The Alpha's Debt

Chapter 2

CLARA'S POV

One week earlier, I stood in the center of the crowded dining hall inside the southern packhouse, with ver two hundred pack members surrounded the long wooden tables, their conversations stopping completely as Caleb walked into the middle of the room.

He did not walk alone. He held my older sister’s hand, pulling her forward until they stood directly in front of me.

My heart dropped immediately.

Caleb was the future Alpha of the pack.

He was also my fated mate.

The bond snapped into place on his twenty-first birthday three days ago, connecting our minds instantly.

But he kept the bond a complete secret from the rest of the pack, refusing to acknowledge me in public and ignoring my private messages.

Now, he stood in front of the entire hierarchy, holding a woman who possessed a powerful, aggressive wolf.

"I called this assembly to make an official declaration," Caleb announced, as he let go of my sister's hand and looked directly at me. He did not look apologetic. He looked entirely disgusted by my presence.

I locked my knees, forcing myself to stand perfectly still. My hands began to shake at my sides but I pressed my fingernails deep into my palms to maintain my focus and prevent myself from stepping backward.

"Clara Evans is my fated mate," Caleb stated, pacing a short line in front of me. The crowd erupted into immediate whispers, several people laughing openly at the revelation.

Caleb raised his hand, silencing them instantly. "She is a defective, wolfless burden. She possesses no shift, no strength, and absolutely no value to the future of this pack. And I—will not weaken my bloodline by claiming her."

He stopped pacing and squared his shoulders, looking down at me with absolute contempt.

"I, Caleb Miller, future Alpha of the southern pack, reject you, Clara Evans, as my mate and my Luna," he declared loudly.

The rejection hit me like a physical strike. A violent tearing sensation ripped through the center of my chest.

The invisible cord connecting my mind to his snapped entirely, leaving a burning void in its place.

I scrawled for air, but my lungs failing to expand. My legs gave out instantly and I crashed to the hard floor, landing heavily on my knees. I wrapped my arms tightly around my ribs, fighting the intense wave of nausea rolling through my stomach.

"Look at her," a woman sneered from the closest table. "She cannot even stand up."

"She is completely pathetic," a man agreed, kicking his wooden chair back to get a better view of my humiliation.

Caleb reached out and grabbed my sister's hand again.

She looked down at me and her expression was completely blank. She did not offer to help me up. She stepped closer to Caleb, intertwining their fingers and proving her absolute loyalty to the future Alpha over her own blood relative.

I stared at the floor, cold sweat gathering on the back of my neck. The physical agony of the broken bond radiated through my veins, demanding that I cry, scream, and beg him to take the rejection back.

But I—I refused to give him the satisfaction.

I clamped my mouth shut, swallowing the bile rising in my throat. I forced my hands to push against the floorboards, straightening my spine and rising back to my feet. My legs shook with pain, but I maintained my balance.

I looked directly at Caleb and he frowned, clearly expecting me to break down in front of his audience.

"I, Clara Evans, accept your rejection," I replied, keeping my voice completely steady.

I did not wait for his response. I turned my back to him and walked straight through the crowd. The pack members stepped aside, parting just enough to let me through while continuing to hurl insults.

I ignored their cruel words, focusing entirely on placing one foot in front of the other until I reached the heavy wooden door leading to the basement stairs.

I descended the narrow staircase, entering the damp servant quarters. My room was a small, windowless concrete box at the end of the hall.

I walked inside and shut the door, leaning my back against the cheap wood and the adrenaline completely left my system.

I slid down the door until I hit the floor, pulling my knees to my chest and pressing my forehead against my arms. I stayed there for twenty minutes, forcing my breathing to return to a normal, steady rhythm.

Caleb ruined my social standing entirely. Rejecting a mate was a rare, brutal occurrence. A rejected wolf became an outcast, who was then treated worse than the lowest omega.

If I stayed in the southern packhouse, the members would make my life an absolute nightmare.

They would assign me the most grueling labor, deny me basic food rations, and subject me to constant physical harassment to prove their loyalty to Caleb. I had to leave immediately to survive.

I pushed myself off the concrete floor and pulled a faded black duffel bag from under my narrow cot. I unzipped the main compartment and started packing.

I owned very little so I grabbed three pairs of jeans, four shirts, and my only heavy jacket, rolling them tightly to fit inside the bag.

I opened the small drawer of my nightstand and retrieved a plastic envelope containing three hundred dollars in cash.

I saved the money over five long years, doing extra laundry shifts for the elite pack members. It was my only escape fund.

I shoved the envelope into the bottom of the bag, throwing my toothbrush and a bar of soap on top.

My hands moved quickly, the frantic urgency overriding the lingering pain in my chest.

I planned to wait until three in the morning, slip out through the kitchen delivery door, and walk ten miles to the nearest bus station. I did not care where the bus went. I just needed to cross the territory border before sunrise.

I zipped the duffel bag shut, throwing the thick strap over my shoulder. I sat on the edge of the cot to wait for the house to quiet down.

The next momen, I heard rapid footsteps moving down the basement hallway.

My heart raced with fear. I stood up, backing away from the door. No one ever came down to the servant quarters at this hour. The footsteps stopped directly outside my room.

Before I could step forward to engage the lock, a boot kicked the center of the door. The cheap wood splintered around the handle, and the door swung open, crashing loudly against the concrete wall.

Two massive pack enforcers stepped into my small room, completely blocking the exit. They wore standard tactical gear and their expressions were entirely hostile.

"Grab your bag and walk," the first enforcer ordered, stepping forward and grabbing my upper arm tightly.

"Where are we going?" I asked, trying to pull my arm free from his crushing grip.

"The Alpha Elders demand your presence in the judgment room," he stated, yanking me forward into the hallway. "You are leaving tonight.”