Rejected by My Alpha, Claimed by His Enemy

The first time Mason Crowe broke my heart, we were sixteen. He kissed me behind the training hall, told me I was the only girl he wanted, then spent two weeks pretending it never happened because his father didn't think the future Alpha should be seen sneaking around with the Beta's strange, wolf less daughter. I forgave him. At sixteen, I thought loving someone meant understanding every reason they gave you for hurting you. Eight years later, Mason broke my heart again. This time, the entire pack was there to watch. I knew something was wrong before he even spoke. Maybe it was my father's refusal to look at me. Maybe it was Mason standing on the ceremonial platform like he'd rather be anywhere else. Or maybe it was my younger sister holding his hand. That last one was difficult to explain. I stared at their fingers. Lydia looked beautiful in the silver dress she'd told me she wasn't wearing tonight. Apparently, she'd lied about more than her outfit. She caught me looking. Then she smiled. Barely. Just enough. My stomach tightened. “Elara.” My father's voice came quietly beside me. I kept my eyes on Mason. “Tell me I'm misunderstanding this.” Dad said nothing. That was when the fear started. The Blackridge great hall was packed for Mason's ascension. Pack elders filled the front rows, warriors lined the walls and practically every ranked family in the territory had shown up. Three hundred people, maybe more. Three hundred people about to witness whatever my father already knew was coming. He leaned closer. “Whatever happens, keep your composure.” I finally looked at him. “What does that mean?” “Elara.” “What is about to happen?” His jaw tightened. “Don't make a scene.” I almost laughed. Of course. Don't embarrass the family. That rule had followed me most of my life. Especially after my eighteenth birthday, when everyone else my age shifted and I didn't. No wolf. No claws. No heightened senses. Nothing. Blackridge came up with a name for me soon afterward. The Hollow. The Beta's defective daughter. I'd learned to ignore the whispers. I'd learned not to react when mothers warned their sons that being with me could weaken their bloodline. Through all of it, there had been Mason. My mate. My future. At least, that was what I had believed. The ceremonial drums stopped. Silence swept through the hall. Alpha Gregory Crowe rose from his throne. “Tonight marks a new beginning for Blackridge.” Applause erupted. I barely heard it. Mason finally looked at me. There was guilt in his eyes. My hands went cold. No. Gregory continued speaking, but none of his words registered. Then Mason stepped forward. “Elara Voss.” Every face turned toward me. I didn't move. Mason swallowed. “I, Mason Crowe, heir to Blackridge and your fated mate…” Please don't. “…reject you as my mate.” For one terrible second, I felt nothing. Then pain ripped through my chest. I grabbed the nearest chair. Someone behind me gasped. Another person whispered my name. I heard everything and nothing at once. “Elara,” Dad said. I pulled away when he reached for me. Mason stepped down from the platform. “I'm sorry.” I stared at him. “Sorry?” His expression tightened. “I never wanted to hurt you.” A broken laugh escaped me. “You picked an interesting way to show it.” “Elara, please.” “No. Explain.” His eyes moved briefly around the room. “You really want to do this here?” “You rejected me here.” That shut him up. I looked at Lydia. She still hadn't released his hand. “Is she the reason?” Lydia stiffened. “This isn't what you think.” “Then let go of him.” She didn't. Of course, she didn't. I looked back at Mason. “Is it because I don't have a wolf?” His hesitation lasted less than a second. It still answered me. Heat rushed into my face. I turned toward my father. “You knew.” “Elara” “How long?” His silence made something inside me ache worse than the rejection. “How long, Dad?” “Three weeks.” I stared at him. “Three weeks?” “I was waiting for the right time.” “You had dinner with me last night.” “Lower your voice.” That nearly made me lose it. “You're worried about my voice?” “Elara.” “You all knew, didn't you?” People began looking away. My humiliation had suddenly become uncomfortable now that I was speaking about it. Dad's expression hardened. “You will not embarrass this family.” I looked at Mason. At Lydia. At the crowd pretending not to stare. Then something inside me settled. Maybe it was pride. Maybe I'd finally run out of things to lose. “I accept.” Mason's head snapped up. Dad grabbed my arm. “Don't.” I pulled free. My eyes stayed on Mason. “I, Elara Voss, accept your rejection.” Pain exploded through me. I dropped to one knee. A scream tore from my throat before I could stop it. The mate bond snapped. And every candle in the hall went out. Someone shouted. The ceremonial fire behind Mason suddenly surged. Only it wasn't orange anymore. It was silver. Pure silver flame climbed toward the ceiling. “What the hell?” “Alpha?” “Everyone stay calm!” Then the pressure came. It swept through the hall like an invisible wave. One wolf dropped to his knees. Then another. And another. Warriors. Elders. My father. Lydia. Even Alpha Gregory. Mason fought it, his entire body shaking. Then his knees hit the floor too. I stared at them. “What is happening?” Nobody answered. That was when I realized I was still standing. My legs shook as I pushed myself upright. Whatever had forced everyone else down hadn't touched me. My father looked up. “Elara.” There was fear in his eyes. Real fear. “Don't move.” A man's voice came from the back of the hall. “I'd probably listen to him.” Footsteps echoed across the stone floor. Slow. Unhurried. A man walked through the kneeling crowd as though the sight of an entire pack on its knees was merely inconvenient. Tall. Dark-haired. Black suit. Broad shoulders. A faint scar cut through one eyebrow. Recognition hit me immediately. Alpha Ronan Vale. Leader of Nightfall. Blackridge's enemy. Mason growled. “Vale.” Ronan glanced down at him. “Crowe.” Mason tried to stand. He couldn't. A hint of amusement appeared on Ronan's face. “You somehow look less intimidating from there.” “Why are you here?” Alpha Gregory demanded. Ronan kept walking. “I wasn't aware I needed your permission.” My father struggled to rise. “Elara, get away from him.” Ronan stopped. He looked at my father. Something changed in his face. “Still giving orders, Caleb?” Dad went pale. I noticed. They knew each other. And not casually. Ronan's attention returned to me. For the first time, his confidence disappeared. He stared. Not at my dress. Not at my body. At my face. Like he'd seen a ghost. I took a step back. “Why are you looking at me like that?” “Elara Voss.” “How do you know my name?” His eyes stayed locked on mine. “I've known your name for a very long time.” A chill moved through me. Mason's voice came from behind him. “Stay away from her.” Ronan glanced back. “You rejected her.” “That doesn't give you the right to touch her.” Ronan looked at me again. “She seems perfectly capable of deciding that herself.” I folded my arms. “At least one person remembers I'm in the room.” Something flickered in his eyes. Amusement, maybe. Then he stepped closer. Heat suddenly moved beneath my skin. I gasped. Ronan stopped. His expression sharpened. “You felt that.” “I don't know what I felt.” The heat came again. Stronger. My hand flew to my chest. “What are you doing?” “Nothing.” My father sounded panicked now. “Ronan.” Ronan ignored him. Then he did something nobody in the room seemed prepared for. He lowered himself onto one knee before me. My mouth went dry. “What are you doing?” He reached inside his jacket. For a second, I thought he was reaching for a weapon. Instead, he pulled out a small velvet pouch. He opened it. A silver necklace slipped into his palm. My heart stopped. At its center was a tiny crescent moon holding a blue stone. I'd seen that necklace hundreds of times. In photographs. Around my mother's neck. I stepped closer. “Where did you get that?” Ronan said nothing. “Where did you get it?” “Elara,” Dad warned. I spun toward him. “You recognize it?” His face told me he did. I turned back to Ronan. “My mother was wearing that when she died.” Ronan stood. “Your mother didn't die that night.” Everything inside me went still. “What?” Dad's voice hardened. “Enough.” Ronan looked at him. “You've had nineteen years to tell her.” “Shut your mouth.” I looked at my father. He wasn't confused. He wasn't shocked. He was afraid. “Dad?” “Elara, don't listen to him.” My chest tightened. I faced Ronan again. “Where did you get the necklace?” His expression changed. There was no teasing in it now. No arrogance. Only something I couldn't read. “Your mother gave it to me.” I couldn't breathe. “When?” Ronan held my eyes. “Three days ago.” I stared at him. “My mother has been dead for nineteen years.” “No.” Just one word. Quiet. Certain. I looked at my father again. He couldn't meet my eyes. That terrified me more than Ronan's answer. “Where is she?” Ronan's jaw tightened. “It's complicated.” “Where is my mother?” “She told me you'd ask.” My pulse thundered in my ears. “What else did she tell you?” Ronan looked at my father. Then Mason. Then back at me. “She told me to get you out of Blackridge before they discover what you really are.”