Chapter 5.

Consciousness came to me in snatches of time. For one blissful moment between sleep and waking, I existed in nothingness, then reality crashed back, the rejection pain surging through my body with renewed vigor. I curled into myself, clutching my chest where the partially formed bond continued to tear, each heartbeat sending fresh waves of agony through me.

It hadn't been a dream.

I pressed my face into the pillow, replaying the horrific scene in the council chambers. 

"I reject you as my mate, Aurora Hale."

His words echoed in my mind, each syllable a knife twisting in my heart. My wolf, usually so quiet, whimpered continuously, a sound I couldn't silence no matter how I tried.

News had spread through the pack like wildfire. From my window, I'd watched groups gather throughout the evening, heads bent together in eager discussion. Even with my enhanced hearing, I'd only caught fragments:

"an omega as Luna"

"Alpha rejected her in front of everyone"

"James Hale's daughter, the traitor’s family"

"never seen the Alpha so pleased afterward"

That last part had been the worst. While I'd retreated to my room to nurse my wounds, Alpha Kai had apparently joined the pre-full-moon festivities with unusual enthusiasm. According to whispers that reached me, he had danced with a dozen different females,and laughed more than anyone had seen in months

Each report had been another blow to my already shattered pride.

"Aurora!" Fina's voice cut through my thoughts, her tone unusually cheerful. The door burst open without warning, revealing my cousin in a flowing dress, her smile impossibly wide.

I reluctantly pushed myself up, wincing as the movement sent fresh pain through my chest. "What is it?" I asked, my voice hoarse from crying.

"Come on, come on!" she sang, bouncing on her toes. "You need to get ready, something important is happening!"

I frowned. Fina was never this excited unless she knew something would hurt me. The knowledge should have put me on alert, but the rejection fog clouded my judgment, making me slow to process the danger signs.

"What's happening?" I asked warily.

"No time to explain. Just come downstairs now!" She practically danced out of the doorway, leaving it open behind her.

Moving felt like pushing through mud, my limbs heavy with exhaustion and pain. I glanced down at my nightgown—an old, faded thing with frayed edges—but lacked the energy to change. Whatever Fina had planned, I doubted my appearance would make much difference.

The moment I descended the stairs, the wrongness of the situation hit me. Seated around our small dining table was the most incongruous gathering I could imagine: my uncle and aunt on one side, faces tight with barely concealed satisfaction; Alpha Kai and his mother, the Luna, on the other; and several council members including Elder Thorne standing along the wall.

My feet froze on the bottom step.

"We don't have all day," Alpha Kai said, his deep voice sending simultaneous waves of pleasure and pain through my bond. He looked irritated already. I swallowed. 

I approached slowly, drawn by his presence despite everything. His eyes, so cold and distant, assessed me without emotion. 

"Let's get this over with," he said, reaching into a small wooden box on the table. From it, he withdrew a ceremonial silver knife, its blade etched with ancient symbols. "Your wrist, please."

"What?" The word escaped me in a breathless gasp.

Elder Thorne stepped forward. "The bond-breaking ritual requires a blood exchange to reverse the connection that began forming between you," he explained, his voice sympathetic but firm. "You will each cut your palms, press them together, and recite the words of severance."

I stared at the knife, my stomach churning. No one had explained this to me.

Alpha Kai sighed impatiently. "Did your guardians not tell you what to expect?"

I turned to my aunt and uncle, who exchanged glances of feigned innocence.

"We told her this morning," my aunt lied smoothly. "She must have forgotten."

Alpha Kai rolled his eyes. "This is precisely why I don't have time for this nonsense." He turned his attention back to me. "The cuts need to be deep enough to scar. The scars are permanent—a reminder that this bond was refused and can never be reformed."

Permanent scars. My hands began to tremble.

"I didn't bring the ceremonial bowl," Alpha Kai muttered, clearly annoyed by the oversight.

"We have our own," my uncle said quickly. "Fina, get the silver bowl from the cabinet."

My cousin hurried to obey, returning with an ornate bowl that I'd never seen before. They had prepared for this, I realized. 

Alpha Kai held the knife out to me, handle first. "You make the first cut," he instructed. "Then I make mine. We press the wounds together, recite the words, and it's done."

His tone made it clear how little this meant to him—just a tedious task to be completed before he could return to more important matters. That, somehow, hurt worse than if he'd been cruel.

My fingers refused to take the knife.

"Today, omega," Alpha Kai said, his patience visibly thinning.

"I can't," I whispered.

"You will," my uncle growled. "The Alpha is here. Show some respect."

My eyes darted desperately around the room, searching for any sign of sympathy. The Luna's face showed a flicker of concern, but Alpha Kai's expression remained impassive.

"Maybe she needs a moment—" his mother began.

"We don't have moments to spare," Alpha Kai interrupted. "I have a pack to run and a treaty meeting this afternoon." He thrust the knife toward me again. "Take it. Now."

The room seemed to close in around me. I could feel everyone's eyes on me

"I can't," I repeated, louder this time.

"You have no choice," Alpha Kai said. "The bond must be broken properly, or we'll both suffer the consequences."

I knew he was right. An improperly broken bond could cause excruciating pain for years, even lead to madness. But still, I couldn't make my fingers move.

"Perhaps we could give her a moment of privacy?" the Luna suggested quietly.

Alpha Kai's jaw tightened. "Fine. One minute. No more."

Hope flared briefly, until my aunt spoke.

"That won't be necessary. Aurora understands her duty to the pack, don't you, dear?" Her smile was venomous. "The sooner this is done, the sooner we can all move on with our lives."

Alpha Kai's eyes narrowed at my continued hesitation. Something flickered across his face. "I don't have all day for this."

"Not another step," my uncle warned as I inched toward the door.

"If you take another step, omega, I won't be liable for my actions," Alpha Kai added, his tone dangerously calm.

They had me cornered. My fingers reached for the knife. I told myself to just do it, to endure this one last humiliation. It wouldn't take long. Just until they broke the bond. Then I could retreat to my room and pray for death.

But my hand froze inches from the blade. My wolf, silent since I'd entered the room, suddenly surged forward with unexpected strength. A growl built in my chest.

"Take the knife," Alpha Kai commanded, power lacing his words.

The Alpha command hit me like a physical force, but instead of compelling obedience, it shattered something inside me. With clarity that cut through the rejection fog, I realized I had nothing left to lose. They had taken everything, my dignity, my pride. What more could they do to me?

In that moment, rebellion tasted sweeter than submission ever had.

I met Alpha Kai's eyes directly, a defiance no omega would dare, and saw his shock at my resistance.

"No," I said simply.

Then I was moving, not toward the stairs where Fina waited, but toward the front door. My uncle lunged for me but missed. Alpha Kai's growl shook the walls, but I was already through the doorway, my bare feet hitting the cold ground outside.

Shouts erupted behind me as I ran toward the smaller storage sheds near the edge of our property. I just needed somewhere to hide, just for a few minutes.

Wind whipped my nightgown around my legs as I ran, propelled by terror and a careless relief. My wolf urged me forward with surprising strength.

Behind me, I heard Alpha Kai's thunderous voice: "Find her and bring her back! This ritual must be completed!"

I ducked behind the largest shed, pressing my back against its wooden wall, trying to quiet my ragged breathing. Through a small gap in the boards, I could see the house. Alpha Kai stormed out onto the porch, his face a mask of irritation rather than rage. He spoke briefly to Elder Thorne, then checked his watch again.

"I don't have time for this," I heard him say. "I have the treaty meeting in an hour."

"We'll find her, Alpha," my uncle's voice came from around the corner of the house. "She can't have gone far."

"When you do, bring her to the pack house this evening," Alpha Kai replied. "We'll complete the ritual then. I can't delay the treaty meeting."

My heart sank. I'd only delayed the inevitable.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, Alpha," my uncle said, his voice dripping with false sincerity. "We'll handle this."

Alpha Kai nodded curtly, then strode away with Elder Thorne and his mother following. The moment they were out of sight, my uncle's demeanor changed completely. His face contorted with rage as he turned to my aunt.

"That little bitch," he snarled. "She's humiliated us in front of the Alpha!"

"Calm down," my aunt said, though she looked equally furious. "We'll find her, and she'll pay for this."

"We should have made sure she died with her parents fifteen years ago," my uncle spat. "It would have saved us years of trouble."

I froze, the blood turning to ice in my veins.

"Keep your voice down," my aunt hissed, looking around nervously. "You know we can't talk about that."

"Who's going to hear? The Alpha's gone, and that worthless omega is probably hiding in the forest." My uncle kicked a nearby chair, sending it crashing against the wall. "James Hale should have taken his secrets to the grave, but no. And now his brat is the Alpha's destined mate? The Moon Goddess must be laughing at us."

"We got lucky," my aunt reminded him. "The Alpha rejected her. As long as she completes the ritual, the bond will be severed permanently."

"And if she doesn't?" my uncle demanded.

My aunt's smile turned cold. "Then she'll have defied an Alpha command. You know the punishment for that."

"Death," my uncle said, satisfaction evident in his voice. "Maybe that's for the best after all."

My legs nearly gave out beneath me. I couldn't go back. Not now, not ever.

With trembling legs, I backed away from the shed, heading into the forest. Rogues were said to roam there, wolves without packs, dangerous and unpredictable. Death waited in those trees, everyone said. But death waited behind me too.

For the first time in my miserable life, I’d make my own decision. I headed into the forest.