So hurt

RENNA'S POV

"Ashley, I need to go. Thank you for the information. I'll call you back later."

The phone call left my thoughts spinning like a whirlwind. Nicholas, my mate and Alpha of the Red Moon Pack, had always been strong, composed, and honorable. For three years, I thought I knew every real of him—his strength, his wolf radiated strength, his decisions were loyal, and his word was his bond. 

But I had never seen him openly defend another female, let alone break his promises to me until now.

Twice.

He had broken his word twice, and worse, but I had never caught him defending someone in a way that felt... personal.

Currently doubt was clawing at the edges of my mind.

I sighed deeply as I stepped out of my car at the pack house, my claws threatening to unsheathe with frustration.

As I walked into the packhouse, I wasn’t prepared for the scene that awaited me. Stepping inside, the scent of lavender and an unfamiliar floral note hit me. My heart skipped a beat as I rounded the corner to the sitting room.

There she was—Sofia. Her sleek, golden hair caught the flicker of the fireplace, and her aura radiated confidence. She sat comfortably on the couch, her hand resting on my mother-in-law’s arm , the former luna as they shared an easy laugh. Her aura was smug and unbothered. The former Luna was hanging onto every word with a warmth I had rarely seen directed at me.

Besides all that Nicholas, my mate, was seated stiffly in a single armchair, his sharp jaw tense, but his amber eyes avoiding mine.

"What’s going on here?" I managed to ask, breaking through the clatter but my voice wavered with the storm of emotions threatening to spill.

Nicholas rose smoothly, a controlled Alpha move that didn’t escape my notice. He reached for my coat, but his eyes avoided mine. "I brought Sofia here because Mother wanted to see her," he explained, his tone maddeningly neutral.

"You could’ve told me first," I said quietly, struggling to keep my wolf from surfacing. “And is this... this what you meant by ‘handling the situation’?”. My tone was sharp yet controlled.

His gaze met mine for a fleeting moment, a flicker of regret shadowing his eyes, but he said nothing. Instead, he ascended the staircase with my coat, leaving me to face this storm alone.

I was now left to face the intruder alone.

Sofia’s piercing green eyes met mine, a smirk curling her lips, as if she were the true Luna of this pack.

"Oh, Renna, I’m so glad you’re here! Nicholas's mother and I were just catching up. It’s been far too long"

My wolf growled softly within me, its protective instincts flaring. I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to bare my teeth. 

What was she doing here? Why was Jared’s mother so warm to her, yet so cold to me?

Nicholas's mother glanced at me briefly, her expression colder than I expected. "Welcome back," she said curtly, then turned her attention back to Sofia.

“Oh, where was I?” Sofia continued, her voice intentionally loud. “Yes, I was telling you how I met Renna earlier at the restaurant. It was... enlightening.”

Her words felt like barbs, but I forced a tight smile. I stood there, my wolf growling low in my chest, feeling like an outsider in my own home—my own pack. I wanted to lash out, to remind her of how she had insulted and challenged me earlier, but I held my ground.

I bit back a sneer when she said nothing about it. 

Nicholas's mother tilted her head and smiled at her. "It’s so wonderful you’re here. You’ve always been a part of this family."

"I keep on asking myself why my son was fated to a woman like her, anyways tell me more about your trip", 

I didn't mind about the words Nicholas's mother spoke because I was used to her coldness but Sofia’s next words made my blood freeze. 

Her eyes glinted mischievously as she added on the words Nicholas's mother spoke, "I also can’t believe Nicholas mated with a chef, though. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s a respectable job, but hardly fitting for the Luna of a powerful Alpha.” Sofia said, her tone light but her eyes gleaming with malice. 

My wolf bristled, but I held my composure. "True," I said with a cold smile. "It takes a lot of skill to please an Alpha’s refined tastes every day. I guess not everyone can handle it."

Sofia’s smile faltered briefly, but she quickly recovered. "Oh, I wasn’t insulting your cooking skills. Just… commenting on Nicholas's choices. He could have chosen differently", 

I stepped closer, letting the strength of my Luna aura fill the room. "He chose me, Sofia. That’s all that matters."

The tension in the room thickened, and for a moment, Sofia seemed caught off guard. Nicholas's mother quickly stepped in. “All right, enough,” she said. “Sofia was just voicing her opinion. No need to take it personally ”

“Indeed,” I replied, my tone sharp. Sofia’s smile returned, but it no longer reached her eyes. 

"I was voicing my opinions, anyways, I was just telling your mother-in-law about my trip. I arrived last night…" Sofia spoke then turned her gaze to Nicholas's mother. 

"Mother. Nicholas was kind enough to pick me up from the airport last night.”

Last night?!. My wolf immediately bristled when I heard that. 

Last night. The same night Nicholas claimed he was dealing with “pack issues.”

The realization hit me like a thunderbolt. Nicholas had been with Sofia. 

I clenched my fists as realization dawned on me more. He had lied to me. The call wasn’t about the pack—it was to pick Sofia up.

As the conversation droned on, I replayed the events in my head. The scent on his shirt. The vague excuse. The call.

My wolf stirred, uneasy, doubts were creeping into the bond I shared with my mate. How much of Nicholas's past had he hidden from me?

What else had he hidden from me?

As if sensing my turmoil, Nicholas's mother suddenly turned to me, her expression softening slightly. “Renna, I don’t know if Nicholas ever told you, but Sofia and him share a special bond. They’ve been friends since childhood. I wish you could get along with her as well as Nicholas does.”

My wolf growled low in my chest, but I forced a tight smile. “I’ll try.”

Satisfied, Nicholas's mother excused herself to the kitchen, leaving me alone with Sofia. Sofia wasted no time. Her emerald eyes gleamed with mischief as she leaned closer. 

“Renna,” she began, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. “Did Nicholas ever tell you how him and I grew up together? We were inseparable. He used to follow me around like a puppy? We’ve known each other since we were pups. He even swore he’d make me his Luna one day.”

My wolf stirred uneasily when I heard her words. I kept my face calm, though my claws itched to strike. "That’s lovely but that's past, Sofia. Nicholas is mine now and I am his luna. No amount of reminiscing will change that."

Her smirk faltered, but only for a moment. “Ah, yes, the mate bond. So convenient, isn’t it? Fate chooses for him, and you get to reap the rewards. But tell me, Renna, don’t you ever wonder how he mated with you so soon after I left for Europe. Don't you....", 

A loud growl rumbled from behind us and it cut her in mid sentence. 

"That’s enough, Sofia." Nicholas's presence filled the room, his Alpha dominance pressing down like a heavy weight. 

I turned to see him standing in the doorway, his amber eyes darkened with frustration. “Leave Renna out of this.”

Sofia’s smirk faded as she turned to him, though her defiance still lingered in her eyes.

I met Nicholas's gaze, my wolf screaming for answers, but his eyes darted away.

And in that moment, I wasn’t sure what hurt more, Sofia’s words or Nicholas's silence.