REJECTED BY THE ALPHA, MARKED BY AZRIEN

ELISA’S POV I stood at the center of the altar, my hands clenched so tightly together I could feel my fingernails digging into my skin. My entire body was tense, and my chest felt like it was being squeezed from the inside. My heart was racing like it was trying to escape the disaster my mind was already imagining. Everyone was staring at me. I could hear them whispering, waiting to see what would happen. I was wearing the ceremonial robe, standing at the altar, but none of it felt real. Alec wasn’t here. He was supposed to be beside me, holding my hand and saying the words that would join us. I had imagined this moment so many times, but now I was standing alone, looking around and hoping to see him. Deep down, I knew something was wrong. He wasn’t coming. I stood there, trying not to fall apart, waiting for a moment that had already slipped away. Priest Festus stepped up to me, and whispered to me with a calm voice, “Elisa, are you certain Alpha Alec knows the ceremony is tonight?” “Yes,” I said quickly, too quickly, my voice was cracking on the word I spoke. “He told me just yesterday that he was excited. He said… he said he couldn’t wait.” Even as the words left my lips, doubt began to creep in. What if he lied? What if he knew he wouldn’t show up? Festus’s eyes narrowed slightly, and I saw worry spreading through his expression. “Can you reach him through the mind link?” I nodded, though my heart was pounding faster now. I closed my eyes and focused, sending my thoughts out into the bond we shared. Alec? I called out his name in my mind, but there was no response, it was just...silence. Please… where are you? Everyone’s waiting. I’m wsaiting. Still there was nothing. I tried again, pushing harder, my head starting to ache with the effort. Alec, please answer me. Are you okay? Finally, I felt it. I felt a faint pull of his presence, he was there all along. Alec! Thank the Goddess. What’s going on? You’re not here. The ceremony—it’s about to start. His reply came like a bucket of ice water down my back. It was flat, unemotional and unmistakably old. Tell Festus there’s an emergency at the pack’s clinic. I’m needed there. I won’t make it. I froze… That was it? No “I’m sorry,” no explanation, not even any sign of guilt or hesitation. The link ended before I could say anything. I felt a lump in my throat, and it was hard to breathe. I opened my eyes slowly and blinked to hold back tears. My face grew warm with embarrassment. I had never felt more ashamed in my life. “He said… he said there’s an emergency at the clinic,” I said softly, my voice came out stronger than I had expected. “He’s not coming.” Festus frowned, his gaze fixed on me. “Just like that, no further explanation?” I slowly shook my head. Tears stung my eyes, blurring my vision as I struggled to keep myself together, but I had sworn not to break down. This wasn’t how tonight was supposed to go. I had dreamed of this moment since I was a child. I never thought I would be abandoned this way, and certainly not by the man who had once sworn he would never leave me. I tried to speak, but nothing came out. The crowd behind me had gone utterly silent, and though they said nothing, I could feel the weight of their stares pressing against my back. Festus gently placed a hand on my shoulder. His voice was softer now. “Come, child… Let us go and see what has happened.” I nodded, stiffly and followed him in silence with heavy steps until the pack’s clinic was in full view. We entered the clinic, and the sight that met me made my blood run cold. Talyra was lying on one of the beds, her skin was unnaturally pale. Her eyes were half-lidded and with the dramatic shallow breathing, it seemed like she was dying. Alec sat beside her, his hand tightly wrapped around hers. His thumb moved gently across her skin to keep her stable. He didn’t even turn to acknowledge me. I took a step forward, forcing my voice to remain calm, though it trembled a little from the pain I had restrained. “So this is why you didn’t show up?” Only then did Alec glance at me briefly. “What’s your problem, Elisa?” he asked, his tone sounded clipped. “Can’t you see she’s dying?” My heart twisted. I felt the anger and sadness, but I tried to keep my composure. “You left me standing in front of everyone, Alec. No call, no message, not even minding to tell me where you were. I stood there alone, humiliated. I deserved at least a word from you.” He scoffed and turned fully to face me, his voice became a bit sharp. “She’s my Beta, Elisa and she was poisoned. Not everything is all about you...” “I never said it wasn’t important,” I replied, my throat becoming raw. “But I needed to know. I needed you to talk to me. I felt our bond weakening with every passing second, and you just… shut me out.” His jaw clenched tighter. “You’re unbelievable, Elisa. You’re making this about yourself. Talyra could die, and all you care about is your wedding?” Did he just say my wedding? That landed like a blow. I inhaled shakily, fighting to stay upright. “I care about the bond you and I are supposed to share. I care about being treated like I matter, but you’ve made it clear where your priorities lie.” Alec didn’t deny it. He didn’t apologize, nothing left his mouth. He didn’t even look remorseful. His attention returned to Talyra, as though I had never even walked into the room. His fingers remained laced with hers. Festus stepped forward and knelt beside Talyra. “Talyra,” he said softly, “can you speak? Can you tell us what happened to you?” I stood there in silence, Alec’s indifference was ringing louder than anything else in the room. She tried to speak, but her voice was too faint, barely more than a whisper. Her chest rose and fell in quick, but there was something off about all of it… The scene was almost too perfect, too dramatic. The timing was too convenient for Talyra, she had hated me all her life for taking Alec’s attentions from her. Priest Festus moved closer and placed two fingers against her neck. After a moment, he looked up at Alec, and his face was filled with concern instantly. “Her pulse is weakening, the poison is spreading fast. She might not make it through the next hour unless something is done immediately.” Alec was on his feet in an instant. “Then do something! You’re a priest… heal her!” Festus didn’t move for a while, then suddenly he spoke, “there is no antidote, not for this. The only thing that can purge her system is pure magic.” Alec’s expression twisted from frustration. “That kind of magic doesn’t exist anymore, you said it yourself. It died out with the old bloodlines.” Festus turned slowly, his eyes settling on me. The moment his gaze locked with mine, I knew exactly what he was about to say. I could feel the words forming before he even spoke them, and dread pooled in my stomach like ice water. “Not entirely,” he said. “There’s one person left in this pack who was born with that gift, have you forgotten, Alpha?” My entire body tensed instantly. “No,” I said quickly, taking a step back. “Please don’t do this.” His voice was gentle, but it felt like a knife slicing through my chest. “It’s you, Elisa.” The silence that followed felt deafening. Alec turned to face me, and for the first time that night, his expression softened. The cold, unreadable mask he’d worn all evening disappeared, replaced by something raw and desperate. “You can heal her?” he asked, as if the answer might save him too. I shook my head, already feeling the panic rise in my chest. “I haven’t used my magic since my parents died,” I whispered. “They warned me what would happen if I did. They said the next time I use it could kill me…” Festus stepped closer, his voice sounding like he understood my fear. “Your parents told me the same. They were afraid of the price it would demand from you.” Alec’s gaze locked with mine, and I saw the fear in his eyes—but not for me. It was for her. His voice was filled with emotion as he took a step toward me. “Please, Elisa. I’m begging you, you need to save her.” My heart clenched so tightly it physically hurt. This was the same man who had left me standing alone at the altar. The same man who had humiliated me in front of the entire Night Howlers Pack. The same man who hadn’t spared me a single glance when I first arrived the clinic. And now he was here, not to apologize, not to ask if I was alright, but to plead with me to sacrifice myself for the woman who had taken my place at his side. I looked down at Talyra, her face was pale and still, then my eyes darted back at Alec. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to ask him why. Why wasn’t I worth saving? Why was my life the one he was willing to risk? But I said none of those things. I just stood there, silently crumbling inside, knowing that if I chose to save her… I might not survive. And worse, I would die knowing that it was never really me he loved.