The Alpha's Forgotten Mate

Lena felt it the moment her world changed. One heartbeat. That was all it took. One moment of standing too close to Alpha Killian Blackwood, inhaling the raw, untamed scent of pine and storm that was uniquely his. One second of locking eyes with the fiercest wolf she had ever known. And then it hit her. The mate bond. Her wolf howled in delight, a song of fate intertwining their souls. She had dreamed of this day, of finding her mate, of belonging. Killian’s icy blue eyes widened for a fraction of a second before they hardened into stone. His jaw clenched, and then, with brutal finality, he spoke. “I, Alpha Killian Blackwood of the Shadowfang Pack, reject you, Lena Calloway, as my mate.” Silence. It was deafening, suffocating. The words cut through her like a silver blade, tearing through flesh and bone. Her wolf shrieked in agony inside her mind, clawing at her insides. The pack gasped around them, some stepping back in shock, others whispering in hushed voices. Lena’s breath came in shallow, sharp gasps. Her heart hammered in her chest, but she refused to let him see her break. Instead, she lifted her chin, blinking back at the sting in her eyes. “If that is your wish, I accept!!!!” she murmured, her voice void of emotion. Killian turned away without another word, his broad shoulders disappearing into the darkness of the forest. And just like that, the bond meant to last a lifetime was shattered.