Second Chance Alpha The Mate He Cast Aside

“Selena Stone,the medical examination results show that your Alphabearing womb has a very thin wall,which could possibly lead to the loss of the pup.You must be exceedingly careful in your diet and conserve your innate energy.”

As she spoke,Dr.Ella continued writing on the white paper,listing the herbal supplements Selena needed.After some time,Ella handed in the paper.“We have an apothecary outside.Please take these medicines regularly.”

Selena took a deep breath,grabbed the paper,and slowly stood up.“I will.Thank you,Doctor.”

“You must be careful,okay?A future Luna carrying a pup with such a delicate lining is rare,and the chances of conceiving again after losing the first are tragically low.”

Ella’s eyes flashed with deep,lupine worry.

“Don’t worry,Doctor.I’ll take care of myself and the pup.Thanks again,”Selena replied and smiled.

After three long,cold years since the political binding ceremony,the Moon Goddess finally answered Selena’s silent prayers.No one was more eager for the arrival of this Alpha heir than her,and she would make sure to protect this new life with all her strength.

After buying the necessary tonics,she left the hospital and went to her car.

“Ma’am Selena,there are still twenty minutes before Alpha Kian Volkov’s arrival.Do you want to check the perimeter first before heading to the transport hub?”Barnaby,the driver,asked,looking at her through the rearview mirror.

“Let’s go to the transport hub.”

Selena couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.Just the thought of feeling her Mate’s commanding presence again after nearly a moon cycle made her senses buzz with electric anticipation.

Kian,her husband and the imposing Alpha of the Volkov line,had been away for a critical display of dominance concerning the Dark Moon Conglomerate.She dearly missed his strong,grounding scent.

On the road,Selena couldn’t stop staring at the ultrasound results—proof of their successful union.She read the details over and over again,the knowledge of the powerful new life nested within her giving her strength.Then,she gently placed her hand above her flat stomach.

She could hardly believe she would meet their baby—the new blood of the clan—in eight months.

She couldn’t wait to tell Kian the glorious news!

Shortly,they arrived at the immense transport hub.Barnaby parked the car and turned to her.“Luna Selena,shall I signal the Alpha?”

Selena glanced at her wristwatch and realized Kian would have already disembarked from the private flight.“I’ll do it myself,”she replied before dialing her husband’s secure line.

However,her calls kept being directed to generic service codes.Kian wasn’t responding to his Mate’s summons.

“His transport must be delayed.We’ll wait here.”

An hour passed,and Selena still couldn’t catch a whiff of Kian’s distinct scent.She took out her phone again and called him.

“We’ll wait a little bit longer,”Selena murmured when her calls were still not answered.

Two hours later,Selena called her husband again.She heard a connection tone,making her smile widen with relief.

“Kian!Where are you?Was your flight delayed?”she asked,voice laced with relief.

There was silence on the other line,making Selena’s brows furrow with instinctual worry.“Kian?”

“I apologize.Kian stepped away for a moment.I will ensure he returns your communication once he is back,”a low,smooth feminine voice muttered.

Selena’s confusion quickly turned into a cold dread.“Who is this?What—”

Before she could finish her question,the call was abruptly terminated.Selena stared at her phone screen,her inner wolf restless.

As far as she knew,Kian never brought unattached females on critical Dark Moon business.

Ten minutes passed,but Kian never returned the call.Selena waited a few more anxious moments until her duty as Mate compelled her to try again.

Kian’s phone kept ringing.Selena anxiously waited for him to pick up the call.Just when she thought no one would answer,a familiar deep and husky voice—the dominant voice of her Alpha—entered her ears.

“Selena.”

“Kian!Where are you?Barnaby and I are waiting for you here at the perimeter of the designated landing strip.Just come here and you’ll spot us easily.”

“Selena,”Kian paused for a long,unsettling time.“I am sorry.I failed to activate my communication device upon arrival.I have already left the transport hub.”

Selena’s smile instantly vanished,replaced by a tightening dread in her chest.

“What?HHow?”Selena asked.“I’ll wait for you at the central den,then?I have vital news to share—news regarding the continuity of the bloodline.”

A deep sigh of what sounded like mild annoyance escaped from Kian’s lips.“Very well.I also have something to tell you.”

“Excellent!”Selena beamed,pushing the sudden sense of unease aside.“I’ll instruct the staff to prepare your favorite hunt—the spiced venison.”

“Just return to the den.I have an urgent matter of pack business to attend to,so I’ll likely be late.”

“Oh,”Selena couldn’t hide the keen disappointment in her voice.“Okay.I’ll wait for you there.”

She was about to end the call when the same,sweet feminine voice sounded clearly on Kian’s side of the connection.“My apologies,Kian.I should have reminded you that Selena had attempted to reach you earlier.”

Selena’s heart plummeted,a painful physical reaction to the sound and the accompanying hint of that strange,rival scent.She was about to demand who the female was,but Kian had already ended the call,cutting her off without explanation.

Frowning,she looked at her phone screen and remained silent for a long moment,the quiet roar of her inner wolf beginning to rise.Then,she turned to Barnaby and murmured,“Let’s go back to the den.”

Barnaby instantly understood the shift in mood.He didn’t ask about the Alpha and just drove away from the powerful presence,leaving the hub behind.

When she arrived back at the lavish central den,Selena went to the dining table.She didn’t have much appetite but forced herself to consume the broth for the sake of her pup.

Then,she went to the main viewing chamber to wait for her Mate.She mindlessly watched the moving images on the screen and hugged a random cushion.She frequently glanced at the time,her focus only on the Alpha’s eventual return.

Selena was already heavy with weariness when the clock struck the tenth hour of the night.Her eyes slowly closed,allowing her to succumb to sleep on the thick velvet sofa.

After a few moments of unconsciousness,she felt the familiar,immense power of someone strong carrying her.Half awake,she moved her face and inhaled the powerful,unmistakable scent of Alpha Kian,mixed disturbingly with a hint of fermented spirits and that strange,rival female perfume that now clung to him.

“KKian?”

Selena opened her eyes,trying to look at the powerful figure above her.

“Yes.It’s me.”

“Your scent is fouled with spirits.”

“Yes,I shared a cask with an associate.”

Kian gently lay her on the furs.After a while,Selena heard the sound of the cleansing flow from the wash chamber.She rolled over and closed her eyes,but her restless inner wolf kept her awake.

After a few minutes,she felt the other side of the furs sink.Before she could move,a large,warm,dominant hand rested on her waist.It slowly moved down,spreading Kian’s heat on her skin.

“Hmm…”Selena whispered.“Not tonight,Kian.”

Her protective instincts flared;she was scared that the mating might harm the delicate pup.

Kian’s hand stopped before it returned to cradle her back.“Rest,Luna.”

Weary,Selena followed her Mate’s command and fell into a deep slumber.

The following dawn,Selena woke up to an empty space.Only the slightly disturbed furs beside her proved that Kian had truly rested beside her.

She let out a small,annoyed sigh.‘Why did my weariness betray me last night?’

“Well,I will simply tell him about the pup today,”she whispered before getting out of the furs.

As soon as she finished purifying herself,Selena went to the garment chamber and picked a white tunic for Kian.Since the pregnancy was vital news for the bloodline,she chose a redstriped neckcloth,the color of loyalty and power.Then,she carefully placed his clothes on the furs.

After a while,Kian returned from his morning run,his shift complete,and changed his clothes.Selena went downstairs and found him sitting in the gathering chamber.Kian noticed her and immediately placed the documents on the central stone before standing up.

“Let us break the fast.”

Right after their meal,Selena grinned at him,unable to contain her excitement.“Kian,I have news concerning the line.”

If Kian knew they were expecting an heir,he would be pleased,wouldn't he?

“I also have a matter to address,”Kian replied in a distant tone.

“Okay.Speak first,Mate,”Selena beamed at him.

Kian sighed.“Selena,”he stated.“We must sever the political bond.”

Selena blinked at him,shocked to her core.Kian got up and went to the gathering chamber to retrieve the documents.

“I have prepared the Bond Termination papers.Read them first.If you have any questions regarding the settlement,feel free to ask me.”

Selena felt as if her heart had seized.She looked up at her Mate in utter disbelief.

Her mind went blank,her wolf whimpering,convinced she must have misheard the Alpha’s command.

“Sever the Bond?”she whispered in a broken voice.

‘He wants to reject the Mate bond?’

“Our union was politically arranged and coerced by our elders.Since we never declared our Mate status openly to the packs,we must end this now before the bloodlines become irreversibly intertwined,”Kian calmly explained,treating the bond as a simple contract.

A series of freezing chills ran down Selena’s spine.Her face went pale as her lips trembled.She felt the sharp pain of rejection tearing at her core,as if her spirit had been ripped in two.

‘No.The mating bond cannot be broken like this.This is not real,’she thought,her instincts fighting the rejection.

She had loved Kian for nine long years.

She had loved him for years—from the moment she was brought into the Volkov pack at sixteen due to the blood debt,until she earned her rank in the Dark Moon Conglomerate at twentyfive.

Her affection deepened with the political union.Though it was a coerced binding,Selena knew Kian was the only Alpha she ever wished to submit to.

Yet,it was clear Kian felt none of the true Mate passion.

Selena fought back the whimper of her wolf.She took a deep breath and looked at him,forcing a steady voice.“We have honored the arrangement perfectly for three years,Kian.What is this?A Bond Severance?Why do you command this?Do you truly intend to break this pact?”She couldn’t hide the grief in her voice.

“This is my command,Selena.”

“What about the Matriarch and Patriarch Volkov?”Selena asked.

“I will address them later.”

Selena’s lips trembled.“But…What if I carry the new blood…”she swallowed the rest of the words.What if I carry your pup?

Kian seemed to have lost his patience and interrupted her,his Alpha tone sharpening.“Selena,understand this,”he said.“Lyra Vance has returned.”

Selena felt the lethal sting of the rejection.Her lips parted in shock as she stared at him,the name of his true desire a fresh wound.

After a moment of silence,she calmly picked up the Bond Termination papers.“Very well.I will review the terms first.”She sounded like a wounded echo.

It was never about him claiming the alliance was coerced.

It was the name of the female he truly claimed that made Selena realize their political binding was finally,devastatingly,over.

Lyra has returned to the territory.

Selena and Kian had been bound politically for three cycles of the moon.Though the vast territory knew nothing of their true Mate status,they had functioned as any loyal Alpha pair.Through the years,the two of them fulfilled their obligations to the bloodline and to the Volkov name.

Selena would select the ceremonial tunic and cloak Kian would wear to the Dark Moon Conglomerate meetings every morning.She would attend the Pack Council sessions with him,a silent pillar of strength.

Kian would always inform her in advance if they were required at any territorial summit or interpack gathering.

Their shared heat was also active.They exchanged the binding kiss every day,like the mated pair everyone in the inner circle assumed them to be.Never had Kian forgotten to offer Selena a valuable tribute during important dates,such as their binding anniversary,the Moon Festival,and her birth date.

In short,he provided her with every token of respect.He fulfilled his duties as the political Mate diligently.He had done everything a perfect husband and Alpha should,except offer his heart.

Even Selena believed her life would remain this steady.She didn’t know it would only take one female to shatter the illusion of her perfectly ordered life.

Lyra has returned.

Now,everything she had dreamed and hoped for her and Kian was ruthlessly broken.

Selena realized the female who answered Kian’s secure line yesterday must be Lyra.They must have been together then.

‘They were already sharing company?’Selena’s wolf snarled.

‘Or were they together the entire time Kian was on his critical dominance trip?’

‘Did they return to the territory together yesterday?’

Did he spend the night guarding Lyra?

Thinking of this,Selena felt her heart collapse into her core.Kian effortlessly broke her spirit,leaving her body and soul crushed by the sting of his rejection.

“Selena,do not fret.Even if we sever the binding,you will still retain your rank within the Volkov bloodline.You will still be the BloodSister I care for most.”

‘Sister?’Selena’s inner wolf screamed,howling with pain.

‘We were politically bound for three years!We shared the same furs every night for three wretched years!Now,you dare call me your Kin?’

Selena could feel her wolfblood boiling in a resentment that threatened to erupt.

She sighed,defeated.“Let us discuss the terms,then,”she said.

Kian released a deep breath,the tension easing from his powerful shoulders.He looked at Selena with complex emotions in his eyes.“Before we proceed,you mentioned you had news for me.What was the critical line matter?”

Hearing his question,a faint,cold smile appeared on Selena’s lips as she casually flipped through the termination documents in her hand.“Nothing of consequence.I merely wanted to confirm the finalized strategy for the launch of the new Dark Moon clothing line.I wished to secure your Alpha approval,but the matter has since been resolved by my team.”

She looked at him and gave him a brief,tightlipped smile.

Suddenly,she felt the life of the pup was meant to be her secret,safe from his rejection.

“Oh,”Kian answered,his tone flat.“Very well.Thank you for your diligence.”He could not deny how effective and strategically excellent Selena was as the director of the Volkov Group’s assets under the Dark Moon Conglomerate.

Without a doubt,Selena was exceptionally gifted and shrewd.She was born to command this sector.All the assets under her care—from luxury relics,territorial boundaries,and digital nexus initiatives to resource procurement—became vital to the pack's dominance.

“Do not mention it.It is my assigned duty,”Selena said in a monotone.She heaved a sigh and calmly stood up.Without another word,she walked toward the sleeping chamber.

Kian also stood up and followed her.“We leave for the Conglomerate together,”he commanded.

Selena’s steps halted.A bitter,acidic sensation rose to her throat.Her eyes narrowed instantly.

‘How can he be so devoid of emotion,commanding me to attend the Pack Council with him after he just terminated our bond?’

‘What does he take me for?A tool?A mindless drone without spirit?’

Selena turned around,faced him,and let out a chillingly sarcastic smile.“No need,Alpha.Since we are about to legally sever our connection,we should avoid being observed together by the Pack Elders.The scent of a rejected Mate is often too potent for the public eye.”

Then,she marched to the chamber,leaving him alone.

Selena took a few deep,steadying breaths.She did not know how long she could maintain her composure.She was a ticking bomb.She was terrified that any second,the raw grief would erupt in front of her heartless Mate.

She would not let him see her break.Kian had always valued her for being sensible and obedient,which was why the elders arranged their bond.

Selena subconsciously rubbed her stomach,a fierce protective instinct flooding her senses.‘I am sorry,pup.It will only be you and your Mother in the future.’

Behind her,Kian frowned as he watched her rushing to their chamber.

Selena headed to the secured transport garage and opened the door to the driver’s seat of her own vehicle.But instead of starting the engine and driving out,she took out her phone and opened her Pack Nexus feed.

She spent the next ten minutes scrolling through the digital feed,searching for a scent trail.

Until she finally found one.

Kian and his inner circle rarely engaged with the Pack Nexus and seldom shared their images.However,there was always an exception among the Beta ranks.

Cedric loved the attention of the network.

Selena clicked his most recent post.It was a photo of a rare vintage cask of spirit resting on a ceremonial stone table.His accompanying message read:

$$Celebrating the return of our dear blood,Lyra!I cannot wait for your and Kian’s official Luna crowning.It will bring such power to the Volkov line!$$

He even included symbols of mating and power in his post.

Selena clicked the tagged location.It was the private gathering den where the Alpha circle often met.

Plop!

A single tear fell onto the screen of her phone until it was followed by another.And then some more.

Selena’s heartbroken whimpers resonated inside the shielded transport.She tightly gripped her commdevice,her chest constricting with the physical agony of the bond's severance.

She pieced together the scent trail.Her Alpha had taken Lyra to meet his closest circle upon arrival in the Volkov territory.All of his inner circle knew and offered their loyalty to the union.Only she,his current political Mate,had been kept outside the circle of knowledge.

After all,only the Volkov elders knew the full terms of their coerced binding.Kian had never introduced Selena to his allies as his true Mate.Even when they were present at territorial summits,everyone simply assumed Selena was a highranking asset brought in through the blood debt.

“Luna Selena?”Barnaby arrived at the secured garage and saw Selena’s personal transport still running.Confused by the residual distressed scent,he moved to check on her.

Selena hurriedly wiped the tears from her cheeks.Feigning ignorance of his approach,she ignited the engine and drove swiftly out of the den’s grounds.

After a tense drive,Selena arrived at the Dark Moon Conglomerate tower,calm and cloaked in composure.She never allowed personal pain to compromise her duty to the pack.This time,she focused her entire formidable will on her work.

Selena reviewed Kian’s secure communication.Then,she finalized the tactical file and transmitted it to his private data nexus.It was moments before Kian transmitted his acknowledgment.

Kian:

$$Approved.Maintain constant surveillance on this initiative.$$

As always,his replies were brief and devoid of warmth.

Selena:

$$Acknowledged.$$

After sending her reply,Selena began assigning the necessary tasks to her Beta team.

The hours bled swiftly into the afternoon.Selena was preparing to leave the Alpha Tower when she received a direct link from Kian.

$$Return to the den without me.I have separate obligations this evening.$$

Selena’s lips pressed into a thin line.His words were sharp claws raking her spirit.With deliberate,trembling control,she transmitted her reply.

$$Understood.$$

Selena was once afforded the respect of a highranking female within the Volkov bloodline.Kian would always inform her of his critical meetings or alliances with other dominant Packs.Now,he simply referred to his movements as“separate obligations.”

Of course,Selena knew exactly what and who these separate obligations concerned.Lyra.

Kian:

$$I neglected to inform you earlier,but I retrieved a customary tribute for you during the dominance trip.It is in my travel case.You may claim it when you return.$$

Selena typed a final reply.

$$Received.$$

Kian frowned at the terse acknowledgment.He felt a rare,unexpected spike of agitation.He leaned back in his highbacked chair,closed his eyes,and pressed his powerful fingers against his temples.

Lance,Kian’s Beta aide,knocked on the heavy timber door.“Excuse me,Alpha.Lyra has been escorted to the inner sanctum,”he announced,entering the office.

Meanwhile,Selena was striding toward the lift when she noticed the lower ranks of the Pack Nexus operatives murmuring and casting quick glances.

“Did you catch the female who was ushered to the Alpha’s sanctum?Was that his claimed Mate?Moon Goddess,she possesses magnificent breeding lines.”

“Indeed.A shame she wore a protective veil.I couldn’t scent her lineage clearly.”

“Wait…doesn’t her essence hint at Lyra?”

“The Volkov Alpha’s first claim?No way!Was that truly her?We heard she had been settling in the Western Territories.”

“That’s formidable.Her bloodline and the Alpha’s presence create an exceptional pair.”

Selena’s eyebrows furrowed.One of the operatives noticed the Luna in their midst.“Selena!AAlpha’s Mate!”she stammered,casting a warning glance at her colleagues.

The staff instantly hushed their whispers and bowed respectfully to Selena.“Good evening,Luna.”

Selena offered a strained smile and calmly commanded,“The shift has ended.You may stand down.”

Then,she resumed her measured pace toward the lift.Her back was rigid,and her movements were cold and deliberate.The heat of tears pooled at the edges of her vision.

She needed to escape the tower.The air suddenly felt too thin,too tainted.She could not bear the fact that she was sharing the same reinforced structure with Lyra and Kian,who were now undoubtedly claiming their union.

‘Did she come here to formally claim his dominance?’

‘The bond has not yet been severed.Has he forgotten that his political Mate works in this very tower?How could the Alpha show such disrespect to the Volkov name?’

The lower ranks continued their hushed chatter,but they had already shifted the topic.

“Luna Selena is so strong.But every time I sense her presence,I feel subdued and nervous.She possesses the same cold control as the Alpha.They are truly like a dominant pair of Kin.”

“Wait!Selena is the Alpha’s sister?”One of the newly appointed operatives asked.

“They share no blood,no.Her late AlphaFather coerced the Volkov Matriarch to incorporate her into the bloodline due to ancient debt.”

“By the Moon!Where did you learn this knowledge?”

“From the inner Pack communications.”

“Still,Selena is exceptionally strategic.She is a powerful director.”

In the secured,subterranean transport center,Selena fastened her restraint harness.As she looked up,her gaze locked onto the last sight her wolf desired.

Kian wore the white ceremonial tunic she had chosen for him earlier.It suited him perfectly.It wrapped his muscular frame and made him look impossibly regal.

Beside him,a female cloaked in a veil and hood—a deliberate suppression of her scent—had her hands possessively wrapped around his powerful arm as they walked.Her gaze was singularly fixed on him as she spoke.

Kian tilted his head,his focus entirely hers.His eyes held a flicker of warmth as he responded to her words.The female let out a playful whine and shook his arm.

Kian offered her a soft smile and inclined his head in acceptance.Selena watched his lips shape the silent affirmation,“Lyra.”

Lyra,Kian’s first and true desire,had finally returned.

The sight of the two of them together felt like a sudden plunge into glacial water.

A brutal,final realization.

That Alpha was the Sire of her pup.They were meant to be celebrating the strength of their new bloodline.

But now,that Alpha was openly escorting his true Mate into the night.

Selena felt her entire body seize with an uncontrollable tremor.Tears blurred her vision as she released a series of gasping,heavy sighs.Bitterness and profound pain surged through her,wave after wave.

She had never sensed Kian this gentle or this happy before.He had always been stoic and quiet,maintaining a formal distance from her for the past three years.Selena had rationalized this,comforting herself by believing that it was simply his dominance—always quiet and indifferent toward all but matters of Pack necessity.She had lied even to her own wolf.

Now,she witnessed that all her selfimposed beliefs about Kian were false.He possessed the capacity for warmth and profound care,but only for a different female.

The two passed directly by her shielded transport.They did not even register Selena’s scent,or the proximity of her vehicle.Not even Kian.

“Luna Selena,you’ve returned to the den.Do you require a prepared meal?”The Omega aide politely inquired.Her smile faltered slightly when she noticed the faint scent of distress clinging to Selena.

The question,however,was lost on her.Selena moved like a wounded machine,walking toward her sleeping chamber in a daze.

As soon as she sealed the door,Selena leaned against the reinforced wall and slid to the furs.She had lost all her core strength.She could not hold the rising grief in any longer.Tears streamed down her cheeks.She tightly clasped her chest,feeling the pain of the bond’s tearing spread from her heart to her entire frame.

She had endured so much in her young life.Her original Pack structure fractured when she was young,and she knew the hardship of a broken bloodline.The last thing she wanted for her pup was to inherit the same fragmented life she had.She wanted her heir to grow up secure in a unified and powerful Pack bloodline.But what dominance could she claim now?

After the passage of an hour,the attendant softly transmitted a knock to the chamber door.“Mate Selena,your evening meal is prepared.”

Selena closed her eyes.She cleared her throat and muttered,“Acknowledged.I will emerge shortly.”Then,she went to the purifying chamber to wash the evidence from her face.

She was wiping her face with a soft cloth when she suddenly remembered Kian’s communication.“The tribute…”she whispered.She wondered what token he had claimed for her.

Curious,she went to the storage wardrobe and sought out Kian’s travel case.A faint gasp escaped her lips when she opened the heavy leather.It was a rare,signed ceremonial scroll of a revered Elder,a piece she had often admired for its potent energy.

Selena carefully lifted the scroll and held it close to her chest.Just like that,the raw,debilitating pain she felt earlier slowly subsided.‘At least he remembered something I hold dear.He even remembered to bring me a tribute.’

‘He didn’t forget me entirely,did he?’

The following dawn,Selena woke up on the furs alone.She sat up for a long time,still in a daze.‘He likely spent the night in Lyra’s claimed territory,’she mused.

She released a weary sigh.She should have been mentally prepared for this final rejection long ago.Otherwise,she wouldn't feel this way—like her heart was about to explode,and her rational wolfmind was spiraling into chaos.

Suddenly,Kian’s scent spiked outside the door,followed by the soft click of the entrance seal.The door swung inward,revealing him,his Alpha gaze fixed on her with a hint of concern.He moved swiftly to the furs and studied her pale face.

“What is wrong,Selena?Are you compromised?”

Selena stared at him in surprise.A surge of fierce joy and fragile hope rose in her heart.She got out of the furs and shook her head.“I am secure.”

Kian frowned.“What happened?Command yourself to reveal the issue.”

‘Reveal the issue?’she inwardly scoffed.‘Should I command him that I do not wish for a Bond Severance?That I do not wish to be rejected?’

‘He brought me a powerful tribute.He did not scent of Lyra this morning.Does this mean his core loyalty still resides here?’

‘If I tell him I don’t want to end our political binding,will he halt the command?’

With a faint hope and renewed confidence,Selena turned to him and opened her mouth.But before she could speak,Kian added,“Even if we sever the bond,I will still be the Kin who claimed you under the Matriarch.You can tell me what disrupts your spirit,as in the old days.”

Selena blinked.Her knees trembled,forcing her to stumble backward.She felt as if the vital air had been instantly sucked from the chamber.All of her thoughts vanished in an instant,leaving her wolfmind utterly blank.

After a few moments,she looked at Kian and gave him her most practiced,sweetest smile.“Of course.But truly,Alpha,I am secure.You should attend to your Alpha duties.I will simply purify myself now.”

Kian’s brows remained furrowed.He released a sharp exhalation and said,“Selena,the Severance is not yet complete.Are you truly planning to withhold your loyal respect and act distant toward me now?”

Selena pursed her lips,suppressing the burning bitterness from her throat.She smiled again and shook her head.“What are you sensing,Alpha?”

Kian narrowed his eyes at her.“Very well.If you will not command yourself to reveal what troubles you,I will not push further.I will proceed to the Conglomerate.”

Without waiting for her reply,Kian turned and strode out of the chamber.

As soon as he sealed the door,the smile on Selena’s face dropped.Silence filled the room,oppressive and final.She no longer knew how to proceed.

‘Why is he showing such Alpha dominance over such trivial matters?’

‘Now,he displays impatience just because Lyra has returned?’

Selena fisted her hands in frustration.For the countless time,tears pooled in her eyes.

Selena arrived at the Alpha Tower on time.There were no traces of pain or unshed tears on her face.

“Selena,we just received a critical communication from Xena Wilson’s handler,”her attendant said,concerned.

The new line of the McKesson Initiative,a Dark Moon Pack asset,would be unveiled soon.Xena,the new rising huntress,would be the face of the brand.Xena had gained the Pack’s attention with her vibrant and powerful essence,which aligned perfectly with the Initiative’s theme this cycle.

“What is the critical matter?”

“She offered no details,Luna.However,she insisted that you must speak to her directly.”

Selena nodded and grabbed the communication device.“This is Selena,Mate to the Alpha.”

“Selena.”

Lyka Sanders,Xena’s agent,sat on the edge of her seat,trembling with seething fury as she endured the incessant ringing tone.Impatience and eagerness gnawed at her nerves as she waited for the director to complete the circuit.Finally,when the ringing stopped and Selena’s voice commanded attention,Lyka snapped with immediate aggression.

“Selena,if you truly believe Xena is unworthy of your Pack’s endorsement,command it directly!You are not our only alliance!After we secured her away from all other endorsements,you are now severing the pact?Are you playing tricks upon our territory?You owe Xena a full explanation for this breach of contract.”

Hearing the aggressive tone and the accusation of a broken pact,confusion immediately surged through Selena.Still,she maintained her Alpha composure and managed to calmly reply,“Lyka,you must calm your inner wolf.Xena is our chosen huntress for the campaign.How could we possibly do that?”

Lyka seemed to believe Selena was merely feigning innocence,so she reiterated what had happened with a cynical snarl.“Huh?You do not know yet?The director of your Public Relations department communicated with me personally and declared they would replace her.”

Finally grasping the disruptive situation,Selena paused momentarily to mentally fortify her response,aiming not to worsen the interPack relations.She then commanded,“Lyka,I will immediately clarify this rogue action and provide your side with a full explanation.”

The directive pacified Lyka somewhat,and the call circuit was finally terminated.

Selena massaged her temples for a moment before rising and striding directly to the Dark Moon Conglomerate’s Public Relations quadrant.During her three years securing the McKesson Initiative,Charlene Johnson,the head of the Public Relations department,had frequently attempted to disrupt her mandates.

As Selena strode toward the Public Relations quadrant,an operative couldn't help but whisper,“It seems a display of dominance is about to occur.”

Sighing,she added,“Director Charlene and Mate Selena have never aligned peacefully.”

The moment Selena stepped into the Director of Public Relations office,she wasted no time.Without further ceremony,she demanded,“Charlene,command yourself to explain this intervention regarding Xena’s endorsement.”

Charlene was not surprised to see Selena approach her territory.She crossed her arms,adopting a slow,calculated pace.“Mate Selena,why are you projecting such aggression?Please take a seat.”

A sharp irritation flashed through Selena’s eyes.She replied,“Do not attempt to subdue me.Alpha Kian has already granted his approval of the plan.Why are you interfering with the McKesson Initiative?”

“So what if I intervened?What dominance level do you possess to command me?If it were not for your shortlived AlphaFather,could you even be incorporated into the Volkov bloodline and serve as the McKesson director?You seem to have forgotten the debt that brought you here,”Charlene taunted,refusing to display any sign of submission.

Selena felt the powerful,ancient anger boiling within her wolf’s blood,but she managed to lock down her composure,meeting Charlene’s gaze with steely resolve.“My assignment to the director position is not your concern.You possess no relevant data,yet you project great dominance,”she retorted.

She would not allow anyone to insult the memory of her AlphaFather!Never!

As the tension between Selena and Charlene escalated,the air in the chamber felt dense,suffused with a charged atmosphere that drew the attention of many operatives away from their duties.Instead,all eyes were fixed on the fiery exchange unfolding before them.

“What?Am I incorrect?Are you not the female who tried to burrow her way into the Volkov bloodline?Did you not attempt to lure Alpha Kian?”Charlene added fuel to the fire,wearing a disdainful snarl as she looked sarcastically at Selena.

Charlene had frequently sensed Selena’s presence near Kian’s den and observed her entering his secured sanctum several times in the Conglomerate.Thus,she utilized her resources to investigate the Mate.She soon discovered Selena was merely a debtburdened female,relying on her AlphaFather’s past service to the Volkov Patriarch for adoption.It was rumored that Selena even used this ancient debt to manipulate the Volkov family into politically binding her to the Alpha.And now that she held a position of rank,she repeatedly pestered and attempted to entice Kian.

Charlene’s raw jealousy only intensified as she continued her barrage of accusations.“Unfortunately,Lyra has returned to the territory!So now,Alpha Kian will not grant you a moment of his focus,no matter how much you submit!If your shortlived AlphaFather knew—”

Before Charlene could complete her final insult,Selena’s core control fractured.Her hand struck Charlene’s cheek with astonishing speed and raw force,the sharp,cracking sound echoing through the entire quadrant,leaving every operative gasping in shock.

Charlene clutched her burning cheek,her eyes wide with disbelief and outrage.“How dare you strike me,Selena!Your AlphaFather deserved his shortened life with such a dishonorable daughter like you.He should have—”

For the second time,Selena did not permit Charlene to finish her hurtful words.“Since you possess no knowledge of respect,I will initiate the lesson,”she commanded,raising her hand once again.

But just as she prepared to strike Charlene’s face again,someone behind her intervened,seizing her wrist with an iron grip.Selena struggled against the restraining hold,but her efforts were utterly futile against the superior strength.When she finally turned to witness who had stopped her,she was taken aback to find Alpha Kian standing there,his expression severe and dominant.

Selena’s voice trembled slightly,“Alpha Kian.”