THE ALPHA'S REJECTED LUNA

Chapter 3: The Cursed Territory

"You smell like... my mate?"

Aria couldn't breathe.

The man in front of her was a mountain of muscle, tattoos, and danger. Water from the creek dripped down his bare chest, over the black tribal markings that seemed to pulse. His red eyes were locked on her like she was the only thing in this entire dark forest.

And he had just said the one word that had destroyed her life an hour ago.

Mate.

"No," she whispered, scrambling back until her back hit the rough bark of a tree. "No, no, no. Don't say that. Don't you dare say that."

Her whole body was shaking. The hollow ache in her chest where Kade had ripped their bone was still bleeding. She couldn't go through that again. She wouldn't survive a second rejection.

"Please... don't kill me," she choked out, tears finally spilling over. She thought he was going to kill her for trespassing. Everyone knew the stories about the Northern Blood Pack. They didn't take prisoners.

The man's expression changed. The possessive shock in his red eyes flickered into something else — confusion, then fury. But not at her.

He crouched down slowly, so he was at eye level with her. He didn't touch her. He kept his hands fisted at his sides, like touching her took every ounce of his control.

"I'm not going to kill you," he said, his voice low and hoarse, like he hadn't spoken in days. "Breathe, little one. You're safe."

His scent hit her then. Dark forest after rain, smoked pine, and leather. It was overwhelming. It was warm. It wrapped around her broken bond like a bandage, soothing the raw, bleeding edges just a little.

Her wolf, who had been silent and whimpering since Kade's rejection, suddenly lifted her head inside her mind.

*Mate!*

Aria flinched. *No! He is NOT our mate! Kade is our mate!*

But her wolf wasn't listening. For the first time in eighteen years, her wolf felt strong. Awake. Drawn to this stranger.

"Who... who are you?" Aria whispered.

The man tilted his head, his glowing red eyes never leaving hers. "Rhys" Rhys Volkov."

Aria's blood ran cold.

Rhys Volkov.

Alpha of the Northern Blood Pack. The Cursed Alpha. The one whose touch could steal a werewolf's powers. The one they told pups about to make them behave. *If you don't listen, Alpha Volkov will come and take your wolf away.*

She had run straight into hell.

"I should go," she scrambled to stand, her bare feet slipping on the moss. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to trespass, I was just— I got lost, I didn't know this was—"

"You crossed the creek," Rhys said calmly, standing up with her. He was so tall she had to crane her neck to look at him. "This is my territory. Silver Moon hasn't marked their borders here for years. Your alpha is lazy."

The way he said *Your Alpha* made it sound like an insult.

"He is not my Alpha," Aria spat out before she could stop herself. The words burned. "Not anymore."

Rhys's eyes darkened. He looked at her properly now — the torn faded blue dress, the blood dried under her nose, the bruises on her knees, the hollow, dead look in her eyes despite her tears. He inhaled again, deeper this time.

And his jaw clenched so hard she heard it crack.

"You smell like rejection," he growled, a low rumble vibrating in his chest. "You smell like pain. And another male. He rejected you."

It wasn't a question.

Aria hugged herself, feeling naked under his gaze. "That's none of your business."

"It became my business the second you stepped into my forest and my wolf screamed *MINE*," Rhys snarled. His control was slipping. His eyes glowed brighter red. "Who did it? Who touched what is mine?"

"He didn't touch me!" Aria shouted, angry now. Angry at Kade, angry at this stranger, angry at the whole world. "He didn't want to! He said I was weak! Pathetic! An Omega mistake! So he rejected me in front of everyone! Are you happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Her voice broke on the last word, and she collapsed again, sobbing into her hands.

The forest went completely silent. Even the crickets stopped.

Aria expected him to laugh, like the others. Or to be disgusted and leave her.

Instead, she felt a large, warm jacket drape over her shoulders. It smelled like him. It was huge, swallowing her small frame.

"Look at me," Rhys commanded softly.

She shook her head.

"Little mate, look at me."

Something in his voice made her obey.

Rhys was kneeling in front of her again. His face was inches from hers. His red eyes were no longer terrifying — they were furious, protective, obsessed.

"That Alpha is a fool," he whispered, each word laced with venom. "He looked at a diamond and thought it was glass because he didn't know how to make it shine. He rejected a gift from the Moon Goddess herself."

He reached out slowly, giving her time to pull away. His fingertip, rough and calloused, gently wiped away a tear from her cheek.

The second his skin touched hers, a spark — silver and black — shot between them.

Aria gasped. It wasn't pain like Kade's rejection. It was heat. Electricity. It shot straight down to her soul.

Rhys's eyes rolled back for a second, a low growl of pure pleasure tearing from his throat. "Fuck..."

His touch didn't steal her powers. If anything, she felt stronger. The hollow place in her chest pulsed.

"What... what was that?" she whispered.

"Second chance mate bond," Rhys said, his voice wrecked. "Rare. So fu*king rare. The Goddess doesn't give second chances unless the first one was a mistake. You were never meant to be his, Aria. You were meant to be mine."

"How do you know my name?" she asked, startled.

Rhys gave a small, humorless smile. "I know every pack member in a hundred-mile radius. Aria Quinn. The Omega of Silver Moon. The girl, they said, was wolf less."

He leaned closer, his forehead almost touching hers. "They were wrong. I can feel her. Your wolf. She's not wolfless. She's just... sleeping. Waiting."

As if to prove him right, her wolf howled inside her head, louder than ever before.

*Mate! Safe! Home!*

For the first time that night, Aria felt... warm.

But the moment was shattered.

A deafening, furious howl ripped through the Northern forest from the south — from Silver Moon territory.

It was an Alpha howl. A command. A furious, possessive, heartbroken Alpha howl.

**"ARIA!"**

Aria's entire body froze. She would know that voice anywhere.

Kade.

Rhys's head snapped up towards the sound, his lips curling back to reveal sharp fangs. His red eyes turned murderous.

The possessive, gentle man from a second ago was gone. The Cursed Alpha is back.

"He dares," Rhys hissed, standing up and pulling Aria up behind him, shielding her completely with his massive body. "He rejects you, humiliates you, and now he dares to step into MY territory and call for MY mate?"

Through the trees, Aria could see it now — torches. Five, six wolves in human form, running at inhuman speed, tearing through the border. At the front was Kade Blackwood, his grey eyes glowing silver in his Alpha fury, his chest heaving, his shirt torn as if he had been shifting back and forth.

He had come looking for her.

Their eyes met across the clearing.

Kade saw her — barefoot, covered in blood, wearing another Alpha's jacket, standing behind Rhys Volkov.

And his face twisted into a look of pure, unadulterated jealousy and rage.

Rhys wrapped an arm possessively around Aria's waist, pulling her flush against his back. He lowered his head and pressed his nose into her hair, marking her with his scent right in front of Kade.

"She's not yours anymore, Blackwood," Rhys roared, his voice shaking the trees. "Find another Omega to break."

Kade's hands shifted into claws, his wolf fighting to come out.

"Take your filthy hands off my mate!"