Rejected by The Alpha, Claimed by Faith

Chapter 2

Lily’s POV

The words echo in the sudden silence. My mother gasps. My father's face goes red with fury. Marcus's eyes widen with shock.

For just a second, I see something like hurt flash across his face. But then it's gone, replaced by cold acceptance.

"I accept your rejection," Marcus says immediately. Too immediately. Like he's relieved I saved him the trouble.

The bond between us twists painfully, then begins to fray. It's not supposed to happen this fast—rejection bonds usually take days to fully sever. But neither of us is fighting it. We're both letting go.

As the bond continues to break, pain lances through my chest. I gasp, pressing my hand to my heart.

"Lily, you need to leave," Rose says urgently. "Now. Before—"

But it's too late. The pain intensifies, spreading from my chest to every part of my body. My vision blurs. I hear shouting, feel hands reaching for me, but I can't focus on any of it.

The amphitheater spins around me. I try to take a step, but my legs won't hold me. The pain is everywhere now, like my body is tearing itself apart from the inside. I hear my mother's voice, sharp and accusing, but I can't make out the words.

Someone catches me before I hit the ground. Strong arms, familiar scent. Nathan.

"I've got you," he whispers. "Hold on, Lily. Just hold on."

But I can't hold on. The pain is too much. The severed bond is pulling at something vital inside me, something I didn't even know existed until it started breaking.

Through the haze of agony, I hear Marcus's voice. He's saying something, but the words don't make sense. He sounds far away, even though I know he must be close.

"Get her to the hospital," someone commands. Alpha Richard, maybe. "Now!"

The world tilts as Nathan lifts me. I try to speak, to tell him I'm okay, but no words come out. Just a small whimper of pain that I hate myself for making.

"Stay with me," Nathan says, his voice tight with worry. "Sarah, call Dr. Frost. Tell her it's an emergency rejection bond."

Sarah. My sister-in-law. One of the few people in this pack who has ever been kind to me. I want to thank her, but the darkness is creeping in at the edges of my vision.

"Lily!" Rose's voice cuts through the fog. "Don't you dare give up. We've survived worse than this. We've survived them. Stay with me!"

I cling to her voice like a lifeline as Nathan carries me out of the amphitheater. Behind us, I hear chaos. Shouting. Questions. My mother's voice rising above the rest, saying something about disgrace and embarrassment.

Even now. Even as I'm dying from a severed mate bond, she's worried about appearances.

The cool October air hits my face as we exit the building. It should help, should clear my head, but it doesn't. The pain just keeps building, wave after wave, until I'm sure I can't survive another second of it.

"Hold on," Nathan repeats. "We're almost there."

But I'm not sure I can hold on. The bond is shredding itself faster than it should, taking pieces of me with it. I can feel myself slipping, falling into a darkness that promises relief from the pain.

"Lily, no!" Rose howls in my mind. "Fight! You have to fight!"

I want to. I want to fight, to survive, to prove everyone wrong. But I'm so tired. Five years of being invisible. Five years of blame and hatred and wishing I was someone else. And now this—rejected by my own mate on my birthday that no one remembers.

Maybe it would be easier to just let go.

"Don't you dare," Rose snarls. "Don't you dare let them win. We are Moon-Blessed, Lily. The Moon Goddess chose us for a reason. We have a purpose. We have a future. Don't throw it away because of him!"

The fury in her voice cuts through the pain. She's right. I've survived too much to give up now.

I force my eyes open just as Nathan bursts through the hospital doors. Dr. Frost is already there, her face set in grim determination.

"Examination room three," she orders. "Now."

Nathan lays me on the bed as gently as he can, but even that small movement sends fresh agony shooting through me. I cry out, unable to stop myself.

"It's okay," Dr. Frost says, her hands already moving over me, checking vitals, assessing damage. "You're going to be okay, Lily. I've got you."

But I can see the worry in her eyes. The fear. Rejection bonds aren't supposed to sever this fast. Something is wrong.

"Her heart rate is erratic," Dr. Frost calls to a nurse. "Start an IV. And get me—"

The rest of her words fade as another wave of pain hits. This one is different. Sharper. Final.

Through the hospital window, I see the sun beginning to set. Golden light streams across the floor, painting everything in shades of amber and orange. My birthday is almost over. Another year older, and what do I have to show for it?

A rejected mate bond. A family that hates me. A pack that wishes I was dead.

And a secret that might get me killed if anyone ever finds out.

The darkness pulls at me again, stronger this time. I'm so tired of fighting. So tired of being strong when all I want to do is break down and cry.

"Lily!" Dr. Frost's voice is sharp now. "Stay with me. Don't you dare close your eyes."

But they're already closing. I can't keep them open anymore.

The last thing I see before the darkness takes me completely is a figure bursting through the door. Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark brown hair and steel-gray eyes full of something that looks like panic.

Marcus.

He came.

Why did he come?

Then everything goes black, and I know nothing more.