​Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the Lycan King

The freezing winter wind howled through the cracks of the small, dusty attic window, biting at Kiara’s pale skin. She pulled the thin, threadbare blanket tighter around her shivering body, but it offered no warmth. Today was her eighteenth birthday. For any normal werewolf, turning eighteen was the most glorious day of their life—the day their wolf awakened, the day they could finally find their fated mate. But Kiara was far from normal. She was the Silver Moon Pack’s outcast. The wolfless, weak Omega. With a heavy sigh, she pushed herself off the hard wooden floor that served as her bed. Looking into the small, cracked mirror resting against the wall, she saw a girl with exhausted, dull eyes and a bruised cheek—a parting gift from her cruel stepsister, Sienna, the night before. Ever since Kiara’s parents died in a rogue attack ten years ago, her life had been a living hell. The pack blamed her for their deaths, treating her worse than a slave. She was their punching bag, the dirt beneath their boots. But today... today was supposed to be different. ‘Please, Moon Goddess,’ Kiara prayed silently, closing her eyes. ‘Please let my mate be kind. He doesn’t have to be strong or rich. Just let him take me away from this nightmare.’ "Kiara! You useless piece of trash, get down here!" The harsh, screeching voice of her stepmother echoed from downstairs, shattering her momentary hope. Kiara flinched, quickly throwing on her oversized, faded grey dress. Tonight was the annual Winter Solstice Gala, combined with Sienna’s eighteenth birthday celebration. The entire pack house was decorated in silver and gold, crystal chandeliers blindingly bright. While Sienna was upstairs being pampered and dressed in expensive silk, Kiara was forced into the kitchens, scrubbing floors and carrying heavy trays of champagne for the elite pack members. As the evening approached, the grand hall filled with hundreds of werewolves. The air was thick with the smell of expensive perfume, roasted meat, and alpha pheromones. Kiara stood in the corner, holding a heavy silver tray, keeping her head bowed to avoid eye contact. Looking an Alpha or a high-ranking Beta in the eye was a punishable offense for an Omega like her. Suddenly, the massive double oak doors of the grand hall swung open. The loud chatter instantly died down, replaced by a respectful silence. Alpha Zane had arrived. He was the future Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, a towering man with broad shoulders, sharp jawline, and piercing blue eyes. He was arrogant, cruel, and powerful. Every unmated female in the room sighed in admiration, desperately hoping the Moon Goddess had destined them for him. Kiara kept her head down, her hands trembling slightly from exhaustion. But then, something impossible happened. The moment Zane stepped further into the hall, a scent hit Kiara like a freight train. It was an intoxicating, mouth-watering blend of pine trees, rain, and dark chocolate. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever smelled. Her heart began to hammer against her ribs, a strange, burning heat spreading through her veins. Her dormant wolf, who had never made a sound in eighteen years, suddenly scratched at the back of her mind, whimpering softly. ‘Mate,’ her inner voice whispered. Kiara froze, the breath knocked out of her lungs. No. It couldn't be. Slowly, terrified of what she might find, she lifted her head. Her gaze locked perfectly with Alpha Zane’s. Time seemed to stop. The mate bond snapped into place, an invisible, electric string connecting her soul to his. For a split second, Kiara saw a flash of surprise in Zane's piercing blue eyes. Her heart soared. Her mate. The future Alpha was her mate! He could save her. He could finally protect her from all this pain. But as quickly as the surprise appeared in his eyes, it was replaced by something else. Disgust. Pure, unadulterated loathing. Zane’s upper lip curled into a cruel sneer. He tore his gaze away from her as if looking at her made him sick. Kiara felt a cold dread wash over her, turning her blood to ice. "Alpha Zane!" A sweet, sickening voice called out. Sienna, dressed in a stunning, tight-fitting red gown, descended the grand staircase. She looked like a queen, her blonde hair cascading down her back. Zane’s expression instantly softened as he looked at Sienna. He walked towards her, grabbing her waist possessively and pulling her against his chest. The pack cheered, clapping for the beautiful pair. Kiara stood frozen in her corner, the silver tray rattling in her shaking hands. Her chest felt like it was being crushed by a boulder. Why is he holding her? I am his mate! Kiara’s mind screamed, but her voice refused to work. Zane raised a hand, demanding silence from the pack. The hall grew dead quiet. He looked around the room, making sure everyone was paying attention, before his cold blue eyes landed on Kiara. A sinister, mocking smile played on his lips. "Tonight, I have found my mate," Zane announced, his deep voice echoing across the walls. The pack erupted into gasps and excited whispers. Kiara’s heart fluttered for a fraction of a second, a foolish, desperate hope clinging to her soul. "However," Zane continued, his voice growing louder, dripping with venom, "The Moon Goddess must have made a terrible mistake. Because the mate she chose for me is a weak, pathetic, wolfless Omega." He pointed a finger directly at Kiara. Every head in the room turned to look at her. Hundreds of eyes filled with disgust, mockery, and hatred pierced her skin. The silver tray slipped from Kiara’s numb fingers, crashing onto the marble floor with a deafening clatter. Champagne glasses shattered, the golden liquid spilling everywhere. "Look at her," Zane spat, stepping closer, dragging Sienna with him. "She is a disgrace to the werewolf race. She has no wolf, no strength, no beauty. She is nothing but dirt. Did you really think, Kiara, that I, the future Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, would ever accept a piece of trash like you as my Luna?" Tears spilled over Kiara’s eyelashes, tracking down her pale cheeks. She opened her mouth to speak, to beg him not to do this, but the words choked in her throat. The pain in her chest was unbearable. "No..." she whimpered, taking a step back. "I, Alpha Zane of the Silver Moon Pack," his voice boomed, invoking the sacred ancient ritual, "reject you, Kiara, as my fated mate and future Luna." CRACK. It sounded like a physical bone breaking inside her chest. The mate bond, the sacred connection woven by the Moon Goddess, violently ripped apart. Kiara screamed—a raw, agonizing, blood-curdling scream of pure torment. She collapsed onto her knees among the broken glass, clutching her chest as blood began to drip from her nose. It felt as if someone had reached into her ribcage and torn her heart out with their bare hands. The pack didn't gasp in pity. They laughed. Sienna stood beside Zane, a wicked smirk on her perfectly painted lips. "Good riddance," she sneered. Zane pulled Sienna into a passionate, bruising kiss right in front of Kiara, sealing his rejection. "And I don't want this filth in my territory anymore," Zane declared, wiping his mouth. He looked down at Kiara’s bleeding, sobbing form on the floor. "As of this moment, Kiara is stripped of her pack status. She is a rogue. Throw her out!" "No! Please!" Kiara begged, coughing up a drop of blood. "There's a blizzard outside! I'll freeze to death! I'll do anything, I'll clean the floors, I'll never look at you, please don't throw me out!" But her pleas fell on deaf ears. Two massive Beta guards grabbed her by her arms, dragging her ruthlessly across the broken glass. They hauled her towards the heavy oak doors and threw her out into the violently howling snowstorm. "If you ever step foot on Silver Moon territory again, we will kill you on sight," one of the guards growled before slamming the massive doors shut, locking them from the inside. Kiara was left alone in the freezing darkness. The snow was already piling up, the wind biting through her thin grey dress like icy knives. Her chest was bleeding internally from the shattered bond. She had nothing. No family, no pack, no mate. Knowing that staying meant freezing to death by morning, Kiara forced her broken body to move. She dragged her bare, bleeding feet through the thick snow, walking blindly into the dark forest. She walked for what felt like hours, her body growing numb, her vision blurring. She didn't know where she was going until she saw the old, moss-covered stone pillars looming in the dark. The border. Beyond those pillars lay the Forbidden Lands. The territory of the Lycans. The domain of Lord Arhaan, the ruthless, bloodthirsty Lycan King who was known to tear trespassers limb from limb. No one ever went past the pillars. It was guaranteed death. But as Kiara heard the distant howl of a Silver Moon patrol wolf behind her, she realized she had a choice. Die at the hands of the pack that tortured her, or die by the claws of the monster in the dark. With a final, desperate breath, Kiara stumbled past the stone pillars, crossing into the Lycan King's territory. Her knees finally gave out, and she collapsed into the freezing snow, waiting for the end. But right before her eyes fluttered shut, she saw a shadow move in the trees. A massive, towering silhouette stepped out of the darkness. And a pair of glowing, blood-red eyes locked onto her.