Page 17 of The Careless Alpha
“Of course he is,” Scarlett scoffed. “He’s a good Alpha. He’s kind to everyone. He’s kind to the omegas who clean his boots. Does that mean he wants to mate them?” She reached out and patted my hand, a gesture of mock comfort that made my skin crawl. “The fact that you can’t tell the difference between an Alpha’s political kindness and a man’s genuine desire is exactly why you’re not fit to be his Luna.”
That was it. That was the blow that shattered my composure. The carefully constructed walls I had built around my heart crumbled into dust. They had taken every scrap of hope I’d hoarded, every kind look, every warm word, and twisted it into a weapon to be used against me.
It cannot be true,Sapphire whimpered, her confusion and pain mirroring my own.Our mate… he would not be so cruel. Ranger would not be so cruel.
But he was with them, wasn’t he? Night after night. Year after year. That was a fact. That was the truth I couldn't deny, the truth they were now using to build their monstrous lie. And if it was a lie, why did it suddenly feel more real than anything I had ever believed?
“Poor thing,” Veronica murmured, watching the blood drain from my face. “She actually believed the fairy tale.”
Scarlett stood up, her victory absolute. “Enjoy your books, Annalise. Learn all you can. It’s a shame you’ll never get to use any of it.”
They swept out of the library, their triumphant laughter echoing off the leather-bound spines of books that told the stories of great Lunas of the past. I was left alone in the sudden, deafening silence. My hand, of its own accord, reached out and rested on the cool, worn leather of the book I had been studying. Its weight felt real, solid—a stark contrast to the flimsy, terrifying story they had just spun. I looked at the words on the page—treaties, alliances, succession, loyalty—and they were meaningless.
I was a placeholder. A duty to be fulfilled and then discarded. A naive child playing dress-up in a life that was never meant to be mine. My eighteenth birthday, the day I had looked forward to with such breathless anticipation, was no longer a promise.
It was a deadline. The end of my life as I knew it. And it was coming for me.
Chapter 8
Marshall - Age 23
With Annalise turning eighteen in just four months, everyone expected me to settle down.
I knew my personal life was about to become official pack business in a very permanent way as soon as my mate’s eighteenth birthday arrived. The unspoken expectation was that I would settle down, end my casual relationships, and prepare to be a mated Alpha. I wasn't ready yet, but I would be in four months.
The winter air was crisp and clean as I made my way across the pack territory toward the training grounds. At twenty-three, I'd been Alpha for nearly three years, and the role fit me like a second skin. The pack respected my leadership, our alliances were strong, and our territory was more prosperous than it had ever been under my father's rule.
Soon, the discussions would turn to a Luna ceremony and an Alpha heir.
"Marshall!" Veronica’s voice rang out across the courtyard as I passed the main lodge. She appeared from behind one of the decorative planters, looking stunning in a fitted coat thatcomplemented her blonde hair perfectly. "I was hoping I'd run into you."
I slowed my pace, allowing her to catch up. Veronica had been making her interest increasingly clear over the past few months. Unlike some of the other she-wolves who'd been vying for my attention, she had a brain to go with her looks and contributed something useful to pack discussions. But she wasn’t my mate.
"What can I do for you, Veronica?"
Her smile was radiant. "I wanted to thank you for supporting my proposal about expanding the herb gardens. The Elders approved it this morning."
"It was a good idea," I said honestly. "Medicinal herbs are always valuable, and they give our healers more resources to work with."
"I'm so glad you think so." She fell into step beside me, close enough that I caught the scent of her perfume. I never understood why she-wolves wore perfume when they had a perfectly good scent without it. Annalise was one of the few she-wolves I knew who didn’t waste money on perfume. "I was wondering if you might want to see the proposed site? I could show you my plans for the layout."
The invitation was innocent enough on the surface, but the way she looked at me suggested she had more than herb gardens on her mind. A year ago, I might have taken her up on it without a second thought. These days, every interaction with unmated she-wolves felt loaded with expectation and ulterior motives.
"Maybe later," I said diplomatically. "I've got training to oversee."
Her face fell slightly, but she rallied quickly. "Of course. Maybe this evening? After the pack dinner?"
Before I could answer, another voice cut through the air. "Marshall!" Tiffany bounded up to us with the energy ofsomeone who thrived on chaos, her red hair bright against the dull landscape. She was bold and impulsive, all fire and attitude, where Annalise was quiet and thoughtful.
"Tiffany," I acknowledged, noting how Veronica's expression cooled at the interruption.
"I've been looking everywhere for you," Tiffany said breathlessly. "Did you know there's a rogue problem near the eastern border? Beta Jackson said you might need extra patrols, and I volunteer. I'm one of the best trackers we have, and—"
"The rogue situation is under control," I interrupted gently. "But I appreciate the offer."
Tiffany's face lit up anyway. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me. I'm always available for whatever you need."
The double meaning in her words wasn't subtle, and I saw Veronica's jaw tighten. The competition between the unmated she-wolves had been intensifying lately, and I was starting to feel like a prize bull at auction. All that would end when I mated and marked Annalise.