Rejected By Mate, Desired By The Alpha King

The kitchens of Ashbourne Manor smelled of tallow and burnt sugar. Katina Ashbourne had learned long ago that the smell of home wasn’t love. It was work. She knelt before the massive stone hearth, struggling to coax dying coals back to life with an iron poker far too heavy for her slender wrists. Sweat dampened the loose strands of dark hair escaping her braid while heat kissed her soot-stained cheeks. Outside, servants rushed through the corridors, preparing for the biggest night Ravenmoor had seen in decades. The Moon Bond Ceremony. Katina silently counted the hours. Six hours. Six hours until the Moon Goddess revealed destined mates. Six hours until dreams came true… …or shattered forever. Behind her, Old Nessa stirred a pot of stew. “You’ll want to hurry, child.” Katina immediately straightened. “Yes, Nessa?” “The Lady wants Lady Katerina’s bath warmed before noon.” Nessa pointed toward another stack of trays. “And don’t forget the silver. Every piece must shine before the guests arrive.” Katina lowered her head. “Yes, Nessa.” The old woman sighed softly. “You never say anything except yes.” Katina forced a tiny smile. “It’s easier that way.” “Perhaps.” Nessa reached over and brushed ash from Katina’s sleeve. “You deserve today as much as anyone.” Katina’s smile faded. “No.” She shook her head gently. “I really don’t.” It was always the same. Yes to polishing silver. Yes to carrying dresses. Yes to warming bath water. Yes to preparing everything that made someone else shine. Especially her sister. Katina carefully carried a basin of steaming water upstairs. The polished hallway mirrors reflected her worn appearance. Dark hair. Storm-grey eyes. The same face everyone adored… Only not her face. Katerina’s. She stopped before one mirror. Her reflection stared back. Warped. Tired. Forgettable. She looked almost identical to her twin. The same eyes. The same lips. The same high cheekbones. Yet somehow… Katerina was called beautiful. Katina was called useful. Twenty-two years. Twenty-two years of being invisible. She quietly whispered, When will someone finally see me? No one answered. Katerina’s bedroom looked nothing like the servant quarters. Silk curtains danced in the breeze. Golden candlelight filled every corner. Fresh roses perfumed the air. Katina knocked softly. “My Lady?” “Come in!” Katerina stood before an enormous mirror while three maids adjusted her shimmering gown. The dress looked like liquid moonlight. Around her neck rested a sapphire necklace that had belonged to their grandmother. A family heirloom. One Katina had never even been allowed to touch. Katerina caught her reflection. “There you are!” She spun happily. “What do you think?” Katina smiled. “You look beautiful.” “Only beautiful?” Katerina laughed. “Mother said I need to glow tonight.” She lifted her arms dramatically. “Do I glow?” Katina swallowed the ache in her chest. “You always glow.” “I knew it!” Katerina clapped excitedly. “Tonight is finally the night.” “The Moon Goddess is choosing my mate.” She placed both hands over her heart. “I can feel it.” Her smile widened. “The entire pack can.” Katina remained silent. Katerina tilted her head. “Don’t you feel it?” Katina hesitated. “…Yes.” She did. For weeks, something strange had stirred beneath her skin. An invisible pull. A pressure inside her chest. Like something sleeping was slowly waking. She’d blamed nerves. After all… Watching her sister receive yet another blessing wasn’t exactly easy. Katerina returned to admiring herself. Without looking back, she asked, “Mother is allowing you to attend, isn’t she?” Katina nodded. “She said I may stand at the back.” Katerina laughed lightly. “How generous.” There wasn’t even cruelty in her voice. That somehow hurt more. Katerina simply… Didn’t think about Katina enough to be intentionally cruel. To her… Katina was just there. Like furniture. Like another servant. By nightfall… The Great Hall of Ravenmoor glowed beneath hundreds of candles. Moonlight streamed through towering stained-glass windows, washing silver across polished stone floors. Nearly every wolf in the city had gathered. Noble families. Warriors. Elders. Children. Laughter echoed beneath the vaulted ceiling. Katina quietly slipped inside. She knew exactly where she belonged. The very back. Hidden behind rows of elegantly dressed nobles. One woman frowned. “Who’s that servant?” Another shrugged. “No idea.” Katina lowered her eyes. They didn’t recognize her. The Alpha’s daughter. A member of the Ashbourne family. No one knew her name. At the center of the ceremonial circle stood Katerina. She looked radiant. Confident. Born for this moment. Katina watched from the shadows. You belong there, a tiny voice whispered inside her. She quickly silenced it. No. That place had never been hers. A ripple moved through the crowd. “Alpha Lucien.” “He has arrived.” Katina looked up. Lucien Blackwood entered wearing ceremonial black robes embroidered with silver wolves. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Handsome enough to steal every gaze in the room. Future Alpha of Ravenmoor. The pack’s golden son. Katina’s heart tightened. She had loved him… Quietly… Hopelessly… For years. Never speaking. Never hoping. Only watching from a distance. Like loving the moon. Beautiful. Untouchable. Tonight everyone expected the same outcome. Lucien. Katerina. The perfect pair. The Moon Goddess would simply confirm what everyone already believed. The Elder Priestess stepped into the circle. She raised her staff. “Children of the Moon…” The hall fell silent. “Tonight we witness destiny.” Ancient chanting filled the room. Words so old few still understood them. Katina suddenly inhaled sharply. Her chest burned. What… She pressed a hand against her heart. The strange feeling she’d carried for weeks exploded. Heat surged through her veins. Her pulse thundered. Her breathing quickened. It hurts… She whispered. No one heard. The moonlight brightened. The air grew unnaturally still. Then… Something grabbed her. Not physically. Something deeper. A force wrapped around her heart… And pulled. Hard. Katina stumbled forward. “No…” She tried planting her feet. Nothing happened. Her body kept moving. The invisible force dragged her straight through the crowd. People gasped. “What is she doing?” “The servant girl!” “Stop her!” Her mother’s horrified voice rang across the hall. “Katina!” But she couldn’t stop. She couldn’t even breathe properly. The pull became irresistible. Step after step… She crossed the hall. Straight toward… Lucien. His head snapped upward. Amber eyes met hers. His entire body froze. For the first time in twenty-two years… Lucien Blackwood looked directly at her. Not through her. Not past her. At her. Like he was truly seeing her. The invisible pull finally stopped. Katina stood only inches away. Suddenly… A sharp burning spread across her wrist. She cried out. “Ah!” Silver light spiraled beneath her skin. The glowing mark bloomed beautifully. Everyone stared. “No…” Someone whispered. “It can’t be.” Lucien slowly lifted his own arm. His sleeve slipped back. The identical silver mark blazed across his wrist. Twin marks. One bond. The unmistakable blessing of the Moon Goddess. Silence swallowed the hall. Katerina’s smile vanished. Her face turned deathly pale. Lucien took one slow step toward Katina. His lips parted. “Mate…” For one impossible heartbeat… Katina believed. She had finally been chosen. She mattered. She wasn’t invisible anymore. A scream shattered everything. “AHHH!” Katerina collapsed onto the stone floor. She clutched her stomach. Tears streamed down her face. “It hurts!” She sobbed violently. “It hurts so much!” The hall erupted into chaos. “My baby!” Katerina screamed. “My baby!” Every head turned. Lucien’s face changed instantly. The warmth in his eyes disappeared. Fear replaced it. “Katerina!” Without another glance at Katina… He ran. He dropped beside Katerina, catching her before she hit the floor. “What happened?” His voice cracked. “Katerina, look at me!” She buried herself against his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. “I’m losing the baby!” Lucien looked up. His amber eyes locked onto Katina. Gone was the wonder. Gone was destiny. Only suspicion remained. “What…” His voice became dangerously quiet. “…did you do to her?” The words struck harder than any blade. The entire hall turned toward Katina. Whispers spread like wildfire. “She attacked Lady Katerina.” “She’s jealous.” “She cursed her.” Katina couldn’t speak. She simply stood there. The glowing mate mark still burned on her wrist. Completely ignored. The Moon Goddess herself had spoken. And not a single person cared. In that moment… Katina understood something far more terrifying than rejection.