My Alpha Mate Chose His Ex—So I Burned the Moon

"Push!" the doctor’s voice cut through the room, firm and commanding. I gripped the sides of the hospital bed so hard my knuckles turned white. My body burned, every muscle screaming, but I forced myself to obey. I’d been trying for this cub forever—my third pregnancy—and now, of course, my so-called mate Kael was nowhere to be found. Rain hammered the windows in thick sheets. Lightning split the sky, bright and jagged, and thunder shook the hospital like a giant growling above us. For a moment, the storm outside mirrored the storm inside me. The smell of blood mixed with antiseptic, sharp and heavy, making my stomach twist. "Push again, Luna!" the doctor said, leaning close. His hands were steady and strong. He wasn’t just a doctor—he was a werewolf, trained to help both humans and wolves safely. I took a shaky breath and pushed. The lights blurred, sweat ran into my eyes, and my storm-gray eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling. Every part of me ached, and the absence of my mate pressed down like a weight. "Something’s wrong," the doctor said, his voice tight. He studied me carefully. "Luna, I think there’s something wrong." My chest heaved. I had been on this bed for over an hour. Every push drained me. Every contraction felt like it might crush me. I wanted to cry, scream, beg Kael to appear—but I knew he wouldn’t. He had never been there when I needed him. "Keep pushing," the doctor said again, calm but firm. "You can do this. I’m right here." I gritted my teeth and pushed again, harder this time, drawing from a place deep inside me I didn’t know existed. My legs shook, my back ached, my body screamed. And then, with one last effort, my son came into the world. His first cries were tiny and weak, cutting through the storm outside like knives. I passed out before I could even touch him. When I woke hours later, the storm was still raging, rain pounding the windows. But inside, it was quieter. The thunder softened, replaced by the soft, steady rise and fall of a tiny chest. My cub. Eryx. He lay swaddled in blankets, asleep. His scent filled the room, sweet and wild, and I trembled as I held his tiny hand, pressing a gentle kiss to it. Relief, awe, and fear twisted together in my chest. I would protect him no matter what. Soft footsteps came toward me. I turned and saw Kael’s mother, the former Luna, stepping into the ward. Concern covered her face. She moved to my side and gently sat on the bed, smoothing damp strands of hair from my face. "I am so sorry, dear, for Kael’s behavior," she said softly. "You should not have been alone for this." My throat tightened. She was the only one who ever treated me like a daughter. The only one who cared. She had always been my anchor when Kael was gone. Her hand hovered over Eryx, about to lift him, when her phone rang. She pulled it out of her purse and answered. "Excuse me for a moment," she said, stepping out of the ward. I listened to her muffled voice outside, feeling grateful but helpless. When she returned, she looked at me apologetic but serious. "I have a business meeting I must attend," she said. "But I’ve arranged for you to be taken home. Everything will be ready when you leave." I nodded, exhausted but thankful. "Thank you," I whispered. After she left, the midwife returned, hands resting on my arm. "Luna, are you okay?" she asked. I nodded. "Yes. I’m fine," I said, though my body still shook from labor. Her presence made me feel safe for the first time since the first contraction. Then the door opened, and two men in suits entered, serious and alert. "We were asked to take the Luna home," one said, voice formal but not cruel. I sat up slowly, still weak, as the guards moved to collect my things. Eryx was placed gently in my arms. I held him close, feeling the warmth of his small body against mine. His scent was intoxicating, reminding me he was mine to protect. The rain lashed as we stepped outside. Thunder rolled with my heartbeat, wind tugging at my hair and clothes. I held Eryx tighter as we drove toward the pack house. When we arrived, I hurried to the front door and knocked. No answer. My heart raced. I tried the handle—it was unlocked. Every nerve was alert. I slipped inside, cradling Eryx, eyes scanning the house. And then I froze. On the couch lay a woman’s underwear, carelessly discarded. The scent hit me immediately—another she-wolf had been here. Her perfume clung to the fabric like a slap. Rage and betrayal shot through me, mixing with exhaustion and the sharp taste of my own blood. Storm-gray eyes narrowed. Every instinct, every shred of wolf in me, screamed warning. This was my home. My child’s first hours. And someone else had claimed a part of it in my mate’s absence. I held Eryx close, pressing him against my chest as if my warmth alone could shield him from the world. His tiny breaths tickled my collarbone, and I couldn’t help but marvel at how small and perfect he was. Every ounce of anger and betrayal coiled inside me, but I pushed it down, knowing I needed to think clearly—for him. With careful, quiet steps, I moved toward the stairs. The house was eerily silent except for the rain pounding against the windows and the occasional creak beneath my feet. My storm-gray eyes never left Eryx, but every fiber of my being was alert, every wolf instinct on edge. I reached the bottom of the stairs and slowly lifted my foot to the first step. Then another. Each step felt heavier than the last, a mix of exhaustion from labor, fear for my child, and anger for what I was about to confront. My heartbeat matched the storm outside—fast, fierce, and unrelenting. As I neared the top, the familiar hallway stretched before me. The scent hit me first—another woman. Rich, floral, sharp, invasive. My claws itched beneath my nails, my growl rising low and quiet in my throat. I tightened my grip on Eryx, feeling the tiny bundle of life against me like armor, like a reason to survive and fight. Then I reached Kael’s door. My steps slowed. I could hear it clearly now—moans, sharp and intimate, cut through the wall. A woman’s voice—another she-wolf. My stomach twisted, bile rising, but I didn’t look away. My storm-gray eyes narrowed, the wolf inside me bristling, teeth gnawing at the restraint I forced upon myself.