The Rejected Mate

CHAPTER SEVEN

DAMON'S POV

The cool evening breeze swept across my face as I stood on the balcony, a glass of red wine in my right hand, my left tucked into my pocket. I swirled the dark liquid, watching it catch the fading sunlight. My eyes might have been fixed on the horizon, but my mind was elsewhere—trapped in a pair of honey-brown eyes that haunted me day and night.

Everyone thought life as a ruler, as the Alpha of the biggest pack in the world, was easy. It really wasn’t. The first thing you had to think about was your pack, and every decision you made had to be in their best interest.

I gave it all up, but now I regret it. I rejected my weak mate because I didn’t want to make the same mistakes as my father—the mistake that caused the deaths of many and made me lose a dear friend who will never forgive me for what happened to his entire family.

I chose not to be weak, not to follow in my father’s footsteps of accepting a weak mate. I thought everything would be fine, that I could endure it all, but that was just a dream. Now I’m filled with nothing but regret for letting her go, and her pleading eyes when I rejected her still haunt me at night.

I rejected her and followed the custom of shedding blood, but it didn’t stop my heart from yearning for her. Since the day I knew she was my mate, I’ve been secretly watching her. I wanted to help her many times when I saw her being bullied, but I thought it would make her stronger if she experienced it. I turned a blind eye to all her difficulties to toughen her, but I was disappointed when I didn’t see any changes, and that’s what led me to my decision.

It’s been two months since Anita disappeared from the pack, and I’ve searched for her, but I haven’t found a single trace of her. She vanished the same day I announced that I was getting married to Lyra, the one who always bullied her. I know I broke her heart, but that doesn’t justify her being out of the pack alone, knowing she can’t protect herself.

I’ve been delaying my marriage for her, always giving different excuses, but now I’m being pressured from every side to wed Lyra and produce an heir. I tried my best to find her, but it was to no avail and at this rate, I might really get married to Lyra.

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled me out of my thoughts, and without turning around, I already knew it was Maverick, my Beta.

"Any news?" I asked, my voice barely masking the hope clawing its way to the surface. I needed something, anything like good news to keep me going but hearing Maverick exhaling a heavy sigh, I knew he brought the same news again.

"I'm very sorry Alpha, but we still haven't gotten any leads yet. I already sent a message that they must not return until they find her.”

I shut my eyes as disappointment washed over me and I felt a familiar ache in my chest. I knew that It wasn’t the first time I’d heard this same feedback, but for some reason, it hurts more now. Maybe because I’d let my hope rise this time, maybe because I thought or I expected this time to be different….I don't really know.

I sighed heavily, then turned to face him. Seeing Maverick as he stood there with his shoulders slumped and his head lowered, I knew he must be feeling nothing but guilty for his incompetence. But it wasn’t him who should feel like that. It was me who had sent him to find my mate whom I had rejected while I’m still betrothed to his sister and our marriage is even coming up soon.

I should be the one in his position not him.

“I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t—"

"No," he interrupted, his voice firm as he raised his gaze to meet mine. "I would’ve done the same thing if I were in your position. You know how crazy I am for my mate, so I expected the same and I am really happy you changed your mind.” He said and I find comfort in his words.

When I decided to announce my marriage with his sister, I remember how he was against it. Telling me how I will later regret my decision and I did so now.

He must be a seer.

“And… I think you’ve forgotten something—an Alpha doesn’t easily apologize. Or show any signs of weakness.”

I nodded but didn't totally agree with him.“Not with you,” I said quietly, feeling a twinge in my chest. “You’re different. You’re not just anyone, Maverick, you're like my blood.

He shook his head slightly, standing straighter. “Actually, I am. I’m one of your subjects, one of your packmates who you rule over. My one and only duty is to protect and assist you, no matter what. So, please, treat me the same way you do everyone else.” His tone was resolute, almost like a father correcting his son. Sometimes, it felt like that…like he was my father. “And don’t feel guilty about my sister. I’m sure she already knows her place in your heart. It's just that there's... something that runs in our family and that’s why she can’t accept the truth.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What kind of thing? This isn’t some sort of illness, is it?”

“ Well..” Maverick let out a small, humorless chuckle as he stepped closer, standing beside me. We both turned to face the horizon. “No. It’s something worse than that and It’s called...power.”

I couldn’t help it but burst into laughter. He joined in, and for a moment, the weight of everything that I was feeling was lifted.

He's actually right. The position of Luna in the Silverclaw pack was something that many women would kill for. But I'm sorry to disappoint them all because it already had an owner.

One of our warriors entered suddenly and announced that Anita had been traced to be in Shadowfang Pack.

I turned my head swiftly to him.

"Are you sure?" I asked him.

"Yes, Alpha." He replied and I turned to Maverick.

"What are we waiting for? Gather all the warriors. We must get to Shadowfang Pack tonight." I declared authoritatively.

Maverick bowed and left with the warrior.

I heaved a sigh of relief and felt happy that Anita has been found. I just have to go there and bring her back with me to Silverclaw pack.

*********

When we arrived at Shadowfang Pack, we stopped at their border. We couldn't barge into their pack since we didn't come for war. I sent one of my warriors to enter into the pack and inform them to provide me Anita. He returned after a while to tell me that their Alpha is on his way to meet me.

Soon after, their Alpha showed up. If not that I'm a strong Alpha of a strong Pack, I'd have felt intimidated by his physique. But I'm not here for that. They should provide me Anita or they should risk going to war with me which I knew they wouldn't want that.

"Welcome, Alpha Damon. I'm Alpha Rowan of Shadowfang Pack."

He introduced himself. I wasn't surprised he knew my name since I'm so popular among other Alphas.

"Thank you Alpha Rowan. I'm sorry for coming to your territory fully armed. I heard one of my pack members is residing in your pack. Her name is Anita. I'll like you to provide her for me." I said as politely as I could.

Rowan straightened suddenly, his posture shifting. "You're right, Alpha Damon. There's is one Anita in our pack but you're not permitted to search my pack, not unless you come with a council order from council of Alphas. Anita is under my protection now."

I looked at him intently expecting to see any iota of fear in him but I saw nothing of sort.

"So you want it the hard way, right?" I thought inwardly.

My jaw tightened. "I don't need your permission, Rowan. Anita is mine."

As I tried to speak further, Anita showed up, looking more radiant than the last time I saw her.

I smiled when our eyes met but she turned away. Something felt different about her. She looks– so cold– like she wasn't the same Anita I once knew.

"You lost that right," she snapped before Rowan could respond.

"You rejected me, remember?"

I turned, finally facing her directly. My voice softened with longing.

"Anita, I—"

"No," she cut me off.

"I don't want your excuses. And for the record...." She lifted her chin.

"I reject you too."

The entire place froze. My wolf surged beneath its skin, fighting the truth she had spoken into existence. The bond between mates was mythical, ancient— and twice as painful when the rejected one finally rejected back.

Rowan stepped forward placing himself between Anita and I.

I growled.

"Move." The Alpha command lacing my voice like fire.

"Anita," I began trying to move closer to her but she moved back and that act pained me but I ignored it.

"I'm sorry with everything that happened. I know I hurt you deeply but for the sake of the bond between us, please forgive me and come back with me to Silverclaw pack."

"Oh, you think I'm just an item you can just discard and retrieve at your own will? You humiliated me. You shamed the bond between us. You scorned me and above all, you rejected me. So what else do you now want from me?" She rant on and on.