The rejection
The rejection
For five good years, Alpha Lucian had been mated to Isabella without an heir. Finally, they were blessed with a pregnancy.
Isabella stayed strong, and on the day she went into labor, the pack members all gathered. Those who heard about the delivery stood around the Alpha's house. The elders sat eagerly, waiting to welcome their future heir. Alpha Lucian was even preparing in his mind how he would embrace Isabella after she gave birth.
Just as they stood there curiously, they heard the cry of a baby. Smiles filled everyone's faces as they looked at one another in joy. Alpha Lucian stood and began walking toward the room where the delivery had just taken place when the pack doctor, Doctor Sharman, approached him with the news.
He wore a troubled expression.
Lucian immediately asked, "How is my heir and my mate? Can I go and see them myself?"
He was eager to check on them.
The doctor lowered his head before saying, "The child is alive, but there is a problem, he is wolfless."
The doctor's words struck Alpha Lucian like a thunderbolt. He was stunned and could hardly believe what he had heard.
"What do you mean by that? I don't expect such a thing from my bloodline!" he growled.
"You don't know what you're saying," Lucian added, his expression turning darker than ever.
"You can go and see for yourself. The elders can confirm it."
Alpha Lucian immediately entered the room. Isabella was smiling, unaware of the situation outside.
Lucian and several elders approached the newborn and examined the child.
Behold, the smiling baby was a wolfless male pup.
"What is the meaning of this?" Lucian demanded angrily as he turned toward Isabella.
"For five good years we waited and hoped for an heir. When the Moon Goddess finally blessed us, what you gave me is a human child. My heir was supposed to be the future Alpha, not someone like this!"
Isabella was equally shocked. Despite the pain of childbirth, she struggled to her feet and carefully examined her child.
It was true.
Lucian stormed out of the room and locked himself inside his chamber.
"Is she cursed? Was she never meant to be my Luna? How can this happen to me, the Alpha of the most powerful pack? What have I done to deserve this? This is a sign that I have cursed Luna."
The thought consumed him.
"She is cursed and must leave this pack."
The words echoed loudly enough for Isabella to hear.
Fear gripped her heart as the possibility of rejection became real.
"Reject her! Reject her! Our heir cannot be human!"
The voices of the pack members grew louder.
Already filled with grief and rage, Alpha Lucian walked outside and saw how his pack members had become consumed by the same belief.
He returned to Isabella and said, "I refuse to believe this for now. I will ignore it until Doctor Diana, the senior doctor of the pack, confirms it. If she finds the same result, I will have no choice but to reject you."
Doctor Diana had traveled away for a medical program, leaving Doctor Sharman in charge.
For an entire week, Isabella and her child were mocked by the pack members. Lucian only made things worse with his constant threats.
"I thought you loved me, Lucian. I thought I meant everything to you. Why are you treating me this way?" she asked sadly.
"You ask questions when the answer is right before you," Lucian replied coldly. "I loved you so much that I endured five years without an heir. When you became pregnant, I was overjoyed. I expected you to give me the heir I had always wanted. I expected a powerful werewolf. Instead, you gave birth to a cursed child that looks just like you. You are cursed. If you continue to be my Luna, you may spread your curse to my people, and that is what I am trying to prevent."
"I beg you, Alpha Lucian, please don't do this to me. Don't disgrace me before the pack members. Please, I beg of you."
Instead of defending herself and her child, Isabella pleaded desperately, even though the humiliation was unbearable.
Alpha Lucian pushed her hands away.
Finally, the day arrived when Doctor Diana returned and examined the child. Isabella trembled nervously as she waited.
Doctor Diana shook her head.
"The child is human."
This time, Lucian could no longer deny the truth.
Immediately, he ordered the child to be killed.
"Harrison," he called to his Beta.
"Take this child away and kill it immediately. I cannot have a human as my heir."
At once, Isabella collapsed at Lucian's feet, tears streaming down her face.
"Please, my Alpha, don't hurt my child. Reject me instead. Let me leave with my child."
"Is that what you want?" Lucian asked.
At that moment, whatever feelings he once had for Isabella seemed to vanish. His desire for power and a worthy heir had consumed everything else.
"Reject me and let me leave with my child. I am ready to go," Isabella pleaded again.
Lucian hesitated briefly, but his obsession with power overcame him.
He grabbed Isabella's hand and stared directly into her eyes.
"I, Alpha Lucian of the Silver Moon Pack, reject you as my mate and Luna."
"And I, Isabella, accept your rejection."
The moment the words left their mouths, both of them collapsed to the floor as the mate bond shattered.
The pain nearly killed Isabella, but she survived. Blood spilled from her lips as she struggled to stand. Wrapping her child tightly in a blanket, she slowly walked away from the pack.
Every step was agony.
