REJECTED BY THE ALPHA. CLAIMED BY THE KING

THE REJECTION

Chapter 1: The Rejection

The moon was full. Blood red.

And I was about to be humiliated in front of 400 wolves.

“Step forward, Elara Moon,” Alpha Ronan Blackthorn’s voice boomed across the stone courtyard of Blackthorn Castle.

I did. Bare feet on cold stone. White ceremonial dress. Hands shaking.

18 years old. And tonight was supposed to be the best night of my life.

My 18th birthday. The night fated mates are revealed.

Ronan was on the throne dais. 21. Broad shoulders. Black hoodie over his Alpha t-shirt.

The most feared Alpha in the Northern Territories. And my mate.

The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes, right?

The High Priestess cut her palm. Blood dripped into the silver bowl.

“By the Moon, reveal the bond,” she chanted.

A silver thread shot out from my chest.

And connected... to Ronan.

The crowd gasped. Then cheered.

He was supposed to smile. Claim me.

Instead he stood up. Jaw tight. Eyes cold.

“Reject,” he said. One word.

The silver thread snapped.

Pain ripped through my chest like he’d stabbed me.

I fell to my knees.

“I, Ronan Blackthorn, Alpha of Blackthorn Pack, reject you, Elara Moon, as my mate and Luna.”

Whispers. Laughter. Phones recording.

“Why?” I whispered. Blood on my lips. “Why reject me?”

He looked down at me. And for a second I saw regret.

Then it was gone.

“Because you’re weak,” he said loud enough for everyone to hear. “Because a Luna cannot be human.

And because I already chose someone else.”

He held out his hand. And from the shadows stepped Selena.

His Beta’s daughter. Blonde. Perfect. Already wearing the Luna crown.

The Moon Goddess gave me to a monster.

I ran. Through the gates. Past the wolves. Into the forbidden forest.

Because dying in there was better than living with that shame.

I didn’t see the second pair of eyes watching me from the castle tower.

Gold. Ancient. Furious.

The King of All Alphas had just found his mate.

And she’d been thrown away.

---

I woke up 3 days later in a bed I didn’t recognize.

Silk sheets. Stone walls. Torches.

A man sat in the chair beside me.

He wasn’t wearing a hoodie. He was wearing a crown.

Black hair. Scars. Tattoos up his neck. And eyes like molten gold.

He looked at me like I was a war he was about to start.

“Hello, little reject,” he said. Voice low. Dangerous. “I’m King Darius Night.

And you belong to me now.”

My heart stopped.

Because the Alpha who rejected me ruled one pack.

The King in front of me ruled them all.