CHAPTER TWO

ARIA

The silence after the rejection felt louder than the gasps that filled the hall.

My chest still burned where the mate bond had snapped, the pain raw and unbearable. It felt like something had been ripped out of me, leaving behind an empty, aching void.

I stumbled backward, struggling to steady myself. My legs felt weak, and my vision blurred with tears I refused to let fall. I wouldn’t cry. Not here. Not in front of them.

Whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire.

“She got rejected…”

“By the Alpha…”

“She’s just an omega anyway…”

“What was she thinking?”

Every word felt like a dagger slicing into my already broken heart. I clenched my fists tightly, forcing myself to stay upright. Alpha Logan had already turned away, as if I didn’t exist. As if I meant nothing.

That hurt more than the rejection itself. He didn’t even care.

“Aria…” Lily rushed to my side, her eyes filled with worry. She grabbed my arm gently, supporting me before I could collapse.

“I’m fine,” I whispered, though my voice trembled.

“You don’t look fine,” she said softly.

I swallowed hard, refusing to look back at him. “I just… need some air.”

Without waiting for a response, I pulled away and hurried toward the exit. My chest tightened with every step, the rejection still echoing painfully inside me.

The cool night air hit my face as I stepped outside, and I inhaled deeply, trying to calm my racing heart.

But the pain refused to fade. I walked farther away from the pack house, needing distance from the humiliation, from the whispers, from him.

The moon shone brightly above, casting silver light across the forest. Normally, the sight would comfort me. Tonight, it only reminded me of how cruel fate could be.

Why would the Moon Goddess give me a mate… only for him to reject me? Tears finally slipped down my cheeks.

I wiped them away quickly, anger bubbling beneath the sadness. I wasn’t weak. I had survived without my parents. I had survived being overlooked my entire life.

I would survive this too.

Footsteps approached behind me. “Aria.”

I froze.

That voice. Slowly, I turned around. Alpha Logan stood a few feet away, his expression unreadable.

My heart clenched painfully, but I forced my face into a blank expression. “What do you want?” I asked quietly.

He crossed his arms, studying me.

“You handled that better than I expected.”

My stomach twisted. “You rejected me publicly. What did you expect? A dramatic breakdown?”

His jaw tightened slightly. “I did what was best for the pack.”

I let out a soft, bitter laugh. “Of course you did, and you did not think it would have been better to save me the embarrassment by keeping it private?”

“You know it doesn’t work that way and I care less” For a moment, neither of us spoke. The tension between us felt heavy,then he stepped closer. “You’ll recover,” he said coldly. “You’ll find someone else eventually.”

Something inside me snapped. “I don’t need your concern,” I replied, my voice sharper than I intended.

His eyes darkened slightly. “I wasn’t concerned.”

Of course he wasn’t. I shook my head. “Then why are you here?”

For a second, he hesitated. “I wanted to make sure you understood,” he said finally. “You and I… it would never have worked.”

The words hurt more than I expected. I nodded slowly, though my chest tightened.

“Don’t worry, Alpha. I understand perfectly.” I stepped around him, ready to leave.

“Aria.” I stopped but didn’t turn. “You’re free now,” he said quietly. Free? The word echoed strangely in my mind.

Free from him. Free from the bond. Free from the pack? I walked away without replying.

I didn’t stop until I reached my small cabin near the edge of the pack territory. My body felt exhausted, both physically and emotionally. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, finally allowing myself to cry.

The rejection replayed in my mind over and over. “I reject you…”

“I need a Luna worthy…” The words burned deep into my chest. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and I drifted into a restless sleep.

The next morning, I woke up feeling hollow. My chest still ached faintly, a reminder of the bond that once existed. I sat up slowly, staring at the sunlight filtering through my window. Everything felt different.

Empty.

But beneath the sadness, something else stirred. Determination. I refused to let one rejection define me. If I wasn’t good enough for him, then I would become stronger. Better. Someone no one could ever look down on again.

A sudden knock at my door startled me. I frowned and stood up. Who would visit me this early?

I opened the door and froze. Beta Ryan stood outside, his expression serious.

“Aria,” he said.

“Beta Ryan?” I blinked in confusion. “Is everything okay?”

“Alpha Logan wants to see you.”

My stomach tightened. Why? “I don’t think that’s necessary,” I said carefully.

Ryan’s expression softened slightly. “It’s not a request.”

Of course it wasn’t. I sighed quietly. “I’ll be there shortly.”

He nodded and left.

I closed the door slowly, unease creeping into my chest. What could he possibly want now?

I dressed quickly and made my way toward the pack house. Wolves glanced at me as I passed, their whispers quieter than last night but still noticeable. I kept my head high. I wouldn’t let them see me broken. When I reached the Alpha’s office, I knocked once.

“Come in.”

I stepped inside. Alpha Logan stood near the window, his back to me.

“You wanted to see me?” I asked.

He turned around slowly. “Yes.” His gaze studied me, as if searching for something. Then he spoke. “You’re leaving the pack.”

The words washed over me like cold water.

“What?”

His expression remained firm. “You heard me. I’ve decided it’s best if you relocate.”

My chest tightened.

“You’re banishing me?”

“I’m giving you a chance to start over somewhere else.”

Anger flared inside me. “This is because I’m your rejected mate, isn’t it?”

He didn’t deny it.“This pack needs stability,” he said calmly. “Your presence could cause unnecessary tension.”

Unnecessary tension, what does that even mean? I’ve been living in this park. My hands trembled.

“This is my home,” I whispered.

“Not anymore.”

The words felt like another rejection. I swallowed hard, refusing to let him see my pain.

“When do I leave?”

“Today.”

Today? My heart pounded. “So sudden?”

“It’s better this way.”

I nodded slowly. “Fine.”

I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me.

“You’ll be escorted to the border.”

Escorted as if I was a threat. “That’s not necessary.”

“It is.”

I didn’t argue. I walked out of the office, my chest tight. I had been rejected… and now banished.

Within an hour, I packed my few belongings. Lily cried when I told her, hugging me tightly.

“This isn’t fair,” she whispered.

“I’ll be okay,” I reassured her, though I wasn’t sure myself.

Soon, I found myself walking toward the pack border escorted by two guards.When we reached the edge of the territory, they stopped.

“This is as far as we go,” one of them said.

I nodded and stepped forward alone. The moment I crossed the border, something felt different. The air felt heavier.

Unfamiliar.

Dangerous.

I walked deeper into the forest, unsure where I was going.

Then suddenly a strong scent filled the air… Powerful and dominant.

My instincts screamed danger. Before I could react, figures stepped out from the shadows.

Wolves. Not from my pack their eyes glowed as they surrounded me. My heart raced.

“What do you want?” I asked, trying to sound brave.

One of them smirked. “Looks like we found a stray.”

Fear crawled down my spine. Then suddenly the wolves stepped aside. Someone else approached. The air shifted instantly.

My breath caught as he stepped into the moonlight.

Tall, broad, terrifyingly handsome. His sharp eyes locked onto mine, and my wolf stirred weakly inside me.

Impossible.

The man stepped closer, studying me carefully. Then his lips curved slightly. “Interesting,” he murmured. My heart pounded wildly.

Something about him felt… overwhelming.

He inhaled deeply, and his eyes darkened instantly. Then he said the two words that made my blood run cold.

“Take her.”