THE ALPHA'S REJECTED MATE

THE NIGHTMARE START

CHAPTER 9: THE NIGHTMARES START

I couldn’t sleep.

Not after the kiss.

Not after the marks.

Not after I said "yes" in front of 50 people.

The Alpha mansion felt different now.

Like the walls were watching.

Like the air was too heavy.

2 days until the wedding.

I was in the library at 2 AM, looking for Moonbane antidote recipes.

The door creaked open.

Damian.

Hair messy. No shirt. Just sweatpants.

He looked 19 again. The boy who taught me how to fight.

"Can’t sleep either?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Nightmares."

He went still. "About?"

"About you leaving me. Again."

The honesty slipped out before I could stop it.

Damian crossed the room. Sat on the floor next to me. Not touching.

Just... there.

"I have them too," he said quietly. "Every night for 3 years."

Silence. Comfortable. For the first time.

"You want tea?" he asked. "I make terrible tea."

I almost smiled. "I’ll risk it."

---

Ten minutes later, we were on the floor of the library.

Two mugs. One blanket between us.

Not touching. But close.

"You were so young," he said, staring into his tea. "16. And I was 18 and stupid and the whole pack expected me to choose a political mate. I thought if I hurt you fast, it would hurt less."

"It didn’t," I whispered.

"I know." His voice broke. "God, Ava. I watched the video every night for a year. To punish myself."

My chest hurt. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because the marks came back." He looked at me. "Because last night when you held me, I remembered who I was before I was Alpha. And I liked that person better."

The air shifted.

I wanted to touch him.

I wanted to run.

I wanted to believe him.

The window shattered.

Glass everywhere.

A black arrow shot past my head and slammed into the bookshelf behind me.

Poison dripping from the tip. Moonbane.

"DOWN!" Damian roared.

He threw himself over me. His body covering mine as more arrows flew in.

My heart was in my throat. I could feel his. Pounding against my back.

"Stay with me," he growled in my ear. "Don’t you dare close your eyes."

Footsteps. Outside. Many.

Damian rolled off me, already shifting halfway. Claws out. Eyes glowing silver.

"Get behind me."

The library doors burst open.

Not wolves.

Rogues. 6 of them. Masks on. Scent: Serena.

My blood went cold.

The biggest one lunged at me.

I didn’t even think.

I grabbed a shard of glass and slashed.

Pain.

His blood.

My blood.

Damian was on him in a second. Teeth. Claws. Blood.

It was over in 20 seconds.

The room was destroyed.

And I was on my knees, shaking, with a cut on my arm.

Damian was there instantly. "Ava. Look at me. Look at me."

I looked up. He was bleeding. From a knife wound in his side.

"You got hit," I whispered.

"Not deep." He lied. Badly. "Let me see your arm."

I held it out. The cut was long. Stinging.

He ripped part of his shirt and tied it around me. Gentle. Hands shaking.

"They were after you," he said. Voice deadly calm. "Not me. You."

"Serena," I said.

He nodded. Jaw tight. "She wants you gone before the wedding."

He pulled me into his lap. Right there on the broken glass.

And he held me. Tight. Like if he let go, I’d disappear.

"I can’t lose you again," he said into my hair. "I can’t. Not like this. Not when I finally—"

He stopped.

"Finally what?" I whispered.

Damian pulled back. Looked at me. Blood on his face. Fear in his eyes.

"Finally figured out that I never stopped loving you."

The words hit me harder than the arrows.

Outside, sirens. Pack guards.

But in here, it was just us.

Blood. Glass. And the truth.

He reached up. Brushed hair from my face. His thumb caught a tear I didn’t know I’d cried.

"Say something," he begged. "Please."

I stared at him. The Alpha. The boy. The enemy. The mate.

"I believe you," I whispered.

His breath left him like I’d punched him.

And then the lights went out.

Not the power.

Me.

The poison from the cut. On my arm.

The last thing I saw was Damian screaming my name.

END OF CHAPTER 9

Word Count: ~1335

CLIFFHANGER: SHE'S POISONED. HE JUST CONFESSED LOVE. LIGHTS OUT. WILL SHE WAKE UP? BUY CHAPTER 10 NOW.