Let Me Go, Alpha

Chapter 1

The annual Alpha meeting was always about Dinlas and Victoria. Every year, he brought her along as if she were his Luna, flaunting her in front of the other packs while I stood by, watching in silence, enduring it all.

Despite everything, I still wanted to be with him, hoping time would change everything.

"You used your mother’s life to trap me into this marriage. I hope you’re satisfied, Theia. I may be your husband in public, but the woman I love is not you. Don't expect that I'll return your affection," he spat in disdain.

“Sign these.” I threw the divorce papers at him and intoned coldly, “Since you badly wanted to be with Victoria, I’ll step aside. You two can finally be together.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, “Theia... I’m so, so sorry. Let's start over again, okay?”

——

I ran, my heart pounding in my heart like a drumbeat I couldn’t escape. The scent of blood thickened in the air as I neared the pack’s border, and a sickening dread crawled up my spine.

"Eris!" I screamed her name, praying—begging—that I was wrong. But then I saw her.

My legs nearly gave out as I reached the clearing. There, lying crumpled among the blood-soaked grass, was my daughter’s mangled body. her frame twisted at unnatural angles and blood... so much blood. It pooled around her, seeping into the earth as if the very ground was weeping for her.

"Eris!" I choked out again, falling to my knees beside her.

Her tiny hand was still wrapped around a cluster of medicinal herbs, clenched so tightly her knuckles had gone white.

"No... no..." My voice cracked, barely above a whisper. I rocked her back and forth, tears streaming down my face, mixing with the blood on her clothes. "I'm so sorry. I wasn’t there. I wasn’t there to protect you."

Eris had been everything. My world. My hope. And now... now she was nothing more than a cold body in my arms.

I called Dinlas over and over, desperate and hysterical, but I couldn't get through to him. When he finally answered, I barely had time to speak before he barked, “Where’s Erin? I told her to get the herb. Why isn’t she back yet? Victoria’s waiting!”

"You-"

I hadn't finished my words when I heard Victoria's coquettish voice sounded. "It hurts Dinlas..."

"Tell your daughter to hurry up, or else she won't like what I'll do to her!" After saying that, Dinlas cut off the line and even blocked our mind link.

I couldn’t believe what I heard. The same old story. The same disregard for our family. The annual Alpha meeting was always about Dinlas and Victoria. Every year, he brought her along as if she were his Luna, flaunting her in front of the other packs while I stood by, watching in silence, enduring it all.

This year, they had insisted on bringing Eris along. Victoria had said she wanted to “get close” to our daughter, to “bond” with her, as if the years of resentment and neglect could be undone with a few pleasantries. I should have known better. I should have refused. But I hadn’t.

And now my daughter was gone.

I wanted to bury her remains, but Eris' body was Incomplete, and I could only choose to cremate her.

Days passed in a blur. I kept myself busy, or at least tried to, but no amount of distraction could lift the weight pressing down on me. Every corner of the house felt colder and darker without my daughter. I couldn't stop thinking about how everything could have been different. Maybe if I had fought harder, maybe if I had—

The door burst open with a loud crash, shattering my thoughts. I blinked and looked up, startled, just in time to see Dinlas storming in. His eyes were dark with fury.

“Where's the medicine?” Dinlas roared, his voice vibrating through the walls.

I stood frozen for a moment, his rage slamming into me like a tidal wave. “What?”

“Eris!” he bellowed, eyes blazing as he stepped closer. “Where is she? I told her to get the herb, but she didn’t come back to the party. Did you hide her? Tell her to apologize to Victoria right now! Victoria’s been nothing but generous despite what Erin did! Look how you’ve spoiled her! Don't you know that Victoria was forced to stay in the clinic because of that?!”

I forced myself to stand tall, even though everything inside me was crumbling. I didn't care whether Victoria died, or if something bad happened to her, I just wanted to end everything today.

“Sign these.” I threw the divorce papers at him and intoned coldly, “You have no right to discipline Erin. Since you badly wanted to be with Victoria, I’ll step aside. You two can finally be together.”

His eyes flashed with anger, and he tore the papers with his claws. “Erin did something wrong, and you want to divorce me because I'm trying to discipline her? You've gone nuts!”

“Discipline? What did Erin do wrong, Dinlas? What crime did she commit that you sent her out alone to get that freaking herb? Do you even know what happened to her?”

But before I could finish, he snapped, “Enough! I told her to get the herb. So what? She's already grown up, and she had alpha blood—what could have happened? She’s always whining to you because you're spoiling her!”

“She's just five years old! She couldn't shift yet, but you're treating her as if she's one of your warriors!” I took a deep breath and added, "I'm done with all of this nonsense. Just divorce me like you've always wanted to."

I handed him another set of divorce papers and said coldly, “Erin won’t trouble you anymore. Just sign it.”

My daughter was innocent, but her only mistake was being born into this family.

Dinlas’s face darkened, his voice rising in fury. “Enough with your nonsense! I gave you what you wanted before and now you want a divorce? Do you think you’ll get custody? Dream on!”

Without waiting for me to speak, he stormed out in a rage.

Tsk. It seemed that he thought I was just simply throwing tantrums, and my anger would soon pass. But this time was different. I was exhausted and I just wanted to get far away from here.

Chapter 2

I’d always known Dinlas wasn’t mine—not really. The Fates had never tied our souls together, no invisible string drawing us closer, no signs from the Moon Goddess to tell me he was my destined mate. But that never stopped me from loving him. Loving him from afar, silently, without expectations. Dinlas, the son of the Alpha, always seemed so far above me, like a star I could admire but never touch.

The only reason I was ever close to him was because of my mother. She was Ourea’s protector—the Luna’s personal warrior. My mother had earned her place through years of service, loyalty, and strength, but even so, our family wasn’t the same as Dinlas’. Our worlds were close, but still apart, separated by an unspoken barrier of rank and destiny.

Then one day, the rival wolves broke through the pack's border and attacked us without warning, savage and desperate. I wasn’t there, but I heard the stories—how my mother stood in front of Luna Ourea, shielding her from the rival' attack. She fought them off but at the cost of her life. By the time the others arrived, it was too late. My mother had saved the Luna, but she couldn’t save herself.

I was called to her side, the scent of blood thick in the air, her life slipping away with every breath. I knelt beside her, holding her hand, trying to be strong for her, but I could feel her slipping. Her grip weakened, and her voice trembled as she spoke her final words—not to me, but to Ourea.

“Please fulfill Theia’s wish,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “Marry her to Dinlas. That’s all I ask.”

Ourea nodded, her face stricken with grief and guilt. She agreed, and I could see the weight of my mother’s death pressing down on her, the burden of a promise she didn’t want to make. I knew it wasn’t out of love or kindness. It was because my mother had died for her.

And so, I was promised to Dinlas.

I should have felt joy, and on some level, I did. After all, I had dreamed of this moment my entire life. I had loved him quietly, patiently, and now, in a way, he was mine. But it wasn’t how I had imagined. My mother was gone, and there was no warmth in Dinlas’ eyes when he looked at me. Still, I tried to find comfort in the fact that I could finally be with the man I had always wanted, even if he didn’t love me back. However, on our wedding night, Dinlas made sure I knew the truth.

We stood alone in our chamber, the ceremony long over, the pack celebrating outside. I waited, heart pounding, hoping for some sign of affection, some acknowledgment that I was his wife now. But when he spoke, his voice was cold, void of emotion. "You used your mother’s life to trap me into this marriage. I hope you’re satisfied. I may be your husband in public, but the woman I love is not you. I'll respect my mother’s wishes, but don't expect that I'll return your affection."

True to his word, Dinlas maintained the image of a devoted husband in front of others. Our marriage was a sham, but I still loved him, so I stayed quiet, playing the role of the dutiful wife, pretending that the ache in my chest wasn’t tearing me apart.

He didn't celebrate Erin's birth and even said she shouldn't have been born as a daughter. I thought everything would change once I married him, but instead, I was the one trapped in a loveless marriage. The life I had gained by sacrifice now felt like a curse.

After Erin died, I returned to the small, rundown home where I’d lived with my mother. However, I knew that I wouldn't be able to move forward if I stayed there, so I packed my things, held the urn, and was about to leave, but before I could step out, the door swung open.

"I've looked for her everywhere but Eris is not here. Where did you hide her?"

"Where is Erin? Bring her out now!"

I clutched the urn tighter, my heart pounding as I met Dinlas' furious glare.

"You have no right to even speak her name. Get out and take your mistress with you!"

My defiance only stoked the fire in his eyes. His voice dripped with venom as he stepped closer. "Shut up. I guess I’ve been far too lenient with you. You've raised Erin to be as twisted as you!"

The blood froze in my veins as his command swept through me. I bit my lip and defied him. "Erin is just five years old! What could you possibly blame her for?"

Victoria stepped forward, her movements deliberate, pulling away her mask to reveal a face covered in angry red welts. Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears as she looked at Dinlas. “I just wanted to get closer to her, but it seems she Eris doesn't like me. Don't blame her, Dinlas; she probably didn't know what she gave me was wolfsbane.”

Dinlas exploded. "Stop defending her! Eris scarred your face because Theia has poisoned her mind!"

I stared at him, incredulous. "Dinlas, she’s your daughter! How could you accuse her without evidence?!"

Glaring at me, Dinlas thundered, "I saw it with my own eyes when Eris hurled the wolfsbane on Victoria's face! Do you think I'm blind? Get her here and I'll teach her a lesson!"

"She won't be coming because she's dead..." I retorted with difficulty.

Chapter 3

"Theia, you don't have to lie just to hide Eris. We just wanted to understand why she tried to kill me. You know that wolfsbane is dangerous for us, but you still let her do that," Victoria said softly, but her words grated at my ears.

“How dare you!” My whole body shook with the force of my fury as I glared at Victoria, her venomous accusations still ringing in my ears. She stood there, smug, her eyes gleaming with malice as if she had every right to speak about Eris like that.

“I won’t let you smear her name!” I screamed, my vision blurring with tears of rage. “Eris didn’t try to kill you! She wouldn’t—she’s dead because of you!”

Without thinking, I lunged at her, my claws unsheathing as my anger took over. The only thing I wanted at that moment was to tear her apart, to see her face as twisted and broken as mine felt inside. If it weren’t for Victoria, Eris would still be alive.

Victoria didn’t even flinch as I came at her, but before I could reach her, Dinlas moved between us, his aura crashing down on me like a tidal wave.

“Stay still,” he commanded, his voice heavy with authority.

My body froze instantly, the weight of his Alpha aura crushing me. It was as if I were being suffocated, my limbs locked in place, my muscles straining against the invisible chains holding me down. I fought it—gods, I fought so hard—but the more I struggled, the more the pain grew. It felt like my bones were being ground into dust, every nerve in my body screaming in protest. I could barely breathe, let alone fight.

"You're prepared, aren't you? You even made this fake urn to fool me," Dinlas spat. Only then did I realize I was still holding the glass jar—the urn that held what little remained of Eris.

Before I could react, Dinlas reached out and snatched the jar from me. “Give me that.”

“No!” I cried, panic flooding my chest. I tried to hold on, but he was stronger. The urn slipped from my grasp as he yanked it from my hand, and I watched in horror as he hurled it across the room.

It shattered against the wall with a deafening crash, glass shards raining down in a cascade of destruction. Eris’ ashes were scattered across the floor like dust in the wind.

“No!” I screamed, “How could you—how could you?”

"Still lying? Since you like ruining faces, I'll ruin yours!"

Before I could process the heartbreak, Dinlas grabbed me by the back of my neck and slammed me to the ground. My face hit the cold stone floor, and I felt the sharp sting as the glass shards from the shattered urn pierced my skin. Pain radiated through my body, but it was nothing compared to the anguish I felt watching the remains of my daughter being desecrated right in front of me.

Dinlas pressed his hand into the back of my head, forcing my face further into the shards. The metallic scent of blood mixing with the scent of ash.

“Where are you hiding her?” Dinlas growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Where is Eris?”

I choked on a sob, my entire body trembling with pain and rage. “She’s dead, Dinlas!” I screamed through gritted teeth, my voice muffled by the floor.

“Enough!” His voice boomed in the room, silencing me with its force. His grip tightened on my neck, and I could feel his anger like a storm crashing down on me.

“I won’t ask again,” he said, his voice a deadly whisper. “Where. Is. She?”

He thought I was hiding Eris? He thought I was lying to him, protecting her? The absurdity of it burned in my heart, mixing with the grief and the rage until I could hardly think straight.

"You want a divorce? Fine then, but you’ll never see Eris again."

Upon saying that, he stood up and called his beta through the pack link. "Prepare the divorce paper, and look for Eris. Leave no stone unturned."

He listened for a moment, then his expression shifted slightly as the voice on the other end hesitated.

"Alpha Dinlas... Eris... Eris is dead. The night you sent her to Northhill Mountain, she was attacked by a group of rival, so we had no choice but to cremate her. Today was supposed to be her burial..."

As soon as his words fell, Dinlas froze, seemingly unwilling to believe his trusted aid.