The first breakdown came when I discovered the Alpha who'd once sworn to bond with me for life had betrayed our pack—for a high-born Beta female barely past her first shift.
When Lily had a fever, one howl from Raven Frosthollow was all it took. He'd abandoned us and walked out of the den without a backward glance.
Then came the despair. Alaric's cruelty knew no bounds. To force my hand so he could claim Raven openly before the pack, he'd cut off our share of the tribute entirely.
But what could I do?
I'd refused to accept the Bond Rejection because I wanted Lily to have an intact pack family. But tonight, at that birthday moot, Alaric's words had slapped me awake.
An Alpha who could use his own pup as a bargaining chip to please his intended mate—keeping him in our lives would only cast an endless shadow over my child's future.
If he was so desperate to run to his chosen female, then fine. Let him go.
A dull ache throbbed in my chest, making it hard to breathe. I forced myself to stand, intending to check on Lily in her sleeping chamber.
She'd cried so hard earlier. I was worried the stress might trigger her condition overnight.