Chapter 4: She Took My Mate. She Took My Child. Now She Wants My Pack.

As an Alpha, my life was always in danger. Our pack had enemies, and every day, we fought to prevent war. I never expected the enemy to come from inside my pack, inside my own home.

I marched into the pack house, fury burning through my veins. Storming up the stairs, I followed the sound of giggling until I reached the guest room door.

Kicking it open, I thrust what I was holding toward my husband and his omega.

"Zenobia, what the hell are you doing?" he roared, scrambling to cover himself. "Can't you knock?"

"You!" I growled, rage pumping through my veins. "You tried to kill me!"

I pointed at Rebecca. "W-what? You're crazy!"

"Zeno, what are you talking about?" Maxwell got off the bed, hastily pulling on his pants.

"I found Rebecca's necklace at the cliff, right where someone pushed me off."

Maxwell turned to look at her. For a moment, the room fell silent. I thought my husband would believe me—he should.

"I would never," Rebecca said, feigning offense. "Babe, tell me you don't believe her, she's crazy.

Maxwell looked between us both. "Of course not," he muttered, embracing her. "Zeno..."

"What?" My voice broke as tears fell. "You'd rather believe her, a woman you met two weeks ago, over the woman who's been by your side since we were kids?"

"Zeno, come on. Rebecca is my mate, and she's innocent. You're just being crazy."

The words sank into my heart like poison.

"Maxwell." Rebecca pouted, drawing circles on his naked chest. "I think Alpha Zenobia is just jealous of me. She misses you and doesn't know how to handle loneliness."

"Maxwell, I was pregnant. I told her that morning before I went for a run. Then miraculously, someone pushes me off the edge and her necklace is right there? Don't you see it?" I pleaded, trying to reason with him. "I had a dream about her. This woman will bring death and destruction to our pack. She's an omen—the Moon Goddess showed me our pack is in danger at Rebecca's hands. If you continue—"

"Zenobia, STOP!"

Maxwell's roar shook the walls. "Pregnant? When do these desperate lies end, Zenobia? Now you’re claiming to have gotten some premonition from the moon goddess? It’s not enough that you accuse my precious mate of murder, but you also taint the sacred legacy of the moon goddess by inserting her in your lies?"

Rebecca pressed herself against Maxwell's back, her hands sliding over his chest. "Baby, she's just trying to manipulate you," she purred, pressing soft kisses to his shoulder. "You know I would never hurt anyone."

I watched in disgust as Maxwell melted under her touch. Every time doubt flickered in his eyes, every time he might have considered believing me, Rebecca was there – touching him, kissing him, wrapping him tighter in whatever spell she'd cast.

"The necklace is right here," I held it up, my voice breaking. "How else would it be at the cliff where I fell?"

Maxwell started to turn toward me, but Rebecca caught his face in her hands. "My love, I lost that necklace hours ago. I thought she stole it. I've been so upset about it." Her lower lip trembled. "I can't believe she would use that to try to hurt me."

“Maxwell, there’s something off about..’’

"Zenobia, enough!" Maxwell wrapped his arms around Rebecca protectively. "Get out. Now."

I backed away, reality crashing down around me. The man I loved was gone, replaced by Rebecca's puppet. My dreams flashed through my mind – Rebecca standing over burning bodies, our pack in flames. It wasn't just about me anymore. It was about saving my pack, even without my wolf or my husband.

I rushed back to my office. Every Alpha instinct I had was screaming that Rebecca was a threat. But who would believe me? Who was powerful enough to help?

The image of that massive black wolf by the springs flashed through my mind.

"Alpha Zenobia?" Amber's voice pulled me from my thoughts. She stood in the doorway, concern etched on her face. "What happened?"

I moved to my desk with shaking hands. "Rebecca has Maxwell completely under her control. He won't listen, won't see what's right in front of him." I pulled out my official stationery and the ceremonial feather pen. "But I saw her in my dreams, Amber. She'll destroy everything – our pack, our people, everything my parents built."

"What are you going to do?"

I stared at the blank paper before me. What I was about to do could either save us all or destroy what little stability we had left. The Lycan King was the most powerful wolf alive – he could crush our pack with a single command. Would he even read a letter from a desperate Alpha? And if he did, would he see my request as weakness or threat?

"The only ones powerful enough to help us now are the Lycans," I said, starting to write. "The Moon Goddess showed me what's coming. She led the Lycan King to our territory that night. It wasn't coincidence – she was showing me where to find help."

I sealed the letter with shaky fingers, my parents' words echoing in my mind: "The Lycan King's power is unmatched. His word is law. Cross him, and you risk everything."

"Take this to our messenger in the tunnels," I told Amber. "Tell him to send it down the tubes to the Lycan King's territory. Mark it urgent – Alpha Zenobia of the Silver Moon Pack seeks an audience."

As Amber hurried away with my desperate plea, I sank into my chair. The fate of my entire pack now rested on whether the most powerful wolf in our world would even bother to read a letter from a wolfless Alpha.

I stared out the window at my unsuspecting pack members going about their daily lives.

"Please," I whispered to the Moon Goddess. "Let him read it. Let him understand."

But as darkness fell over our pack, another thought haunted me: what if he did read it – and decided to destroy us all?