REJECTED BY MY MATE CLAIMED BY THE BILLIONAIRE ALPHA

*CHAPTER 1: I, ALPHA DAMIAN, REJECT YOU* The full moon hung heavy over the pack grounds, silver light spilling across hundreds of wolves gathered in a circle. My heart was pounding so loud I was sure they could hear it. Tonight was my 18th birthday. Tonight was the night I would finally meet my mate. I tugged at the hem of my cheap dress. It was the only nice thing I owned. The other girls from the pack wore silk and jewels. I wore second-hand. But I didn’t care. Because tonight, fate was supposed to fix everything. No wolf. No pack status. No parents. I grew up as the orphan everyone pitied. The girl with no power. But mates were equal. Mates were chosen by the Moon Goddess herself. If I had a mate, it wouldn’t matter that I was nothing. “Next,” Alpha Vincent called out, his voice booming. I stepped into the center of the circle. My bare feet sank into the grass. The air smelled like pine and anticipation. And then I saw him. Alpha Damian. Future Alpha of the Black Ridge Pack. Tall. Golden hair. Eyes like ice. The most wanted male in the entire state. He was staring at me. And for one second, my traitorous heart hoped. The mate bond snapped into place between us like a rope. Hot. Burning. Impossible to ignore. Gasps went through the crowd. It was him. He was mine. I was his. Damian’s jaw clenched. His eyes flickered gold, his wolf rising to the surface. He could feel it too. For one heartbeat, he took a step toward me. And then he stopped. A cruel smile twisted his perfect lips. He lifted his chin. His voice was cold. Loud. Meant for everyone to hear. “I, Alpha Damian, son of Alpha Vincent, future leader of the Black Ridge Pack...” My breath caught. This was it. “...reject you, Kira, as my mate.” The world went silent. No. That wasn’t right. “Rejected,” someone whispered. “Laughable,” said another. My knees went weak. The mate bond that had just formed was ripped in half, leaving a bleeding hole in my chest. Damian didn’t even look at me again. He turned away like I was trash. I stood there. Alone. In the center of the circle. While 200 wolves stared and laughed. “Pathetic,” Damian muttered just loud enough for me to hear. “A wolf-less orphan? The Goddess must be blind.” Something inside me broke. Not my wolf. I didn’t have one. But me. I ran. I didn’t care that I was barefoot. I didn’t care that the moon was still high. I ran past the gates, past the forest, past everything I’d ever known. The word followed me. _Reject. Reject. Reject._ By midnight I was in the human city. 3 hours away. No money. No phone. No pack. Just me and the pain. I collapsed in an alley behind a restaurant. The brick was cold against my back. Rain started to fall. This was it. This was how my story ended. Alone. Rejected. Worthless. Footsteps. Heavy. Measured. Dangerous. I didn’t look up. What was the point? A pair of black, expensive shoes stopped in front of me. “Get up,” a deep voice said. I ignored it. A hand grabbed my chin and forced me to look up. Ice-blue eyes. Black suit soaked from the rain. Jaw tight like he was furious. This man radiated power. And danger. “Did you hear me?” he said again. “I said get up.” I shook my head. “Leave me alone.” His eyes narrowed. Then his expression changed. His nostrils flared. His pupils blew wide. And his wolf... growled. But not out loud. Inside my head. _MINE._ I scrambled back. “You’re— you’re an Alpha.” He crouched down, bringing us eye to eye. Rain dripped from his hair. He smelled like expensive cologne and thunderstorms. “What’s your name?” he demanded. “Kira,” I whispered. “Kira,” he repeated, like he was testing it. Then he stood and held out his hand. “I’m Alpha Kade Blackwood,” he said. “And you’re coming with me.” I stared at his hand. The hand of the most feared Billionaire Alpha in the city. The man who just called me _his_. “I don’t— I can’t—” “Was that a no?” His voice dropped. Dangerous. My wolf-less chest ached. Damian rejected me hours ago. And now another Alpha wanted me? It had to be a mistake. But I was tired of being on the ground. Tired of being rejected. So I did the only thing I could. I took his hand. The moment our skin touched, fire shot up my arm. Kade’s eyes flashed gold. “Interesting,” he murmured. He pulled me to my feet and into his arms. And just like that, I went from rejected by one Alpha... To claimed by another. The Billionaire Alpha. And I had no idea what I just got myself into. --- *END OF CHAPTER 1*