Rejected By My Alpha, Chosen By The Lycan King

The night of the Blood Moon was supposed to be the happiest night of Aria Nightshade’s life. For twenty years, she had waited for this moment. Every wolf dreamed of finding their fated mate. It was the bond created by the Moon Goddess herself, a connection stronger than anything in the supernatural world. A mate was supposed to be the one person who would accept you completely, protect you, and love you beyond anything else. And tonight, Aria believed her life was finally going to change. Standing in front of the ancient stone altar inside the Nightshade Pack’s territory, Aria looked up at the glowing moon hanging above the sky. The silver light touched her pale skin and long dark hair, making her feel like, just for once, she belonged. The pack members surrounded the ceremony ground, whispering among themselves. “Do you think she will find her mate tonight?” “An omega like her? I doubt it.” “She is lucky the Alpha even allows her to stand here.” Aria heard their cruel words, but she forced herself not to react. She was used to being underestimated. As an omega, she had always been at the bottom of the pack hierarchy. She had cleaned the pack house, served stronger wolves, and endured insults from those who believed she was weak. But she never allowed their opinions to destroy her hope. Because she had always believed the Moon Goddess had a plan for her. Tonight would prove them wrong. A sudden silence fell over the crowd. Aria’s heart started beating faster. The Alpha had arrived. Alpha Damon Blackthorn walked into the ceremony ground with confidence and power. Every step he took showed why he was respected and feared by the entire pack. His black hair, sharp features, and powerful aura made everyone move aside for him. Aria froze when she felt it. A strange pull. A warmth spreading through her body. Her wolf stirred inside her. Mate. The word echoed in her mind. Her eyes widened. No. It couldn’t be. Slowly, Damon stopped in front of her. The connection between them became stronger. Aria could feel his wolf reaching toward hers, recognizing the bond. A smile slowly formed on her lips. After years of loneliness, she had finally found him. Her mate. The person who would choose her. The person who would see her worth. “Alpha Damon,” the elder announced, “the Moon Goddess has revealed your fated mate.” The entire pack waited. Aria held her breath. Damon stared at her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, she thought she saw something in his eyes. Recognition. Desire. Maybe even affection. But then his expression changed. Coldness replaced everything. Aria’s smile slowly disappeared. “Damon?” she whispered. The crowd became silent. Damon looked at her as if she was a stranger. “I reject you.” The words hit harder than any physical wound. The entire world seemed to stop. Aria stared at him, unable to understand what she had just heard. “What?” Her voice came out weak. Damon did not look away. “I, Alpha Damon Blackthorn, reject Aria Nightshade as my mate.” A gasp spread through the crowd. Whispers immediately followed. “She was rejected?” “An omega being rejected by the Alpha…” “How embarrassing.” Aria felt like the ground beneath her had disappeared. The bond between them shattered painfully inside her chest. Her wolf cried out in agony, feeling the rejection like a thousand wounds. “No…” she whispered. Her eyes filled with tears. “Why?” For the first time, Damon looked uncomfortable. But his face quickly hardened again. “You are not suitable to stand beside me as Luna.” Those words hurt more than the rejection itself. Not suitable. That was all she had ever been called. Too weak. Too ordinary. Too worthless. Aria looked around at the faces watching her. Some looked shocked, some looked amused, but none of them stepped forward to defend her. She had spent her entire life hoping someone would finally choose her. Instead, the one person destined for her had destroyed her in front of everyone. “Please…” she whispered, unable to stop the tears falling down her cheeks. “Give me a reason.” Damon remained silent. That silence told her everything. He had already made his choice. The elder stepped forward, his expression filled with pity. “Aria, you must leave the ceremony ground.” Her heart broke even more. Not only had she lost her mate. She had lost her dignity. She lowered her head, refusing to let the pack see how much she was hurting. But as she turned away, something strange happened. A sudden wave of power passed through the forest. The wind stopped. The moonlight became brighter. Every wolf present froze. Even Damon looked toward the dark forest with a confused expression. A deep, powerful growl echoed from the trees. Not a normal wolf. Something stronger. Something ancient. Everyone immediately lowered their heads. Fear filled the air. Because there was only one creature whose presence could make an entire pack tremble. A Lycan. And from the darkness of the forest, a pair of glowing eyes appeared. Someone was watching Aria. Someone who had felt the moment she was broken. Someone who was about to change her fate forever.