A Chosen Mate

Alone

Her friends and family were shocked she'd been mated to the future Alpha. They understood why he wanted to reject her. However, none of them understood why she stopped him and rejected him herself. Why didn't she beg? Why didn't she try to keep him? Why didn't she just take the rejection graciously? He was the Alpha's son! How could she explain that she wanted to keep her dignity intact even as an Omega with little dignity to begin with? She wasn't going to stand there and let him break her heart and watch her crumble. No, if didn't want her then she was going to make him feel the pain and humiliation just as much as she had to feel it. She'd make him crumble to the ground and lose his dignity. If he didn't like that, then maybe he should've thought twice about rejecting her. For judging her as a weak Omega when she was so much more than that. She knew she had potential, it was just that this pack didn't allow Omegas to pursue anything more than low work positions. Alina had spent years working out in her home gym, building lean muscle and strength and learning to fight. She'd taken textbooks on field medicine and learned everything she could. If she ever got a chance she'd prove herself.

Brandon avoided her, which was easy to do as they didn't run in the same circles, but when they were anywhere near each other he left as quickly as possible. "He doesn't want anyone to know you two were mated, but look at how awkward he's being," Sarah, Alina's long time friend, observed with a chuckle.

"Right? He sucks at being discrete," Alina answered.

They laughed and continued with their work. They were working on the flowerbeds all around the packhouse. Beautiful, big swaths of flowers and roses. It was the first warm, sunny day of the season so they had gotten up early to set to work returning the beds to their summer glory. Brandon had come jogging around the corner, saw Alina and almost fell on his face in his hurry to turn and run back the way he'd come.

"Do you ever think about the possibility of a second chance mate?" Sarah asked.

"No... that's so rare among our kind. I don't have any hope of that," Alina sighed. She'd been robbed of the unique feeling of having a fated mate. The connection that made one feel so loved, secure and at peace no matter what. She preferred not to think about it, because dwelling on it did no good. She couldn't get that back, it was a loss she'd grieve forever.

"Perhaps a chosen mate then..." Sarah said quietly.

"I wouldn't mind choosing a mate, but asking someone to give up their mate for me is out of the question. Their mate would have to be dead or have already rejected them. Rejections aren't that common and heaven forbid someone loses their mate to death. I don't hold out hope for it, but I don't deny its possibility. We'll see what happens. I'm only eighteen, who knows what could happen?"

"Very true, you have your whole life ahead of you. So do I, but there's no hint of my mate yet," Sarah replied.

"If you don't find him here we'll attend the balls and you'll find him there," Alina assured her. There were annual balls at their pack as well as their allied packs where those who weren't mated yet attended in hopes of finding their mates. At the very least they came away with new friendships, but many found the love of their lives there. The mated, rejected or otherwise not interested in mated could attend, but it was really for those hopeful of finding their mate. It was a magical event and very grand.

"Will you go with me? Won't it be too hard for you?" Sarah asked, concern obvious in her eyes.

"Yes, I'll go with you. I'm resigned to my fate. I can handle it, I promise," Alina smiled at Sarah.

They worked together for the remainder of the day. Alina was surprised to realize how much her life hadn't changed one bit. Everything was the same and she was suddenly resentful of it. Gone were the dreams of her very own, cute, little house in the Omega village. Building a life with her mate, having half a dozen children to fill their modest yard. Now that those dreams were gone she wanted more. More from her life then just working here, living alone, while everyone else found their mates and lived out their dreams. She'd need to find a way to do something about her life... She swore she'd live life to it's fullest even if she had to do it alone.