The Alpha's Rejection; Pregnant With His Son

ASTRA'S POV I felt my heartbeat pounding against my ribs, and the pain spread like an open wound. The words I'd practiced all night got stuck in my throat as I looked at Zarek, my mate. He was the one who used to make me feel like I was more than just a weak Omega. But now, he felt like someone I didn't know. The fire behind Zarek cast long shadows on the stone walls, but I felt no warmth. His big frame was tense, his jaw clenched like it always was when he was ready to fight. His dark eyes stared into mine, demanding an explanation. I took a shaky breath and forced out the words before I lost my nerve. "Zarek...I'm pregnant." For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. Zarek's face was a blank slate. But then, his expression cracked, and he sneered. His voice was a low, menacing growl that hurt more than any physical blow. "It can't be mine," he said. The room fell silent, like everyone was holding their breath. I felt my face go pale. "What?" I whispered, but it felt like I'd shouted. Zarek stepped back, looking at me like I disgusted him. "You expect me to believe you?" he sneered. "You're an Omega - weak and pathetic. Now you're trying to trick me with a lie?" I winced, my hands covering my stomach. The baby inside me seemed to stir, like it felt Zarek's rejection too. My mate, the one meant to be mine, was turning his back on us. "I'm telling you, this is your baby," I whispered, trying to hold back tears. "You knew it the moment it happened. Our bond..." "Bond?" Zarek laughed, and it sounded mean. "There's no bond. Not anymore." His words hurt me deeply. No bond? But I still felt it - the way my heart beat faster when he was near. How could he not feel it? "Why are you saying this?" My voice broke. Instead of giving me a reply, Zarek suddenly turned his attention towards the heavy oak pack doors behind him which as though timed, swung open with a loud creak, the now suffocating scent of Lilacs filling the room. Then she walked in, the least person I ever expected; the Beta’s daughter, Althea. She was as beautiful as ever with her pale, pink gown and her brunette, long hair flowing behind her as she walked. But something aside from her beauty made my tummy twist. As she approached Zarek, she suddenly wrapped her arm around him as though it was something normal. “You made me worried, babe” she pursed her lips, resting her hand on his chest. “I kept thinking of you throughout the day” I paused, trying to process what she had just said; babe? That word was literally louder and more painful than Zarek’s brutal rejection. Zarek shifted his gaze towards me, a sly smirk forming on his lips as we locked our gaze. “Our engagement would be officially announced tonight” he boasted, his voice echoing throughout the hall. My eyes widened, at that moment, I felt a pricking sensation in my chest. “wh…what? It…it can't be?” I stuttered, struggling to believe it. “You don't have to believe it for it to be the reality, Astra” he said in a cold tone. “You have no place in my life, leave and me we come back” At that moment, the noises around me seemed to die down, the only thing I could hear was the constant pounding of my heart as the painful realisation dawned on me. This was all real even if I could hardly believe it, but it felt like a feverish dream, one I desperately needed to wake up from. I could feel the bond we shared. “Zarek” I croaked, trying to fight back my tears as she suddenly turned his back towards me. As I watched him retreat, tears fell down my eyes. At that moment, I knew it was hopeless trying to get him back. I spun my heels, leaving the hall as I stumbled as though I was blind, my mind blank. This was it, the end of my bond with Zarek. As I stumbled through the pack hall, I could feel my child kick within me, my arms instinctively grabbing my slightly protruding belly. I could not stay in this pack house, not anymore, not after the humiliation these people had put me through. I needed to leave here immediately. With that, I channeled my direction to the pack forest, a means of escape from this pack. Finally, I arrived at the cold forest, the emptiness I felt hindered me from having any other emotions aside from pain and hurt. I kept walking for what felt like hours, unsure of where I was going with the only thought to get as far away as possible from the silver crest pack house before daybreak. As I walked, my mind replayed the cruel face of Zarek as he rejected me, publicly denying the pregnancy as his. His words were literally on repeat in my mind, louder with each passing seconds. As I took another step, I suddenly felt a stabbing pain in my lower abdomen, the effect forcing me to come to a halt. I bit down on my lower lips, crouching down as I pressed a hand on my stomach, the pain increasing with each breath I took. Was something wrong with my baby? It couldn't be! Not now, not here. The pain became even more intense, making me grit my teeth in agony. Just then, a low, guttural growl echoed in the forest, sending chills down my spine. I froze momentarily. As the wind blew past me, my nostrils caught a scent which made me so creeped out; it was rotten and unmistakably feral. Oh no…. rogues. I slowly spun my heels, a figure coming out of the shadows. It bared its elongated, scary looking fangs at me, its claws coming into view. I widened my eyes in fear and before I had the chance to react, it suddenly lunged at me. In a panic, I instinctively dove sideways, my lungs hitting the thorn filled earth so hard, a splitting pain shot through my body. In a second, the rogue was on me, its jaws inching closer to my face. I shut my eyes close, screaming as I tried to fight back but at this point, it was futile. Its claws suddenly tore through my cloak as it suddenly dug its fangs deep into my skin. Almost immediately, fire shot through my ribs, a familiar scent hitting my nostrils; my blood. No, I couldn't accept my fate like this, I had to fight back for my unborn baby. Taking a deep, painful breath, I yelled out with everything I had, a burst of energy exploding from my core. Almost immediately, the rogue was flung back with a powerful force which sent it slamming into a tree so hard, it cracked. I blinked my lashes, unable to believe I had just done that. My aura had finally been unleashed; one that had been buried for a long time under the guise of being an omega. My mouth was parted as I struggled to draw in enough air into my nostrils, it felt as though I was out of breath. I was too weak to fight back. Everything went blurry, and I felt the cold ground beneath me. I wrapped my arms around my stomach, trying to protect my baby. The rogue attacked again. No, I couldn't die here. I couldn't let my child die too. But as the rogue lunged, all I could do was close my eyes and pray that the Moon Goddess wouldn't give up on me yet.