Rejected by the Alpha

Lin Xia woke to the unfamiliar scent of damp earth and wild beasts, the shadowed forest stretching endlessly around her. Her head throbbed painfully, her last memory a blur of late-night overtime, the glow of her computer screen searing her eyes. She glanced down at herself—tattered pajamas, slippers still on her feet, no sign of modern civilization anywhere. Her heart raced as she whispered, “Did I… cross over?” Before she could process the thought, a low growl rumbled through the trees. A pack of wolves emerged, their eyes glowing an eerie green. Lin Xia’s legs buckled, and she collapsed to the ground, her mind screaming one thing: I’m done for. They’ll eat me! Just then, a towering figure stepped out from the pack, his presence commanding, his strides heavy with authority. He was a man—broad-shouldered, his scarred torso bare, ink-black hair cascading over his shoulders. His golden eyes swept over her, cold and predatory. “Who are you?” His voice was deep, laced with an undeniable dominance that made her shiver. Lin Xia swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay calm. “I… I’m Lin Xia. I don’t know how I got here.” She tried to stand, but her legs trembled beneath her. The man frowned, stepping closer and leaning down to inhale her scent. His expression darkened with disgust. “Human?” Before she could react, he grabbed her shoulders, his grip so strong she cried out in pain. In an instant, he lowered his head and sank his teeth into her neck. Sharp fangs pierced her skin, blood trickling down as Lin Xia screamed, shoving against him—but it was like pushing a mountain. A searing heat surged from the bite, flooding her body, her vision swimming as she nearly blacked out. He released her, letting out a cold grunt. “You’re marked now. Don’t even think about running.” Lin Xia clutched her neck, tears of pain streaming down her face as rage boiled inside her. “Marked? What the hell does that mean? Who are you? Why did you bite me?!” She glared at him, trying to mask her fear. The man smirked, his eyes dripping with disdain. “I’m Gar, Alpha of the Blood Moon pack. You’re my mate—but you’re too weak.” He paused, his tone growing colder. “I reject you.” Lin Xia froze. Rejected? She didn’t even know what “mate” meant, and she was already rejected? Her teeth clenched, a surge of anger rising in her chest. She wanted to lunge at him, to punch that smug look off his face, but reason held her back. She wasn’t in a position to fight—not yet. Swallowing her fury, she rasped, “Then why mark me? You reject me but still bite me? Are you insane?” Gar’s golden eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint in them. “The mark is to keep you alive. Without it, my pack would tear you apart.” He turned and walked away, leaving Lin Xia on the ground, the bite mark on her neck still throbbing. She stared at her hands, her mind a chaotic mess. Crossing over, werewolves, marking, rejection—this was a nightmare. She clenched her fists, a silent vow forming in her heart: I don’t care who you are. I won’t give up. Gar led her back to the Blood Moon pack’s camp, the surrounding werewolves closing in, their whispers sharp and cutting. Their gazes were filled with contempt, some openly sneering. “The Alpha marked a human? She can’t even take down a rabbit!” “A weakling like her, our Luna? Pathetic!” “She can’t even shift. She’ll be eaten alive sooner or later!” Lin Xia gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stand tall despite the weight of their stares. She knew showing weakness in this brutal world would only get her killed faster. Raising her head, she met their mocking eyes, her voice trembling but resolute. “Laugh all you want. I won’t stay weak forever.” A tall female werewolf stepped forward from the crowd, her name Ayla, her eyes brimming with hostility. She sized Lin Xia up, scoffing. “A weak little insect dares to talk big? Let’s see how long you last against me.” Before Lin Xia could protest, Ayla swung a fist at her face. Lin Xia instinctively dodged, but she was too slow—the punch grazed her, sending her crashing to the ground, blood trickling from her lip. Ayla sneered, raising her foot for another strike. Lin Xia bit back the pain, rolling away just in time to avoid the blow, her movements clumsy but desperate. The pack erupted in laughter, the sound piercing her like needles. Gasping for air, she glared up at Ayla, a fire of defiance burning in her chest. She knew she couldn’t win, but she’d never bow her head. “Enough, Ayla.” Gar’s voice cut through the crowd, laced with irritation. He stepped forward, his cold gaze sweeping over Lin Xia like she was a burden. “She’s my mate. If you want to kill her, you’ll have to go through me first.” Ayla reluctantly lowered her foot, muttering under her breath, “Alpha, she doesn’t deserve it.” Lin Xia wiped the blood from her lip, forcing herself to stand. She met Gar’s gaze, her voice hoarse. “Didn’t you reject me? Why do you care what happens to me?” Gar didn’t answer. Instead, he tossed her a pelt, his tone icy. “Survive. Don’t make me regret marking you.” He turned and left, the pack’s mocking laughter echoing in her ears. The night deepened as Lin Xia huddled in the corner of a cave, the beast pelt wrapped around her. The firelight flickered on her face, but its warmth couldn’t chase away the chill in her heart. Gar’s words replayed in her mind: “You’re not running.” She clenched her teeth, her fingers whitening as she gripped the pelt. She didn’t believe in fate, and she sure as hell didn’t believe she’d be stuck in this hellhole forever. Closing her eyes, she tried to sleep, but rest wouldn’t come. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through the bite mark on her neck, burning like fire. She let out a muffled groan, reaching to touch it, only to find the skin scorching hot. A strange heat surged from the mark, spreading through her body. Her limbs felt lighter, her exhaustion fading, as if something inside her had been awakened. “What the hell is this?” she whispered, her heart racing. She clenched her fist, noticing her strength had grown. Sitting up, she stared at her hand, a thought flashing through her mind: Was this a side effect of her crossing over? Or was the mark messing with her? Heavy footsteps echoed outside the cave. Lin Xia quickly lay back down, pretending to sleep. Gar stepped in, the scent of blood clinging to him—he’d clearly just dealt with the Black Claw pack. He glanced at her, his brow furrowing. “If you’re awake, don’t pretend,” he said, his voice cold as ice. Lin Xia opened her eyes, sitting up with forced bravado. “I can’t sleep. That mark… is something wrong with it? I feel off.” She baited him, hoping to get answers. Gar’s golden eyes narrowed, studying her for a few seconds as if he could see right through her. “It’s my mark. It means you’re mine.” He paused, his tone dripping with disdain. “But you’re too weak to handle my power. You might die.” Lin Xia nearly jumped to her feet, rage flaring. “Die? You marked me, and now you’re blaming me for being weak? If I die, doesn’t that just waste your effort?” She goaded him, testing how much he actually cared. Gar let out a cold snort, stepping closer and leaning down. His hot breath made her heart race faster. “If you die, you die. Saves me the trouble. But if you survive…” He trailed off, a flicker of something complicated in his eyes. “Maybe you’ll be useful.” Lin Xia bit her tongue, silently cursing asshole in her head, but she didn’t push back. She knew now wasn’t the time to fight. She had to figure out what this heat was—it might just be her ticket to turning the tables. Just then, the heat surged again, and a burst of power shot from her palm, accidentally knocking over the nearby fire pit. Sparks flew everywhere. Gar frowned, waving a hand to suppress the flames, his voice icy. “Control your power, or don’t burn my cave down.” Lin Xia froze. Power? Was this proof of her awakening? She suppressed her excitement, lowering her head in silence, but a fire of determination ignited within her. No matter how Gar looked down on her, she’d use this power to prove herself—and make him regret it.