Luna Rejects Her Alpha

Pain seared through my body like liquid fire, each heartbeat sending fresh waves of agony through my veins. I tried to sit up, but my limbs felt leaden, refusing to obey my commands. The silver poisoning had spread faster than I'd expected, my immune system weakened by months of neglect and emotional abuse.

"Hudson," I whispered, hoping my mate would hear me through our bond. The silence that answered was deafening.

I forced myself to stand, gripping the bedpost for support as the room spun around me. My skin burned to the touch, fever spiking through my body as the silver toxins worked their way through my system. I needed Marcus, the pack healer, before the poison reached my heart.

The hallway seemed endless as I staggered toward the healing quarters, each step requiring all my remaining strength. The pack house was unusually quiet—most members were at the border patrol meeting I should have attended as Luna.

"Luna Salem," a voice called out as I leaned against the wall for support. Two Delta wolves approached, their expressions a mixture of pity and discomfort. "You shouldn't be here."

"I need to see Marcus," I managed through gritted teeth. "The silver—"

"Former Luna Siena has restricted access to the healing quarters," the taller Delta said, not meeting my eyes. "She said your condition isn't serious enough for emergency treatment."

The words hit me like a physical blow. "What?"

"She's organizing the monthly pack assessment and needs Marcus for the preparations." The second Delta shifted uncomfortably. "She said you should rest and drink plenty of water."

I wanted to scream that silver poisoning required immediate treatment, not rest and water. But the look in their eyes told me arguing would be futile. Siena's word was law now—Hudson had made sure of that.

I made it back to my room—not the Luna suite I once shared with Hudson, but a smaller chamber near the servants' quarters—before collapsing. The darkness that followed wasn't peaceful. It was filled with strange sensations, fragments of emotion that didn't belong to me.

Suddenly, I gasped as a wave of pleasure washed over me—not my pleasure, but someone else's. Through a haze of fever, I realized what was happening: a mind-link had formed, connecting me to another wolf in the pack.

"More, Hudson," a familiar voice purred in my head. Siena's voice.

"No one can know how good you feel," Hudson's deep voice responded, his tone intimate in a way he hadn't spoken to me in months.

I tried to block it out, to sever whatever unnatural connection had formed, but the silver fever had weakened my mental barriers. Every touch, every whispered endearment meant for Siena coursed through me as if I were experiencing it firsthand.

"Your Luna doesn't satisfy you like I do," Siena murmured, her mental voice dripping with triumph.

"Salem is... different," Hudson replied, his thoughts betraying his true feelings. "She's never been like you."

I curled into myself, tears streaming down my face as I felt my mate's hands caressing another woman, heard the sounds of their passion echoing in my mind. The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound.

When I finally emerged from my fever, the mind-link remained, a constant reminder of Hudson's betrayal. I found him in his office, Siena perched on the edge of his desk, her hand resting possessively on his shoulder.

"You denied me medical treatment," I said, my voice stronger than I felt. "The silver could have killed me."

Hudson's expression hardened. "Don't be dramatic, Salem. Marcus confirmed it was a mild case."

"Mild?" I stepped closer, swaying slightly. "I could barely stand."

"This is exactly what I warned you about," Siena interjected, her voice honey-sweet with false concern. "She's using her illness to manipulate you, Hudson."

I felt the mind-link pulse with Siena's satisfaction at her words. "And what about what I felt last night?" I challenged, looking directly at Hudson. "What about what you two did?"

Hudson stood abruptly, his Alpha aura flaring. "Are you spying on us now, Salem? Making up stories about private moments?"

"I didn't make anything up," I insisted, the memory of their intimacy burning in my mind. "I felt everything through a mind-link I never asked for."

"Enough!" Hudson's voice dropped to a dangerous growl. "Your jealousy and paranoia have gone too far. Siena has every right to restrict access to pack resources as needed."

"She's not Luna anymore," I whispered.

Hudson stepped closer, his eyes flashing with anger. "And you're behaving like you don't deserve to be either."