⭐4.9| XoxoAmari 10Chapters
Werewolf • Alpha Romance • Rejected Mate
On the night of the Blood Moon, Aria Vale is publicly rejected by the Alpha she was meant to marry.Humiliated and broken, she runs into the forbidden forest—straight into the territory of her pack’s greatest enemy.That’s where she meets Kael Draven, the ruthless Alpha of the rival pack.The moment their eyes meet, the bond snaps into place.
Mate.
But Kael is the one man she should never belong to… the Alpha sworn to destroy her people.Now claimed by the Alpha rival, Aria must choose between loyalty to her pack… or the dangerous mate who refuses to let her go.
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
The Rejection
The entire pack had gathered in the clearing behind the Alpha house.
Torches were planted around the open space, their light flickering across the faces of everyone who came to watch the ceremony. Wolves stood in groups, talking quietly while waiting for it to begin.
I stood near the front.
My fingers kept rubbing together because I could not stop the nervous feeling in my chest. I had imagined this moment many times growing up, but standing here now made my heart beat much faster than I expected.
Tonight Alpha Lucian would announce his Luna.
Everyone already knew who it would be.
Me.
Our families had arranged it since we were children. The pack had always treated me like the future Luna. For years people had reminded me that one day I would stand beside Lucian and lead the pack with him.
My friend Mira nudged my arm.
"You look pale," she whispered.
"I am just nervous."
"You should not be. You already know how this will end."
I gave a small nod, but the tight feeling in my chest remained.
Then the crowd suddenly became quiet.
Lucian had arrived.
People stepped aside to make a path for him as he walked into the clearing. He moved with the natural confidence of someone used to being obeyed. Wolves lowered their heads respectfully as he passed them.
Lucian was tall and broad-shouldered, the kind of man who naturally stood out in any crowd. His dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and the sharp line of his jaw gave him a serious look even when he was not speaking.
He had always been considered one of the strongest Alphas in the region.
When he stepped into the center of the clearing, the elders raised their hands to signal for silence.
"The ceremony will begin," one of them announced.
My stomach tightened.
Lucian began walking toward me.
Each step felt heavier than the last as he closed the distance between us.
When he finally stopped in front of me, I had to tilt my head slightly to meet his eyes.
For a moment he said nothing.
He simply looked at me.
His gaze slowly moved over my face as if he was studying me.
Something about that look made my skin feel uncomfortable.
"Aria Vale," he said.
"Yes, Alpha," I answered.
My voice sounded softer than I wanted it to.
Lucian's lips curved into a small smile.
But it was not a kind smile.
There was something mocking about it.
Then he spoke.
"I reject you."
The words landed so suddenly that for a moment I thought I had heard him wrong.
"What?"
Lucian's voice grew louder so everyone could hear him.
"I, Alpha Lucian of the Silver Ridge Pack, reject you as my mate and Luna."
Gasps spread through the clearing.
The quiet whispers that followed sounded louder than the words themselves.
My chest felt tight.
"We were promised," I said slowly, trying to understand what was happening.
Lucian looked completely calm.
"That promise means nothing."
Then he turned toward the crowd.
A woman stepped forward.
Lydia.
The Beta's daughter.
She was beautiful, with long dark hair and confident posture. She walked straight to Lucian as if she had been expecting this moment.
Lucian placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side.
"This is the woman who will stand beside me," he announced. "She will be my Luna."
More whispers spread through the crowd.
Some wolves looked shocked.
Others looked entertained.
A few simply watched quietly.
I could feel every pair of eyes in the clearing turning toward me.
Lucian looked back at me.
"You were never meant for this position," he said. "You are not strong enough to stand beside an Alpha."
His words hit harder than the rejection itself.
My throat felt tight.
For a moment I stood there, unable to move.
Then I turned around.
I walked past the crowd while everyone watched.
Nobody said anything.
Nobody stopped me.
Once I reached the path leading into the forest, I began to run.
The further I ran, the quieter the sounds of the pack became.
After some time I slowed down.
My breathing was uneven and my chest felt heavy.
That was when I noticed something.
The scent of wolves.
But not from my pack.
My body immediately went still.
Slowly I looked around.
One wolf stepped out from behind a tree.
Then another.
Then another.
Large wolves with thick dark fur surrounded the area, their eyes fixed on me.
There were too many.
None of them belonged to the Silver Ridge Pack.
Fear slowly spread through my chest.
I had crossed into another pack's territory.
A voice suddenly spoke behind me.
Deep. Calm. Dangerous.
"Well. That is unexpected."
I turned quickly.
A tall man stepped out from the shadows.
Even in the torchlight I could tell he was powerful. He was taller than most men in the pack, with broad shoulders and a strong build that made his presence impossible to ignore.
His dark hair was slightly messy, and his sharp eyes studied me with quiet interest.
The moment I saw his face, I recognized him.
Alpha Kael Draven.
The Alpha of the rival pack.
My heart sank.
Of all the places I could have run…
I had run straight into his territory.
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