Oops… I Went Into Heat and My Alpha Daddies Claimed Me

CALLUM’S POV

"Young miss?" Becca’s gentle voice echoed in the house, followed by two soft knocks on Nadia’s bedroom door. "Breakfast is ready."

No one answered, there was just silence.

She waited another few seconds before trying again, her tone growing quieter, almost pleading. "I made your favorite. It will get cold."

Still nothing.

From my seat in the dining room, I looked up from the untouched cup of coffee in front of me. The entire mansion felt strangely quiet this morning. Normally, Nadia would already be downstairs before Becca finished setting the table, talking nonstop about whatever had crossed her mind the moment she’d opened her eyes. She was the kind of person who filled every room she entered.

But today, she hadn’t even come downstairs for a cup of water. It was weird.

Becca returned with worry written all over her face. "She still won’t answer, Alpha."

I nodded once before pushing my chair back. "I’ll go."

The hallway upstairs seemed longer than usual. I stopped outside Nadia’s room and knocked firmly against the door. "Nadia."

There was no response.

I knocked again, harder this time. "I know you’re awake."

Still nothing.

My jaw tightened. "Nadia, open the door."

Her voice finally came, but it was quiet and hoarse. Like she’d spent hours crying. "I want to be alone."

My hand remained on the doorknob. "You haven’t eaten since yesterday."

"I’m not hungry."

"You still need to eat."

"I said I’m not hungry." There was a finality in her voice that stopped me from speaking immediately.

It didn’t sound like she was angry or trying to be difficult. It sounded like she was hurt.

Deeply hurt.

I rested my forehead briefly against the wooden door before exhaling. "If you don’t open this door, I’ll break it down."

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. Then her voice came again. "Please..." It was barely above a whisper. "Just... leave me alone."

The threat died on my tongue.

Whatever had happened yesterday had shaken her far more than I’d realized. Pushing harder now would only make things worse.

"I’ll be back later," I said quietly. "And when I do, we’re going to talk."

She didn’t answer and I remained there for another few seconds before finally turning away.

Unfortunately I couldn’t stay for too long to find out what had happened. I had an important council meeting and I had to leave.

By the time I finished dressing for the council meeting, Vera was already waiting near the entrance with a folder tucked beneath her arm.. "I’ll come with you."

I glanced at her before fastening the cuff of my sleeve. "You’ve barely rested since returning from the border."

"I’m fine."

"I know you are."

"Then let me come."

I shook my head. "The reports can wait until tomorrow. Spend today resting."

Without another word, I stepped outside and climbed into the waiting vehicle.

The ride to the Great Hall was unusually quiet.. Normally I used the journey to organize the day’s agenda in my head, but today my thoughts kept circling back to Nadia.

She had refused to even look at me. The image of her pulling away from my hand replayed itself over and over.

What could have happened overnight?

The moment I entered the council chamber, I knew this meeting wasn’t about routine pack matters.

Every elder was already seated and none of them were speaking or even smiling.

Even Vanessa sat several seats away, dressed far more elegantly than necessary for an ordinary council gathering. The moment our eyes met, she straightened almost imperceptibly.

So that was it.

This had been planned.

I walked to the Alpha’s seat without acknowledging anyone and settled into it. "You requested this meeting," I said evenly. "Speak."

For several seconds, no one moved. Then Elder Osric slowly rose to his feet. "Alpha." His tone carried its usual bland respect, but beneath it lay the confidence of a man who believed age placed him above consequence. "There is an issue that has remained unresolved for far too long."

I leaned back. "Go on."

"It concerns your household and we keep bringing it up but you don’t do anything about it."

I said nothing, I just watched as Osric clasped both hands over the head of his cane. "The position of Luna has remained vacant for years. Yet Lady Vanessa has lived within this estate, receiving every privilege afforded to one chosen by the Alpha. The pack has waited patiently for an announcement, for a mating ceremony, for an official acknowledgment..." His gaze drifted briefly toward Vanessa before returning to me. "But none has come."

Several elders nodded and one even murmured in agreement as Osric continued. "The pack requires stability. It requires certainty. Rumors are spreading among our people, and such uncertainty reflects poorly on the leadership."

Another elder cleared his throat. "Our warriors have begun asking questions. The younger generation is confused. It is time."

Soon everyone started chipping in and their voices blended together until I raised one hand.

The room fell silent immediately and Vanessa chose that moment to rise.

She lowered her eyes just enough to appear vulnerable. "I never wanted to pressure you, Alpha." Her voice was soft. "I’ve only waited because I believed you would eventually choose me."

She paused, allowing the silence to stretch for a reasonable time. "But lately..." She swallowed. "It feels as though your attention has been elsewhere."

The implication hung heavily in the air even though no names were spoken.

Osric seized the opportunity immediately. "A leader cannot allow personal distractions to interfere with his responsibilities."

I stared at him. "And what responsibility have I neglected?"

"The responsibility of taking a Luna."

"I wasn’t aware the council now selected mates for the Alpha."

His lips tightened. "We advise what benefits the pack."

A heavy silence settled over the chamber and I didn’t say anything. Finally, I rose to my feet. The scrape of my chair against the stone floor echoed through the hall.

"When I became Alpha," I said calmly, "I assumed authority over this pack. That authority was not conditional. It was not borrowed from the council. And it certainly was not granted by any elder seated in this room."

No one interrupted.

"I have tolerated repeated attempts to influence my personal decisions because I believed maintaining peace within the council served the pack." I looked directly at Osric. "I was mistaken."

His expression changed only slightly, but I saw it.

"The matter ends today." I turned toward Vanessa. "You will not become my mate."

The color drained from her face and a gasp escaped someone farther down the table.

"I have never promised you the position of Luna. I never offered it. Whatever expectations you formed were your own."

Vanessa’s lips parted, but no words came.

"As of this moment, you are to leave the estate before sunset."

The silence that followed was deafening but it only lasted a second before Osric slammed his cane against the floor. "Alpha!"

I looked at him.

"You cannot simply cast her aside."

"I just did." I shrugged.

"Think about what this will do to the pack."

"I am."

"You need a Luna."

"I will choose one when I decide the time is right."

His voice hardened. "The council cannot support—"

"The council," I interrupted, "does not decide what I can or cannot do."

His face darkened. "This is unacceptable."

"No." I held his gaze without blinking. "What is unacceptable is an elder believing he may challenge a direct order from his Alpha."

For the first time since the meeting began, uncertainty flickered across the faces around the room.

I let the silence stretch before speaking again. "Elder Osric."

He lifted his chin.

"For openly defying Alpha authority, attempting to impose council will over mine, and repeatedly exceeding the limits of your position..." I paused. "I sentence you to two weeks of house arrest."

The chamber erupted in chaos and several elders shot to their feet at once.

"You can’t—"

"House arrest?"

"This is unprecedented!"

"It is necessary." My voice cut cleanly through theirs, just as the doors behind the chamber opened.

Rhett entered without haste, stopping beside me before bowing his head. "You called, Alpha."

He’d become useful. I still didn’t trust him but I was keeping a very close eye on him.

I nodded once. "Elder Osric will remain confined to his residence for the next two weeks."

Rhett didn’t question it. "It will be done."

Osric looked genuinely stunned now. "You would humiliate an elder?"

"I would discipline one."

His mouth opened again but I didn’t allow him another word. "My decree is final." I slowly swept my gaze across every face in the chamber. "If any person—elder or otherwise—raises the matter of forcing a mate upon me again, the punishment will be harsher."

No one spoke because no one dared.

For the first time since inheriting the title of Alpha, I saw it clearly in their eyes. No one had any defiance or argument in their face again. All that was left was fear.

Good.

Because beginning today, Ashveil would no longer be ruled by a council hiding behind tradition.

It would be ruled by its Alpha.