Chapter 1

"No. I don’t want her. She can’t be my mate," Alex said with pure disgust in his eyes, his gaze slowly dragging over my body like I was something filthy.

Today was supposed to be the best day of my life—my mate ceremony. At eighteen, I was finally of age, finally ready to be bonded. I had imagined so many things… but never this.

And who did the Moon Goddess pair me with?

Alex Robinson.

Of all the people. The Beta’s son. The future second-in-command of our pack. The one everyone admired and whispered about. But me? He had never liked me. I knew that much. And now, standing in front of him, it was clear he never would.

I already knew what would follow—rejection.

"But there’s nothing wrong with her, son," his father said, trying to reason.

"I know," Alex replied, his tone sharp. "But I don’t want her. I’m already in love—with my girlfriend. I’m not settling for some big-for-nothing girl."

Yes, you heard him right.

I’m not your typical tall, slender, perfect mate material. I’m curvy. Five foot five. I have thick glasses because of my eyesight, short dark hair, and clothes that are more functional than fashionable—because my family can only afford so much. I try my best, but clearly… it’s not enough.

His words were a slap to my face. My wolf whimpered inside me, wounded by the rejection.

Who would ever choose someone like me?

Still, I refused to let him have the last word.

"So I, Alex Robinson, reject you, Aina Wilfred," he said, sealing the pain I already saw coming.

But I lifted my chin and stared him dead in the eye.

"I, Aina Wilfred, reject you, Alex Robinson."

Gasps erupted from the crowd. My mother stiffened beside me, her face twisting in shock.

"What?" she snapped. "Take that back!" she hissed, angry, almost panicked.

But I didn’t move. I was staring at the man who had been my mate only a moment ago—watching as something flickered behind his eyes. Regret? Doubt?

I don't even know.

He ground his teeth and forced the words out. "It is done."

Then, as if to hammer it in, he walked straight to her—Miranda Warren. The perfect blonde, the pretty little thing with the fake smile and too much perfume.

"Miranda Warren will be my mate—the one I choose to spend my life with," he announced to the entire pack, holding her hand like some grand prize.

She didn’t miss her moment either. Miranda threw me a cruel smirk and pinched her nose like I stank, before they both turned and walked away.

They got into their car parked right in the center of the pack square and drove off without so much as a backward glance. Around me, wolves who had already found and accepted their mates were laughing, kissing, holding hands—celebrating.

And I just stood there. Like a damn signboard.

My mother shook her head, clearly disappointed, and walked off with a long sigh. She didn’t say a word. Not even a glance. Just turned and left, like I was already someone else's problem.

Everything around me started to blur.

There it was again—that feeling. The weight of invisibility. Like I didn’t exist. No one came to check on me. No one asked if I was okay. They were all too busy wrapped around their mates, living in their new perfect little worlds.

I hadn’t moved. I stayed rooted to the same spot—the exact place where our eyes had met for the first time. The bond had sparked instantly. I had felt it… and so had he.

But the moment Alex felt that connection, it was like his entire world collapsed around him. Like having me as a mate was a curse he couldn’t wait to throw away.

The sun dipped quickly, casting the square in shadows. The sky turned cold and gray, matching the hollow ache inside my chest. But I didn’t leave. This was how I handled pain—quietly, without tears, without screaming. Just stillness.

Then, I heard it.

A voice.

Low. Rough. Tempting.

“Aina.”

Just the way he said my name sent a shiver down my spine. I turned, slowly, heart already thudding—and there he was.

Osborne Cliff.

The Alpha’s son.

Tall. Broad. Dangerous.

And the best friend of the boy who had just rejected me.

He stood there with his hands in his pockets, lips curled into the kind of smile that could melt through steel. His piercing eyes locked onto mine like I was something worth looking at—something worth claiming.

But wait—how did he know my name?

Osborne Cliff had never spoken to me before. Not even once. So why now? Why here?

Was this some kind of twisted joke? Had he come to mock me after his best friend humiliated me in front of the entire pack? Was this his way of kicking me while I was already down?

He hadn’t even been at the mate gathering. While everyone else was out searching for their other half, I didn’t see him once. No girl clinging to his arm. No whispers about who he might end up with.

And as far as I knew, he didn’t have a mate either.

So why was he here?

He walked toward me, slow and deliberate, like a predator who already knew his prey had nowhere to run. I blinked as his scent hit me—earthy, masculine, rich and warm like cedar and smoke. It wrapped around me, making my skin prickle. Comforting… and chilling.

He stopped in front of me and towered above me, that same half-smile still tugging at his lips. I felt small next to him, not just in size but in presence. Like he could crush me without trying—but chose not to.

Then he bent down just enough to bring his eyes level with mine. The teasing smirk faded slightly, replaced with something darker. Something… intense.

"Aina," he said, his voice low and rough, “it’s good he rejected you.”

I flinched. His words struck deep, sharper than Alex’s had.

My throat tightened. A knot rose in my chest. Goddess, I was going to cry—and I hated that he’d see it. Why would he say something so cruel? What did I ever do to deserve this?

I was about to look away, but he wasn’t done.

"Because I would’ve killed him myself if he hadn't," he said.

Wait—what?