Rejected and Claimed by his Best Friend, Book 1

Chapter 2

Remi

I had been on patrol for hours, the cold night air biting at my skin as I walked the boundaries of the Crescent Moon Pack. The moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie glow across the dark woods, and my wolf, Black, was restless. I could feel him prowling beneath the surface, eager for something—anything—out of the ordinary.

"Patrol’s nearly done," I muttered to myself, rubbing my eyes. It had been a long day, and I was ready to head back to the pack house. But Black... he kept stirring, his instincts going into overdrive. He knew something was out there, and he wasn’t going to rest until he figured it out.

Suddenly, a strange, intoxicating scent hit me—a sweet, earthy mix of warm vanilla and cinnamon. It was overwhelming, almost too much to bear, and for a moment, I thought I might be dreaming.

What the hell is that?

"Remi," Black growled low in my mind. His voice was filled with urgency, and I immediately slowed my pace. "Go. Follow the scent."

Without a second thought, I obeyed. The scent pulled me, a force stronger than anything I had ever felt. The bond was undeniable—familiar in a way I couldn’t explain. My heart started to race as I followed the trail deeper into the woods. The further I went, the stronger the scent became, until it seemed to completely envelop me.

And then, I saw her.

She was lying on the ground, her body crumpled in the grass, as though she had just collapsed from exhaustion. Her chest rose and fell in uneven breaths, and her skin was pale, her clothes stained from the field she’d collapsed in. But even in her broken state, something about her called to me.

*Mate.*

It hit me like a lightning bolt. Black's voice rang through my mind like a war cry. "She's ours, Remi. She’s our mate."

I stood there for a moment, frozen, trying to process the reality of what was happening. The universe had been playing games with me for years, throwing hints and signs that led to this moment, but nothing could have prepared me for the gut-wrenching truth.

The girl on the ground—Alice—was my mate.

I had been searching for my mate for so long, hoping that one day, I’d find her, but the moment I laid eyes on Alice, I realized that I had been searching for the wrong person. She wasn’t just some stranger—I felt connected to her in a way that couldn’t be explained by mere chance. It was instinctual. The pull between us was undeniable.

But there was something wrong. The way she looked, broken and vulnerable, confused me. It made my protective instincts flare up instantly.

I stepped forward cautiously, my feet crunching the leaves beneath me. I didn’t want to startle her, but I couldn’t leave her here—alone and hurt. She needed help.

"Hey," I called softly, kneeling down beside her. My fingers brushed her hair away from her face, and I felt a jolt of recognition. The bond between us responded, a flicker of warmth spreading from my chest to my limbs.

Her eyes fluttered open, and her gaze was disoriented as she stared up at me. It took her a moment to register who I was, but when she did, her eyes widened in shock and fear.

"Who—" She gasped, her voice weak, and her hand instinctively reached out, as though searching for something to hold onto.

"It’s okay," I said quickly, my voice firm but gentle. "I’m Remi. Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack."

She blinked a few times, trying to make sense of my words, but the confusion was clear on her face. I didn’t blame her. She had just been rejected by her mate—her entire world turned upside down—and now, she was facing a stranger. I wasn’t sure what to do, but Black’s growl inside my head told me not to waste time.

We needed to get her back to the pack. She wasn’t safe here alone.

"Come on, Alice," I said softly, lifting her gently into my arms. She stiffened at first, but then relaxed, her body too exhausted to resist.

"I—" she started, her voice barely above a whisper, "I need to go back. I need to... I need to understand... What just happened?"

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t have the answers she was looking for. All I knew was that she was my mate, and I would protect her no matter what. The thought of letting her go back to the Silvermoon Pack, to those who had hurt her, made my blood boil.

"You’re safe now," I assured her, moving carefully through the forest with her in my arms. "You don’t have to go back to them."

Her head rested against my chest, and for a brief moment, I thought she might fall asleep. But her hand gripped my shirt tightly, as if holding onto some semblance of stability.

"I... I don’t know what to do," she murmured. "Josh... he... rejected me."

The pain in her voice tore at me. I didn’t need to ask who Josh was. Her scent, the way her body tensed, and the utter devastation in her eyes said everything. She had been hurt. Rejected by someone who was supposed to be her mate.

I clenched my jaw, fury building in my chest. How could he do this to her?

"You don’t have to worry about him anymore," I said, my tone dark and steady. "You’re with me now. With my pack."

The journey back to the pack house felt like it took forever, but the whole time, I couldn’t stop thinking about her—about Alice. The girl who was supposed to be mine.

I didn’t know what this meant for me, for us. But I was determined to figure it out. Because Alice needed me. And I wouldn’t let her go through this alone.

As we reached the pack house, I could see the other pack members starting to gather, curiosity in their eyes. But I had no time for questions. I only had time to get Alice inside, get her the care she needed, and make sure she was safe.

Everything was changing, and I wasn’t about to let anything threaten the bond that had just begun to form between Alice and me.

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