REJECTED BY ONE DESIRED BY THREE

CHAPTER 2

THE REJECTION

Lyra'S POV :

I didn't understand.

Not at first.

My brain refused to accept the words.

"I Alpha Cassian Draven reject you as my mate.

The Moon Hall remained silent.

Hundreds of people were staring at me.

Cassian's face remained expressionless.

I searched his eyes desperately.

There had to be something there.

Regret.

Fear.

Anything.

"Alpha..." My voice cracked.

He looked away.

"Don't."

One word.

A warning.

My wolf screamed.

Pain exploded through my chest.

I dropped to one knee.

Someone gasped.

Blood filled my mouth.

The mate bond wasn't supposed to be broken like this.

Not publicly.

Not violently.

Not by the person it had chosen.

My hands shook against the marble floor.

"Why?"

Cassian didn't answer.

I forced myself upright.

"Why?"

His eyes finally returned to mine.

For the briefest moment, something flickered inside them.

Pain.

Then it vanished.

"You are not suitable to stand beside me."

The words struck harder than the rejection.

"Not suitable?"

A few people whispered.

Someone laughed.

Cassian continued.

"You are the daughter of a convicted traitor."

My throat tightened.

"My father was innocent."

"Enough."

"He was innocent."

"Lyra."

The way he said my name sounded like a command.

I hated myself for trembling.

"I didn't choose my bloodline."

"No."

His voice was cold.

"But I am responsible for choosing my mate."

He stepped closer.

"Tonight, I choose not to accept you."

My vision blurred.

"Then why did the Moon choose me?"

For the first time, Cassian looked uncertain.

Only for a second.

Then the Alpha mask returned.

"I don't know."

That hurt more than anything.

He didn't know.

The Moon had chosen me.

And he still didn't want me.

The whispers grew louder.

"Rejected..."

"The Alpha rejected his own mate."

"How humiliating."

"Of all people, he got the traitor's daughter."

My nails dug into my palms.

I wanted to disappear.

But I couldn't.

Not yet.

Cassian turned toward the council.

"Continue the ceremony."

That was it.

No apology.

No explanation.

He simply walked away.

As if he hadn't just ripped something out of my soul.

I watched him leave.

My wolf was still screaming.

Go after him.

Please.

Mate.

I swallowed the pain.

"No."

My wolf went silent.

I whispered the word again.

"No."

I stood.

My legs barely held me.

Mara rushed toward me.

"Lyra."

"I'm fine."

"You aren't."

"I said I'm fine."

My voice broke.

The room stared.

I forced myself to walk.

One step.

Then another.

I made it to the doors.

Then I heard laughter.

"Look at her."

"She actually thought the Alpha would keep her."

I stopped.

My fists tightened.

I turned.

The girl who had spoken immediately looked nervous.

But I said nothing.

I simply walked out.

Outside, the cold night air hit my face.

I leaned against the stone wall.

And finally—

I broke.

A sob tore from my throat.

I slid down the wall until I was sitting on the ground.

My chest felt like it had been ripped open.

I pressed my hand against it.

The pain was unbearable.

But beneath the pain...

Something else was happening.

The crescent beneath my collarbone was burning.

I pulled the fabric aside.

The birthmark glowed faintly.

Silver.

Then black.

I froze.

A whisper brushed against my mind.

Not my wolf.

Not mine.

A voice.

Ancient.

Female.

You have been rejected.

My breathing stopped.

Good.

I stared into the darkness.

"What?"

The voice disappeared.

Then my wolf screamed.

Not in pain.

In terror.

Something moved behind me.

I spun around.

Nothing.

Only shadows.

But one of those shadows moved against the direction of the moonlight.

I stared at it.

My heartbeat accelerated.

Then the shadow disappeared.

I didn't know it yet.

But the rejection hadn't ended my story.

It had started it.