The Alpha's RegretChapter 1: The Forgotten Ritual
It was a night I had dreamed of for years—the night of the full moon when my mating ritual would finally happen. I stood in my shimmering dress, the moonlight reflecting off the fabric, waiting for Scott Stone, the man I thought would be my forever. But he never came. As the hours passed and the moon rose higher in the sky, I realized the ceremony wouldn’t happen. I waited, eyes gleaming with hope and hurt, but in the end, I was left alone.
By the time the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, I had become the subject of whispers and ridicule among the pack. My mother's heart was already fragile and didn't survive the shame. She passed away that very night, her life ending as mine shattered. Before the day ended, Scott’s first love, Winona Lei, posted a picture. “You’re always there for me,” the caption stated. The photo showed their closeness together.
I stared at the screen, shaking with rage. I sent Scott the screenshot. “Is this why you missed our mating ritual?” I asked, but he didn’t reply until after my mother’s ashes had been laid to rest. His response was cold. “We can get married any day, but she can’t live without me.”
I didn't text back. Instead, I sent him my final message through our mind link: Let’s take a break. Then, I blocked him, cutting the last connection between us.
For seven years, I had tried to make him happy, molding myself into the person he wanted. When he said he liked short hair, I cut mine. When he made comments about my weight, I starved myself to fit his idea of perfection. I even faced my painful transformations alone, terrified of appearing weak in front of him. But no matter how much I gave, Winona was always in the picture, and Scott always returned to her. “You’re strong, Ariana. You don’t need me like she does,” he would say, using my strength as his excuse to leave.
After blocking Scott, I found myself at my mother’s grave. I traced her name on the cold stone, the reality of her absence sinking in. My mother had been a constant in my life, especially after my father passed. She had wanted to see me married to Scott, but that dream died with her.
As I stood there, Scott appeared, with Winona at his side. She clutched an urn to her chest. “This place is near my den. If I bury my baby here, it’s like he never left,” she whispered, speaking of her pet dog.