Mated To My Ex’s Father

TALIA’S POV The worst part wasn’t that Zane cheated. It was who he did it with. I should’ve listened to my wolf. I should’ve trusted that weird gut twist I felt when Alora, my step-sister, started hanging around him more often. I just didn’t think they—my own blood and my own mate would betray me. But they did. I caught them the night before our mating ceremony. Not kissing. Not whispering in dark corners. I caught them naked. Moaning. In the back room of the training hall where we used to sneak off to talk about our future. I didn’t scream. I couldn’t. I just stood there, frozen in the doorway, my hands still holding the folded dress I planned to wear for our bond ritual. They didn’t notice me at first. Too caught up in each other. When Alora saw me, she didn’t flinch. She just raised her chin like she was proud of it. Like she wanted me to see. Zane had the nerve to say, “Talia, wait! This isn’t what it looks like.” My throat burned, but I managed to speak. “Then what is it, Zane? You’re inside my sister the night before our ceremony. Help me out here.” His mouth opened, but no words came. None that mattered. I turned and ran. And I didn’t stop until I collapsed in the woods, ripping the stupid white dress in my hands as sobs tore through me. That was supposed to be the happiest night of my life. Instead, it was the night I broke. --- The next day, the entire pack gathered for what should’ve been a celebration. I didn’t want to show up. I begged my father to cancel it, to at least give me time to process. But he insisted we still attend, that backing out now would cause a scandal. As if the real scandal hadn’t already happened. I walked into the gathering with my chin high and my heart barely holding together. And then it got worse. Zane stood before the Elders, before the entire pack, and said it out loud. “I reject Talia as my mate.” No apology. No second thoughts. It felt like my skin was on fire. My knees weakened and l felt the earth opening up. People gasped. Someone whispered my name. My wolf whimpered deep inside me, curling in on herself. I felt like I was standing there naked, bleeding in front of everyone. And Alora? She smiled. Smiled. My step-sister, who once braided my hair and called me her best friend, stood behind Zane in a soft pink dress—my color and watched me shatter with pride in her eyes. After that day, nothing was the same. The stares. The whispers. The isolation. People said maybe I wasn’t good enough to be Luna. That maybe Zane had made the right choice. Even my father avoided my eyes. And Alora? She acted like she had won some competition. She’d walk past me in the halls and say things like, “It must suck knowing he picked me.” I learned to keep quiet. To survive quietly. But surviving isn't living. --- Three Weeks Later I thought I was finally starting to heal. The pain had dulled a little, like a wound scabbing over until the invitation came. An engagement party. Their engagement party. And I was expected to be there. With a deep breath, I slipped into my black satin gown. Nova, my only real friend, stood beside me like a shield. “Are you sure you want to go?” she asked gently. I didn’t know. Not really. But I nodded anyway and let my feet carry me to the hall, even if my heart felt like it was being dragged behind me. The moment we stepped in, the whispers began. I kept my head high, pretending I didn’t notice. And then I saw them—Alora and Zane in each other’s arms, spinning together in the center of the room like they were the only two people alive. I nearly lost it. But I didn’t. I straightened my spine and walked toward a seat in the farthest corner, away from the crowd while Nova silently followed. Moments later, Alora walked over. Her steps were slow and deliberate, her ring flashing under the lights with every flick of her wrist. “You actually came?” she said, her voice sweet and sharp all at once. I bit down on my lower lip, hard enough to keep the tears at bay. I wouldn’t give her that satisfaction. “Why wouldn’t I?” I said, forcing a smile. “I had to come congratulate my beautiful sister.” I picked up a glass of wine and downed it. Alora smirked, tossed her hair, and walked away. “She really has guts,” Nova muttered behind me. I could feel her anger simmering. I didn’t respond. Just kept drinking. One glass turned into two, then three. Nova tried to stop me, but I waved her off. Numb was better than broken. The hall buzzed with chatter, laughter, and clinking glasses. And then I saw him. A tall figure in a leather jacket, stood just by the doorway. Something about him held me still. Calm, confident… almost magnetic. My breath caught when he stepped into the light. He looked older, yes, but in the kind of way that made time seem like a gift, not a thief. My heart did a little somersault. Who was that? Then Nova leaned in and whispered behind me, barely containing a laugh, “You might want to close your mouth. That’s Zane’s father you’re drooling over.” My eyes widened. “Zane’s father?” I turned to her, stunned.