《Rejected by the Alpha, Chosen by the Billionaire》

The Great Hall of the Silverfang Pack had never looked more magnificent—and Ava had never felt more insignificant. Crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling, casting prismatic light across the hundreds of gathered wolves. Alphas from allied packs stood in their finest suits, their predatory gazes sweeping over the crowd with the casual arrogance of those who had never known weakness. Betas milled about with drinks in hand, networking and posturing. And at the bottom of it all, tucked into the shadows near the servants' entrance, stood Ava. An Omega. She smoothed her trembling hands over the pale blue gown Adrian had chosen for her. "Something understated," he'd said that morning, not looking up from his phone. "Don't draw attention to yourself." As if an Omega could draw anything but pity or contempt at the Annual Pack Conclave. "Ava." She turned at the sound of her name, her heart stuttering at the sight of Adrian Cross striding toward her. The Alpha of the Silverfang Pack was devastating in a tailored black suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and lethal grace. His silver eyes—mark of the purest Alpha bloodline—swept over her with something that might have been appraisal. Or dismissal. "You look..." He paused, his perfect lips thinning. "Appropriate." "Thank you," she whispered, hating how small her voice sounded. For three years, she had been his promised mate. For three years, she had endured the whispered insults, the cruel jests, the knowledge that every she-wolf in their territory wanted the position she held. But she loved him. Or at least, she loved the boy he had been before the Alpha mantle crushed his humanity—the boy who had once found her crying in the rain and covered her with his jacket. That boy was gone. "Come," Adrian commanded, already turning away. "The announcement begins in five minutes." Ava followed him through the crowd, feeling hundreds of eyes tracking their progress. The murmurs started immediately. "Why does he keep her?" "Poor Adrian, saddled with a worthless Omega." "Did you hear she can't even shift properly?" Each word was a silver blade sliding between her ribs. Ava kept her chin down, her gaze fixed on Adrian's heels. This was her role. This was her life. Soon, they would be mated, and the bond would make her stronger. The elders had promised. Adrian had promised. They reached the dais at the front of the hall, where the High Council sat in judgment over all wolf-kind. Adrian ascended the steps with the effortless authority of a king approaching his throne. Ava moved to follow. He stopped her with a single raised hand. "Wait below." The command hit her like a physical blow. She froze, one foot on the marble step, the other on the floor. The hall fell into a hush so complete she could hear the blood rushing in her ears. Adrian turned to face the assembly. His silver eyes gleamed in the chandelier light, cold and beautiful as a winter moon. "Wolves of the Silverfang, honored guests," his voice resonated through the hall, rich with Alpha command. Every wolf present felt the urge to bow, to submit. "I have gathered you here tonight for an important announcement regarding the future of our pack." Ava smiled despite her nerves. This was it. He was going to announce their mating ceremony. She had waited so long, endured so much. Finally, she would be his. Finally, she would belong somewhere. "I, Adrian Cross, Alpha of the Silverfang Pack, hereby dissolve my engagement to Ava Thorn." The world stopped. Ava's smile shattered. She blinked, certain she had misheard. But the gasps rippling through the crowd confirmed the nightmare was real. "I have tolerated this... arrangement out of respect for my late father's wishes," Adrian continued, his voice carrying the clinical detachment of a surgeon discussing a tumor. "But the time has come to face facts. An Omega cannot stand beside an Alpha. It weakens the pack. It weakens me." He looked down at her then, and Ava saw nothing in his eyes. No regret. No anger. Just the flat, empty dismissal of something broken and useless. "Ava Thorn," he said, loud enough for every wolf to hear, "you are unworthy of the position of Luna. You are unworthy of me. Leave this hall, and do not return until you have learned your place." The silence stretched into eternity. Then someone laughed. A sharp, cruel sound from the back of the hall. It broke the dam. Laughter erupted, mingled with whispers and pointed fingers. Ava stood frozen on the step, her blue gown suddenly feeling like a costume from a play she had never been invited to star in. She looked up at Adrian one last time. "Why?" The word escaped her lips, barely audible. But he had already turned away, already reaching for the hand of Serena Vane, a Beta from the North Ridge Pack who had been eyeing his position for months. Serena smirked down at Ava, victory bright in her amber eyes. Ava's fingers dug into her palms. Something hot and dangerous stirred in her chest—a pressure, a power, a presence that roared to life for one blinding second before she slammed it down with every ounce of will she possessed. No. Not here. Not now. She turned and walked. The crowd parted for her, but not out of respect. They wanted to see her crumble, to fall to her knees and weep for their entertainment. Ava kept walking, one foot in front of the other, through the laughter and the pity and the scorn. She didn't cry. Not until she reached the forest, shifted into her wolf—a small, scruffy gray thing that even other Omegas pitied—and ran until her lungs burned and her paws bled. Behind her, the Great Hall blazed with light and celebration. Ahead of her, the darkness swallowed everything.