THE BILLIONAIRE 💵 REJECTED MATE

BROKEN BONDS

The night air stung my face, but it was nothing compared to the sharp, tearing agony in my chest. With every step I took away from the estate, the invisible bond connecting me to Ethan Vance strained, stretched, and finally snapped like a frayed wire.

I stumbled against a cold streetlight, clutching my ribcage. Rejection physicalized as a burning fever, a phantom fire consuming my veins. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, curling into a tight, wounded ball.

He rejected us, Maya, she whispered, her voice weak and trembling. He chose Victoria.

"I know," I muttered through gritted teeth, pushing myself upright.

"And it’s the last mistake he’ll ever make regarding us."

Rain began to pour, heavy and relentless, soaking through my faded dress within seconds. I had no money, no phone, and nowhere to go. My stepmother and half-sister had made sure I was left with absolute zero before driving me to the party tonight. They had set the stage for my public humiliation, expecting me to crumble into a heap of pathetic tears right on the ballroom floor.

Instead, I had walked out with my head held high. But pride didn't pay for a roof over my head.

A pair of bright headlights sliced through the dark downpour. The heavy purr of a high-end luxury engine vibrated through the wet pavement, slowing down right beside the curb where I stood.

A dark-tinted window rolled down smoothly. Inside sat a man shrouded in shadow, the faint glow of the dashboard illuminating sharp jawline contours and striking, intense eyes. He wasn't Ethan, but the air around him crackled with a power that was even more intoxicating—and far more dangerous.

"You look like a woman who just burned down her past, Maya Lin," a smooth, deep voice purred from the dark interior.

I froze, wiping wet hair from my eyes. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

The driver's door opened, and a tall figure stepped out into the rain, holding an umbrella over my head. He wasn't wearing a tux like the high-society sheep back at the party. He wore a tailored dark suit with an air of absolute authority.

"I know a lot of things," he said softly, his gaze locked onto mine with unwavering focus. "I know Ethan Vance made the biggest mistake of his life tonight. And I know you have nowhere to sleep." He opened the back door of the sleek sedan and held it for me.

"Get in," he said, his voice dropping to a command that made my wolf perk up in sudden curiosity. "Unless you prefer catching pneumonia to getting your revenge."