Claimed by the Alpha, Desired by His Warrior

MIREA “Congratulations, you are with a child.” The royal pack’s physician said with a smile. However, it was not meant for me. It was meant for Nathalia, my husband’s mistress. I couldn’t help but curl my fingers into a fist. I should have expected this. I did, actually. The moment my husband, the crown prince, brought Nathalia to his palace as his mistress, I knew how this would end. I, who remained barren after three years of marriage… replaced in mere months by a woman who could give him what I could not. That alone was enough to shatter everything. My place as the future Luna Queen, already fragile, already questioned, was now one step from slipping away for good. Five months ago... “Again?” Calisto frowned as soon as I delivered the news that I wasn’t pregnant. He let out a sigh and dragged a hand through his blond hair, like I was a problem he couldn’t fix. The gesture hurt more than anything he could have said. Still, I sat beside him on the bed, determined to ease his frustration. “I’ve done everything the physician suggested,” I said carefully, keeping my voice steady despite the tightening in my chest. “There are still other methods we can try, if you want—” “Enough.” He cut me off, his voice flat and cold. He then looked at me, and the warmth I used to see in his blue eyes was gone, replaced by something distant. “The court is already growing restless,” he continued. “I need an heir, Mirea. The kingdom needs one to ensure that the royal’s bloodline will continue.” The kingdom. It was always the kingdom, but never me. Though I understood where he was coming from, it was still upsetting. “I am trying,” I whispered, hating how weak my voice sounded. “You are not trying enough.” He got off the bed and crossed the room, retrieving a fresh set of clothes from the wardrobe. “I will be crowned Alpha King in two years, and we’ve been married for three years, yet still nothing…” “Why is that? I’ve been planting my seeds on you, making sure I fill you with it.” He frowned as he buttoned his clothes, “So, why are you still not pregnant? Are you certain you are not preventing it because you still hate me for ruining your kingdom?” “What?” I blinked, caught off guard by his accusation. “How can you say that? Are you implying that I’m not conceiving on purpose?” “Calisto, the only reason you married me is because of my bloodline.” I said, the frustration in my voice obvious, “Why would I stop myself from getting pregnant if it meant you’d discard me?” He froze, his fingers pausing mid-motion as he fastened his shirt. Then, slowly, he turned back to me. “Do you take me for a fool?” I pressed, and his expression softened before he walked over towards me and took my hand. “No, of course not,” he said, his voice gentle now as he cupped my cheek while I remained seated on the edge of the bed. “And for the record, I married you because I fell in love with you at first sight, not merely for your bloodline.” It was a lie, or perhaps… something that had once been true. “I’m sorry,” he added quietly. “I just said that out of frustration. You know how the court is pressuring me. They demand an heir before my coronation.” “I know,” I whispered, even though the words tasted bitter on my tongue. Because I did know. I knew about the court, about their expectations, about the whispers that haunted me everywhere I went. Barren. Useless. Unworthy of the crown. “Don’t be upset, okay? We can just try again.”Calisto’s thumb brushed against my cheek, gentle, almost apologetic. For a moment, I leaned into his touch, into the illusion that things were still the same between us. “I’ll do something about the court, I’ll ask them to give us more time,” he added before he leaned in to press a kiss on my forehead. “You should rest. I know you’ve exhausted yourself preparing for my birthday party.” “All right,” I sighed, watching as he finished dressing. “But where are you going?” “I will accompany Nathalia,” he replied casually, causing my fingers to twitch on my lap. “She asked for my help choosing a dress for the banquet. We already picked yours, so I’ll help her this time.” I opened my mouth to protest, but even before I could get a word out, he had already left the room without sparing a look back. For a moment, I simply stared at the door and sighed again, feeling uncomfortable with how frequently he was spending time with the royal beta’s daughter. I knew they were childhood friends, but knowing they’d almost been engaged once, before Calisto chose to marry me, made me feel uneasy. And that unease lingered long after he left, and three nights later, it followed me into the banquet. Music from the orchestra drifted through the diamond hall, soft at first, then swelling as more guests arrived. Laughter followed, mingling with the clink of glasses and the rustle of expensive fabrics. I stood at the entrance for a moment longer than necessary, smoothing invisible creases from my gown. A few nobles and members of the court turned as I stepped in, their gazes lingering just long enough to remind me I was being watched and evaluated. It had been three years since the Tanasia kingdom fell to a sudden war, three years since I became Alvara’s crown princess, yet I remained unaccepted. To them, I was still an enemy, still a threat. Not that it mattered. As long as I became Luna Queen, I could endure it. I had to. Except now, that hope was slipping away, especially when Calisto made his entrance with Nathalia at his side, when he should have been arriving alone as the main figure of the party. The murmurs started immediately, the voices blending into one mass until I could no longer distinguish one from another. “What’s happening?” I muttered, the mocking stares prickling at my skin. “I have an important announcement to make,” Calisto said, his eyes focusing on me. He then smiled, which made me shiver. “Mirea, come here,” he called and beckoned for me to join him in the grand staircase. When my eyes met Nathalia, whose arm was linked to my husband proudly, she smirked, like she knew exactly what was going on, too. I wanted to demand an answer, to seize him by the sleeve and force the truth from his lips, but with every eye in the hall fixed on me, I swallowed it down. In the end, pride held my spine straight, and I ascended the stairs, taking my place at Calisto’s other side. “First of all, thank you, everyone, for coming to celebrate my 26th birthday. Since I’m already at this age, having an heir is important.” His words struck me, but I didn’t let it show. I just stood there, trying not to flinch. “My wife and I have been trying, but unfortunately, conceiving is quite difficult…” I didn’t like where this was going, but I forced myself to listen. However, my gaze began to drift, seeking escape perhaps, and caught on a familiar figure below. His red hair burned like a flame among the crowd, impossible to miss. But it wasn’t the hair that held me; it was his eyes. Gold, sharp, and unblinking while fixed entirely on me. “So, after meeting with Alvara’s court and my parents, as well as Nathalia’s,” Calisto continued, snapping my attention back to him. “I decided to take her as my mistress.” I felt my heart sink, and for a moment, no one spoke. Then the whispers began, soft at first until they became louder, rippling through the hall like a rising tide. Mistress—I knew it was normalized here in Alvara, even legal, but for my husband to take one and decide on this without even consulting me first… It was really disrespectful and maddening. I couldn’t help but look at them both, watching Nathalia’s grip on his arm tighten, not in surprise, but in quiet triumph. Her chin then lifted slightly, so proudly, as her gaze swept across the crowd, shamelessly basking in their attention. And me? I was still standing where he had called me. Still his wife, yet somehow… already replaced. “You’re okay with it, right? My love.” Calisto turned to me, his hand settling on my waist as he pulled me close and kissed my cheek. For a second, I shuddered, all those eyes burning into me. I could feel that if I protested about this sudden announcement, they would hate me more than they already did. So, despite the humiliation, despite the betrayal, I smiled and nodded, trying my best to look unaffected. “Yes, of course.”