My Alpha Mate Kissed Another Omega On Stage, I Step Back To Fulfill Their Love Chapter 02
I was five years older than James. He was twenty-five; I was thirty.
Ever since he’d taken over as Alpha, I was the one supporting him from the shadows.
I helped with everything. I was involved in major decisions about expanding the pack’s territory.
I also took care of small details, including choosing the suits he wore when meeting other Alphas. I never complained.
When he first became Alpha, he said he needed to focus on pack related issues and asked to postpone our mating ceremony. I agreed.
Within Aurorun Pack, I always greeted his friends as a subordinate.
But the moment we were back at the pack house, all his restraint vanished.
He’d shift into his wolf form, nuzzle affectionately against me, and steal kisses.
“Nelly’s absolutely devoted to Alpha.”
That was practically an open secret in the Wolf Council chamber.
Because of the secrecy, many even saw me as some opportunist trying to latch onto James.
Now, buried under an avalanche of ridicule, I stood frozen as pack members pointed and whispered behind my back.
My phone buzzed again. Another message from James.
[Don’t stand in the wind. Your old back injury might flare up. I’ll explain when I get back.]
I looked toward the stage.
James and Lorraine were still playing games alongside the other winning werewolf couples.
The losers had to chug an entire bottle of beer in front of the crowd.
Lorraine was terrible at every game. She lost first in almost every round.
“Lorraine’s not feeling well today, so she can’t drink. I’ll take the penalty.”
His expression never changed as he downed every bottle for her.
When his eyes met Lorraine’s nervous gaze, the corner of his lips lifted into a gentle, indulgent smile.
I knew that look far too well. It was exactly how he used to look at me—after he’d marked me.
I didn’t even remember how I left the marketplace.
By the time I got back to the pack house, I was barely thinking straight.
I sank onto a sofa in the main hall before I could hear a word of his explanation.
Perhaps the scene earlier had affected me more than I realized. My forehead began to burn.
James was about to come over when his phone rang.
Half a minute later, he was already hurrying toward the door.
“Lorraine might’ve caught a chill at the marketplace. She has a headache.”
“You know how fragile Omegas are. I’m going to check on her.”
As he reached the doorway, his phone rang again. He put it on speaker.
Lorraine’s deliberately sweet voice floated through the room.
“Alpha, when are you coming? Is Nelly refusing to let you visit me?”
Before James could answer, she raised her voice even more.
“Nelly, I really wore myself out with all those games today. My head’s killing me.”
“You’re going to be Luna, so surely you won’t mind if Alpha takes care of a sick pack member?”
James glanced at me. “Don’t worry. Nelly’s fine with it. I’ll be right there.”
Then he shut the door behind him without a second glance.
Rain poured outside.
I remembered how much James hated driving in bad weather.
Even when I had once been suffering from stomach pain so severe that I nearly passed out, he hadn’t rushed over.
Instead, he’d calmly sent his Beta to pick us up.
Back then, I figured it was because he’d been in a bad accident during a storm years ago.
When the healer scolded him for delaying my treatment, I had even defended him.
Now I finally understood.
It wasn’t because of the rain. It was because I wasn’t important enough.
I slumped deeper into the sofa.
Even my wolf seemed to feel the cold, shivering inside me.
Gradually, I lost the strength to do something as simple as walking to my bedroom to get a blanket.
James knew exactly what kind of condition I was in.
Years ago, while fighting rogues on the northern frontier, I had battled for days and nights without rest.
The injuries from that campaign left me with a chronic sensitivity to cold.
Even a minor cold could leave me bedridden for weeks.
Yet now, he had abandoned me in the pack house while my fever continued to climb.
I’d been his invisible mate for seven years. He had even marked me.
Countless times, I had asked him to hold our mating ceremony and publicly acknowledge me as his Luna.
And now, just when we were finally supposed to go public, he had kissed the Omega I had cared for and protected for years right in front of me.
The fever had me drifting in and out.
Through the haze, I heard my phone buzz.
With great effort, I forced my eyes open.
It was a message from the southern Werewolf Elite Legion.
The same legion that had been trying to recruit me.
[Nelly, I know you’ve stayed in Ashenwood because of your mate, but I still urge you to reconsider.]
[You know as well as I do—the opportunities here are beyond anything Ashenwood could ever offer.]
Darkness blurred the edges of my vision.
Thunder roared outside. Lightning split the sky.
Mustering every ounce of strength I had left, I typed my reply.
[I accept. I’ll report to Whisperwind Gorge in two weeks.]
