The Alpha's Secret Mistress

LORRI

The hotel room still smelled like him. My wolf stirred inside me, she was quiet but aware. She always was. She never howled. Never answered calls. She only spoke to me, in a low and aching way.

I pushed myself up on one elbow, the sheet slipping. “Nicholas…”

"Call me Alpha, " he interrupted me, his tone as cold as ice. "It’s a warning, not a reminder."

He turned just enough to catch my wrist and pressed me back down. Not hard enough to bruise. Not gentle enough to care either.

“As usual, you leave ten minutes after me,” he said. “Not before. Not after.”

I nodded automatically, my throat tight.

“No scent trails,” he added. “Cover yourself. Use the spray.”

"Yes, Alpha," I whispered, the sound almost too faint to be heard.

This was how it always went.

Hotel, high-rise suite. Always take the side door. Fixed time, fixed procedure, fixed silence. When the timer goes off, he leaves. I count for ten minutes, then disappear through another exit.

I have been his secret bedmate for year after year.

He finished dressing, in his immaculate tailored suit. Alpha of the Silvering Pack, CEO of Silvering Holdings, and ruler of a pack that ran like a corporation and crushed low omegas like me too.

I gathered courage that felt thinner every time. “The Blood Moon is close,” I said carefully. “It only rises once in a century.”

He paused.

“And?” His grey eyes flicked to me, empty.

“It strengthens mating bonds,” I said. “I thought maybe… you’re ready. To claim me.”

My wolf pressed against my heart, fragile with hope.

Nicholas laughed softly. No humor. Just disbelief.

“I would be damned,” he said, “if I tied myself to a nameless Omega.”

The words landed clean, shredding whatever self esteem I had left.

“Then release me,” I said, forcing it out. “Nullify the bond.”

He stepped closer. Towered over the bed. “You don’t get to ask for freedom.”

“I’ve given you everything,” I said. "You once said..."

"Enough." He interrupted me impatiently, his expression full of coldness. "Don't take the things I said casually as promises."

He paused for a moment, as if to remind me of the location.

"You were traded to the Silvering Pack to repay debts for your family," he said clearly. "How dare you even think of becoming my Luna?"

Before I could say anything, he left without looking back.

I waited and counted my breaths.

When ten minutes passed, I dressed up and slipped out the service stairwell, my wolf curling inward, silent and hurting.

I leaned against the cold wall, closed my eyes and took a deep breath, pushing all my emotions aside.

Because now, I'm going to take on another role.

Silvering Holdings towered over the city like a warning.

The office floors smelled of glass, metal, and Alpha power. Dominance pressed down from every direction, designed that way on purpose. Omegas like me were meant to feel small here.

I wore the ordinary subordinate.’s uniform. Head down and badge hidden.

When I was mopping the floor at the corner of the administrative building, someone suddenly bumped into me.

Water sloshed.

“Watch it!” Emma barked.

Nicholas’s stepsister. Pack-made royalty. Her scent flared sharp and offended.

“You touched me?” she snapped. “With those filthy hands?”

“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I didn’t—”

She laughed out loud in a cruel way.

“You think saying sorry changes what you are?” she said. “A low Omega bitch.”

She grabbed the bucket I’d just finished using.

Before I could move, she tipped it.

Cold, dirty water soaked me head to toe.

Gasps filled the hallway. Phones came out.

My vision blurred.

And suddenly I was twelve again.

Pinned down in the pack kitchen. Emma laughing while heated metal pressed against my skin. The pain was so bright I couldn’t scream.

“Breathe, my wolf whispered. I’m here.”

The slap came fast and my head snapped sideways.

“Get out,” Emma hissed, shoving me backward. “Disgusting thing.”

I hit the floor.

Then footsteps echoed.

I looked up and met Nicholas's gaze.

He took in the scene. The water. The stares.

And then he frowned at me.

“Stop being careless,” he said coldly. “Clean this up. You’re disrupting the office.”

“She—” I tried to explain.

He just walked away impatiently.

Something in me broke quietly.

I knelt down and cleaned the floor without any sympathy whatsoever.

In the restroom, I stared at my reflection. My wolf looked back through my eyes.

“We can’t stay, she said.”

I went home.

Then my phone buzzed.

The account shows that $1000 have been credited. Nicholas always thought that money could make me shut up about the humiliation I had suffered.

I sat on the bed, shaking.

Not long after that, my phone rang.

It was Nicholas.

My chest tightened before I answered.

“Yes,” I said in puzzle.

“The Wolf King of the South was calling a council.” he said without greeting. “You’re riding with me to the South as my attendant.”

At that time, I had no idea that the North was already keeping an eye on me.

My fingers curled around the phone. “With you?”

“Don’t ask questions,” he snapped. “Ten minutes later, you need appearing before me.”

The line went dead.

My wolf stirred, uneasy.

"Stay small," she murmured. "Stay alive."

I changed quickly, hands shaking as I pulled on the plain dress assigned to attendant Omegas. No jewelry. No scent.

I sprayed myself again, thick enough to mask what lingered from the morning. It burned my nose, but I welcomed it. Anything to erase him.

Outside, the pack vehicles waited in a neat line. Black, identical and efficient. Nicholas stood near the front car, speaking with another Alpha. His voice was calm, controlled, like nothing had happened hours earlier.

He didn’t look at me until I reached him.

“Get in,” he said quietly.

I obeyed.

The drive to the South was long and silent. Nicholas worked on his tablet. I stared out the window, counting breaths, my wolf pressed tight against my spine.

When the palace gates came into view, the air changed. It was heavier. Older. Authority settled deep in my chest, not sharp like Nicholas’s, but wide and absolute.

The car stopped.

Nicholas’s hand closed around my arm as soon as I stepped out. His grip was firm, fingers digging into skin already sore.

LORRI

“Listen carefully,” he said under his breath. “You do not speak to me unless spoken to. You do not acknowledge me. If you embarrass me here, I will make sure your life becomes unbearable.”

I nodded quickly.

“Good,” he said, releasing me. “Now move.”

Inside, the palace buzzed with organized movement. Servants, guards, and alphas from different Southern packs. The scent mix was overwhelming.

My wolf curled inward, she was silent but alert.

I followed the other attendants toward the service wing.

“You,” a head maid pointed at me. “You’ll take tea to the council hall.”

My stomach dropped.

Just like that?

“Yes,” I said.

The tray was heavier than it looked. My hands trembled as I lifted the teapot and cups. I focused on my steps, one after another, keeping my head down.

The corridor leading to the council hall was quiet.

Too quiet in a way that freaked me out.

I turned a corner and collided with something solid.

The tray slipped and landed on the flor, causing the teapot to shatter on the floor.

Tea splashed everywhere and burnt the parts of my body it splashed on.

“I’m sorry,” I blurted out, panic flooding my chest. “I’m so sorry, please don’t punish me, I didn’t mean—”

Strong hands caught my arms before I could fall.

“Easy,” a deep voice urged, “You’re alright.”

I froze.

Slowly, I looked up convincing myself that I mistook the person whom I bumped into.

He stood tall, broad shouldered, dressed in dark formal wear that carried no pack insignia because it didn’t need one.

His presence pressed down on everything around him and he was domineering in a way that I could not resist. The air seemed to obey him.

Alpha Damon Wales.

Wolf King of the South.

My knees weakened instantly.

My wolf stirred strongly for the first time in years, not shrinking, not hiding, but lifting her head, confused and alert.

I dropped into a bow immediately. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I didn’t see you. Please forgive me.”

He looked at the broken teapot, then back at me.

“It’s nothing,” he said. “Stand up.”

I hesitated.

“Stand,” he repeated, not harsh, but with what seemed like compassion and authority at the same time.

I obeyed.

His eyes moved to my face. They narrowed slightly.

“You’re hurt,” he said.

I shook my head too quickly. “No, sir.”

He reached out, not touching, just close enough. “Your cheek is bruised. And your arm.”

I stepped back on instinct.

“It’s nothing,” I whispered. “I’m just a clumsy dumb omega my Lord.”

He studied me for a long moment.

“You’re a wolf,” he said slowly. “Why aren’t you healing?”

My heart pounded. My throat closed.

My wolf pressed against my chest, silent, and afraid.

“I don’t know,” I said, barely audible.

He watched me carefully, then lowered his voice. “Do you need protection?”

The question stunned me.

No one had ever asked that. I mean, that was the last question I expected from anyone.

I didn’t answer.

“I can offer you protection,” he continued. “If you need a place to stay, the palace is open to you.”

My hands trembled.

“I can’t,” I said quickly. “I’m from Silverring Pack.”

At the pack name, something flickered in his eyes.

“You don’t smell like Silverring,” he said. “Your scent is… confusing.”

My heart skipped.

The spray. Nicholas.

I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry,” I said again. “I shouldn’t have spoken.”

He held my gaze, then stepped back.

“If you change your mind,” he said quietly, “you are welcome here. No one touches what is under my protection.”

He turned and walked away.

The wolf king's proposal simply wouldn't leave my mind.

Perhaps this is my only chance at freedom.

My hands were shaking, and I kept my eyes on the floor as I moved through the corridor. I needed another teapot. I needed to finish my task and disappear.

I barely reached the service hallway when a hand grabbed my arm and yanked me sideways.

I stumbled into a small side room, the door slamming shut behind me.

Emma stood in front of me, her eyes burning with anger.

“So,” Emma started, crossing her arms, “you’ve finally decided to upgrade your targets.”

“I didn’t—” I started, but my voice failed me.

Emma stepped closer. “That’s what sluts always deny.”

I stayed silent. I had learned long ago that defending myself only made things worse.

“You think you can sleep your way up from Nicholas to the South,” Emma continued. “You’re nothing but a dirty Omega who doesn’t know her place.”

She spat on me.

The saliva slid down my cheek, warm and humiliating.

My wolf curled inward, silent, protecting herself by retreating.

"You're becoming less and less amusing, really," Emma said, looking at me with dissatisfaction as I remained silent.

Then she walked out as if nothing had happened.

I stood there for several seconds, my body trembling, my breathing uneven.

Just at that moment, I made up my mind.

LORRI

When I reached the council hall, the doors were already open.

The room was full.

I was holding tightly another teapot that I had taken from the kitchen.

Alphas sat beside their Lunas, their presence heavy and commanding.

At first glance, I saw Nicholas, and when I took a closer look at the people around him, my breath caught in my throat.

His first love, Natasha.

On countless nights, when Nicholas had sex with me, when his desire was at its most intense. He always murmur her name in a low voice.

"Natasha..."

It turned out that it wasn't an illusion.

She's back.

My wolf inside me was struggling violently, the pain almost tearing through my chest.

Natasha sat near Nicholas, her posture proud. Emma was a few seats away, smiling faintly.

I felt small walking in there. Smaller than I ever had. My hands shook as I approached the table.

I poured the first cup without issue. Then another.

Someone shifted. A voice laughed and then my grip slipped.

Tea spilled across the polished table.

Emma stood up instantly. “Are you serious,” she snapped. “Do you even know where you are?”

“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I didn’t mean—”

“Enough,” Nicholas cut in sharply. He looked at me with clear irritation. “How many times do you plan to disgrace this pack today?”

The room went quiet.

Was he referring to what happened at the office or did his minions already tell him what happened with the wolf king?

My chest tightened. Tears burned my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall. I stared at the floor, my shoulders shaking slightly.

“I said I was sorry,” I whispered.

Nicholas leaned forward. “Go clean yourself up,” he said coldly. “You’re an embarrassment.”

That was when a chair scraped loudly against the floor.

The air shifted.

Alpha Damon Wales stood up.

Silence fell instantly, heavy and complete.

“That will be enough,” he said.

No one spoke.

He looked around the room once, his gaze steady, then turned to his Beta. “Take her to the guest wing,” he ordered. “She will remain there until this meeting ends. I will address her afterward.”

And that was where everything stopped. Nicholas must be happy to get the wolf king to punish me.

The guest wing was too quiet.

I paced from one end of the room to the other, my steps uneven, and my hands clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms. The room was large, polished, clearly meant for honored guests, not someone like me. It made my skin crawl.

The southern king Beta stood outside the door.

He did not speak. He did not look at me directly. His presence alone was enough to remind me where I was and whose space I occupied.

My wolf stayed close, pressed deep inside me.

“Danger,“ she whispered. “But not the kind we know.“

Time stretched. My thoughts refused to slow.

Then the door opened and I turned sharply.

Alpha Damon Wales stepped inside.

The room changed the moment he entered.

The Beta bowed and left, closing the door behind him.

Damon looked at me, “Sit,” he instructed.

I obeyed, lowering myself onto the edge of the chair.

He remained standing for a moment, then sat across from me, his posture relaxed.

“You’re frightened,” he said plainly.

“Yes,” I answered.

“Good,” he replied. “That means you’re still thinking clearly.”

I did not know what to say to that.

He folded his hands. “Tell me, about everything that's happened to you in the Silvering pack. Your Alpha doesn't seem to want to protect you at all; instead, he even seems to despise you.”

“Because I was nothing in his eyes.”

My throat tightened.

"Why not join another pack?" He looked at me with confusion.

“Because Nicholas owns me,” I said quietly.

Damon’s eyes sharpened. “Explain.”

I took a breath. My wolf stirred, “My father owed the Silverring Pack a debt,” I said. “When he died, I was given to Alpha Nicholas as a settlement. I was raised there as an Omega without a name.”

Damon’s jaw tightened slightly.

“The bond between Nicholas and me formed when we were younger,” I continued. “He never acknowledged it. He kept me hidden. He used me. But legally, I belong to his pack. To him. He said that the bond I feel is the bond or ownership.”

There was silence.

“Does he claim you publicly,” Damon asked.

“No.”

“Has he completed the mating bond, or made love to you?” he asked.

“No.”

“Then he does not own you,” Damon said firmly.

“That’s not how it works in Silverring,” I replied. “They don’t follow the laws strictly. Omegas like me don’t get choices.”

He studied me for a long moment and said slowly.

“You were hurt because they all believed that your Alpha didn't protect you and you’re wolfless?"

I nodded and then shook my head.

“You are not wolfless,” he said suddenly.

My breath hitched.

“I didn’t say—”

“You don’t need to,” he interrupted calmly. “Your wolf is quiet, not absent.”

My chest tightened.

“She only speaks to me,” I said. “Everyone thinks I don’t have one.”

“Silence is not weakness,” Damon said. “It’s survival.”

I did not respond. I could not.

After a moment, he spoke again.

“Then would you like to know my offer?” he said. “You can refuse it.”

I looked up, surprised.

“A contractual mating,” he continued. “A legal bond. Public. Recognized.”

My heart pounded.

“You would be protected,” he said. “No one from Silverrangtsk could touch you. You would live here, under my authority.”

I swallowed hard.

“There would be no obligation beyond the contract,” he added. “No physical expectations. No claim over your body unless you choose otherwise.”

I stared at him.

“Why,” I asked.

Damon exhaled slowly. “My uncle believes in a prophecy. It states that any Alpha in our bloodline who remains unmarried past thirty risks going feral.”

I blinked.

“I don’t believe it,” he said. “But he does. And he will not rest until I find a luna.”

"What I mean is... Why me?" I tentatively asked again.

LORRI

"My wolf has chosen you." He looked straight at me.

“I need a mate on paper,” he corrected. “In return, you would be set free from Silverring. Educated, established, given a standing among the nobles.”

The room felt too small.

“And when the contract ends,” I asked.

“You would leave with resources, protection, and your freedom,” he said.

My wolf stirred, cautious but curious.

“Freedom,“ she whispered.

“But Nicholas—” I began.

“Cannot stop me,” Damon said flatly. “He answers to the South.”

Fear twisted in my chest.

“What if he retaliates,” I asked.

“He won’t,” Damon replied. “And if he tries, he answers to me.”

I pressed my hands together.

This was too big. Too sudden.

“You don’t know me,” I said.

“I know enough,” he replied. “You didn’t use this encounter to gain favor. You didn’t accuse anyone. You endured.”

I laughed weakly. “That’s not strength. That's a habit.”

“Sometimes they look the same,” he said.

Silence stretched between us.

“I’m scared,” I admitted.

“I know,” he said. “You don’t have to decide now.”

“But if I go back,” I whispered, “nothing will change.”

Damon stood.

“Think carefully,” he said. “Because this offer won’t remain open forever.”

He moved toward the door, then paused.

“Whatever you choose,” he added, “no one will harm you tonight.”

The door closed behind him.

I sat there, shaking, my wolf pressed close to my heart, awake and listening.

For the first time in my life, freedom had been placed in front of me.

And I was terrified of reaching for it.

I did not sleep.

The guest bed was soft, clean, untouched by pack scent, yet my body refused to relax. I lay on my side, staring at the far wall, my thoughts were racing in circles.

Every time I closed my eyes, Nicholas’s voice filled my head, cold and commanding. What's worse is that my heart still gets excited because of him.

My wolf stayed awake with me.

“This is not a cage,“ she whispered, uncertain. “But it is not home either.“

At dawn, a soft knock came at the door.

I sat up immediately. “Yes,” I called.

A maid stepped in with a tray of food. She bowed and placed it on the table without comment.

“You’re to remain here,” she said politely. “The Alpha will see you again today.”

After she left, I stared at the food but couldn’t eat. My stomach twisted too tightly.

The door opened again later that morning.

Damon walked in.

He looked different without the council around him. Less distant. Still controlled, still dangerous in a quiet way, but present.

“Have you decided,” he asked.

“I don’t know how to decide something like this,” I replied honestly.

He nodded. “That’s fair.”

I stood slowly. “If I accept, will Nicholas be told the truth.”

“He will be informed that you are under my protection,” Damon said. “He does not need details.”

“And the contract,” I asked. “What happens to me during it?”

“You live here,” he said. “You learn. You are treated as my luna publicly. Privately, you have your space.”

I swallowed. “And if I say no.”

“Then I will ensure your safe return,” he said. “But I cannot change what waits for you there.”

The truth of that pressed into my chest.

“My wolf is weak,” I said quietly.

“No,” Damon replied. “She is cautious.”

I looked up at him.

“You see her,” I said.

“I do,” he answered. “She hasn’t been allowed to exist.”

Silence settled.

“I want to leave Silverring,” I said finally. “I want it to stop.”

Damon studied me for a long moment.

“Then we proceed,” he said.

My heart thudded painfully. “Just like that.”

“Yes,” he said. “Freedom is rarely gentle.”

A servant entered with documents.

“This is the contract,” Damon said, gesturing. “Read it. You can ask questions.”

I scanned the pages, my hands trembling.

No ownership. No forced bond completion. Protection guaranteed. Education and resources listed clearly.

It felt unreal.

“I don’t understand why you’re doing this,” I said.

Damon met my gaze. “Because power should not be wasted on cruelty.”

I almost said yes.

I looked at Alpha Dam, a way out that did not require me to beg or endure.

“I—” I started.

My phone vibrated in my hand.

The sound was sharp in the quiet room.

I froze.

Damon noticed. “You can take it,” he said evenly.

I looked down.

Incoming alert: “$1,000,000 USD deposited”

My breath hitch.

I knew who it was from before I saw the name.

Nicholas.

My fingers trembled as the weight of it settled in my chest. Money, silence, and control. The same pattern, only louder this time.

Damon watched me closely. “Is that from him,” he asked.

I swallowed hard. “Yes.”

He did not react immediately. “Does whatever the content is change your answer.”

It shouldn’t have.

But it did.

I straightened slowly. “I can’t,” I said.

His eyes narrowed slightly. “Explain.”

“If I accept this,” I said carefully, “I’ll always wonder if I ran because I was afraid or because I couldn’t stand on my own.”

“I need him to see me as an existence of value,” I added quietly. “Even if it’s the last thing I do.”

Damon studied me for a long moment.

“This choice will hurt you,” he said.

“I know,” I replied.

He nodded once. “Then I respect it.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“You don’t owe me anything,” he replied. “But understand this. When you walk out, my protection ends.”

“I understand.”

He stood and stepped aside. “You may leave.”

I bowed deeply. “Thank you for your kindness.”

He did not stop me.

I didn’t return to Silvering immediately.

Instead, I went to the district where only the wealthy and named were allowed. The studio was guarded, clean, and quiet. The artist looked at me twice before speaking.

“You’re sure,” he asked. “This mark isn’t meant for Omegas without standing.”

“I’m sure,” I said.

The crescent moon was placed on my shoulder.

LORRI

I clenched my jaw and endured the pain without a sound. I needed it. Needed proof that I existed beyond what they called me.

When it was done, I stared at it in the mirror.

“Now he’ll see me,“ I thought. “Now he’ll respect me.“

I returned to Silvering late that evening.

The pack house felt the same.

I went straight to the bathroom and turned on the water, letting the steam fill the room. I undressed slowly, my body aching with exhaustion, and stepped under the spray.

I closed my eyes and then I heard the door open.

I stiffened.

Nicholas’s scent instantly filled the room.

“Don’t cover yourself,” he said quietly. “I’ve seen you naked more times than I can count.”

I turned slowly. “Get out.”

He leaned against the doorframe, “You ran to the South,” he said. “Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“I didn’t run,” I replied. “I went where I was summoned.”

He stepped closer. His eyes flicked to my shoulder.

The tattoo.

His mouth curved slightly. “You really are desperate.”

My heart sank.

“You think that mark changes anything,” he continued. “You’re still nobody.”

I wrapped my arms around myself. “Leave.”

He ignored it. “Come here.”

“No,” I said.

He stopped.

That was first time.

"Do you really think you have the right to refuse me?" His voice was deep and cold, and Alpha's dominance pressed down on me without any hint of evasion.

I knew the answer clearly in my mind, but I still forced myself to ask. "Then will you give up Natasha and choose me instead?"

The air instantly froze.

His jaw tightened and his teeth clenched tightly. "Don't compare yourself to her."

"I won't be your secret mistress anymore."

I almost summoned up all my courage to shout at him.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and he stared at me with a menacing look. In the next second, he forcefully grabbed my throat and pushed me down onto the bed. As my back hit the mattress, I almost couldn't breathe.

The sound of the fabric being roughly torn could be heard particularly loudly in the room.

Alpha's hot breath sprayed on my neck. He licked my ear and whispered, "The body is more honest than your mouth."

That sentence almost completely shattered me.

I fought back the tears in my eyes, refusing to show any sign of weakness. I bit down hard on his shoulder, with a resolute and bloody expression.

"Fuck!" He let out a low groan and forcefully pushed me away.

I fell onto the floor beside the bed, shattered and broken. But for the first time, I didn't give in.

He stood by the bedside, his shoulders still rising and falling due to his anger.

"This is your first and last time of rebellion." He leaned down and pinched my chin, warning me.

I didn't speak; I just stared at him.

"Without me, you are nothing," he said and then turned around, walking away with great strides. The door was slammed shut with such force that the entire room began to tremble.

I gasped for breath, clenching my fists, the nails digging into the palms. Eventually, I made up my mind.

I would stop reacting. I would stop pleading. If he refused to see me, I would make myself visible.

And this time, it would be my choice. I would stop being his secret affair.

The weeks passed slowly.

Nothing changed in Silvering, yet everything felt heavier. Nicholas avoided me openly now.

When we crossed paths, he treated me like any other Omega, cold and dismissive. Emma noticed. Natasha noticed more.

And his mating ceremony with Natasha approached quickly.

I was informed the same way I was informed of everything else.

“You’ll attend,” the head maid told me. “The ceremony was grand, and not only all the members of our pack had to attend, but also all the wolf packs from the south would participate.”

I nodded. There was no point arguing.

The ceremony took place on the night of the full moon. The pack grounds were transformed, decorated with silver banners and lights.

Alphas and Lunas arrived dressed in fine clothing, their scents strong and proud.

I wore a simple dress. Plain. Clean. .

That was how I was expected to be.

The crowd filled quickly. Whispers followed me as I took my place near the back with the other Omegas.

I kept my head down, my hands clasped tightly in front of me.

Then Nicholas and Natasha entered.