Rejected by the Alpha

Aria had always known she would die quietly. Not today. Not tomorrow. But slowly—piece by piece—inside the walls of the Blackridge Pack. She stood at the edge of the great hall, fingers clenched inside sleeves that were too thin for the cold stone air. The hall was alive with celebration: candles blazing, music rising, wolves laughing as if this day was something to be proud of. A wedding. Her wedding. An omega marrying an Alpha was unheard of. An omega marrying Alpha Kael Nightfang, ruler of the strongest pack in the region, was madness. Aria lowered her eyes as footsteps passed her. She felt them before she saw them—the looks. Pity. Curiosity. Disgust. Why her? What did she do to deserve this? She asked herself the same question. “Stand straight.” The sharp whisper came from the woman beside her. Luna Elara, Alpha Kael’s mother, gripped Aria’s arm painfully, nails digging into her skin. “You may be omega trash,” the Luna hissed, smiling sweetly for the crowd, “but today you will not embarrass this pack.” Aria swallowed the pain and nodded. “Yes, Luna.” Omega trash. She’d heard worse. The music shifted. The room fell silent. Every instinct in her body screamed as the heavy doors at the far end of the hall opened. Alpha Kael entered. He was taller than she remembered. Broader. Dressed in black ceremonial robes that clung to his powerful frame. His presence crushed the air from the room, forcing every wolf to bow their heads. Every wolf except her. Aria forced herself to look up. His face was carved from stone—sharp jaw, dark eyes, no warmth. This was the man she had been sold to. The man whose pack had burned her home. The man she blamed for her parents’ deaths. And today, he would claim her as his Luna. Their eyes met. Something flickered in his gaze—surprise? Recognition?—before freezing into pure contempt. Good. She hated him too. The ceremony passed like a blur. Words about unity. Peace. Sacrifice. No one mentioned love. When the elder asked Kael to speak, the Alpha turned—not to Aria—but to the crowd. “I accept this union,” he said coldly, his voice echoing through the hall. “For the sake of my pack.” That was all. No vows. No glance. No acknowledgment that she even existed. Heat burned behind Aria’s eyes, but she refused to cry. Omegas cried. Weak wolves cried. She would not. The elder turned to her. “Aria of no pack, do you accept Alpha Kael as your mate and Alpha?” The room held its breath. Aria lifted her chin. “I accept,” she said quietly. The bond did not spark. No warmth. No pull. Only emptiness. Later—after the hall emptied and the candles burned low—Aria was escorted to the Alpha’s private chambers. Alone. The door opened behind her. She did not turn. “You should be grateful,” Kael said from the shadows. His voice was calm, dangerous. “Most omegas would beg for this position.” Aria laughed softly. “Most omegas wouldn’t marry the man who destroyed their family.” Silence. Then his footsteps approached, slow and deliberate, until she felt his presence towering behind her. “You may be my Luna on paper,” he said coldly, leaning close enough that his breath brushed her ear, “but touch me, speak to me, or expect loyalty—and I will remind you exactly why omegas should know their place.” Her heart pounded—but she did not step back. Instead, Aria turned and met his eyes. “Then we understand each other,” she said. “Because I would rather die than submit to you.” For the first time, Alpha Kael smiled. And it wasn’t kind.