Chapter one: The rejection.

Xefia’s pov:

“Fuck…” Alpha Ryker grunted as he thrust into me, his claws digging mercilessly into my flesh, and drawing blood. I bit back a whimper, trying not to let the pain show, but each thrust hit harder than the last, pushing me closer to breaking.

I clenched tight, reminding myself this was what a mate did. My job was to satisfy him, no matter what. Because if I didn’t, he might just look elsewhere before finally claiming me as his mate. The thought alone twisted my gut.

I clenched my teeth, closing my eyes as he began to thrust faster into me until he let out a loud moan.

Seconds later, he rolled off my body and roughly shoved me away.

“You may leave.” He ordered coldly.

I hesitated, “Can I —”

“You this filthy omega! Are you suddenly deaf? Leave my chambers now” he shot at me.

I froze.

It was always this same cold routine. No matter how often I'd told myself to get used to it, I still felt miserable about it. My heart shattered into a million pieces whenever he treated me like I was a curse or a plague.

With shaky hands, I picked my ragged dress up from the cold floor, and I glanced at him.

“Alpha Ryker…I need to talk to you about something, please.”

He frowned, running his hands through his hair.

“You seem to have so much audacity lately.” he said.

“Pl-please…I just want to—”

“Speak!” He barked.

“It's about the moon ceremony.” I said calmly in a submissive tone. A mate was supposed to be submissive to her Alpha. Lilyc, my wolf stirred as I met Alpha Ryker's eyes.

He folded his arms across his chest, “okay?”

“Is…” I muttered, “Is it your plan to claim me tonight? Before everyone?”

It was crazy that I had hoped that he would answer be. He rose from the bed, and turned his back to me.

“I assumed you had something important to say. Leave now.”

“Wh-what?”

“What until it's time to see what will happen at the moon ceremony. I don't want you hanging around me before then…” he said as he threw on his robe.

I nodded, and dragged my feet out of his chambers. I was careful enough to not get caught sneaking out. My heart aches as I walked down the hall. Why won’t he publicly announce me?

‘Maybe he was just being careful’, a voice inside me offered. Yeah, maybe he was just being careful.

Since the day my matebond with Alpha Ryker snapped into place, I could swear on my life that we were destined to be together. It's been a several months already, yet he was yet to claim me. At some point, I was worried that he'd reject me…or worse, have me killed. Yet, he had done neither.

Instead, he began to demand my presence in his chambers every night, and he used me for his satisfaction. He hardly spoke to me during these sessions, and after he'd his full, he usually shunned me.

That evening, I waited until the moon ceremony had already began before I rolled out of bed. I slipped into one of my recent dresses and wrapped my hair up in a bun. I had hope…hope that Alpha Ryker would declare me as his mate and Luna. My wolf stirred and I could tell that she was excited too.

I already had a plan to sneak into the mating grounds. As an omega, I was not allowed to be seen in public gatherings. But tonight? I was not afraid of been seen. I would become the future Luna of this pack, afterall, I reasoned.

I took brisks steps to the ceremony grounds, pinning my head down as I avoided the sharp stares I got from several wolves. Soon, I found a corner and I stood there, awaiting the moment Alpha Ryker would call me.

My wolf, Lilyc, was on edge as she roamed my mind. Time crept by slowly and soon, there was an uproar as the crowd began to cheer. I squinted and realised that Alpha Ryker had arrived. He ascended the stone, a large grin on his face.

A lump formed in my throat as I watched him with pride. His dark hair fell across his face, and his dimples were visible as he began to address the crowd.

As he spoke, his eyes swept through the crowd and they met mine. Just for a second.

My breath hitched as I blinked at him.

He paused for a moment and smiled briefly at me, so fast that I could swear I was the only one who noticed it. He quickly torr his eyes away and my chest tightened.

He was about to announce our bond, I told myself. I was already getting so pumped up, and I began to worry that I would stumble and fall the moment he calls my name and asks me to meet him at the centre of the crowd.

It took me a moment to realise that he was now looking at someone else.

Syrah BlackThorn.

She stood a few feet away from him, dressed in a red velvet gown and her blonde hair fell around her face. Her eyes lit up as Alpha Ryker approached her.

A gasp swept through the crowd as he took her hand in his and pulled her up on the stone stage with him.

Before I could make any sense of what was happening, he crashed his lips against hers in a kiss.

I froze for a second as I watched my mate kiss another woman, in the presence of everyone.

“No…no…no!” I muttered underneath my breath. Pain tore at my heart and I stumbled backwards.

Alpha Ryker raised a hand, signalling silence and immediately, the ceremony grounds was quiet.

“Beloved members of the Bloodhowl pack…” he began to say in a clear, loud voice, “behold…I present to you Syrah BlackThorn, the only woman fitting to stand besides me and your future Luna.”

There was a loud cheer from the audience, and without thinking, I pushed my way through the crowd, tears pooling in my eyes.

As soon as I got to the front, I dropped to the ground on my knees and let out a loud wail.

“Please…Alpha Ryker! You can't do this. We share a bond. You and…I. What happens to our mate bond?” I sobbed.

“Who allowed this crazy omega here?” His voice boomed.

As I crawled further up, he kicked me from the stairs and I landed back hard against the cold  ground.

“Don't do this, Alpha! We are fated together!” I cried.

That only seemed to provoke him as he yanked me  from the ground, and  tossed me further towards the crowd.

They shrunk back, as though afraid of a plague called Xefia.

“The moon goddess has made no decision for me.” He spat. “I would never taint my bloodline with a weak and useless omega, especially one such as you.”

“Pl-please” I continued to cry as he moved back up the poduim and stood besides Syrah.

I looked up at him and our eyes met for a second. Then, he smirked as he pulled Syrah closer to him.

This had to be some sort of sick dream, I thought. Alpha Ryker didn't just do this to me.

“I'm your true mate!” I spat at him, tears streaming down my face.

“No. You are not.”

“Pl-please”

He cleared his throat noisily.

“I, Alpha Ryker of the Bloodhowl pack reject you, Xefia of no house as my mate and Luna from this day till the end of eternity.” He declared.

I felt my weight drop beneath me and I hit the cold ground with a thud. At that moment, my wolf went mute.