The Fallen Alpha

Valerie’s POV

The bold, flashing headlines on the campus cafeteria television screen left me frozen in my tracks.

A female reporter in formal black attire stood on the screen, a microphone gripped tightly in her hand. "It has been confirmed that the CEO of Lowell’s Corporation and the reigning Alpha of the Bloodstone Pack, Alpha Garrett Lowell, has passed away due to severe complications from a tragic car accident."

The plastic coffee cup slipped from my fingers, spilling dark liquid across the linoleum floor. I could not hear the rest of the broadcast. The reporter's voice faded into a dull, echoing buzz. My mind blanked, consumed by one single thought.

Corbin Lowell. Alpha Garrett’s only son. My childhood best friend. The boy I had harbored a secret crush on for as long as I could remember.

I picked up my phone with trembling hands and dialed my twin brother’s number. I initially thought to call Corbin, but I knew better. Whenever things went wrong, Corbin shut the world out. He locked himself away and refused to speak to anyone.

The line rang for an agonizing minute before a click signaled the connection.

"Hey, Val!" Victor answered.

I pressed the cold phone against my cheek. "Victor, I just saw the news on campus. Why did no one tell me that our Alpha is dead?"

Victor let out a heavy, dragging sigh over the receiver. "I am sorry. Mom asked me to keep it from you until you were done with your final papers."

I rubbed my aching forehead, trying to process the nightmare. "Alpha Garrett was like a father to me, Victor. He checked on me, offered me guidance, and actually believed in me. He is the reason I am standing here today."

Victor's tone softened with sympathy. "I know, sis. He was a special man. But you have to focus on your exam today. It is your last paper, remember? Alpha Garrett would want you to walk into that hall and ace that test."

I nodded slowly, even though he could not see me. "I am devastated, but I will try my best for him."

Victor sounded distracted, as if he was eager to get off the line. "Stay well, okay?"

I stopped him before he could hang up. "Victor, wait! Has anyone heard from Corbin?"

A long pause stretched between us.

Victor cleared his throat. "Not yet. He returned from his trip three days ago, but he has not spoken to a single soul since."

I finished the call, shoved my phone into my pocket, and sprinted toward my dorm.

The exam was a blur of ink and paper. I barely read the questions, relying on pure muscle memory and adrenaline to get through the essay prompts. The moment I handed my booklet to the proctor, I sprinted out of the hall and hailed a cab to the airport.

Every minor inconvenience felt like a physical blow. The security lines were endless. My flight to Northern California was delayed by two agonizing hours.

I sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair at the terminal, bouncing my knee and staring at my phone. I opened my chat with Corbin and typed out a message.

"Corbin, I am so sorry about your loss. I am on my way to Northern California. I cannot wait to see you."

I hit send, watching the little checkmark appear. No response.

The flight attendants offered me gentle smiles as I boarded the plane. I took my window seat and stared out at the tarmac. As the plane lifted into the sky, my mind drifted through a sea of memories. I pictured Alpha Garrett’s warm smile, his loud, booming laugh, and the steady advice he always offered me when I felt inadequate. He was the protective father figure I had always craved.

My heart physically ached at the thought of Corbin’s pain.

The plane touched down in Northern California as the sun began to lower in the sky. I hailed another taxi, directing the driver straight to the Lowell Estate, recognized by the human world as a sprawling corporate retreat, but known to us as the heart of the Bloodstone Pack.

The taxi navigated the familiar, winding driveway. The towering oak trees lining the path brought back a flood of memories—late-night conversations with Corbin, endless laughter, sneaking out past curfew.

The driver parked in front of the grand, imposing entrance of the Alpha’s Lair.

I paid the fare, grabbed my duffel bag, and stepped out into the crisp evening air.

I steeled my nerves, pulled my jacket tight, and marched up the wide stone steps of the gigantic structure situated in the center of the estate.

Before my knuckles could even graze the heavy wooden door, it swung open.

Mrs. Lowell, Corbin’s mother, stepped out onto the porch. Two female omegas flanked her, keeping their heads bowed in respect.

Mrs. Lowell reached out and pulled me into a stiff, brief embrace. "Valerie."

I hugged her back, hoping to offer a fraction of comfort to the grieving widow. "How is Corbin?"

Mrs. Lowell stepped back. Her expression hardened into a somber, unreadable mask. "He is not doing well. I think you should let him be for the meantime."

My chest tightened with concern. I understood the desire to isolate, but I wanted to be there for my friend.

I offered a respectful nod. "It is fine. I understand his pain. I will wait and come back this evening to check up on him."

I spent the rest of the agonizing day pacing my old childhood bedroom in my mother's house. I checked my phone every five minutes. Corbin never opened my message.

As darkness settled over the Bloodstone Estate, I made my way back to the Alpha’s Lair. The massive house was eerily quiet, draped in a heavy veil of mourning.

I walked into the grand foyer just as a young maid passed by carrying a silver tray. A warm, earthy scent drifted off the porcelain cup.

I stopped in my tracks. "Lavender tea?"

The maid paused and offered a polite nod. "Yes, ma'am. The young master asked for it."

I glanced toward the winding staircase. "Can I take that to him instead?"

The maid hesitated for a fleeting second, looking at the tray and then back to me. "Sure."

I took the heavy silver tray from her hands and began the slow, nervous climb up the grand staircase.

I reached the middle of the sprawling second-floor hallway. Suddenly, a sweet, overwhelming fragrance slammed into my senses. It was a rich, intoxicating blend of rain-soaked earth and crushed pine needles. It smelled better than anything I had ever encountered in my nineteen years of life.

A low, vibrating moan echoed in my mind. It was Rhea, my inner wolf.

I slowed my steps. "You smell it too?"

Rhea wagged her tail in my mind, her energy spiking with sudden, frantic excitement. "Valerie, that is our mate."

My breath hitched in my throat. I stopped dead in the hallway. "What? No, Rhea, it cannot be."

Rhea scratched at the walls of my mind, her voice firm and demanding. "I am certain, Valerie. That scent is unmistakable. Our mate is close."

I shook my head, trying to clear the sudden fog clouding my brain. I forced myself to keep walking, focusing solely on the mission of comforting my grieving friend.

But as I crept closer to Corbin’s bedroom door, the sweet, earthy fragrance intensified. It wrapped around my lungs, making my pulse hammer against my ribs.

Rhea let out a deep, satisfied purr. "See, Valerie? Our mate is right behind that door."

Corbin. My childhood best friend was my fated mate. A spark of terrifying hope flared in my chest.

I balanced the tray on one hand and knocked twice on the dark oak wood. No response came from inside.

Driven by concern and the undeniable pull of the mate bond, I pushed the door open.

The scene waiting inside made my entire world crash down around me.

My fingers went numb. The silver tray slipped from my grasp. The porcelain cup shattered against the hardwood floor. Hot lavender tea splashed across my shoes, but I did not feel the burn.

Three empty bottles of cheap whiskey were discarded near the foot of the massive bed. A tangled mess of clothing littered the expensive rug—a sheer lace bra, discarded dark denim, and a silk camisole.

Corbin lay sprawled against the pillows. His broad, muscular chest was bare, his skin gleaming with a fresh layer of sweat. The blankets were pushed down to his waist.

Curled up next to him, with the sheets barely covering her naked breasts, was another woman.

It was not just any random pack member. It was Sloane. The one girl in the Bloodstone Pack who had made it her life's mission to torment me.

My heart splintered into a million jagged pieces.

Rhea let out a vicious, heartbroken snarl in my mind. "That is not right, Valerie. He is our mate. Why is he in bed with her?"

A massive wave of nausea washed over me. I gripped the doorframe to keep my knees from buckling.

Sloane shifted against the pillows. Her eyes locked onto mine. A wicked, triumphant smirk stretched across her flushed face.

I stared at the boy I loved. "Corbin." My voice trembled, barely a whisper in the tense room.

Corbin turned his head. For a fleeting second, his tired eyes met mine. Then, a dark, freezing coldness washed over his features. His jaw clenched in annoyance.

He stared at me with pure detachment. "Valerie. What are you doing here?"

I stood frozen over the puddle of shattered porcelain, my whole body shaking.

I stared at his bare chest, then at Sloane's mocking grin. "Corbin, what is going on?"

How could he do this? Did our lifelong friendship mean nothing to him?

Sloane let out a dark, velvety laugh. "Come back later, sweetie. We are busy."

Corbin’s eyes narrowed into sharp slits as he looked down at the spilled tea. "Look how you messed the floor up. Just leave already."

I stopped breathing. That was it? No explanation. No apology for the mess. Not even a simple greeting after four years apart.

Hot, blinding tears streamed down my cheeks. I turned away from the bed, desperate to escape the suffocating smell of their intimacy.

I stopped in the doorway, my grip tightening on the wood. "Corbin, can we just talk about this when you are sober?"

Corbin cut me off with a harsh, booming growl. "There is nothing to talk about."

He lunged from the bed, slammed the heavy door shut, and left me staring at the blank wood.

I stood alone in the dim hallway, shattered and empty.

The muffled sound of Sloane’s cruel laughter and Corbin’s deep, rumbling voice drifted through the thick door.

My chest caved in. Four years apart, and this was our grand reunion. I truly believed we shared a special connection. I thought I mattered to him. But clearly, I was just a naive childhood friend. Nothing more.

Footsteps clicked softly against the hardwood.

Mrs. Lowell stepped out of the shadows, her arms crossed over her chest. "I am sorry, Valerie, but I have never envisioned you and Corbin together."

I wiped my wet cheeks, trying to hide my humiliation.

Mrs. Lowell stepped closer, her tone dripping with calm cruelty. "Do not get me wrong. You are a good friend. But you are not good enough to be his mate."

I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to stand tall. "Is that really what you think of me?"

She let out a dry, mocking scoff. "Garrett covered up your flaws for years because your mother serves as his Beta. We all tolerated you. But those of us who actually know you, know the truth. You are one of the weakest wolves in this pack."

I squeezed my eyes shut. She was right. I had spent my entire life running from the reality of my own weakness. I was small, frail, and lacked the dominant instincts of a high-ranking wolf.

Mrs. Lowell's voice turned rigid and commanding. "Now that Garrett is gone, Corbin has to take over the mantle. To rule this pack, he needs a strong, dominant, and competent woman to stand as his Luna. This is not some teenage romance about you and Corbin. This is about the survival of the pack and the strength of the generations to come."

Her words sliced through my flesh like silver blades, but I knew she spoke the unvarnished truth. I was not strong enough to be Corbin’s Luna. I was not worthy of the title.

More tears spilled over my lashes as I turned to walk away.

Mrs. Lowell's final words hit my back, freezing the blood in my veins. "And Valerie, do not think for a single second that Corbin does not know about your feelings. Do not think he is ignorant to that little mate bond."

My heart skipped a beat. I slowly turned back around to face her.

I stared at her cold, calculating eyes. "What do you mean?"

Mrs. Lowell smiled a dark, pitying smile. "Corbin found out that you were his mate long before you two parted ways for college. He has just been too kind to hurt your feelings. He pitied you. So do not fool yourself into thinking that telling him about the mate bond would change anything."

The revelation destroyed whatever fragments of my soul remained. Hurt was a pathetic understatement. I felt deeply betrayed and intensely embarrassed. My own mate had known the truth for years and chose to pity me rather than claim me.

I nodded slowly, wiping my face with the back of my hand. I refused to let her see me break any further. "Point taken. I will leave now."

I turned my back on the Alpha’s Lair and walked down the grand staircase. The cold night air hit my face as I stepped out into the dark estate.

As I walked away from the only home I had ever known, my mind spiraled into a dark abyss. I wondered if weak wolves simply did not deserve happiness. I wondered how many others had been cast aside and left hanging by their fated mates just because they lacked physical strength.

I never believed that rejection would be my ultimate fate. Now, I could only brace myself for whatever cruel path fate had laid down for me next.