THE MOONBORN’S REJECTED MATE

##THE ALPHA’S MATE

The hallway had gone completely silent.

Not ordinary silent.

The kind of silence that came when every wolf was holding its breath.

I could hear footsteps approaching from the other side of the door.

Slow.

Heavy.

Certain.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

**He's coming.**

Lyra's voice was almost a whisper.

I stared at the door.

"Who?"

She didn't answer.

I already knew.

Alpha Adrian Blackwood.

My mate.

The thought sent a strange warmth through my chest.

But it was quickly replaced by confusion.

Mara was still kneeling on the floor.

Mrs. Hale looked like she wanted to disappear.

And neither of them was looking at me like I'd just received wonderful news.

They looked terrified.

I pulled my sleeve over the strange markings.

"What does she mean?" I demanded.

Mara shook her head.

"You need to leave."

"Leave where?"

"Anywhere. Just not here."

I stared at her.

"You're the one who told me I wasn't an Omega. Now you're telling me to run without explaining why?"

"Because you don't understand what will happen when he sees you."

I swallowed.

"What will happen?"

Mara opened her mouth.

The door swung open.

I froze.

Alpha Adrian stood on the other side.

For the first time, I saw him up close.

He was even more intimidating than I'd imagined.

Tall.

Broad shoulders.

Dark hair slightly dishevelled from his journey.

His black shirt was rolled at the sleeves, revealing strong forearms.

But it was his eyes that held me.

Dark.

Cold.

Unbelievably intense.

They locked onto mine.

And something inside me shattered.

My wolf surged forward.

**Mate.**

The scent hit me again.

Pine.

Rain.

And something warm beneath it.

My knees nearly buckled.

Adrian went completely still.

His eyes widened.

For one brief second, the terrifying Alpha disappeared.

He looked almost...

human.

His gaze travelled over my face.

My hair.

My hands.

Then my wrist.

The sleeve had slipped.

Just slightly.

His eyes landed on the silver mark.

Everything changed.

His face became unreadable.

"Cover your arm."

His voice was low.

I immediately pulled my sleeve down.

But I didn't understand.

"Why?"

He stepped into the room.

Every wolf around him lowered their head.

I didn't.

Not this time.

His eyes returned to mine.

"What's your name?"

I swallowed.

"Alara."

His expression didn't change.

"Full name."

"Alara Vale."

Something flickered across his face.

Recognition?

Impossible.

I'd never spoken to him.

Not properly.

"You're an Omega."

The words weren't a question.

My stomach tightened.

"Yes."

He took another step.

My wolf practically purred.

**Mate.**

I wanted to tell her to shut up.

I couldn't think with her acting like this.

Adrian stopped directly in front of me.

He was so close that I could feel his warmth.

My heart was beating so loudly I was certain he could hear it.

He stared down at me.

Then suddenly—

His expression changed.

His eyes widened.

His nostrils flared.

He inhaled.

Once.

Twice.

His entire body became rigid.

I knew that look.

He could smell me.

He knew.

I whispered the words before I could stop myself.

"You're my mate."

The room became silent.

Adrian didn't answer.

My heart started racing.

"Right?"

His jaw tightened.

I waited.

Five seconds.

Ten.

Finally, he spoke.

"Everyone out."

Mara immediately stood.

"But, Alpha—"

"I said everyone."

The command rolled through the room.

Everyone left.

Except me.

And Adrian.

The door shut behind them.

I suddenly wished it hadn't.

The Alpha turned toward the window.

His hands were clenched.

I didn't understand.

I'd imagined this moment for years.

My eighteenth birthday.

My mate.

Someone who would choose me.

Someone who would finally look at me and say I was enough.

But Adrian didn't look happy.

He looked furious.

"Alpha?"

"Don't call me that."

I blinked.

"What should I call you?"

He turned around.

"Adrian."

My stomach fluttered.

"Adrian."

His eyes flashed.

For one second, something passed between us.

Something neither of us understood.

Then his gaze dropped to my wrist again.

"Show me."

I hesitated.

"What?"

"Your arm."

"No."

His eyes snapped back to mine.

Nobody said no to Adrian Blackwood.

Apparently, I had already forgotten that.

His voice became dangerously quiet.

"Show me."

I slowly pushed my sleeve up.

The silver markings glowed immediately.

Adrian's face went pale.

He stepped backward.

For the first time since entering the room, he looked genuinely shaken.

"What is that?"

"I don't know."

"Who gave you those?"

"No one."

"When did they appear?"

"This morning."

His eyes narrowed.

"And you expect me to believe that?"

I stared at him.

"Why would I lie?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, he reached for my wrist.

The moment his fingers touched my skin—

**BOOM.**

A shockwave exploded through the room.

The windows rattled.

The lights went out.

I gasped.

Adrian immediately released me.

The silver markings blazed.

Lyra screamed inside my head.

**Alara!**

I stumbled backward.

"What is happening?"

Adrian stared at his hand.

Then at me.

His breathing had changed.

He looked almost frightened.

And then—

A voice came from the hallway.

"Alpha!"

The door opened.

A warrior rushed inside.

Adrian immediately turned.

"What?"

The warrior looked terrified.

"There's been an attack at the eastern border."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"How many?"

"Three warriors injured. Two missing."

"Who?"

"We don't know."

Adrian looked toward me.

Something strange happened.

His expression softened.

Just for a second.

Then it disappeared.

"Stay here."

I frowned.

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

I crossed my arms.

"You can't just order me around."

His eyebrows rose.

"You really are an Omega."

My face fell.

He seemed to realise what he'd said.

But instead of apologising, he turned away.

"Don't leave this room."

Then he disappeared through the door.

I stared after him.

My wolf was silent.

For once, she wasn't calling him our mate.

She was...

hurt.

I touched my wrist.

The markings were still glowing.

Something about Adrian's reaction bothered me.

He knew something.

I was certain.

And I was going to find out what.

---

I waited exactly three minutes.

Then I left.

If Adrian thought being Alpha meant he could order me around, he had another thing coming.

I followed the sound of voices through the hallway.

The further I went, the louder they became.

I stopped behind a half-open door.

Adrian was inside with several warriors.

Mara was there too.

I listened.

"How did they get through the border?" Adrian demanded.

"We don't know."

"Find out."

"Yes, Alpha."

Mara stepped forward.

"Adrian."

He looked at her.

"What?"

"You need to hear this."

She glanced toward the warriors.

"Alone."

Adrian dismissed them.

The room emptied.

I leaned closer.

Mara lowered her voice.

"The markings appeared."

Adrian went still.

"I know."

"They're exactly like hers."

My blood ran cold.

Adrian stared at her.

"Don't say that name."

Mara's voice trembled.

"You know what this means."

"I know exactly what it means."

"Then you know she can't stay here."

My heart pounded.

Who were they talking about?

Adrian's voice dropped.

"She isn't supposed to exist."

I covered my mouth.

Mara whispered:

"Neither was her mother."

My breath caught.

**My mother?**

I nearly stepped backward.

My mother.

They were talking about my mother.

Adrian continued.

"How much does Alara know?"

"Nothing."

"Good."

My heart hammered.

Mara sighed.

"She'll find out eventually."

"Not from us."

"Adrian—"

"I said no."

His voice became cold.

"The truth stays buried."

I backed away from the door.

My hands were shaking.

My mother.

The markings.

The Alpha's father.

The strange reaction between Adrian and me.

None of it was a coincidence.

I turned to leave.

And walked straight into someone.

A hand caught my shoulders before I could fall.

I looked up.

Adrian.

My heart stopped.

He stared at me.

I stared at him.

Neither of us spoke.

Then his eyes dropped to my face.

His expression changed.

He knew.

He knew I'd heard.

"What did you hear?" he asked.

I swallowed.

"Nothing."

His jaw tightened.

"Don't lie to me."

I stepped backward.

"You were talking about my mother."

Silence.

"Why?"

He didn't answer.

"Why were you talking about my mother?"

"Alara."

"Tell me!"

My voice echoed through the corridor.

Adrian's eyes flashed.

"Lower your voice."

"No!"

My wolf surged forward.

The markings on my wrist began glowing again.

Adrian noticed.

His entire body froze.

And then something happened that neither of us expected.

His wolf surfaced.

His eyes briefly changed.

A low growl escaped his chest.

Not anger.

Recognition.

Possession.

Fear.

All at once.

My wolf answered.

The entire corridor shook.

Every light shattered.

Adrian grabbed the wall for support.

I stumbled backward.

Then I heard it.

A whisper.

Not from Lyra.

Not from Adrian.

Not from anyone in the hallway.

It came from inside me.

An unfamiliar voice.

Ancient.

Female.

And impossibly powerful.

**"The bloodline has awakened."**

I froze.

Adrian's face went white.

He had heard it too.

The voice continued.

**"The lost daughter has returned."**

Adrian stared at me.

For the first time, the most powerful Alpha in the northern territories looked terrified of a seventeen-year-old Omega.

Then he whispered two words.

Words that made my entire world collapse.

“It’s impossible."

I stared at him.

"What?"

His eyes locked onto mine.

"You're dead."

My blood turned cold.

"What did you just say?"

Adrian took one step toward me.

His voice was barely audible.

"Your mother told us you died."

I couldn't breathe.

"My mother?"

He stared at the markings on my wrist.

Then at my face.

And suddenly, I understood.

He wasn't looking at me like I was an Omega.

He wasn't even looking at me like I was his mate.

He was looking at me like he'd just discovered the ghost of a secret his family had spent seventeen years trying to bury.

And then Adrian said—

"Alara..."

His voice broke.

"You're supposed to be dead."