Rejected by the Alpha, Desired by the King

Evelyn's POV I woke up before the sun was even up, and shivered immediately because of how cold the air in the basement was, and how my thin blanket did nothing to help against the cold. My back was aching terribly from sleeping on the hard floor, and my arms were sore from scrubbing the dining hall tiles the night before, but I didn’t care because today was my birthday, and I was turning eighteen. Finally, because this meant one thing—my wolf would finally wake. I sat up slowly and placed a hand over my chest, feeling the soft thud of my heart. It was beating faster than normal, and there was something strange happening inside me, like a warmth curling in my belly, and something shifting under my skin. My wolf. For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel small, and I didn’t feel like the invisible omega girl everyone passed by in the halls without sparing a second glance. For a moment, I felt alive, but then came the doubt. What if no one noticed? What if I didn’t find a mate today, or worse what if I did find my mate, and he rejected me because I wasn't good enough? I pushed those thoughts aside as I quietly got up and grabbed my worn out sweater. Then I tied my long, dark hair into a low ponytail and slipped on my boots. They had holes in the soles, but they were all I had. I wasn’t invited to the pack’s ceremony tonight, and technically, I never was, but I’d find a way to be there even if it meant standing in the background, and staying in hiding like I always did. The packhouse was already very busy when I stepped outside, and wolves from different ranks were walking around, smiling and laughing, and all dressed in clean clothes with their hair neat and shiny. I stuck to the side paths, making sure no one noticed me so I wouldn't get into any trouble for trespassing. “Today’s the day!” I heard someone say near the training grounds. “Jace might find his mate tonight.” I heard the name Jace, and my heart skipped several beats. Jace was the Alpha of the Stoneclaw Pack, a tall, strong, and terrifying man, whose presence alone made everyone go quiet. He was powerful, and everything about him screamed that he was born to lead, born to rule, and he hated weak wolves, especially omegas, which very much included me. I’d seen the way he looked at me like I didn’t belong in the same air. He’d never spoken a word to me, not even once, and yet, my wolf stirred at the sound of his name. I shook my head and walked faster, because I already knew better than to dream about Alphas. Nighttime came faster than I expected, and the full moon was now even more apparent, causing my chest to tighten again. I hid behind one of the stone pillars of the packhouse, and watched from a distance as the ceremony began with several pack members standing in a wide circle under the moonlight, and dressed in their finest. I saw Jace standing at the center, looking tall and sharp in his black shirt. His silver eyes scanned the crowd, and his jaw remained tense. One by one, different wolves stepped forward, and the moonlight glowed brighter with each pairing, and just when I was wondering if I'd also get to be as lucky as they were, it happened. My body jerked forward, like something had yanked me by the soul, and then my eyes locked with his. Alpha Jace. His silver orbs widened for a second, and I could have sworn that something flared in his expression. Recognition, shock, anger? I couldn't pinpoint which one it was exactly. The scent hit me like wood and spice, and while my heart pounded in my ears, my wolf howled. Mate. Jace stepped forward slowly, and the crowd parted like the sea as he walked straight toward where I stood. Every part of me wanted to run as he approached, but I couldn’t even bring myself to move. When he reached me, his hand grabbed my wrist, and his fingers were both rough and unkind, while his face twisted into something I immediately recognized—disgust. “No,” he said, his voice low and filled with repulsion. “No, this can’t be right.” People around us started whispering, and while some, or rather, most were laughing under their breath, a few looked uncomfortable and perhaps sorry for me, and the humiliation they could guess was about to follow. I swallowed hard. “I… you’re my mate,” I whispered foolishly, not sure what else I was supposed to do or say. He leaned in close, so only I could hear what he said next. “I’d rather die than be mated to an omega like you.” The pain that hit me at his words felt like a knife had been driven into my chest, and my heart dropped into my stomach. “What's your name?” he asked. “E… Evelyn Hart,” I stuttered in response, then he raised his voice loud enough for the whole pack to hear. “I, Alpha Jace of Stoneclaw Pack, reject you, Evelyn Hart, as my mate,” he declared, and immediately, loud gasps from every corner broke through the crowd. “I will never claim someone like you,” he added. “Never.” And just like that, he let go of my wrist, and I stumbled back, but no one caught me, so my knees ended up hitting the ground. The silence was worse than the rejection, and then I heard someone laugh. “She must have really thought an Alpha would choose her.” “Poor thing.” “She should’ve just stayed hidden.” My face burned with embarrassment, and my chest felt like it was being torn apart from the inside. My wolf whimpered, broken, and without thinking, I got up and ran. I didn’t know how far I ran, or where exactly I was headed, but to avoid dealing with the aftermath of being publicly rejected, I just kept going. The trees blurred around me as I ran, and the wind kept slapping my face, but I didn’t stop, not even when the branches scratched my arms, or when my foot caught on a rock and sent me tumbling down a hill. I landed hard, and pain exploded in my ankle. I screamed, but no one heard me. Then I tried to get up, but my leg gave out, and eventually, I had to drag myself toward a tree and slump down while breathing hard. Rain started to fall, and the water soaked my clothes, causing me to shiver from the cold. I pulled my knees to my chest and stared up at the sky, barely able to see the moon through the clouds. “I hate you,” I whispered to the Moon Goddess. “I hate you for giving me hope.” Then I closed my eyes and let the rain wash over me, telling myself that maybe if I fell asleep here, I’d never wake up. I don’t know how long I was there before I suddenly heard it, a crunch of leaves, and footsteps. Slow, and heavy ones that were coming closer. I tensed immediately. Could it be a rogue wolf, or a wolf from another pack loitering around? The mere thought made me feel very afraid, but despite my fear, I couldn’t even stand up from where I was, much less make a run for it. The steps stopped just in front of me, and when I opened my eyes, through the curtain of rain, I saw a tall figure dressed in a black cloak. His face was hidden behind the hood, but I saw his eyes, and they were dark, and glowing faintly gold, but it wasn't a regular person's eyes, and I shivered even more at the sight of it. He crouched down beside me, and his gloved hand brushed a strand of wet hair from my face. “You’re bleeding,” he said quietly. His voice was deep, and calm, but there was something dangerous under it. “W-who are you?” I asked, my voice shaking. He tilted his head. “So… the Moon finally sends you to me,” he responded, and my heart stopped. “What… what do you mean?” He didn’t answer. Instead, he reached forward, picked me up like I weighed nothing, and held me against his chest. I wanted to tell him to let me go, but my eyes fluttered shut, too weak to resist, and the last thing I heard before everything faded was his voice, quiet and certain. “You’re mine now.”