Rejected by the Alpha

Eyes in the Trees

"Show yourself," Kade said, his voice low and dangerous.

For a long moment, nothing moved. The wind pushed through the branches overhead, and Elena's heart pounded so loud she was sure it would give away exactly how afraid she was. Kade stepped slightly in front of her, his whole body angled like a shield between her and the darkening trees.

Then a figure stepped out from behind a thick trunk, hands raised, palms open.

"Easy," the man said. "I mean no harm, Alpha."

Elena recognized the Ashwood Pack uniform immediately, and some of the tension in her chest loosened. It was one of Kade's own warriors, not an enemy.

Kade did not relax as quickly. "Tobias. Why are you sneaking around instead of announcing yourself properly?"

"Apologies, Alpha," Tobias said, lowering his hands. "I wasn't sneaking. I was patrolling the perimeter like you ordered, and I noticed you were... occupied." His eyes flicked briefly to Elena, then back to Kade, careful and unreadable.

"Report," Kade said sharply, clearly wanting to move past the moment as fast as possible.

"Nothing unusual to report, Alpha. No signs of Blackthorn scouts near this section of the border tonight. I only stopped because I heard voices and wanted to make sure everything was fine."

Kade nodded once. "Good. Continue your patrol."

Tobias bowed and disappeared back into the trees without another word, though Elena caught the way his eyes lingered just a moment too long before he turned away. She had a feeling this wasn't the last she would hear about tonight, whether Kade wanted it kept quiet or not.

"That's twice now," Elena said once they were alone again.

"Twice what?"

"Twice someone from your pack has seen us together and looked at us like they were trying to solve a puzzle." She picked up the bundle of firewood she had gathered, suddenly feeling exposed in a way she hadn't a moment ago. "How long before someone puts the pieces together?"

Kade's jaw tightened. "I'll handle it."

"How?"

"I don't know yet," he admitted. "But I will."

Elena studied him for a moment, the firewood heavy in her arms. "You keep saying that. That you'll handle things. That you don't know yet. Doesn't it get exhausting, carrying so much uncertainty and pretending you have all the answers in front of everyone else?"

Something flickered across Kade's face, surprise mixed with something rawer underneath it.

"Yes," he said quietly. "It does."

The honesty in his voice caught her off guard. She hadn't expected him to actually answer.

"I should get back," Elena said after a moment, shifting the firewood in her arms. "Before Old Marta sends someone looking for me."

Kade nodded, though he didn't move right away. "Elena."

She paused, looking back at him.

"Be careful," he said. "Even here, close to your own pack. Blackthorn has been growing bolder, and I don't like the idea of you being out here alone, mate bond or not."

The word mate hung in the air between them, quiet but heavy. Elena felt her cheeks warm despite the cold evening air.

"I'll be careful," she said softly, then turned and walked back toward the pack houses, leaving him standing alone at the edge of the trees.

By the time Elena returned, the sun had nearly disappeared behind the hills, and most of the pack had gathered near the main hall for the evening meal. She slipped inside quietly, hoping to avoid drawing attention, but Mia spotted her immediately and waved her over.

"There you are," Mia said, patting the seat beside her. "You've been gone a while. Did the firewood grow legs and run away from you?"

"Something like that," Elena said, sitting down and trying to appear normal.

Across the room, Freya was in the middle of an animated story, gesturing dramatically with her hands while a small group of girls listened, clearly enjoying the attention.

"...and then Tobias said he saw them out near the training grounds, just the two of them," Freya was saying, her voice pitched just loud enough to carry.

Elena's stomach dropped.

Mia's eyebrows shot up. "Wait. Is she talking about you?"

"I don't know what she's talking about," Elena said quickly, though her heart was racing.

"...alone, in the woods, gathering firewood of all things," Freya continued, practically glowing with the thrill of gossip. "Can you imagine? What business would our great Alpha have helping an omega collect sticks?"

A few girls giggled. Someone whispered something Elena couldn't quite hear, and several heads turned in her direction.

"Elena." Freya's voice turned sickly sweet as she looked directly at her from across the room. "Care to explain why Alpha Kade was seen alone with you in the woods this evening? Twice in one week now. That's quite a coincidence, don't you think?"

The hall grew quieter, curious eyes shifting toward Elena, waiting for an answer. She felt her palms grow damp, her mind scrambling for something, anything, that would sound believable without breaking the promise she had made to Kade.

"He was checking the perimeter," Elena said carefully. "He happened to walk past while I was gathering wood. That's all."

"That's all," Freya repeated, clearly not buying it. "Funny. Because Tobias said you two were talking for quite a while before he interrupted."

"We were discussing pack safety," Elena said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Given the Blackthorn scouts near the border, it seemed important."

Freya's eyes narrowed, sensing there was more to the story but unable to prove it. "How convenient that the great Alpha suddenly cares so much about pack safety when it involves you specifically."

"Enough, Freya." Old Marta's voice cut through the hall, firm and final. "Leave the girl alone and eat your dinner."

Freya's mouth snapped shut, though her eyes stayed locked on Elena a moment longer, sharp with suspicion that hadn't been satisfied.

Elena let out a slow breath, grateful for the interruption, though she knew this wasn't over. Freya wasn't the type to let something go once she smelled a secret worth uncovering.

Mia leaned close, whispering under the noise of the hall returning to normal conversation. "Okay. Now you have to tell me what's really going on. Because that was not the reaction of someone with nothing to hide."

Elena opened her mouth to deny it again, but before she could speak, the doors to the hall burst open, and one of the Silver Moon Pack warriors rushed in, breathless and pale.

"Attack," he gasped. "Blackthorn wolves,, at the northern village. They're burning it down."