Rejected by My Alpha, Chosen by the Lycan King

Ava didn't know how long she ran. Branches clawed at her dress. Thorns snagged the delicate fabric her mother had spent months sewing. The farther she went, the darker the forest became. Most wolves avoided this part of the territory. Stories had been told about it for generations. Children were warned never to cross the stone markers hidden among the trees. According to pack legends, ancient monsters slept beyond them. At the moment, Ava didn't care. The pain in her chest hurt far more than any monster could. She finally stopped beside a stream. Moonlight danced across the water like shattered silver. Breathing hard, she dropped to her knees. The mating bond still burned. Even after Ethan's rejection, she could feel traces of it. Like a wound that refused to close. A sob escaped her lips. "What did I do wrong?" The question vanished into the night. No answer came. Only silence. Then... A sound. A crack of a branch somewhere nearby. Ava froze. Every instinct screamed at her to run. Slowly, she stood. The scent reached her first. Blood. Fresh blood. Lots of it. Her wolf stirred uneasily. Someone was hurt. Or something. Another crash echoed through the trees. Followed by a low growl. Ava swallowed hard. This was a terrible idea. A truly terrible idea. Yet her feet moved anyway. Step by step, she followed the scent. The smell of blood grew stronger. Soon she reached a small clearing. The sight before her stole her breath. A man lay on the ground. His black shirt was soaked crimson. Deep claw marks slashed across his chest. Several arrows protruded from his side. No ordinary wolf could survive injuries like those. Yet somehow he was still alive. His silver eyes snapped open. Ava jumped. Those eyes were unlike anything she had ever seen. Not wolf eyes. Not human eyes. Something older. Something dangerous. The stranger's gaze locked onto hers. Instantly, every hair on her body stood on end. Predator. The word flashed through her mind. Not because he threatened her. Because every instinct recognized that this man stood at the very top of the food chain. Even wounded. Even half-conscious. He was terrifying. "Leave." His voice came out rough. More growl than speech. Ava should have listened. Instead she took another step forward. "You're bleeding." The stranger stared at her as though she'd said something incredibly stupid. "Observant." Despite everything, Ava almost laughed. Then she noticed another wound near his shoulder. The bleeding hadn't stopped. If left untreated, he would die. "You need help." "I said leave." The command carried unexpected force. The air itself seemed to vibrate around him. For a moment Ava nearly obeyed. Then she remembered Ethan. The rejection. The humiliation. The crowd laughing. Something inside her hardened. "No." The stranger blinked. Apparently people didn't tell him no very often. "You don't understand." "Then explain." A dangerous silence followed. The man's expression darkened. "The people who did this are hunting me." As if summoned by his words, distant howls echoed through the forest. Ava's stomach dropped. Those weren't members of her pack. She had never heard wolves sound like that. The stranger heard them too. His jaw tightened. "They're close." Another howl. Closer this time. Ava's pulse raced. Every sensible thought told her to run. Leave the stranger. Save herself. Yet she couldn't. Not when he looked one heartbeat away from death. "Can you stand?" she asked. His expression suggested he found the question insulting. Nevertheless, he tried. And immediately collapsed. Ava rushed forward. Before she could stop herself, she caught him. The moment her skin touched his... The world exploded. A brilliant silver light flashed behind her eyes. Heat surged through her body. Her heart skipped a beat. Then another. A voice echoed deep inside her soul. Ancient. Powerful. Unmistakable. Mate. Ava stumbled backward. The stranger's eyes widened. For the first time since she'd met him, genuine shock crossed his face. "No," he said quietly. The word sounded almost horrified. Ava's pulse thundered. Her chest tightened. She knew that feeling. Knew it far too well. The invisible thread. The pull. The certainty. The Moon Goddess had chosen. Again. The stranger looked at her as though she'd become the source of all his problems. "Impossible." Another howl split the night. Closer than before. Very close. The stranger slowly rose despite his injuries. Blood stained the ground beneath him. Yet somehow his presence seemed even more powerful than before. The silver glow in his eyes intensified. "Run," he ordered. Ava stared at him. "What?" "Run." The forest suddenly fell silent. No insects. No birds. Nothing. A cold chill crept down her spine. Something was coming. Something terrible. And judging by the expression on the stranger's face... Even he was concerned. Then the trees began to move.