The Alpha's Forgotten Mate

(Part One - The Rejection) Chapter 1: The Alpha’s Torment

(Killian’s POV)

Killian stalked through the dense woods, his body tense with something he refused to name. The rejection should have freed him. It should have severed the bond, wiped away the connection he had never wanted.

So why did his chest ache?

He clenched his fists, his claws elongating as his wolf snarled inside him.

Fool.

He had seen the way Lena’s green eyes had dimmed, the way her entire frame had trembled as he spoke the rejection. He had broken her. It was for the best—he had convinced himself of that—but the lingering pain gnawed at him like a slow poison.

His wolf growled, restless and furious.

“She was ours,” the beast snarled. “You are a fool.”

Killian gritted his teeth, shoving his wolf’s voice away. He had to be rational. He had to be strong. This wasn’t about personal wants or instincts. It was about the pack.

“Killian.”

He turned to find Beta Marcus approaching, his expression unreadable. “You did what you thought was right.”

“Then why does it feel so wrong?” Killian snapped, more to himself than to Marcus.

His Beta hesitated. “The bond is not easily ignored, Alpha.”

Killian exhaled sharply. He had no choice. The pack needed a strong Luna, a political alliance. Not fate’s cruel trick.

Then why did he feel like he had just made the biggest mistake of his life?

Marcus shifted uncomfortably. “She’s leaving.”

Killian’s head snapped up. “What?”

Marcus hesitated before repeating, “Lena. She’s leaving the pack.”

Something inside Killian twisted violently, his wolf snarling at the thought. “When?”

“Tonight.”

The word hit him harder than he expected. Tonight. That meant she was already packing, already planning to walk away from everything she had ever known. From him.

Good. It was for the best.

So why did the thought of her leaving make his chest feel like it was caving in?