The Alpha’s Reluctant Mate

Valerie's POV:

I looked around and came to a painful truth—I had nowhere to go. I was just a poor orphan who had scraped her way through college, juggling multiple jobs after losing her parents.

And now?

Now I was pregnant, broke, jobless, and completely alone.

The only person who offered help didn’t want me—he just wanted the baby growing inside me.

“We need terms.” Sebastian said flatly, not bothering with whether I had agreed or not. “You will move into the Packhouse, you will not move around unsupervised, you can't step without my permission and you will have to put up an act in front of the elders and the Pack until the job is done.”

I swallowed the pain and kept my voice calm. “I don’t plan on sticking around longer than I have to.”

He smirked. “Good. Then make sure you don’t screw this up.”

I silently vowed to use this situation to my advantage—steal some money, protect my unborn child, and escape the second I could.

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Settling into the mansion wasn’t easy. The rooms were large but void of life, and every glance Sebastian cast my way was cold, almost like he was expecting me to break and run.

Days slipped by, and I kept to myself, quietly piecing my plan together, one step at a time.

I started by learning his schedule—when he left, when he returned, his routines down to the minute. Then I managed to figure out the code to his study door. I hadn’t yet found the chance to get inside, but even that small win felt like progress.

I’d expected to have more time alone, to move faster with my plan. But out of nowhere, Sebastian began taking me with him to Pack events.

He would always introduce me as his Mate, his smile wide and convincing, telling anyone who asked that the Moon Goddess had blessed him with the perfect woman.

And when people asked why we weren’t married yet, he’d say he was planning a grand celebration—a Mating Ceremony, a wedding, and a Luna Crowning all wrapped into one glorious festival. He claimed it would take about a year to prepare everything.

At the first event we attended together, I could feel the stares. Whispers followed me wherever I walked: Is she really his? Why hasn’t she ever been seen before? Is this some kind of power move?

Sebastian never addressed any of it. He stood by me, calm and composed, his expression unreadable. And just like that, the pack took the hint—don’t dig too deep.

One evening, we went on what was meant to be a staged dinner date at a five-star restaurant. The goal was to show the world—especially the nosy Elders—that there was something real between us, that I wasn’t just some placeholder he’d brought in to ease the pressure.

I caught glimpses of the man behind the armor. The way his eyes softened for just a second when he talked about his Pack’s safety.

When I asked quietly. “Why do you carry so much alone?” He hesitated, then said. “Because showing weakness is a death sentence.”

At that moment, his words caught me completely off guard. A part of me wanted to reach out to him—but I quickly reminded myself of why I was here.

This wasn’t about him, it was about the baby.

When we returned to the Packhouse, we were met by a tense, wide-eyed Gamma who looked like he had urgent news for Sebastian.

The moment we stepped out of the car, the Gamma—Dax, if I remembered correctly—stepped forward wearily.

“Good evening, Alpha.” He began. “Jules and I came with news about the traitor.”

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “And where is Jules?”

“He’s inside, Alpha.” Dax replied.

Sebastian turned to me without missing a beat. “Go to your room.” He ordered, before looking back at Dax. “Let’s talk in my study.”

I waited until they were out of sight, then quietly slipped upstairs and made my way toward the study.

As I walked, I found myself silently praying that his study wasn’t soundproof. I needed to hear something. Anything that could give me more insight into him. Information was power, and I needed all I could get.

And maybe, just maybe, I was a little too curious for my own good. When I reached the study, I felt relieved because the door was slightly ajar.

Perfect.

I leaned in, pressing my ear gently against the wood, straining to catch every word.

“Are you sure about this, Jules?” I heard Sebastian ask.

“Yes Alpha.” An unfamiliar voice, I believed belonged to Jules, replied. “The Blood Moon Pack is mobilizing, and they are definitely planning something against us.”

“Also, Alpha.” Dax said, clearing his throat. “Clara’s name came up as an intel.”

Clara?

The name sounded familiar but I had no idea where I heard of it.

“Traitor.” Jules hissed. “We can’t let her get away with this.”

I lingered for a while longer before finally heading back to my room. On the way, I called for Lila, my personal maid, to join me.

“Who exactly is Clara?” I asked quietly as soon as we were inside the room.

Lila glanced around, then leaned in. “Clara? Oh, she was Alpha Sebastian's fiancée before you. But he broke it off publicly at the last Pack event. Accused her of not being his true mate.”

I nodded slowly, digesting the information.

“Since then, she’s been stalking the mansion. But no one lets her inside.”

“Sounds like trouble.” I murmured.

Lila shrugged. “That woman’s jealousy burns deep. You’ll want to watch your back.”

Suddenly, I found myself wanting to know more about Sebastian, the Pack, and the life I was slowly entwining with. But the plan never left my mind.

The next day, late in the evening I was seated behind the jeep that was driving back from the hospital after a routine check-up. Four guards rode with me, including the driver and Lila was seated quietly beside me.

We were halfway back when headlights appeared in the rearview mirror.

Gunshots filled the air and my heart slammed in my chest as one of the guards shouted. “Get down!”

I slammed the car door and dropped behind it, hands trembling as bullets ripped through metal around me.

The guards returned fire—four against a half dozen—but two of them fell. The night was filled with smoke, screaming, and the taste of fear.

I thought it was over when a figure we thought dead suddenly emerged from the ground, gun raised at me.

Before anyone could react, the trigger was pulled. I closed my eyes expecting the pain, but when nothing came, I opened my eyes to see Lila lying down lifeless before me.

She took the bullet meant for me.

I fell to my knees and held her in my arms as tears flowed freely out of my eyes. “No!” I gasped, tears blurring my vision as I clutched her tightly.

The man fired again, this time hitting my shoulder, and I fell on Lila's corpse, face front.

The last two things I heard was one guard swearing vengeance as he dragged me to safety.

And another saying. “This has to be Clara's doing.”

And just like that, I blacked out.