The Alpha’s Rejected Mate

ELEANOR “I reject you.” I could feel the smile wiping off my face the moment I heard those words. I had never imagined standing in front of hundreds of wolves while my destined mate looked at me as though I were a mistake. Caspian Blackwood, the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack, the most powerful and feared wolf in the region, and somehow, my mate, stood in front of me. I forced myself to breathe. Everyone already knew who he was. The Alpha no one challenged, and somehow, he was mine. Or at least, he was supposed to be. My heart had been racing from the moment I'd caught his scent, rain, and something warm that had awakened something inside me that I'd never felt before. For years, my wolf had been a little more than a distant presence, barely responding whenever I reached for her. I had never shifted. I had no strength. I never felt what the other wolves described. Caspian had walked towards me and I'd believed my life was finally about to change. I had spent years being the omega everyone pitied, the girl who couldn't shift, the one who was treated as though I was a burden simply because I had been born weaker than everyone else. But fate had chosen Caspian for me. Surely that had to mean something, surely, from tonight onward, people would look at me differently. Maybe no one would call me useless. Maybe I would finally be someone worth respecting. Caspian's looked at me and my heart fluttered. Then his expression hardened. “I reject you.” A murmur rippled through the crowd. My fingers curled inside my dress, I could feel everyone's eyes on me. ‘Please don't do this to me.’ I prayed silently as a lump slowly formed in my throat. My father stood among the members of our pack, looking pale. Alpha Marcus watched from his place near the front and my former friends had stopped whispering. Everyone was waiting to see what the rejected omega would do. Caspian looked down at me without a trace of warmth. “I will never make an omega like you my Luna.” My stomach dropped. Of course, that was the reason. The word I'd spent my entire life hearing had finally become the reason the man fate chose for me didn't want me. I looked around at both the familiar and unfamiliar faces. Monica, my former best friend, lowered her head as though pretending not to watch but I caught the smirk on her lips. A laugh came from somewhere behind me and another one came from a different direction. Heat rushed into my face. I wanted to disappear, I wanted to cry. Most of all, I wanted to ask how fate could possibly choose us if he could stand in front of me and see nothing worth keeping. But I wouldn't give him that, I wouldn't satisfy the people who had gathered to witness my humiliation. So I lifted my chin. “You've made your choice, Alpha Blackwood.” My voice trembled, and I hated that it did. Caspian's expression didn't change. I turned and walked away. My legs felt weak but I kept moving. I could hear the whispers following me. “He actually rejected her?” “What did she expect? She's an omega.” My chest tightened, I swallowed and kept walking. I had spent years learning how to survive being underestimated. I could survive this too. I reached the great wooden doors of the hall and my fingers had barely touched the handle when a vicious growl tore through the room. Everyone froze and the room went silent. I slowly turned. Caspian was no longer standing. He was on one knee, one hand gripping his chest while the other pressed against the floor. His breathing came in harsh, uneven pulls. The Alpha who had looked completely untouchable moments ago now looked like he was fighting something inside himself. “What happened?” someone whispered. Caspian's head snapped up. His silver-gray eyes had changed, they looked golden, wild and predatory. His lips pulled back as another growl rumbled through his chest. “Get everyone out.” His voice was strained. Ethan, his beta, moved immediately. “Everyone, leave!” Panic erupted and wolves rushed toward the exits, whispering among themselves as they tried to get away from the dangerous shift in the Alpha. But I couldn't move. I stared at Caspian. His perfectly controlled expression had disappeared. His shoulders shook with each breath, and sweat had begun to gather along his forehead. He was in pain. “Don't come closer.” The command should have frightened me. Instead, anger rose inside my chest. “You said you didn't want me. I heard you clearly enough.” I snapped. Another violent growl tore from him and he doubled over. I flinched in reaction. “What is happening?” Caspian's fingers dug into the rug. “I don't know.” The answer came through clenched teeth. That answer frightened me. Caspian Blackwood didn't know what was happening to him. His breathing grew faster and his hands trembled. “Leave.” He forced out. I should have left, I had every reason to. He had disgraced me in front of everyone. I should have been able to turn around and walk away, but my feet wouldn't move. Maybe because I knew what it felt like to be helpless. I took one step toward him. Caspian's head snapped up. “I told you to stay away.” “I heard you.” “Then leave.” I took another step and Caspian growled again. But this time, the sound wasn't directed at me. It sounded almost desperate. My pulse quickened. “Caspian.” I whispered. His eyes met mine and something pulled inside my chest. Caspian inhaled sharply and his entire body went rigid. I didn't know what I was doing, I only knew that every instinct inside me was telling me to get closer. Slowly, I reached out and my fingertips touched his shoulder. “Just… breathe?” The words barely left my mouth, yet the effect was immediate. Caspian stopped shaking and his breathing slowed. The wildness in his eyes began to fade, even the growling ceased. I stared at him and he stared right back. “Are you okay?” I asked with a confused frown. “Are you sick?” Why was I asking that, when he clearly didn't care about my own feelings. Caspian slowly rose to his feet and his gaze moved over my face. I tightly held the strap of my shoulder bag for support. “Eleanor.” I stiffened. It was the first time he'd said my name. I hated that hearing it from him made something inside me to ache. “What?” Caspian's brows drew together. “What are you?” I sighed as I looked away despite my hurt. “What did you call me? An omega. That's what I am.” Caspian didn't answer. His eyes moved down my body before stopping at my left shoulder, where the edge of the mark I have had my whole life was visible beneath my dress. I instinctively covered it up. His gaze remained fixed on the mark and I stared back at him, suddenly uneasy. Caspian looked at me one last time, his expression unreadable, then he stepped around me to leave. He didn't say another word. I turned slightly as he walked past. Ethan hesitated beside me for half a second, his eyes moving from me to his Alpha. Whatever he saw in Caspian's expression seemed to concern him, then he followed. The big doors closed behind them and I remained standing alone in the middle of the hall. The silence felt unbearable now and my eyes burned. I refused to cry. But one tear escaped anyway, I angrily wiped it away with the back of my hand. Another followed and I wiped that one away harder. My vision blurred and I pressed my lips together, refusing to let the sob rising in my throat escape. I turned toward the door, needing fresh air. I needed to get out of there. As I walked down the street, the whispers began again but I didn't hear them. All I could hear was Caspian's voice inside my head, rejecting me all over again.