The Beta’s Regret

Just then, the delicious earthy musk, like the smell of a forest after a heavy rain-raw flooded my senses. My wolf,

|zza, reared her head, howling,

“Mate.”

| turned in the direction and saw him. Griffin-the young heir to the Alpha position. The man I'd heard so much

about from Belle, but never met in person. He was striking, with a presence that commanded attention, and |

could feel the unmistakable pull of the mate bond between us.

My heart raced. Was this truly happening?

Griffin's eyes locked on mine, and he seemed just as stunned. Within moments, he walked over and took my

hand to leadaway from the gathering. It felt like we were the only two people in the world.

We found ourselves outside, the evening air cool and quiet around us. My heart was pounding, but | barely

noticed anything but him. When he reached for me, | didn’t hesitate, leaning closer, wanting nothing more than

to be near him.

But just as our lips leaned closer, parting slightly, his whole expression changed. His eyes suddenly darkened,

and his gaze shifted down toward my stomach. His wolf stirred, and a look of realization dawned on his face.

“I... | can smell a small pup growing inside you,” he whispered, the words thick with accusation.

My chest tightened. “Yes... | chere to tell Belle. | didn’t know | would meet you,

Griffin's face contorted in fury, his eyes hardening as he took a step back. “You chere, carrying someone

else’s child, and you expectto accept you as my mate?” His words cut, laced with resentment.

“Please,” | reached out, desperate to hold onto him, to explain, but he shookoff.

“That’s unacceptable! You... you betrayedbefore we even met,” he spat, turning away from me. “What's

your name?”

“Rose... Rose, Willows,”

“I, Griffin Silver, son of Alpha Damanac, reject you Rose Willows as my mate and Luna,” he said, and my heart

shattered at his words and | could feel the bond weaken. It tooka lot not to fall to the ground in pain..

| stood on my feet, “No,” | whispered, my voice trembling. “I won't accept your rejection. Please forgive me. |

would fight and even stay till | win you back.”

He looked back at me, coldy “Then stay. Let's see how long you can endure this.”

For the first time, | felt truly lost. | should've gone back to my own pack, but | couldn't leave. | felt bound to him,

and held onto the hope that he'd see reason, that he'd forgive me. | moved into Belle’s parents’ house,

determined to stay close to him, hoping he would change his mind.

But days turned to weeks, and Griffin grew colder. | saw him less and less, no matter how | tried. And eventually,

Belle’s behavior towardchanged too. My best friend becdistant, her smiles faded until she becso

cold...

One evening, she walked into my room “I'm marrying him,” she announced, folding her arms.

| felt my heart drop. “Belle... he’s my mate. You know that. How can you...?”

“He chose me, Rose.” She met my gaze, her tone laced with triumph. “He’s made his decision, and it isn’t you.”

| couldn’t believe it. But when the day came, | stood there, watching my mate marry my best friend. My heart

shattered with every vow they exchanged. And as if that wasn’t enough, they madeserve as the lead

waitress during the reception, carrying trays, while Griffin's gaze never left mine, a satisfied smirk tugged at his

lips.

| felt the full weight of what I'd lost. But | clung to the hope that one day Griffin would cto his senses, that

the bond would bring him back to

1. me.

It didn’t.

Griffin's parents eventually stepped down, after passing the Alpha title to him and crowning Belle as Luna. They

moved into the Alpha’s house, and | stayed, begging them for a place. | lowered myself, asking if | could at least

work there, if not as his mate, then as a servant.

Life beca series of endless tasks, the work more strenuous each day, Belle’s bitterness towardwas

obvious in every command she gave. She seemed determined to makeregret every second | stayed. She'd

sendon the most exhausting errands...

Then, on a cold winter's night, | went into labor. | gave birth to you, Eden, alone in a small, cold room in the

Alpha’s home. When it was over, Griffin cto see you, looking at you with something close to acceptance,

and for a time, he grew gentler. | thought, maybe, he was finally seeing us as a family.

I should've known better. We fell into a routine, one where | bechis secret, sometimes he’d sneak to in the

night.

And when | discovered | was pregnant again, everything that night ccrashing down. Luna Belle discovered

the truth, and Alpha Griffin's anger flared back to life.

He cto me, yelling forto leave.

“But | have nowhere else to go, Griffin!” I cried, clutching 3-year old Eden close, with my other hand instinctively

covering the small bump.

“I don’t care.” His voice was harsh, and his gaze pierced through me. “You should've left long ago.”

They pushedout of the house, out into the bitter cold. The sky opened up, rain pouring down, soaking me

through in seconds.

“...I looked back at the house, my heart shattering with every step. The place I'd clung to, the man I'd loved, the

dreams I'd dared to hold-all of it gone. | had nowhere to go, and the road ahead felt endless. And that was how |

left, Eden...”