I Lost Everything, but My Alpha Shows Me the Way

Tavian’s final birthday wish was heartbreakingly modest. He didn’t ask for gifts or grand celebrations—he only wanted the three of us to be together, even just for one night. But Alpha Ronan, my destined mate and the commanding leader of the Kairo Pack, had never truly loved either me or our child. To him, we were obligations, not family. After days of pleading until my throat ached and my pride was worn thin, he finally agreed to show up, though it was clear he did so out of irritation rather than care.

When the evening of the celebration arrived, Ronan never appeared. The candles burned low, the food went cold, and hope slowly drained from my son’s eyes. That same night, Tavian slipped away from me forever. His small hand went limp in mine, his final wish left cruelly unanswered.

I handled everything that followed on my own. I organized the funeral rites, received the mourners, and stood beneath the gray sky as my son was laid to rest—all without the support of the man who was supposed to stand beside me. It was only after the burial that I learned the truth that shattered whatever was left of my heart: Ronan hadn’t been delayed by pack duties or emergencies. He had been with my sister, Lilith, spending the night amidst the snow-covered mountains beyond our territory, indulging in leisure while his son was dying.

Once the truth settled in, something inside me went quiet. I returned home, gathered my clothes and personal belongings, and packed without shaking hands or tears. My face was calm, my resolve unbreakable.

Only then did irony bare its fangs. The Alpha who had ignored my grief and abandoned his child suddenly begged me to stay. He chased after me, his voice breaking as he pleaded for forgiveness he no longer deserved.

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It never shocked me that Ronan would discard everything for Lilith. I had always known my place in his life—and it was never first. From the very beginning, even before fate bound us together, his heart had already belonged to her. I was merely the woman destiny assigned to him, while she was the one he chose. How was I ever supposed to rival his first love?

After leaving the cemetery, I returned to the pack house that was supposed to be our shared home. Stepping inside only emphasized how rarely Ronan occupied the space. It was almost laughable—if anyone truly paid attention, they would know that the Alpha barely lived in his own residence. For years, it had only been Tavian and me filling these rooms with life.

My son’s presence clung to every corner. His laughter seemed to echo faintly down the corridors, and his portraits still lined the walls where I had proudly placed them. Each step I took felt heavier than the last. The silence was unbearable. I broke down as I began removing the remnants of our life together. Every toy, every piece of clothing, every keepsake had to be put away—but with each item I packed, it felt as though I was losing Tavian all over again.

I dragged my suitcase down the stairs, my arms trembling, when I suddenly came face to face with my mate. His unexpected appearance startled me—until I realized he wasn’t alone. Ronan was carrying Lilith in his arms as though she were something precious. His expression was full of concern, his movements careful and protective. He brushed past me without a word, as if I were nothing more than a stranger in my own home. Not once did his eyes meet mine.

I was used to this kind of disregard. Whenever Lilith was present, I ceased to exist. It had always been that way. Even when my former pack forged an alliance with Kairo during our youth, Ronan’s attention had been fixed solely on her. That was why it stunned him years later, during his coming-of-age ceremony, when fate revealed that I—not Lilith—was his destined mate.

It wasn’t until he noticed the suitcase beside me that he finally stopped. His tone was flat, bordering on irritated.

“Lyra,” he said coolly, “what are you doing now?”

Lilith tightened her arms around his neck and glanced at me with feigned innocence.

“Lyra, I’m feeling lightheaded,” she said softly. “Alpha Ronan thought it would be better if I rested here, so he brought me back. You don’t have a problem with that… do you?”

It was nothing more than mild dizziness. Still, I watched as Ronan gently lowered her onto the sofa, his hands tender as he rubbed her temples, treating her as if she might shatter at the slightest touch.

Old memories rose unbidden. After our mating and marriage, he had never once shown me that same care. When I had been attacked by a rogue and returned bleeding and shaken, he hadn’t come to see me—not even after I begged him to.

His reply back then had been distant and uncaring:

“It’s just a wound. You’re not dying. Don’t interrupt me over something so trivial.”

I was his mate. I was his Luna. Yet none of those titles ever mattered to him at all.