23

23
Alpha Richard Brown.
I never imagined I would kill her. Not like this. Not in front of everyone who mattered.
“She’s not good enough to clean my boots, let alone be my Luna,” I had said about my real mate many times.
But Amelia? Amelia had been everything I wanted. Strong, fierce, and beautiful. The perfect Luna for an Alpha like me.
Now she lay dead at my feet. My claws, still slick with her blood, trembled as the reality crashed over me.
I had torn out her throat right there in the grand hall, witnessed by every Alpha in the territory. Her lifeless eyes stared up at me.
Everyone just stared. No one moved. No one even breathed. They were too scared. The beast inside me had taken over, and everyone could see it.
“WHY?” I screamed at the air, my voice breaking. “Why did you kill my mate, Parker? TELL ME WHY!”
My wolf’s voice slithered through my mind, cruel and mocking. “Your mate?”
His laughter was like shards of glass in my skull. “Did you really just call her your mate, Richard? She was never mine. The Moon Goddess never blessed us with her. She was your creation—a convenient lie you told yourself because you’re too much of a coward to face the truth.”
Pain exploded through my chest as if my heart was being ripped apart.
“She was never our true mate, and she never could be,” Parker continued, his rage building like a storm. “Did you think I would stand by and watch you mark that pretender? Did you think I would let you murder our real mate for this fake?”
My heart felt like it was breaking into pieces. “What are you talking about? You killed her because of that weak girl? That nobody? You killed my Luna for HER?”
“Since you killed my chosen Luna,” I yelled back, “I swear to you, Parker—if I ever get my hands on your precious little mate, I’ll kill her too. I’ll make her suffer just like you made Amelia suffer.”
Then Parker took complete control of my body. I felt helpless as my wolf spoke through my mouth to all the guests.
“Distinguished Alphas and Lunas, you’re free to return to your territory,” Parker announced through my mouth. “The self-claimed Luna is dead. She’s not my true-fated Luna, but a fake one pretending to be my real Luna. I offer no apologies for what you have witnessed today.”
One by one, the Alphas filed out, their faces masks of shock and disgust. My wolf had stolen everything from me—my body, my dignity, my carefully built reputation. He had murdered my chosen Luna and proclaimed her a fake before the entire werewolf community.
Oh, my reputation was gone. I couldn’t believe he had done this to me.
All of it seemed like a dream to me. The stupid mate he kept bugging me to accept was a weak one.
He wanted me to accept that incognito wolf as my Luna and make her my queen. I was still thinking when Ray, my best friend and beta, walked in.
Great. Another lecture coming my way.
“Richard,” his voice was tight with confusion and concern, “what the hell was that performance in front of all those Alphas? I don’t understand what just happened.”
“Performance?” The word exploded from me like a gunshot. “You think this was some kind of act? This is all because of my psychotic wolf! You know me, Ray. You know I could never hurt Amelia. I cared for her. Parker murdered her—not me.”
Ray’s expression softened with something that looked like pity. “I warned you this would happen, didn’t I? I told you your wolf would never accept anyone but your true mate. Your stubbornness led to this tragedy. You killed her, Richard. Not Parker—you.”
Was Ray trying to anger me to death? Instead of comfort, he was pouring salt into my wounds. I had just lost the strongest, most perfect Luna I could have asked for, all because of my wolf’s obsession with some worthless girl.
“Ray, please,” I whispered. “I can’t do this right now. Just... leave me alone.”
“I’m here as your friend, not your beta,” he said gently, stepping closer. “Your real mate isn’t the monster you’ve made her out to be in your head. You need to accept her, Richard. Accept her as your mate and Luna.”
The last thread of my control snapped. Another person demanding I bow to that weakling—just like my nagging wolf.
“What is your problem?” I snarled. “What is everyone’s obsession with her?”
“Richard, you need to listen—”
“Why can’t you all just leave me in peace?” I roared, my voice shaking the walls. “My world is falling apart, and you want to pile more guilt on me? If you’re so fascinated by that worthless female, take her yourself! Mark her, mate her—I don’t give a damn. She means nothing to me.”
Ray staggered back as if I’d struck him. “Wait—what did you just say? Are you telling me to mate with her? You’re giving away your mate to another wolf?”
“I REJECTED her, Ray!” The words came out like venom. “I rejected that pathetic excuse for a she-wolf. She is not my mate! She will never be my mate! Don’t you dare mention her name in my presence again—do you understand me? Am I making myself crystal clear?”
Ray’s face went pale. “You’re going to regret this, Richard. Abandoning your true mate will destroy you.” He turned and walked away, his disappointment hanging in the air like smoke.
“Regret?” I screamed at his retreating form. “The only thing I regret is not getting rid of her sooner!”
I wanted to make sure he heard every word. Why was everyone so invested in controlling my life? Why couldn’t they understand that my choices were mine to make?
“Everyone keeps begging you to accept her, but you’re too proud and stupid to listen,” Parker’s voice cut through my thoughts like a blade. “If I were you, I would crawl to her on my belly and beg for forgiveness.”
Not again. Not now. These two would never give me a moment’s peace.
“You said it yourself, Parker—if it were YOU, not me,” I growled back. “I will never give you control again. I’ll die before I let you steal my body again. I don’t want her, and I never will.”