helpful since I joined the pack and he’s been such a comfort during my, well, delicate condition."

 Her lips curled into a sly smile after speaking.

I narrowed my eyes, searching her face for any truth in her words. Her scent carried no hint of deceit, but something about her was off and her words made my wolf bristle, the growl finally escaping my lips. “Helpful? How exactly?”, My tone cold was and my gaze fixed on Nicholas

He met my stare, his Alpha presence radiating dominance, but I didn’t falter. "She needed guidance," he said his tone steady. "She’s with a pup and alone. It’s my duty to help and support any wolf in need in my pack."

Sofia clasped her hands over her belly, her eyes shimmering with crocodile tears. "He’s been amazing, Renna. I hope you’ll understand how much I’ve needed his strength and support."

Support? That’s what they were calling this? My wolf snarled in frustration, but I held back, barely keeping control. My gaze moved to Sofia, who shifted uncomfortably under my scrutiny.

“And the child, whose is it?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous.

Nicholas stiffened. “The child isn’t mine,” he said, his tone firm, but it did little to ease the growing storm inside me.

Sofia’s voice cut through the tense silence. “Oh, Renna, I’m so sorry if I overstepped earlier. Pregnancy hormones, you know? Nicholas has just been such a comfort during this difficult time, its not his child.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, barely listening to her excuses. That’s when my gaze caught the glint of something familiar... a bracelet on her wrist, the moonstone charm I had seen in Nicholas's bag the night before. He’d told me it was a gift for me, his Luna, his mate, for our anniversary.

My wolf surged forward immediately, a snarl tearing from my throat. “That’s mine,” I growled, my claws elongating as I pointed at the bracelet.

Sofia feigned innocence, clutching her wrist. “Oh, this? Nicholas gave it to me as a token of his support. Surely, you don’t mind him being generous to his...friends?”

The audacity. The nerve.

“Nicholas,” I snapped, turning to him. . "We need to talk. In private. Now." My tone was ice-cold

Without waiting for his response, I stormed away, my steps echoing in the silent hall. My wolf snarled within me, ready to lash out, but I pushed her down. This needed to be handled with a clear head. Nicholas followed closely, his towering frame casting a shadow over me as l entered the room.

Once inside, I faced him as he entered, closing the door behind him. Anger was burning through my veins 

 “What is going on, Nicholas? You’ve been distant, missing our bond mark ceremonies, and now this? You’re buying gifts for a woman who claims to be your mate?”

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “Renna, it’s not what you think. Sofia needed help. The bracelet was meant for you. But Sofia’s situation, She’s vulnerable and...”

 “Stop,” I growled, my wolf’s energy rising to the surface.

"You expect me to believe that?!" I snapped, my voice rising. "She’s wearing it, Nicholas. The same one you said was my gift. She’s calling you her mate, and now my packmates think my mate has betrayed me. You’re my mate. My only. And you chose to humiliate me in front of the entire pack?”

His jaw tightened, a sign his patience was thinning. "Renna, you’re my mate, my Luna. That will never change. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Sofia is just an old friend. She’s here for protection, nothing more and the bracelet was meant for you, but Sofia—”

“She has no claim on you, Nicholas,” I interrupted, my voice trembling with barely contained fury. “And if she thinks otherwise, you need to set her straight.”

"And what do you mean by protection?. Protection from what?" I continued.

He hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing his face. "There’s...a rogue problem near the border. Her former pack was attacked. I couldn’t turn her away. You know what that would mean for our honor."

I stared at him, trying to decipher the truth. "And the pup?" I asked about it again.

"It’s not mine, I told you that before," He said firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

I exhaled, my wolf retreating slightly, but the tension between us remained. "Fine. But you’d better tell her to stop overstepping. I’m your mate, Nicholas. Not her."

He sighed, his amber eyes locking onto mine. “You’re right. I’ll handle it.”

“Good,” I said firmly, stepping back. “And don’t expect me to forgive this so easily. You’ve broken my trust, Nicholas.”

Before he could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, frowning at the screen. Ashley, my best friend and the pack’s Beta female, was calling. Nicholas walked out of the room and I answered my phone quickly. “Ash, what’s wrong?”

Her next words sent a chill through my veins. "Renna, I just saw Nicholas and that pregnant she-wolf heading toward the packhouse together."Her voice was sharp, urgent.

"There is something she is hiding", She added and blood ran more cold, my wolf howling in rage. What game was Sofia playing?