My Ex Returned When I chose another Alpha

"Perhaps losing it isn't such a terrible thing," Kael said with a faint smile. "After our mating ceremony, we'll simply build another den. One larger than this one. What do you think?" As he spoke, his eyes lingered on me, as though he were already imagining the future we would share beneath the Moon Goddess's blessing. Every so often, he stole another glance at me, waiting for the smile he expected to see. I noticed every one of them. I simply pretended I hadn't. Once, words like those would have filled me with more joy than I could contain. Now, I no longer wished to waste even a single tear on him. My indifference gradually drained the warmth from his expression. He knew I was still upset, yet he made no real attempt to comfort me. The few words he had spoken tonight were already more patience than he had shown me in a long time. Afterward, he left to cleanse himself in the hot springs behind our den. Not long after he was gone, the moonstone resting upon the table shimmered with silver light again and again. The constant glow became impossible to ignore. I reached over and placed my hand upon it. The moment our auras touched, a stream of memories flowed from the moonstone. They were memory crystals. Every one of them held an image of Kael and Lyra together. Some showed them dressed in the ceremonial robes worn during a sacred mating rite. Others captured them wandering through the market, laughing together as though they truly belonged to one another. A dull ache spread through my chest. So this was the truth. The impatience he always reserved for me had never existed for Lyra. I remembered the countless times I had dragged him through the artisans' quarter, hoping he would help me choose the ceremonial robes for our own mating ceremony. Each time, he had frowned before we had even entered the first shop. "They're all the same. Choose whichever you like." That impatient expression remained as vivid in my memory as though I had seen it yesterday. His indifference toward me had been real. Just as the tenderness filling every memory crystal of him and Lyra was real. "What are you doing?" His voice suddenly echoed through the den. Kael strode inside, his damp hair still carrying the scent of the hot springs. The moment he saw the glowing moonstone in my hands, his expression changed. He snatched it away so roughly that I lost my balance and fell against the edge of the sleeping furs. "Have you no respect for another wolf's private memories?" His face was still flushed from the warmth of the springs, but his voice was cold enough to make the air between us feel like winter. I lowered my eyes. His grip had scraped the back of my hand, leaving a thin trail of blood where his claws had grazed my skin. The truth was, even if he had not returned just then, I would not have looked any longer. I had already seen everything. Many sleepless nights before, I had secretly touched that same moonstone, watching memory after memory until dawn painted the sky. By morning, my eyes had been swollen from weeping, yet I had still smiled at him and pretended I had only just awakened. How laughable. For seven years, I had chased after him alone. Every mind-link between us had begun with me. Every conversation had been carried by me. Most of the time, he answered with only a few careless words before severing the connection. I had clung to those scraps of affection as though they were enough. In the end, I had only made a fool of myself. "I'm sorry," I murmured, lowering my gaze. "I won't touch your moonstone again." He fell silent. It was obvious he had expected tears or accusations, not quiet surrender. After a long pause, he spoke awkwardly. "Those memories..." He hesitated before continuing. "Lyra said choosing ceremonial robes exhausted her, so... I merely accompanied her. Nothing more." His voice grew softer. "You know I promised Rowan I would protect her. Don't misunderstand." I said nothing, allowing his explanation to fade into silence. Rowan... Lyra's elder brother. He had once been Kael's closest companion. Years ago, when Kael was still only an ordinary warrior with neither status nor territory, Rowan had risked his life to deliver a sacred treaty to the Alpha on Kael's behalf. He never returned. A rogue ambush claimed his life before he reached the pack borders. With his dying breath, he had asked Kael to watch over Lyra. Kael had honored that promise. Too well. What had begun as simple protection slowly became involvement in every corner of her life until there was no place left for me. I drew a slow breath. Only a few days remained before I returned to my birth pack. There was no longer any reason to hide my thoughts. "You don't have to worry about me misunderstanding anything," I said quietly. "Truthfully... if you and Lyra were to complete the mating bond together, I think—" Before I could finish, a sharp slap struck my face. The force sent my head to one side. "What nonsense are you saying?" Kael roared. "Lyra has always regarded me as nothing more than the brother her own flesh and blood entrusted her to. Do you think she would disgrace herself the way you have?" My cheek burned as though scorched by fire. Yes... Lyra was nothing like me. She had never spent seven years foolishly believing that love alone could earn a mate's devotion. My vision blurred with tears. Before they could fall, however, I caught the flash of regret that crossed Kael's face. His shoulders stiffened. "I..." His voice faltered. "I didn't mean that." "I'm sorry." For a fleeting moment, I wanted to tell him everything. Kael... I'm leaving. Before the words could leave my lips, the moonstone hanging at his waist suddenly blazed with silver light. The instant he touched it, Lyra's trembling voice echoed through the mind-link. "Kael... I dreamed of my brother again. I'm frightened... Can you come? I don't want to be alone..."

"Don't be afraid. I'm coming." The moment Kael heard Lyra's trembling voice through the mind-link, every trace of urgency surfaced in his own. He hastily pulled on the clothes nearest at hand, fastened his cloak, and strode toward the entrance of our den. Just before crossing the threshold, he slowed. As though only then remembering I was still there, he turned back. "Weren't you about to tell me something?" By then, I had already buried everything I wanted to say. "It can wait," I answered quietly. "We'll speak after you return." He gave a brief nod before disappearing into the night. The next morning, I woke to an untouched sleeping fur beside me. He had never come home. With only a few days left before I returned to my birth pack, I decided there was no reason to remain at the pack's healing lodge any longer. I informed the Head Healer that I was leaving my duties, then gathered the garments I no longer wished to keep, intending to donate them to the younger wolves of the pack. As I stepped outside with the bundles in my arms, voices drifted from the neighboring den. Curiosity made me look. Several pack warriors were carrying finely crafted furnishings through the entrance, while others arranged them according to someone's careful instructions. Among them all, Kael was impossible to miss. One arm rested lightly around Lyra's shoulders as he patiently directed every detail, making certain each piece was placed exactly where it belonged. That meticulous nature had always been his. When we first built our own den together, he had spent days overseeing every stone, every beam, every piece of furniture with the same unwavering attention. "A den should always feel like home," he had told me then. Yet now, the den we had once shared barely held any trace of his presence. "My Lady?" An elderly she-wolf collecting donations smiled gently at me. "Are these the garments you wished to give away?" Her voice drew me back from my thoughts. Before I could answer, Lyra skipped out of her new den. "I've been plagued by nightmares every night," she said with a timid smile. "Kael worried about me, so he prepared this den for me. We're neighbors now." She blinked innocently, looking every bit the helpless young she-wolf others believed her to be. No matter how hard I tried, I could never bring myself to like her. I turned to leave. Before I had taken more than a few steps, a startled cry rang out behind me. Lyra suddenly staggered backward as though someone had shoved her. She collided hard with one of the heavy cedar chests the warriors were carrying, striking her lower back against its corner. "Ah..." Her eyes instantly filled with tears. The next moment, Kael rushed from the den. Without sparing me so much as a glance, he gathered Lyra into his arms, his hands carefully checking the place where she had been struck. The concern in his eyes was impossible to mistake. "Selene." His voice was heavy with disappointment. "Must your jealousy truly go this far?" I stared at him in disbelief. Beside him, Lyra hurriedly shook her head. "No... please don't blame her." She forced a fragile smile despite the tears clinging to her lashes. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have moved here. I only caused trouble... Perhaps I was never meant to stay." Kael's expression softened immediately. "Don't say such things." He squeezed her hand gently. "You're my sister." A dull ache spread through my temples. Watching them perform this scene over and over again had long since become exhausting. I turned to enter my own den. Before I could close the door, Kael's hand stopped it. "Apologize to Lyra." At last, my patience snapped. "And why should I apologize for something I never did?" "You've bullied her before." His gaze hardened. "This wouldn't be the first time." A bitter laugh escaped me. Kael had never cared about the truth. He only believed what he wanted to believe. Lyra lowered her head, looking every bit the gentle martyr. "Please... don't argue because of me." Her voice trembled. "It's my own fault. I simply lost my footing." Kael clasped her hand even tighter. When he looked at me again, it was as though he were staring at a stranger. "I never realized how small-hearted you truly are," he said coldly. "You can't even tolerate someone who has already lost so much." Every word sank into my heart like a blade. Even so... I refused to apologize. Lyra continued murmuring that her back hurt. Without another word, Kael bent down and lifted her effortlessly into his arms before carrying her toward the pack's healing lodge. I watched until they disappeared from sight. Only then did I remember I, too, had meant to visit the healers. For months, peaceful sleep had become a distant memory. Night after night, I lay awake until dawn without knowing when the sleeplessness had first begun. After exhausting every sleeping herb the healers had prescribed, I finally decided to seek another examination. The healing lodge was quieter than usual that morning. After receiving fresh herbs from the Head Healer, I stepped outside— Only to see Kael and Lyra once again. I wasn't surprised. The healing lodge closest to our territory was this one. Lyra rested comfortably in Kael's embrace while he carried the pouch of medicinal herbs the healers had prepared for her. As they passed, many she-wolves watched them with unconcealed envy. One heavily pregnant she-wolf smiled wistfully at the tall warrior beside her. "Look at the way that wolf cherishes his mate," she whispered, unable to hide the longing in her voice.

Lyra lowered her eyes shyly, her cheeks tinged with crimson, while Kael seemed completely unaware of the way others looked at them. We met just outside the entrance of the healing lodge. She was still cradled securely in his arms. I intended to walk past them without a word, but Lyra shifted uneasily against his chest, her face growing even redder. "Kael... you can put me down now." He frowned. "Your back is injured. Stop moving." Only then did his gaze fall upon me. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his brows drawing together. "Are you unwell?" I lifted the small pouch of sleeping herbs in my hand. "I haven't been sleeping well." He was quiet for a moment before saying, "I'll have one of the warriors bring fresh moon lavender to the den. Place it beside your sleeping furs. The scent should help." It sounded almost like concern. He looked as though he wanted to say something more. Before he could, Lyra suddenly let out a soft whimper, clutching instinctively at the front of his tunic. Just then, the enchanted stone platform carrying us through the healing lodge gave a violent jolt. A deafening crack echoed overhead. The moonstones embedded in the walls dimmed all at once, plunging the passage into complete darkness. My breath caught. Without realizing it, I crouched against the cold stone wall, every muscle in my body trembling uncontrollably. I had always feared the dark. Kael remembered. "Selene?" His voice echoed through the darkness. "Selene... are you all right?" "I-I'm..." My voice shook so badly I could barely force out the words. For a brief moment, silence followed. Then I heard him speak again. "Lyra, let me set you down for a moment. Selene is afraid of the dark—" Before he could finish, Lyra's frightened sob interrupted him. "But... I'm frightened too, Kael." Her voice quivered pitifully. "Please don't let go of me..." After that... Kael never called my name again. Every gentle word, every quiet reassurance, was meant for Lyra alone. I hugged my knees tightly, my palms slick with cold sweat as my body continued to shake. This was not the first time. Years ago, Kael and I had become trapped together inside one of the mountain passages beneath the pack. A cave-in had sealed the exit, extinguishing every moonstone around us. Back then, terror had stolen my voice. I could only shiver helplessly in the darkness. Kael had wrapped me tightly in his embrace. Though he hated dirt and disorder more than anything, he had never once complained about the tears soaking through his clothes. He had only held me closer, gently stroking my hair until the rescue warriors found us. Just... As he was comforting Lyra now. "Kael..." The darkness weakened every wall I had built around my heart. Warm tears slipped silently down my cheeks. For one foolish moment... I found myself longing for the warmth of his embrace again. Instead, his quiet reply drifted toward me. "Lyra is injured." The tiny spark of hope inside me died without another sound. I lowered my head into my folded arms and remained silent until the moonstones gradually rekindled, filling the passage with pale silver light once more. When the stone platform finally reached the ground level, I stepped off without looking back. Even after returning to the den, my heart had yet to steady. Mother had already sent several enchanted memory crystals through the family moonstone, each containing a different ceremonial robe prepared for my mating ceremony with Lucian. I never found the strength to look at them. Instead, I sat quietly beneath the window, watching the sunlight slowly creep across the floor. Only after night had fallen did Kael finally return. He carried a bundle of freshly gathered moon lavender in one hand and a wooden food box in the other. "I brought supper." I opened it. Inside was a bowl of creamy shellfish stew. For a long moment, I simply stared at it. Kael had forgotten. I had been unable to eat shellfish since childhood. Even the smallest bite would leave my entire body covered in painful rashes. He noticed my silence only then. A trace of embarrassment crossed his face. "I forgot." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Eat while it's still warm." I lowered my gaze. Without a word, I lifted the bowl and finished every last drop. Not long afterward, angry red welts spread across my arms and neck. I acted as though I felt nothing. "Come home for supper tomorrow." My voice was calm. "It's your birthday." He looked at me in surprise. Then, after a brief pause, he nodded. "I'll be back." I rose quietly and fetched a packet of herbs from the medicine cabinet to ease the allergic reaction. Cooking had never been one of my strengths. The only meal Kael had ever truly praised was the long-life noodles I prepared for his birthday each year. That evening, however, no matter how many times I started over, they never turned out right. Rather than waste the food, I forced myself to eat every failed attempt. As the night deepened, I watched the shadows creep slowly across the floor. I had already decided. Once Kael returned and finished his birthday meal... I would leave. This time, forever. But he never came home. Instead, the moonstone at my bedside glowed softly. The instant I touched it, Kael's voice sounded in my mind. "Lyra burned her hand while preparing supper. I'm taking her to the healers." His voice remained as steady as ever. "You don't have to wait for me. Eat first." His lies... Had never been convincing. I quietly activated the memory crystal another packmate had secretly shared with me. Within its silver light appeared the image of Kael and Lyra standing shoulder to shoulder before a birthday feast, their fingers intertwined beneath fluttering ribbons while smiles brighter than moonlight filled their faces. "Selene?" Kael's voice came again through the mind-link. "Can you hear me?" I closed my eyes. "It's all right." I smiled faintly, though no one could see it. "Take your time." The connection faded. I crushed the long-life noodles in my bowl and scattered them into the fire. Kael no longer loved me. Perhaps setting him free would make us both happier. I quietly picked up the travel bags I had prepared days ago and walked out of the den without looking back. Before leaving the territory, I gathered every memory crystal that recorded Kael's years of intimacy with Lyra and released them into the pack's public moon pool, where every wolf connected through the Moon Goddess's blessing could witness them. If I was leaving... I refused to leave in silence. As I stepped across the boundary of my birth pack's territory, I touched my moonstone one final time. "Happy birthday." After a long pause, I added only two more words. "Farewell, Kael." I never spoke of breaking our bond. After seven years without ever completing the Moon Goddess's sacred mating rite, there had never truly been a bond to break. Even the children I had silently returned to the Moon Goddess... had meant nothing to him. Just as I was about to sever the connection between our moonstones forever, Kael's mind-link came through unexpectedly. Before I could stop it... The connection was established.