Stolen Heart: An Alpha's Sin for His Mistress

Our pup, Kyle Draven, is burning with a fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit. His small body convulses as he cries out for his father. But my husband, the Alpha, doesn't care. Julian Draven ignores our son's suffering because Kyle's cries might disturb his precious Linda Griffin. "Linda's trying on evening gowns. Stop using Kyle to get my attention. You're pathetic." Linda deliberately monopolizes my husband's time, then shows up with cake for Kyle like she's some saint. When Kyle eats it, he vomits black-purple blood. The cake had Wolfsbane. I confront her, desperate for answers, but Julian responds with a vicious slap and crushes me under his Alpha authority. "Linda wouldn't hurt a fly. How could she poison anyone? You clearly framed her. What kind of mother poisons her own pup?" He shatters my spine and throws both me and our dying pup into the Borderlands. Just as he gives the order to kill us, a roar erupts from deep within the forest—the kind that makes every beast submit. My childhood friend has returned. Chapter 1 The bonfire in the square blazed bright. Heat washed over my face, but it couldn't warm my frozen hands and feet. Today was Alpha Julian Draven's celebration. It was supposed to be my bonding ceremony with Julian too. But the woman standing in the center of the square, wrapped in a pure white gown and nestled against Julian's side, wasn't me. Her name was Linda Griffin, a human woman Julian had brought back with him. "Tonight, I swear to the Moon Goddess!" Julian's voice boomed as loud as ever, hitting every ear in the crowd. "The human, Linda Griffin, will be my one and only Luna!" The lively crowd fell deathly silent. Then, shocked whispers rippled through the square. I somehow managed to move my legs. All I felt was a small, warm hand clutching desperately at my skirt. It was our pup, three-year-old Kyle Draven. His amber eyes, so much like Julian's, filled with terror. "Julian!" I dragged Kyle forward and pushed through to the platform. My voice cracked from rage and fear. "What about Kyle and me? What are we supposed to be? Everyone's watching. You're really going to abandon me and our pup for a human?" Julian finally looked down. His gaze was so cold and distant that it made my blood run cold. "Ella, know your place." His voice was cold and dismissive. "You're just a tool to bear my heirs. As for Kyle..." He glanced at the crying pup, his brow furrowing in irritation. Behind him, Linda tugged lightly at the corner of his shirt. She looked at me, her lips curving into the briefest smirk before she quickly replaced it with a pitiful expression. "I'm so sorry, Ella." Linda's voice was soft as a whisper, yet somehow perfectly audible to the elders in the front row. "I didn't want to come between you two, but I'm already carrying Julian's pup. This is the product of true love. I can't let our pup grow up without a father." The crowd erupted. I stared at Linda's flat stomach. She was human and had no werewolf scent. But there was something strange about her smell. I couldn't tell if she was actually pregnant or not. "She's lying! She's human, Julian. She's human! How could she possibly..." "Enough!" Julian's roar cut through the air. The crushing weight of his Alpha authority slammed into me. My knees buckled and I hit the ground hard. That was when Kyle seemed to remember something. Trembling, he pulled a crooked flower crown from his pocket, woven from grass and twine. He'd spent three whole days learning how to make it from the pack elders for today's celebration. His little hands were covered in red marks from where the rope had dug into his skin. "Daddy... flowers... for you..." Kyle could barely get the words out through his tears, but he still lifted that crude little crown, trying so hard to please the cold Alpha in front of him. Linda glanced at the crown covered in dirt and bits of grass. She let out a shriek and pressed herself into Julian's arms. "Oh! There's a bug on it! It's so dirty. Julian, I'm scared of bugs..." Julian's eyes filled with rage. Not only did he refuse to accept his pup's innocent gift, but he lifted his foot and kicked it away viciously. The flower crown flew through the air and landed near the fire. Kyle froze. His little hand stayed suspended in midair. "Linda may be human, but she's gentler than you. Kinder than you. And stop letting him call me Dad." Julian protectively shielded Linda, then turned to look at me. "You're nothing like her. You gave birth to a bastard. Get out. Don't ruin our bonding ceremony." He didn't even glance at Kyle. He just turned and walked away. Kyle threw himself into my arms, sobbing uncontrollably. I could hear my heart breaking. Something inside my chest had shattered completely. Chapter 2 I was thrown out of the main house and moved into the place Julian had arranged for us. It was a run-down shack on the edge of pack territory. Wind whistled through gaps in the walls. There was only one torn mattress. Meanwhile, Linda became the most honored woman in the pack. Because she had no werewolf abilities, Julian ordered everyone to accommodate her. "Mommy, it's cold..." Kyle was sick. Between the shock from last night and the wind howling through every crack in the walls, his small body couldn't take it. His body burned with fever. The decrepit wooden house let in drafts from every direction. I wrapped our only blanket around him and even took off my jacket to layer on top, but I still couldn't stop his teeth from chattering. He mumbled "Daddy" over and over, each word like a knife carving out a piece of my heart. Werewolf pups had poor healing abilities. A high fever could kill them. I had nothing, not even a single coin to buy a fever reducer from the clinic. I had no choice but to use the mind-link that existed in name only. "Julian." I tried to keep my voice steady, trying not to sound like I was begging. "Kyle has a fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit. You're the Alpha. Even if you won't come yourself, can you at least have a Beta bring over some medicine?" The link stayed silent for a full ten seconds before background noise filtered through. There was soft violin music, rustling of fabric, and a woman's laughter. "I'm busy." Julian's voice came through like he was brushing off a telemarketer. "Linda's trying on evening gowns. This one's a bit tight around the waist. She's upset." I looked down at my pup convulsing with fever in my arms. My nails dug into my palms. "Julian! Kyle is your pup! He's burning up and going into convulsions! Just come see him. Please, just bring some medicine!" "Shut up." He cut me off, his voice dripping with disgust. "Ella, this attention-seeking tactic is pathetic. Linda's right. You always use Kyle as a bargaining chip. Stop bothering me, or I'll block you." I didn't have time to deal with the pain stabbing through my head. I grabbed Kyle and rushed out of the shack. The commercial district blazed with lights. Glass storefronts reflected my pathetic image back at me. My hair was disheveled, my eyes bloodshot, and my arms wrapped around my half-dead pup. When I passed the steakhouse, my feet stopped as though weights had been tied to them. Candlelight flickered through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Julian sat at the head of the table, carefully cutting into a medium-rare steak. Linda wore that supposedly "too tight" designer gown, her cheeks flushed as she opened her mouth to accept a piece of meat Julian fed her. That tender and juicy piece of meat probably cost half a year of my living expenses. Linda said something that made Julian laugh indulgently. He'd given me the same kind of tenderness three years ago too. Now he saved his warmth for that human and left nothing but cruelty for his own flesh and blood. I didn't go inside to humiliate myself further. Instead, I turned toward the pharmacy and begged the clerk to accept my expired spirit stone ring in exchange for the cheapest fever reducer they had. The next morning, someone knocked on our rickety door. Julian and Linda stood on the doorstep. Julian wore a tailored suit, his brow furrowed, as if the stale air might contaminate him. Linda clung to his arm with an elegant pastry box in her other hand, her expression perfectly guilty. "Ella, yesterday was my fault." Linda's voice was sweet and soft. "I didn't know Kyle was so sick. If I had, I would've made Julian come right away." She held out the pastry box. The logo of the most expensive bakery in the commercial district was printed on top. "Julian specially bought this Black Forest cake. We thought since Kyle's sick and everything probably tastes bitter, something sweet might help." I stared at the box. All I wanted was to throw it into the mud. "Take it." Julian's tone was flat. "Linda's being kind. Don't be ungrateful." With that, he wrapped his arm around Linda and turned to leave. He didn't even glance at Kyle, huddled in the corner of the bed. That retreating figure was so final, as if we weren't his family but trash waiting to be disposed of. I wanted to throw the cake away. "Mommy..." A weak voice called from behind me. Kyle's fever had barely broken. He stared at the pretty box, swallowing hard. Ever since we'd been thrown out, he hadn't had a decent meal. My nose stung. All my pride crumbled in the face of my pup's hunger. "Go ahead. Eat." Kyle devoured the cake, cream smeared across his mouth, showing his first smile in days. After he finished the last bite, Kyle licked his fingers reluctantly. Then he carefully reached under the mattress and pulled out the flower crown, half-burned and blackened, the woven grass barely holding together. He held it like a priceless treasure, his eyes bright as he looked at me. His voice was small but full of hope. "Mommy, Daddy bought me cake. Does that mean he forgives me? When I get better, I'll fix the broken parts and give him the crown again. "I'll tell him these are my favorite flowers. Daddy will accept it this time, right?" As I looked into Kyle's innocent, trusting eyes, my throat tightened. My heart felt like it was splitting open. He had no idea that in his beloved father's eyes, he was worthless. All I could do was hold back my tears and lie with a nod. Chapter 3 Midnight brought a nightmare. Kyle suddenly started convulsing, but this wasn't the trembling from fever. These were violent spasms. He opened his mouth wide, trying to breathe, but his throat made a sound like a broken bellows. Then he vomited up a mouthful of black-purple blood. Mixed with the metallic tang was a strange scent of bitter almonds. My blood ran cold. The fever medicine wouldn't go down. I hoisted Kyle onto my back and ran barefoot toward the healing center in the middle of pack territory. The elder on duty took one look at Kyle's deathly pale face and his expression changed. He pried open Kyle's eyelids, glanced inside, and immediately shouted, "It's Wolfsbane! Get the Alpha! Only Alpha blood can neutralize the poison!" Wolfsbane. A deadly poison to werewolves, especially pups. Even a trace amount could be fatal. I collapsed to the floor, clutching Kyle's ice-cold little hand. Julian arrived ten minutes later. He'd just gone to bed. One button on his shirt was fastened wrong, and his face was full of irritation. The elder handed him a small knife. Julian didn't hesitate. He sliced open his palm and let the bright red blood drip into Kyle's mouth. The powerful force of Alpha blood worked quickly. Kyle's breathing steadied. His face was still pale, but the deathly blue-purple tinge gradually faded. Julian casually wrapped gauze around his palm and stared coldly at me. "What kind of mother are you? How could you let Kyle get his hands on Wolfsbane?" "He didn't eat anything today!" I scrambled up from the floor, my nails digging into my palms. My voice was hoarse. "Nothing except the cake you two brought!" A startled gasp came from the doorway. Linda stood there wrapped in a coat, her face full of shock. "Ella, what are you saying?" She covered her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes. "Wolfsbane? I've never even heard of it. We bought that cake from a legitimate bakery. I ate a slice myself. How could it be poisoned?" "It was you!" I lunged at her, but Julian shoved me aside. I slammed hard into the medicine cabinet. Glass bottles shattered everywhere. "Enough!" Julian shielded Linda. "Linda's human. She doesn't know how to identify herbs, let alone extract high-purity Wolfsbane. Ella, you'd poison your own pup just to frame her?" "I poisoned Kyle? What kind of mother would poison her own pup?" I stared at him in disbelief. "Julian, has this woman blinded you? She's human, but that doesn't mean someone isn't helping her!" The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the quiet healing center. My face whipped to the side, and I tasted iron in my mouth. "Shut up." Julian lowered his hand. "If I hear you slander Linda one more time, I won't just exile you to the edge of pack territory." Linda pressed herself into his arms. Her lips curved into the briefest smile before she quickly transformed back into a frightened rabbit. "Don't hit her, Julian. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding. But how am I supposed to show my face in the pack now?" Just then, Kyle stirred on the bed. He'd barely regained consciousness and was still desperately weak. He forced his eyes open, and his little hand trembled as it reached toward Julian. "Dad... Daddy..." Kyle's voice sounded like it had been scraped raw, thin but full of longing. He remembered the warmth from before he passed out. He knew Julian had given him his blood. His father had saved him. The little pup fumbled under his pillow for a long moment before pulling out the charred, half-burned remains of the flower crown. It was the treasure he'd been clutching the whole time. He hadn't let go even when he was unconscious. "Daddy... I fixed it..." Kyle forced out a pleading smile and held up the clump of dried grass toward the tall man. "I'm not hurting anymore. Don't be mad, Daddy. It's for you..." Julian's gaze landed on the blackened thing. A flash of impatience crossed his eyes. He didn't even reach for it. Instead, as if he'd seen something filthy, he instinctively stepped back. "Get that away from me!" Julian knocked the crown out of Kyle's hand. "This is a healing center! You're making a mess everywhere. You have no manners!" Kyle's little hand froze in midair. The faint light in his eyes shattered bit by bit. "Don't pay attention to them." Julian wrapped his arm around Linda and turned to leave. "Let's go." I watched their retreating backs, then turned to look at Kyle, who sat there in a daze. That slap had completely destroyed my last illusion about Julian. That shout of "Get that away from me!" had shattered the image of a father in Kyle's heart. Julian wasn't the charming, strong werewolf I'd once been infatuated with anymore. Maybe he'd always been like this. I just hadn't wanted to believe it. The Alpha I'd loved for so many years had never loved me back. Whatever love I'd had left for Julian turned to ash in that moment. Chapter 4 I decided to leave. There was no place for us in this pack anymore. I gathered our few pieces of clothing and lifted Kyle, who'd just recovered from his fever, onto my back. The door swung open, and Linda walked in. She held a red apple in one hand and an elegant silver knife in the other. "Ella, I heard you're leaving?" Linda smiled and settled into the rickety chair. She began peeling the apple slowly and deliberately. "What a shame. I haven't had my fill of fun yet." "Get out." I stared at her coldly. "Don't be so mean." Linda toyed with the silver knife. The blade glinted cold and sharp in the moonlight. "You know what? Julian told me yesterday that Kyle's so ugly. He's like a little monster. "He said he's grateful he never bonded with you as his Luna. Otherwise, that shame would follow him forever." "Shut your mouth!" My whole body trembled as I shielded Kyle behind me. "He also said..." Linda stood and moved closer, step by step. She lowered her voice. "Once I give birth to our pup, he'll make Kyle a slave. A little horse for my child to ride." Rage flooded my mind. I raised my hand to shove her away. The instant my fingers brushed the hem of her dress, Linda moved. She was fast. In one motion, she sliced her own arm with the knife. Blood poured out immediately. Then she plunged the pure silver dagger straight toward my chest. The blade sank in with a squelch. Searing pain exploded through me. Silver was a werewolf's weakness. The wound felt like it was on fire, and my flesh sizzled and burned. Linda let go of the knife and let out a piercing scream. "Help! Murder!" A black shadow burst through the door almost instantly. It was Julian. An Alpha's speed was truly terrifying. This was the scene that greeted him—me with a knife protruding from my chest, and Linda huddled on the floor in a fit of weeping as her arm bled. "Julian! She's lost her mind!" Linda cried as she threw herself into his arms. "I came to say goodbye, and she tried to kill me! She said she hates you; that she'd kill me and then kill her own pup to frame me! Look, she even stabbed herself just to make me look guilty!" It was such a pathetic lie, but Julian believed it. Or maybe he just didn't care about the truth. He only needed an excuse to unleash his rage. "Ella Alcide, you vicious bitch!" Julian exploded. He didn't even give me a chance to explain. He raised his hand, Alpha gravity gathering in his palm, and brought it down hard. The sharp sound of breaking bone echoed through the tiny room, and my spine shattered. The pain was so intense that I lost all feeling in my lower body immediately. I collapsed like a broken doll. Even my scream caught in my throat. Kyle stood frozen in the corner, and he didn't dare cry. A few seconds passed before Kyle seemed to register what happened. He stumbled forward on trembling little legs, but he didn't run to me. He threw himself at Julian instead. He wrapped his arms around Julian's leg and looked up with tears streaming down his small face. "I'll be good... Daddy, I'll be good. Please don't hurt Mommy... "I'll behave. I won't make flower crowns anymore..." Linda smiled and crouched down. She smeared the blood from her arm across Kyle's face, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Being good isn't just about words, you know. Here's what we'll do. If you stand outside and watch over your mommy tonight without coming inside, I'll make your father forgive you both in the morning. He won't hurt your mother anymore." "Really?" Hope sparked in Kyle's eyes. "If I stay outside, Daddy won't hurt Mommy anymore?" "Of course. I promise." Linda's smile was radiant. My heart was breaking. I shook my head desperately, trying to stop him. "No! Kyle, don't listen to her! You'll freeze to death out there! "Please, Julian, Linda, leave Kyle alone!" "Mannerless little bastard. He actually believes such obvious lies. Makes me sick just looking at him." Julian carefully gathered Linda into his arms. He stopped at the doorway. "Since she wants to leave so badly, I'll grant her wish. Tomorrow, throw her and that bastard into the Borderlands." Night fell, and wild winds howled. The temperature plummeted below freezing. Kyle actually believed Linda's words. He stood stubbornly outside in the bitter cold, his small frame shaking violently. "Kyle! Come inside!" My spine was shattered, and I had no feeling in my lower body. I could only use my hands to claw at the ground, dragging myself inch by agonizing inch toward the door. Every movement sent waves of pain through me. Cold sweat drenched my body. I used every ounce of strength I had to reach the doorway. I then stretched out my hand to pull Kyle inside. But Kyle stepped back, avoiding my grasp. His little face was already blue-purple from the cold. His teeth chattered, but he turned and draped the blanket over me instead. "Mommy, go back inside..." Kyle pushed at my shoulder with trembling hands. "I'm not cold. The lady said... if I stay out all night... Daddy won't hurt you tomorrow..." "My sweet pup, she lied to you! Come inside!" I cried and reached for him again. Kyle shook his head stubbornly. With his frozen little hands, he tucked the corners of the blanket around me. His gaze was heartbreakingly determined. "I'm a werewolf. I'll protect you, Mommy... If I'm good, Daddy will come back..." With that, he retreated into the wind and snow, standing guard at the door like a devoted little soldier. I had no strength left. I could only lie there at the threshold, watching him. I didn't know how much time passed before that small figure outside swayed and collapsed to the ground with a thud. "Kyle!" I screamed like a mad she-wolf. I dragged my broken body over the threshold bit by bit. Ignoring the pain, I crawled desperately to Kyle's side. He'd already passed out from the cold, his body ice-cold. I clutched him tight against me and dragged us both back inside, inch by inch. Chapter 5 The Borderlands served as the pack's execution ground, located at the edge of a cliff where bitter winds howled year-round. The next morning, two warriors dragged me there like a rag doll. My spine was broken. I had no feeling in my lower body. I could only crawl across the ground littered with sharp rocks, leaving a long trail of blood behind me. Julian arrived with Linda, and Kyle. A warrior held Kyle by the scruff of his neck, dangling him in the air. Kyle's little face had turned purple. His limbs flailed weakly. "Julian, I had a witch verify it last night. She said Kyle isn't werewolf blood at all. He's a bastard Ella had with some Rogue! She's been lying to you this whole time!" This was the greatest insult to an Alpha. Julian's face turned black as coal. He stared at Kyle, his disgust so thick it was almost tangible. "No wonder he's so weak," Julian ground out through clenched teeth. "Three years old and he still can't shift. He's a mongrel." "No, that's not true..." I crawled desperately toward Julian, my fingers digging into the dirt. My nails tore back, leaving them bloody and raw. "Julian, he's your pup! He really is! Please, don't believe her! Don't hurt him!" "Shut up!" Julian kicked me in the jaw. "I don't care if this pup is mine or not! I'm going to kill him anyway!" My mouth filled with blood. My teeth loosened, but I couldn't focus on the pain. "Julian, kill me instead. Please spare Kyle. He's only three. He's innocent!" I slammed my head against the rocks over and over. "I'm begging you. He called you Daddy!" Julian let out a cold laugh and pulled a silver knife from his belt. But he didn't act himself. He handed the knife to Linda instead. "Linda." Julian stroked her hair. "You do it. Clear your name and rid the pack of this stain." Linda took the knife, her face twisting into something vicious. She stopped pretending. The malice in her eyes was like a snake's. She didn't rush. Instead, she seemed to savor the moment, her gaze moving between Kyle and me like we were works of art. "Ella, since you look so pitiful, let's play a game." She glanced at Julian in the distance. The lofty Alpha stood with his arms crossed, watching everything with a blank expression. "Since you want to save this little bastard so badly..." Linda's lips curved upward. "Do it yourself. Julian broke your spine, so your legs don't work anymore. But the bones are still intact, and they're an eyesore." She pointed at the rocks on the ground. "Break them. Smash your own leg bones to pieces. Then I'll let Kyle go." "Okay." I didn't hesitate for even a second. If Kyle could live, I'd give not just my legs but my life without question. I grabbed a sharp-edged rock nearby. My spine was shattered, so my lower body was completely numb. But that made it easier, didn't it? The first blow took all my strength. The sound of breaking bones rang out, and my right shin bent at a grotesque angle. The werewolf warriors around us sucked in sharp breaths. Without pain, I might as well have been smashing a piece of rotten wood. Meanwhile, Julian's eye twitched, but he still didn't move. "One more." I panted, my voice hoarse from exertion. The second blow shattered my left tibia. I dropped the blood-soaked rock and braced my hands against the ground. Like a broken animal, I lifted my head. "Let him go. Please, let him go." Chapter 6 Linda covered her mouth and took a theatrical step back. "Oh my God, you actually did it? That sound gave me goosebumps. What a shame you can't feel pain. You're not even screaming. This is so boring." Linda crouched down and pressed the pure silver blade against my cheek. The moment silver touched werewolf skin, acrid white smoke rose into the air. Searing pain shot through me. "A she-wolf's face is what she treasures most, isn't it?" Linda's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Especially this face. You were so proud of it when you seduced Julian, weren't you?" She held the knife handle out to me. "Ruin it. I want wounds so deep they reach bone. Silver poison that will never heal. I want your face to scare pups when you walk down the street." My hands trembled as I took the knife. The silver handle burned my palm like a red-hot brand. I looked at Kyle. He was frozen in terror, unable to even cry. After everything he'd endured, Kyle was desperately weak. He could only stare at me with wide eyes, his little hands grasping helplessly at the air. I mumbled, "Don't be afraid, baby. Mommy's here. It doesn't hurt." I gritted my teeth and aimed the blade at my cheekbone. The sharp silver edge pierced my skin. It felt like acid had been poured over me, the burning sensation exploding instantly. I didn't pause. I pressed down hard and dragged the blade. Flesh peeled back. Blood gushed out, mixing with black smoke from the burning silver. This wound was beyond even my werewolf healing abilities. I was in so much pain. Cold sweat soaked through my back, but I didn't make a sound. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of hearing me scream. I wouldn't let her draw pleasure from my suffering. A vicious gash cut across half my face, carved into what had once been smooth skin. I must have looked like something crawled out of hell. "Is that enough?" I dropped the knife. Blood dripped from my chin into the dirt. "Let Kyle go." Linda picked up the knife, now covered in my flesh and blood. She lifted it to her nose and sniffed, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. "So obedient." She stood and brushed at nonexistent dust on her skirt. Then she walked past me, straight toward the warrior holding Kyle. "You did well, but… Julian said we need to eliminate the stain." She reached out and wrapped her hand around Kyle's small throat. Linda looked into my eyes and mouthed the words silently. "I lied." "No... no..." My voice came out in a hoarse cry, blood frothing from my throat. Linda raised the knife and aimed it at Kyle's tiny heart. Kyle said weakly, "Ms. Linda, you said you wouldn't hurt Mommy anymore." "Silly. Why would I ever let you live?" The blade fell, and blood sprayed everywhere. Kyle's body jerked violently. The light in his eyes faded fast. He looked at me. His little mouth opened as if he wanted to call for me, but no sound came out. His head dropped. Time stopped at that moment, and I could feel my entire world collapsing. An inhuman howl tore from my throat. My pupils contracted to pinpoints, and the whites of my eyes flooded red with blood. Overwhelming grief and hatred shattered my body's limits. Though my shattered spine prevented a full shift, my head and arms forced themselves into wolf form. Gray fur erupted wildly across my skin. My nails extended into razor-sharp claws. I slammed my head against the ground over and over as if something had possessed me. Blood and dirt mixed together. My pup. My darling Kyle. He was dead. Murdered right in front of his own father by that vile woman.