Rejected By The Alpha, Blessed By The Moon

ROSALYN The examination room was a small, clean space, with a faint scent of antiseptic and metal. I had just finished my pregnancy test and was seated at the edge of the table, waiting for the doctor to arrive with the results. My palms were damp against the white sheet and my heart thudded hard in my chest, too loud, too fast. Even my wolf, Cara, stirred restlessly inside me, anxious and expectant. When the door creaked open, the doctor entered with a sealed envelope in his hand. His gray hair, neatly combed, gleamed under the silver lights and a pair of glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. “Congratulations, Luna Rosalyn,” he said warmly, offering me the envelope. “You carry the Alpha’s pup. Just three weeks along.” For a heartbeat, the world around me stopped moving. I blinked, my lips parting as my breath caught. The Alpha’s pup. My chest trembled with joy, disbelief, and something dangerously close to hope. Cara howled softly inside me, a joyous, trembling sound that made my eyes sting with unshed tears. “I—thank you, Doctor Rhun,” I managed, my voice barely steady as I accepted the envelope and tucked it close to my chest like a treasure. “Thank you so much.” He smiled knowingly. “Take care of yourself, Luna. You’re in a delicate state. Eat well, rest when the moon calls, and stay away from stress. The Alpha’s heir must be healthy and strong.” I nodded eagerly. “I will, doctor. I promise.” I almost floated out of the hospital. The silver night wrapped around me like silk, and I could swear the stars themselves seemed brighter. My heart raced with wild, reckless happiness. All those long hours I spent there getting the test done, all those months I spent waiting, weren’t for nothing. This is it, I thought. This will change everything. This pregnancy will finally melt his heart. For eight months, I had been mated to Alpha Zayden Crest— leader of Silvercrest Pack, heir to the Crest bloodline, and one of the strongest alphas in the realm. Despite that, I haven’t for a single day experienced the joy of being mated to the Alpha. Our union wasn’t born of the Moon Goddess’s will. It was arranged by his father, the late Alpha Julian Crest before his passing, to secure the pack’s bloodline and keep the council’s trust. His father needed him to settle down and own responsibility before he could take control of the pack. For as long as I can remember, I have always admired Zayden from the shadows and nursed a quiet crush for him. With his fated mate away, I happened to be there, fitting into his family’s description of an ideal chosen mate and wife to him. I knew what that meant: he never wanted me. I was not his fated mate. Just the woman chosen to stand by his side. Still, I loved him. Madly. Quietly. Completely. Maybe now… with his pup growing inside me, that would change. He’ll finally come to love me as I deserve. By the time I reached the packhouse, a—towering fortress of stone and glass nestled in the heart of Silvercrest, the moon had climbed high. Guards bowed as I passed, murmuring, “Luna.” The word made my chest tighten with pride. Inside, the scent of cedarwood and dominance thickened the air, his scent. My pulse skipped. He was here. I found him in his study, the command chamber, poring over maps and ledgers spread across his desk. The glow from the chandelier cast sharp lines across his lean cheeks and chiseled jaw. His dark hair fell like silky tendrils slightly over his eyes, and his aura, that overpowering Alpha energy filled the room like an invisible storm. He was so powerfully handsome it was hard to breathe steadily whenever he was close. I hesitated at the door and took a deep breath. He didn’t look up. “Zayden,” I said softly. He sighed, not turning. “You should knock before entering the Alpha’s chamber, Rosalyn.” My lips curved faintly. He always called me Rosalyn when he was being cold, never Rosa like he used to when we were younger. I took a few steps closer and sat on the chair in front of him. “I have something to tell you,” I said, heart racing, the hair at the back of my neck rising in anticipation. “Make it quick. The council meeting starts soon.” I swallowed the sting in my throat. “Zayden… I’m with a pup.” The words left my lips like a prayer trembling yet hopeful, desperate. But the silence that followed was crushing. Not what I quite expected. The maker he was holding stilled mid-stroke. Slowly, he lifted his head, those icy blue eyes colder than winter rivers locking on me. For a moment, I thought I saw surprise. Maybe even softness. Then it vanished. His expression hardened into steel. “What did you just say?” “I said…” My voice faltered. “I’m pregnant. The Doctor confirmed it a few moments ago. You’re going to be a father.” I extended my hand to offer the envelope, smiling nervously, waiting for even a flicker of warmth in his gaze. But none came. He took it, glanced at it, and then tossed it carelessly onto the desk. “Get rid of it.” My heart stopped. “What?” He stood, his towering frame casting a shadow across me. “You heard me. Get rid of it, Rosalyn. There will be no pup from a Luna I didn’t choose.” The words struck harder than any blade. My wolf whimpered, the bond between us straining painfully as if claws tore through my chest. “Zayden… how can you say that?” I whispered, my voice shaking. “You know I love you. You know how much I wanted to give you an heir—” He turned away. “Don’t twist this into love. You signed a contract. You know why you’re here: to fulfill the council’s condition that I be mated before taking full control of Silvercrest.” His voice grew colder. “This wasn’t about affection, Rosalyn. It was pure politics and business. I get the title of Alpha… and you get the position of Luna, along with other compensations that were agreed upon.” His next words were dagger on ice, shattering me completely. “Making pups was never part of the deal.” Tears blurred my vision, but I blinked them back fiercely. “Even if that’s true, the pup is still yours. Ours.” I pressed a trembling hand to my belly. “The Moon Goddess blessed us. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?” His jaw clenched. For a fleeting second, pain flickered across his face, guilt, maybe but it disappeared just as fast. “End it,” he said flatly, each word colder than the last. “Don’t make me repeat myself. If you defy me, Rosalyn, I’ll have this union dissolved before midnight. The council will believe whatever story I tell them. And you… You’ll lose everything. I’ll cut off all compensation, every single privilege you think you’re entitled to. Meanwhile, I can easily take another bride to fill your place.” He leaned closer, his voice harsh and raw as he reminded me. “Don’t forget your brother just got into medical school… and he depends on you. On the benefits this marriage offers. Think carefully before you throw that away.” The cold, manipulative edge in his tone made something inside me snap, not anger, but despair so deep it felt eternal. I could feel Cara retreating into the shadows of my soul, silent and trembling. When he dismissed me with a wave of his hand, I didn’t argue. I didn’t even cry. I simply turned away, my heart breaking in slow, agonizing pieces, as I stood and made my way to the door. Halfway through the door, his voice made me stop. “Rosalyn.” I turned, hope fluttering weakly. Maybe he changed his mind and realized what great news this pregnancy was and the endless opportunities it would bring to our union. “Not a word of this to anyone,” he said without looking up. “Especially not my mother.” And with that, he dismissed me. I stood there for one more second, letting the words and the silence that followed burn through me, then quietly left the room.