The Alpha’s Rejected Mate

Chapter 3

***Rainah***

I stood at the edge of the clearing, my heart racing as I watched the figure of Alpha Sawyer. The sunlight filtered through the branches, casting playful shadows on the ground, but I felt none of their warmth. My wolf was restless, her first words echoing in my mind like a whisper amid chaos—“Mate.”

What did it mean? For a moment, I was frozen, grasping the reality of what her words suggested. I had sensed something, an undeniable pull I couldn’t shake off, a connection that transcended the mere physical proximity. Yet, just moments ago, I had stood before him in breathless anticipation, and as our gazes collided, why had the recognition not struck me as it had him?

The scent of Sawyer was intoxicating, a warm, woodsy aroma mixed with the fresh scent of pine. It enveloped me as though trying to shield me from the inevitable storm that lay ahead. He would have known I was his mate when he looked at me; I could see it in the way his eyes shifted for a moment before he masked it with his characteristic alpha’s demeanor. Yet as the seconds stretched into eternity, I understood—he didn’t want this.

The reality of being an omega wolf weighed heavily on my soul. In the pack hierarchy, we were never meant for those in power; we existed to serve, to nurture—to be invisible. My unique appearance, a rebellious blend of white and black hair, had always been a source of both intrigue and isolation. My gray eyes often reflected my turbulent emotions, hiding the deeper scars of rejection and longing.

As I returned to the pack, the acceptance of my role felt palpable, editing my existence into one of unacknowledged duty. But the truth gnawed at me, merging with fear. What if Sawyer rejected me? What would happen to the pack, to my position, to everything I had known? Just as I had begun to reconcile the truth of my feelings—his soft chuckle warming my heart like a burgeoning sun—my dreams shattered under the weight of expectations and traditionalism.

The following days were clouded with confusion and deceit, the rising tension like dark clouds before a storm. Sawyer, unaware of the conflict raging inside me, continued running the pack as if nothing had changed. I went about my daily tasks, feeling the familiar ache of invisibility every time I crossed paths with him. His presence lingered, and soon, it consumed my thoughts, weaving itself into the fabric of my very existence.

“Rainah,” a voice called, pulling me from my thoughts. It was Camden, the beta of the pack and one of my Sawyers’ best friends. He stood a few feet away, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity. “Alpha Sawyer would like to speak with you”

“Okay,” I replied softly, forcing a smile that felt more like a mask than a genuine expression.

He studied me, his hazel eyes perceptive and sharp—it was no secret I was different from the others. As the beta, I’m sure Sawyer would have told him we are mates. If he hadn’t well, he often observed with an acute awareness, balancing authority and empathy. Camden had taken it upon himself to ensure he read body language; or at least the pack gossip had said as much.

“Sawyer is in his study,” he said, his tone gentle, almost conspiratorial. The mere mention of his name sent a ripple of conflicting emotions coursing through me.

I looked away, drawing a shaky breath. “Okay Beta,” I said as I slowly turned to make my way to his study.

Camden’s tone was soften. “Just know he has a lot on his mind, Rainah. Being the alpha is not an easy burden. Maybe he’s unaware of the connection between you two but he always does right by the pack.”

“Okay,” I echoed, but the thought felt hollow. Deep down, I worried that his lack of acknowledgment was a deliberate choice. Regardless of the bond we shared, I was an omega—an unfortunate reality I couldn’t escape.

The next few steps unfolded like a tapestry woven with tension and uncertainty, each step fraught with a different emotional hue. My wolf started purr with longing as we got closer to his study. I knew the mere sight of Sawyer would have my emotions all over the place. I knocked on the door and his voice sounded to enter. When I walked in and closed the door, he strode towards me. His stride was quick with a sense of command, respect and admiration, I felt a tug at my core, a frantic rush begging to be acknowledged. He pinned me against the door and dipped his head to inhale my scent. Yet he remained silent during the interaction leaving only a deepened frustration and insecurity within me.

And then came his words that changed everything.

The afternoon was a chilly, the view outside his window showed the sky hanging low with dark clouds that threatened rain. I had found a moment to escape the chaos of what was to come as I braced myself. Here, cornrows by my own mate I wasn’t sure if I felt at peace or just scared. It was a small sanctuary for a second when it was silent where I could breathe and imagine a life untainted by rank and duty. A place where I could be accepted.

I closed my eyes, letting the scent of my mate comfort me. Suddenly, my heart sank.

“Rainah,” he said, his voice laced with something I couldn’t quite place. It rang through the air like a spell, powerful and enchanting. My pulse quickened as I looked up at him, his hazel eyes piercing my defenses.

“Alpha Sawyer,” I replied, a hint of formality slipping through the connection I desperately craved.

“Rainah Finley, I Alpha Sawyer Brecken reject you as my mate and Luna.” His said and I fell to my knees.

“I-I,” I stammered, caught off guard by his rejection. I figured the possibility but never expected it to be true. I looked up at him with tears in my eyes.

He paused, looking at me as if wanting to take it back but he didn’t. My wolf howled in my mind at the rejection. urging me to reason with him, but I hesitated. The pain clouding my thoughts.

Sawyer stiffened, shifting his weight from one foot to another. “I can’t have a weak omega as the packs Luna.”

His words hung in the air like it explained everything. With a rush of adrenaline, I forced myself to stand, desperately ignoring the pain of rejection. I didn’t have anything else to lose so I stepped closer, closing the distance between us. “Take it back, Sawyer. Take back the rejected.”

Silence poured into the space around us, heavy and suffocating. His expression darkened, the weight of unspoken truths lingering between us. It was then I saw the flicker of acknowledgment in his eyes—the power of our bond beyond what we had known rushed toward the surface.

Finally, he spoke, his voice thick with emotion. “I can’t take it back, Rainah. I will never have an omega as a Luna, I have my duties as an alpha, and sometimes that..complicates things.”

The realization struck me like thunder: He was bound by loyalty, responsibilities that extended far beyond our personal connection. My heart ached, knowing that our fates were entangled in shadows, the weight of tradition pressing down upon us.

“I thought a mate was a gift from the moon goddess.” I whispered, the raw honesty catching us both off guard. The truth was his responsibilities overshadowed my desire, and an ache surged through me knowing we might never be meant to be.

Sawyer took a step closer, his warmth enveloping me as he brushed my fingers with his. “Rainah, you are omega. No Alpha in their right mind, takes an omega as his Luna.”

Their was no warmth of his words but it was the truth. I have never heard of an Alpha taking an omega mate. His eyes soften but faded as quickly as it appeared, consumed by the looming reality. I craved not merely to be the omega who is mated to an Alpha. I just wanted to be seen, recognized, and valued in all facets of myself.

Without warning, the heartbreaking truth blossomed in my chest. “Rainah Finley, you are banished from the shady pack and if you ever return, I will kill you myself.” Something in me broke at his words.

This pack was all I have known. Where would I go and how will I survive. An omega wolf who has been rejected by her own mate and Alpha. Banishment loomed on the horizon, a bitter promise wrapped tightly around alpha traditions, the fear of revealing our connection gnawing at his heart.

He could never be mine—no matter how fiercely my wolf yearned for him. The sense of desperation spiraled through the air, heavy with unspoken words and heartache. A mates rejection was known to wolves- black rings surrounded a mates eye for all to see.

My heart raced, the hurt bubbling beneath the surface, ready to explode. “You have thirty minutes to leave pack grounds or I will be forced to kill you.”

“Don’t say that.” The plea in my voice as I spoke was clear, but I knew—I knew he would do as he says.

I turned and ran out the door. I didn’t bother going to my room to get anything. I just ran out of the pack house and into the surrounding forest.

Fresh rain began to fall, each droplet echoed through me like the pounding of my heart. It was undeniable—my wolf mourned the bond we could never fully embrace. I ached to return to him, to tell him that I didn’t want to let him go. What mate would stop trying to get there mate back. However, fear gripped me, chaining me to this moment until it shattered like glass, cruel and swift.

I shifted into the rainy day and I didn’t stop to look back. I weak as he said but maybe I didn’t have to be. I promise I will get stronger every day and I will prove to him I’m not just a weak omega-no matter how long it takes; I will never be weak again.