Chapter 4: Rejection

Lexy's POV

The same Alpha wench who had shouted at me earlier was on all fours on my mate’s bed, while he pounded into her from behind, his face twisted with raw, greedy lust

I froze, unable to move, my breath caught in my throat. My heart pounded so hard it hurt, every nerve on fire. The room blurred, the sounds echoing in my skull. That’s when Leo finally noticed me. His face went pale, eyes wide in panic, as if he had seen a ghost—or the consequences of his own weakness. He pulled out, shoved her aside, and lunged toward me—completely naked, trembling with a desperation that made my stomach turn.

“Lexy, let me explain! It’s not what it looks like…”

“Not what it looks like?!” I screamed, tears streaming. “Not like you’re screwing another woman in front of me? I loved you, Leo! I trusted you!”

I covered my face with trembling hands, unable to look at him. He tried to hug me, but the sparks of the mate bond—normally a comforting fire—seared me like flames, a cruel reminder that our bond meant nothing compared to his lust and weakness.

“What is going on here?!” My father’s voice roared like thunder.

Alpha Jacob stood in the doorway with Elizabeth and visiting Alpha Caleb.

Leo scrambled, hastily grabbed shorts and dressing. The Alpha’s daughter, now fully clothed, ran sobbing into her father’s arms.

“I’m sorry, Daddy, I’m such a disgrace,” she wept. “I came to talk, but he seduced me…took advantage of me… He took my innocence!”

Leo’s eyes widened, panic etched across his features. “I did not—”

But his father cut him off. “It doesn’t matter. The wedding is in two days. Kids have their… fun, but let’s not make a big deal out of it.”

Pain tore through me like jagged knives. This wasn’t just betrayal—it was manipulation. He had been using me, lying to me, and planning his wedding all along.

I turned and ran, lungs burning, tears blurring my vision. Every step felt like dragging my own heart through the dirt.

I felt his scent before I heard him. Leo caught up to me in a heartbeat, spinning me to face him. At least he was dressed now—but desperation and guilt warped his features.

“Lexy, please,” he pleaded, voice trembling. “Just listen… I—I wouldn’t have done it if… if you hadn’t kept refusing me. You pushed me to the edge, and she—she took advantage of my desire. I didn’t want it, I didn’t want her—I only wanted you!”

I froze, disbelief and fury surging. “So it’s my fault that you cheated on me?”

“Yes!” he shouted, almost collapsing. “If you had… if you had just given yourself to me, none of this would have happened. I was weak. I couldn’t resist. But it was never about her! It was about my need—my need for you, my desire! But the pack… the power… I can’t deny what’s expected of me!”

I recoiled, chest tightening. The man I loved—the one I trusted—was gone. In his place was a weak, greedy creature, obsessed with lust and power, willing to sacrifice everything—including me.

"Will you not marry her?” I whispered, almost too quietly to hear myself.

His silence was louder than any words.

“Lexy,” he finally said, voice breaking, eyes shimmering with tears, “I can’t stop this. She must be my Luna. It’s for the pack’s strength—for power, for finances. But you… you’re the only one my heart belongs to. I’ll pay for your art school. I’ll take care of everything. You don’t need the burden of being Luna. Just… paint, be with me.”

Every word was a knife twisting in my gut.

“You’re offering me that?” My voice shook with cold fury. “To be your side piece? Do you think I have no self-respect?”

His jaw tightened. “No… yes… it’s not like that,” he muttered, frantic, fumbling for excuses.

A hollow ache spread through me. Perhaps he never loved me. Only his wolf was clinging to a bond he could not resist.

I drew a deep breath, feeling fire rise in my chest. Something snapped.

“I, Alexandra Smith…” I whispered, voice trembling, fire rising inside me. “I… reject you, Leonardo Ashword, as my mate.”

He fell to his knees, groaning, broken.

I didn’t flinch. My voice rang firm and cold: “Accept the rejection.”

“No, Lexy… I love you! Please!” he begged, trembling as he forced himself upright.

A commanding voice cut through the tension. “Son, accept the rejection.”

Alpha Caleb stepped in. Behind him, Mirabel and my parents watched silently.

“I… accept,” Leo whispered, voice cracking. He looked lost and desperate. Mirabel wrapped her hands around him like he belonged to her, and Leo did push her away, silently accepting her claim.

I turned and walked away, vision blurred by tears. This morning, I had been counting the days until we could be together. Now… I was broken, betrayed, and utterly alone.

But even broken, I couldn’t give up. I had savings to build, a life to reclaim. I would stay in the pack a little longer, endure the bitter reminders of him, work harder than ever, and save every coin I could. Art school would be my escape. One day soon, I would leave this pack behind—forever.

For now, I had to survive, endure, and hold on, letting my pain fuel my ambition instead of crushing me.

Even in heartbreak, I had a future to fight for—one brushstroke at a time.