My Alpha Rejected Me, So I Became His Rival's Luna | Read Free Preview
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Chapter 1 — The Day My Eyes Opened
Sloane's POV
For as long as I had known him, Alpha Harrelson had only ever worn one expression around me—one that was impossible to read.
Seven years of standing by his side had convinced me I understood the man beneath that cold look.
I couldn't have been more wrong until everything I believed about our future came crashing down the day she returned.
Sandra. The woman Alpha Harrelson had loved long before I came into his life had finally returned to Midnight Crescent Pack. She had just finished studying advanced werewolf medicine at the Royal Lycan Medical Academy and was back.
Today, without saying a single word to me, he appointed Sandra as the new Chief Medical Director—the very position he had promised would one day be mine.
Unable to make sense of it, I went straight to the Alpha House. I stopped outside Harrelson's private chamber, my hand hovering over the carved oak door. I had only come to ask him why. Instead, I heard voices from inside.
"Wasn't Sloane supposed to become the next Chief Medical Director?" one of his closest friends asked. "She's your future Luna."
Harrelson gave a quiet scoff. "Does it matter?"
His voice remained calm. "I'm the Alpha of Midnight Crescent. No one questions my decisions."
A painful knot formed in my stomach. There was a long silence between them before the man spoke again.
"So after all these years, you've never forgotten Sandra?"
The moment her name left his mouth, my heart stopped, a memory buried deep inside me resurfaced. Years ago, after Harrelson returned from leading warriors against a rogue invasion, he had fallen asleep in exhaustion. That night, he whispered Sandra's name over and over again.
Back then, I had smiled, believing he was simply talking in his sleep. How blind I had been. The signs had always been there.
My fingers trembled as I covered my mouth to stop myself from making a sound. Tears blurred my vision. Every instinct urged me to walk away but another part of me needed to hear the truth.
After a long pause, Harrelson finally spoke again. "The she-wolf you loved when you had nothing...."
His voice was unusually calm. "You would stop at nothing to keep her by your side."
He exhaled slowly. "For me, that person is Sandra."
His words pierced my heart while My wolf, Nyx, whimpered painfully inside me. His friend sighed.
"But your ceremony with Sloane is only a few weeks away."
Harrelson didn't hesitate. "I'll still complete the ceremony."
His response shocked me.
"But not because I love her. It's only my duty to her."
Every ounce of warmth drained from my body.
"I owe her that much. So when her mother's surgery is completed at the Healing Hall and she's discharged by the Senior Healers, we'll proceed with the Mating Ceremony as planned."
Duty. That was all I was. Seven years of loving him had been reduced to a debt he felt obligated to repay. He had never loved me, not once.
The thought made my mind flash back to seven years ago when I met Harrelson during the Grand Moon Gathering held between the northern packs.
One glance at him had stolen my heart. He wasn't my fated mate and neither of us had ever felt the pull of the Moon Bond. Still, we chose each other or at least, I believed we had.
Five years ago, I was offered a place at the Royal Lycan Medical Academy, where only the most gifted healers across the four regions were accepted. It had always been my dream.
But Harrelson wanted to rebuild Midnight Crescent's Healing Hall after the Blood Moon War left countless wolves wounded and without proper care. Without hesitation, I declined the invitation and stayed back with him.
Together, we restored the Healing Hall, trained young healers, gathered rare medicinal herbs, developed better healing techniques for wounded wolves, and turned Midnight Crescent's medical sanctuary into one of the most respected Healing Halls in the northern territories. I shared everything beside him; every breakthrough, sleepless night, the ones I could remember and couldn't.
A month ago, while we were having dinner inside the Alpha House, Harrelson looked at me and asked casually,
"Will you become my Luna?"
There had been no flowers or any romantic confession beneath the moonlight. It was just one simple question. Yet I had never been happier. I had waited years to hear those words.
Without thinking twice, I agreed. He simply nodded in return.
"When you return from your medical outreach mission, we'll have your Luna ceremonial gown prepared."
Yesterday was the day I returned. Yesterday was the day Harrelson forgot our appointment to choose my Luna ceremonial gown. Straight from the neighboring territory, I had gone to the Moon Weaver's Hall and waited from noon until sunset.
Every howl echoing across the valley marked another passing hour. Harrelson never came. I even had to convince myself he was busy. Perhaps the Alpha Council had called an emergency meeting or an urgent patient required his attention. I sent one message after another through our communicator crystals. He never replied.
Eventually, I came to the Alpha House. Only to hear this truth. Five years of sacrifice, seven years of devotion and everything else I had given him had never been enough.
If I was blind before, now I could see. Quietly wiping away my tears, I picked up my travel bag and left without making a sound.
Outside, the cool evening breeze carried the scent of pine, rain, and wild herbs from the Healing Hall's gardens. My communicator crystal glowed to signal a message.
"Lady Sloane, your Luna ceremonial gown is ready. When should we expect Alpha Harrelson to arrive?"
I looked up at the glowing moon hanging above the treetops. A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
"There won't be a ceremony anymore."
I ended the connection. I couldn't go home. My mother was scheduled to undergo a delicate operation at the Healing Hall the following day. The Senior Healers had assured me they were prepared, but I knew how dangerous the procedure still was.
She had enough to worry about. She didn't need my heartbreak added to her burdens. So, I rented a room at a travelers' lodge near the eastern gate. I would stay the night here.
As I waited downstairs, my communicator crystal lit up again. They were several messages from Harrelson, appearing one after another.
"Sorry. Alpha Council meetings all afternoon."
"Couldn't make it."
"Choose whichever Luna gown you like."
"You're starting your month-long leave tomorrow."
"Focus on preparing for the ceremony. I'm busy."
Busy? A hollow laugh almost escaped me. That leave had been requested weeks ago. Part of it was to care for my mother after her surgery. The other part was to prepare for becoming his Luna.
Now, only one reason remained. Without replying, I extinguished the crystal. A few moments later, I stepped onto the lodge's balcony overlooking the main road.
An obsidian carriage bearing the Midnight Crescent crest sped past beneath the moonlight. Harrelson sat inside and beside him was Sandra, laughing softly at something he had said. He looked at her with a warmth I had spent seven years hoping to receive.
So that was his Alpha Council meeting. My wolf whimpered again. This time, I let the tears fall freely at least for most of the night.
The following morning, after gathering my thoughts, I sat beside the window with parchment spread across the table and wrote my resignation.
I was stepping down from my position as Senior Healer of Midnight Crescent Healing Hall. After everything we'd shared, I wanted our ending to be quiet.
I sealed the letter with wax before asking a messenger hawk to deliver it to Rowan, Harrelson's personal aide. Once that was done, I packed my belongings in preparation for my trip home.
But just as I stepped outside the lodge, my communicator crystal buzzed. It was my closest friend, Mira.
"Sloane! I'm so sorry. I only just saw your messages from yesterday."
I forced a faint smile. "It's alright."
Yesterday, I had learned about Sandra's return through Mira. She had proudly shared a picture of herself standing beside Sandra inside Midnight Crescent Healing Hall.
The caption still burned in my memory.
"I still can't believe Sandra has returned to become our new Chief Medical Director! Midnight Crescent's Healing Hall is about to reach new heights!"
She hadn't known Sandra was Harrelson's first love. She hadn't known she was celebrating the woman who had unknowingly shattered mine.
I couldn't blame her. After ending the call, I started walking toward the village square. Before I reached it, another message flashed across my communicator crystal.
It was from an unknown sender.
"Lady Sloane, have you considered my proposal?"
Another message followed almost immediately.
"My offer is clear and sincere. Come to Shadowfang Pack. I want you by my side as the Chief Medical Director of our Healing Hall."
Then, the sender's name appeared beneath the message.
Alpha Deacon.
Leader of Shadowfang Pack.
I had just received an offer from the strongest Alpha among the four regions. I stopped walking. My fingers tightened around the crystal as my heartbeat quickened.
Why...Why would an Alpha like Deacon want me?
Chapter 2 — A New Beginning
Sloane's POV
After staring at the message for what felt like forever, I finally replied.
"I'll think about it."
Since I had already made up my mind to leave Midnight Crescent Pack, there was no reason to reject a new opportunity. Especially one offered by Alpha Deacon of Shadowfang Pack.
His response came almost immediately.
"Good. If you're free today, I'd like to show you around our Healing Hall. You don't have to decide immediately. See it first, then make your choice."
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
"Alright."
After finishing breakfast at the lodge, I hired a carriage and made my way toward Shadowfang Pack.
Early autumn had arrived. The cool breeze carried the scent of damp earth, cedar trees, and wild moon herbs growing along the mountain paths.
I rolled down the carriage window, allowing the fresh air to brush against my face. For the first time since yesterday, the ache inside my chest eased ever so slightly.
Nearly an hour later, the carriage came to a stop before the enormous gates of Shadowfang Pack. Towering stone walls surrounded the territory, while dozens of guards patrolled the entrance.
Beyond them stood the largest Healing Hall I had ever seen. Its white stone walls shimmered beneath the morning sun, silver wolf statues lined the entrance, and gardens filled with rare medicinal herbs stretched across the courtyard.
I had expected someone to receive me but what I hadn't expected was Alpha Deacon himself. He stood at the entrance, dressed in a fitted black coat embroidered with the silver crest of Shadowfang.
I walked toward him. "Good morning, Alpha Deacon."
"Thank you for coming, Lady Sloane."
Instead of acting like the strongest Alpha among the four regions, he extended his hand toward me with genuine courtesy. For a brief moment, I hesitated before placing my hand in his.
His grip was warm, firm yet surprisingly gentle. Perhaps he sensed my uneasiness because he chuckled softly.
"Relax."
His amber eyes carried an easy warmth.
"I'm inviting you to visit my Healing Hall, not interrogating a prisoner."
I couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped me. He gestured toward the entrance.
"If, after today's visit, you decide Shadowfang isn't where you belong, you're free to walk away."
His honesty caught me off guard. Most Alphas weren't known for giving others choices. Deacon was different, I guess. I couldn't help stealing glances at him as we walked down.
Alpha Deacon was the eldest son of the Blackthorn bloodline and ruler of Shadowfang Pack. Despite his young age, he had expanded Shadowfang into one of the wealthiest and strongest packs on the continent. The Healing Hall itself had only been established two years earlier.
Its facilities, medicinal gardens, research chambers, and surgical wings were among the finest in the werewolf territories.
Yet despite its enormous potential, it's reputation had never surpassed Midnight Crescent's. They were allies whenever disaster struck but in ordinary times, they were rivals. So that's why he's trying to recruit me. The thought crossed my mind naturally.
Truthfully, Deacon and I barely knew each other. We first met during an Alpha Council gathering several months ago. We exchanged only a few polite greetings before going our separate ways.
Our real encounter happened during my recent medical outreach mission in the northern territories.
A prominent pack had requested assistance in treating wolves poisoned during a rogue ambush. Shadowfang and Midnight Crescent had both been invited.
Alpha Deacon personally accompanied his medical delegation. Even so, the pack elders ultimately entrusted the treatment to me.
After everything was over, I had barely stepped outside the Healing Hall before he approached me. He introduced himself with a courteous nod before handing me a communication crystal engraved with the Shadowfang crest.
"I've heard remarkable things about you, Lady Sloane."
His smile had been sincere.
"Watching you lead today's operation only confirmed them. I wonder...Would you allow me to invite you to dinner?"
The invitation surprised me.
"I appreciate the offer," I replied politely. "But I need to return immediately."
By coincidence, we crossed paths again while waiting at the border transit station. He invited me once more. I declined again.
Even someone like me, who rarely paid attention to appearances, had to admit, Deacon was handsome and different from Harrelson. Harrelson always carried himself like an icy mountain peak. Deacon was like the morning sun after a long winter.
Without realizing it, I found myself looking at him again as we walked. He suddenly turned.
Our eyes met.
"Is something on my face?" His eyebrow lifted slightly.
My cheeks warmed. "N-No. I was just distracted."
He smiled knowingly before continuing down the corridor. After showing me every department of Shadowfang Healing Hall, he led me into his office.
Unlike Harrelson's office, which was decorated with expensive trophies and weapons, Deacon's shelves were filled with ancient medical texts, preserved herbs, and treatment records.
"Our Healing Hall is still young," he admitted honestly. "We have excellent resources, generous funding, and the full support of Shadowfang Pack. But we lack someone capable of bringing everything together."
He looked directly at me. "That's why I asked you here. There are only thirty-two healers serving under us. Our research into advanced regenerative medicine has barely begun. If you're willing to join us, the future of this Healing Hall will be yours to shape."
For the first time in days, my heart stirred with excitement. I took a slow breath. "I'm interested. But my situation at Midnight Crescent is... complicated. So, I can't leave immediately."
"I understand." His voice remained calm. "I'll wait, no matter how long it takes."
An idea came to me. "How about this? I'm officially on one month's leave. I can spend that month working here on a trial basis. If everything goes well, we'll sign a formal agreement afterward."
By then, my resignation would have reached Harrelson. I could leave Midnight Crescent cleanly. I thought.
A faint gleam crossed Deacon's eyes. It seemed my answer pleased him more than he expected.
"Agreed. Your benefits during the trial period will remain exactly the same."
He placed a contract before me. I froze as I read through it. The annual remuneration alone was enough to leave me speechless and the benefits were just so amazing.
I stared at the parchment. Then looked back at him. He quietly slid a pen toward me.
"If anything seems unreasonable, we can negotiate."
I almost laughed. "Unreasonable? It's... more than generous."
Embarrassment crept into my voice. After dedicating seven years to Midnight Crescent, my monthly allowance as Senior Healer had barely covered daily expenses. I knew how difficult rebuilding the Healing Hall had been after the Blood Moon War, so I never once asked Harrelson for better compensation.
I simply stayed, working, sacrificing, loving him and in the end, everything I gave him had become nothing more than a duty he felt obliged to repay.
Without another word, I signed the agreement. After handing it back, I stood. "I'll report for duty now?”
Deacon shook his head. "Next Monday."
I blinked. "But I thought you said things were urgent."
"They are." A gentle smile appeared on his face. "But right now, you need rest more than I need another healer."
His eyes briefly settled on the travel bag beside my feet. It was obvious he knew I hadn't returned home yesterday. Once again, he chose kindness. Something I hadn't realized I had been starving for.
When I finally arrived home, my mother opened the door before I could knock. She immediately took my bag from my hands.
"Oh, sweetheart." She cupped my face gently. "Your eyes are so swollen. This outreach mission must have exhausted you."
I hugged her tightly. "I'm alright, Mom. I'm just tired."
She stroked my hair lovingly. "If things become too difficult, talk to Harrelson. He's going to be your husband soon. He should be taking care of you."
The tears I had barely managed to control threatened to return. How could I possibly tell her...that the man she already considered family had never truly loved me?
I couldn't now, not before her surgery. I forced a smile. "Mom...I've been craving your herb pasta."
She laughed. "Then that's exactly what you're getting."
The moment she disappeared into the kitchen, every ounce of strength left my body. I sank onto the sofa and closed my eyes, my mind wrapping around one thought only.
Had the letter finally reached him?
Chapter 3 — What Letter?
Harrelson's POV
The stack of patient reports on my desk seemed endless.
Ever since Sandra took over as Chief Medical Director of Midnight Crescent Healing Hall, I had been occupied with meetings, treatment requests from neighboring packs, and council affairs. There wasn't a moment to spare.
A knock sounded against my office door.
"Come in."
My Beta Rowan stepped inside carrying a sealed envelope. He looked unusually puzzled.
"Alpha, a messenger delivered this for you."
I looked up from the reports. "A messenger?"
"Yes."
He walked closer and placed the envelope on my desk.
"But the moment I picked up the letter, I caught a scent that felt strangely familiar."
He hesitated before adding,
"Although I tried to track the bird's path and I think I know who sent it."
I raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"It's from Lady Sloane."
That caught my attention. Sloane?
For as long as I'd known her, she had never written me a letter. If she wanted something, she'd either tell me herself or ask Rowan to pass along a message. A letter was unusual. So it could mean whatever was inside was, top.
I reached for the envelope.
"What kind of game is she playing now?" I muttered more to myself than to Rowan.
He simply smiled awkwardly. Truthfully, very few wolves within Midnight Crescent knew Sloane and I had been together for seven years. I preferred it that way.
The Healing Hall wasn't a place for gossip. I believed personal feelings had no place interfering with professional judgment. That was a rule I'd upheld since becoming Alpha.
Even Sloane rarely visited my office unless it involved official business. I tore the envelope open and just as I unfolded the parchment—Another knock interrupted us.
A young aide hurried inside, bowing respectfully. "Alpha."
I nodded in return, giving him the permission to speak.
"The delegation from Silver Ridge Pack has arrived. They're waiting in the Council Chamber."
I glanced toward the half-opened letter.
Silver Ridge had traveled for days to discuss a joint healing alliance and medicinal trade agreement. The truth is, keeping them waiting wasn't an option.
"I'll be there immediately."
I placed the unfolded letter on the edge of my desk and grabbed my council journal. As I moved around the desk, the journal brushed against the parchment. Neither Rowan nor I noticed it slide onto the floor.
The meeting consumed the next several hours. We had several discussions about herb cultivation, treatment protocols and territory-wide disease prevention.
By the time we concluded, I was completely exhausted. When I returned to my office later that afternoon, everything appeared exactly as I'd left it. If anything was missing, I didn't notice.
A gentle knock sounded again. "Come in."
The familiar scent of moon jasmine reached me before she did. It was Sandra. She stood in the doorway wearing the white robes of the Chief Medical Director.
For a fleeting moment, time seemed to blur. I wasn't looking at the accomplished healer standing before me. I was looking at the young girl who had once smiled at a lonely boy everyone else ignored.
Years ago, after my mother and I entered the Nightfang estate, the whispers followed us everywhere.
I was called the illegitimate son. I was one who didn't belong so the other children kept their distance. Only Sandra walked over.
She smiled, took my hand, and said, "We can be friends."
That memory had never left me. Neither had she.
"When we're alone," I said, standing to pour her a cup of herbal tea, "you don't have to call me Alpha."
"You can call me Harrelson."
She smiled. "Alright... Harrelson."
"What brings you here?" I asked her, smiling back.
She placed several scrolls on my desk. "I wanted to ask something."
"You appointed me Chief Medical Director. Does everyone in the Healing Hall know?"
"They do." I said immediately. “I informed every department before you arrived."
She hesitated. "What about the Senior Healers? And the Research Wing?"
"They know too." I confirmed, looking directly at her.
She lowered her eyes. For a moment, she seemed uncertain.
I frowned. "Is someone giving you trouble?"
She shook her head. "No. I've been reviewing our medical archives and I think I've found something that could change everything."
My interest sharpened. "What is it?"
She unrolled one of the scrolls. "It's called The Lunar Heart Restoration Technique. It was developed by Professor Orion Vale and his apprentices at the Royal Lycan Medical Academy. If we can introduce it here, we'll dramatically improve recovery rates for wolves suffering severe silver poisoning and damaged wolf cores."
I studied the diagrams carefully. "It sounds valuable. But would they even share it with us?"
Sandra smiled like I asked a dumb question. "Professor Vale was one of my mentors. I'll speak with him personally."
A rare smile found its way onto my face. "I knew appointing you was the right decision. Your experience will take Midnight Crescent farther than I imagined."
She laughed softly. "You're making me sound better than I am."
After she left, I pressed the communication crystal on my desk.
"Rowan."
He entered moments later.
"You called, Alpha?"
"I've heard there are objections to Sandra's appointment." I started.
His expression confirmed my words.
"There have been... a few comments, sir."
"What kind of comments?" I retorted.
He hesitated. "Some of the Senior Healers believe....the position should have gone to Lady Sloane. They think it's unfair."
My expression cooled. "Who decided that position belonged to Sloane?"
Rowan immediately lowered his head. "I... only repeated what I heard."
I rubbed my temples. "Spread my words throughout the Healing Hall. Lady Sandra accepted this position at my personal invitation. Anyone who questions her authority questions mine."
"Understood, Alpha."
After Rowan left, silence settled over the office once more. For some reason, Sloane's face crossed my mind.
She had worked beside me for seven years. No one knew the Healing Hall better than she did. She deserved recognition. But Sandra's experience at the Royal Lycan Medical Academy made her the better choice.
This wasn't personal. It was simply what Midnight Crescent needed or so I told myself. By midday, I'd finally finished the last of the reports.
As I leaned back in my chair, her face surfaced. Sloane. She still hadn't replied to the messages I'd sent yesterday. That wasn't like her. Normally, she'd answer within minutes. Had she really become that upset because I missed the fitting for her Luna ceremonial gown?
I picked up my communicator crystal. Her name glowed beneath my thumb. Without thinking any further, I pressed it. The crystal pulsed as the connection reached across the territory.
‘Come on, Sloane. Pick up.’
Like she heard me, the communicator glowed and her voice came through. “Hello.”
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