Alpha's Regret: My Pregnant Mate

The air in the pack house buzzed with excitement, thick with the mingled scents of pine, roasted meat, and too many wolves crammed into one space. Fairy lights twinkled along the rafters, casting golden flecks over laughing faces and swirling dresses. Music pulsed through the wooden floors, a steady beat that matched the wild thrum of my heart. Tonight was the mating ball. Tonight, every unmated wolf who had turned eighteen in the past year would finally learn if the Moon Goddess had blessed them with a fated mate. And tonight, I, Evelyn Harper, was one of them. I smoothed my hands down the front of my dress for the hundredth time. It was simple—pale blue silk that Lila had insisted brought out my eyes—but it was the nicest thing I’d ever owned. My dark brown hair fell in loose waves over my shoulders, and a touch of makeup hid the freckles I’d always hated. For once, I didn’t feel like the overlooked omega who cleaned the pack house floors and served meals to warriors twice my size. Tonight, I felt… hopeful. “Stop fidgeting,” Lila whispered, linking her arm through mine. Her red curls bounced as she grinned. “You look stunning. When your mate sees you, he’s going to forget how to breathe.” I laughed nervously. “If I even have a mate.” Everyone knew the odds. Not every wolf was granted a fated pair. Some spent their lives searching, settling for chosen mates instead. But the thought of feeling that pull—the one elders described as lightning in your veins, a scent that called to your soul—made my chest ache with longing. Lila rolled her eyes. “Please. The Goddess isn’t that cruel. Besides, you deserve someone amazing after everything you’ve been through.” Everything meaning growing up without a wolf. I was born to two low-ranking wolves, but while every other pup in the Silver Moon Pack shifted by sixteen, I never had. No fur, no claws, no enhanced senses. Just a weak, wolfless girl who could barely lift a tray without tiring. The pack never let me forget it. Whispers followed me everywhere: *poor Evelyn, the defective one.* But tonight, none of that mattered. Tonight was about possibility. The crowd parted as the Alpha and his inner circle entered the hall. My breath caught the way it always did when Alpha Kai Blackstone appeared. He was everything an alpha should be—tall, broad-shouldered, with sharp features and midnight-black hair that fell just slightly over his forehead. His presence commanded the room without effort. Wolves instinctively lowered their gazes as he passed, baring their necks in respect. He wore a fitted black shirt that hugged his muscled frame, sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms marked with the faint scars of battles won. And beside him, as always, was Victoria Lang. Her golden hair cascaded in perfect waves, her crimson dress clinging to every curve. She clung to Kai’s arm like she belonged there, laughing at something he said. Everyone knew she wanted to be Luna. Everyone knew she believed she would be. I forced my eyes away. Kai was twenty-two, unmated, and the most powerful alpha in generations. He wouldn’t be paired with someone like me. The Goddess wouldn’t be that kind. Still, my stupid heart fluttered when his gaze swept the room and paused—just for a fraction of a second—on me. Or maybe I imagined it. Lila tugged me toward the refreshment table. “Come on, let’s get some punch before the ceremony starts.” The mating ritual was simple. At midnight, under the full moon’s light streaming through the skylight, unmated wolves would step into the center circle. If your fated mate was present, the bond would snap into place. You’d feel it. You’d know. As the clock ticked closer to midnight, my palms grew slick with sweat. Wolves around me chattered excitedly, some nervous, some confident. I stayed near the edge of the crowd, trying to calm the butterflies rioting in my stomach. Then the lights dimmed. Elder Marcus stepped forward, his voice carrying easily over the sudden hush. “Children of the Moon Goddess, the hour has come. Step forward if you seek your destined mate.” One by one, young wolves moved into the circle. I hesitated, but Lila gave me a gentle push. “Go. You deserve this.” My legs felt like water as I walked forward. Twenty of us stood in the moonlight, hearts pounding in unison. The air grew heavy, charged with anticipation. I closed my eyes. *Please,* I whispered silently to the Goddess. *If there’s someone out there for me… let me feel it.* At first, there was nothing. Just the sound of my own breathing, the distant murmur of the crowd. Then—a scent. It hit me like a wave crashing over my body. Pine forests after rain, dark chocolate, and something wild and masculine that made my knees buckle. My eyes flew open, searching frantically. The scent grew stronger, pulling me like an invisible thread. And then I saw him. Alpha Kai Blackstone stood frozen at the edge of the circle, his stormy gray eyes locked on mine. The world narrowed to just him. My heart slammed against my ribs. Every nerve ending ignited. The bond—it was real. It was him. My mate. The Alpha was my fated mate. Joy exploded inside me, bright and overwhelming. Tears pricked my eyes as I took a trembling step toward him. He was mine. The Moon Goddess had chosen me. But as I moved closer, his expression shifted. His jaw tightened. His fists clenched at his sides. And when I was only a few feet away, close enough to see the flecks of silver in his eyes, he spoke—his voice cold and cutting through the stunned silence of the pack. “I, Kai Blackstone, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, reject you, Evelyn Harper, as my mate.” The words hit harder than any physical blow. Pain lanced through my chest, sharp and burning, as the fragile new bond began to tear. Gasps rippled through the crowd. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. All I could do was stare at the man the Goddess had chosen for me… as he destroyed us both in front of everyone.