Rejected Mates

A sunset saturated in hues of amber and shadow illuminated the ceremonial grounds. Selene stood inside the montane stone altar, with her grandmother's gown flowing around her like liquid moonlight. She stood with the gathered pack that formed a crescent behind her, their hums coolly falling off into the dusk.

"Something is wrong." Lila had muttered almost inaudibly. "Marina's father - he's been smiling at Caden like... like he's-"

Selene twisted her fingers into her dress. She never told Lila about the contract she found hidden in the archives just an hour ago; a yellowed document bearing both the family seals of Caden and Marina. The ink was fresh.

"Breathe," her mother squeezed her hand. "There is no need for you to do this if-"

"Yes, I have to." Selene raised her chin. "I have to hear it from him."

The ceremonial drums began. She could feel the rhythm of each beat reverberating in sync with her pounding heart. A very handsome Caden came towards her in all his ceremonial blacks. Their eyes locked, and in that brief moment, she saw within his eyes the reflection of something like regret.

"Brothers and sisters," Alpha Blackthorn's voice rolled across the grounds. "We gather under the blessing of the moon to witness the joining of mates. Beta Caden has requested to speak first."

It is so here, the moment of truth.

Caden took her hands into his. They felt cold.

"Selene." His voice bore across the hushed gathering. "You are... kind. Gentle. Any wolf would be fortunate to call you his mate."

The word but hung unsaid between the two of them.

"Which is why," he went on, "I must be honest. With you, and with our pack.”

Marina stepped forward behind him, copper hair blazing in the dying light. The smile that danced on her lips sent a cold chill through Selene's veins.

"A mate bond must be based on truth." Caden's grip tightened even more painfully. "But the truth is, my heart has always belonged to another."

The collective intake of breath was a physical blow to the pack. Someone gasped. Lila swore.

"I reject this mate bond," Caden announced, dropping Selene's hands. "And claim Marina as my true mate."

The world seemed to tilt in Selene's mind. She heard her mother cry out in anger, saw Marina smile triumphantly as she took Caden's arm. But the quiet laughter from Marina's father was the one that cut deepest-a satisfied chuckle by a man whose plan worked just as it ought.

"You knew." Selene's voice cracked. "All this time, you knew."

"Of course he knew." Marina's voice dripped honey-coated venom. "Did you really think someone like Caden would choose you? A barely-ranked wolf with no political value?"

"Marina." Caden's warning came too late.

"No, let her speak." Selene's words trembled with fury and hurt. "Let everyone hear how long you've been planning this. Tell them about the contract I found. Tell them how you used me to secure your precious northern alliance!"

Shocked whispers rippled through the crowd. Marina's father stepped forward, his smile faltering.

"You went through the archives?" Caden's face darkened. "Those documents were private-"

"Private?" Selene laughed, the sound raw. "Like the private meetings you've been having for months? The ones where you planned exactly how to humiliate me?”

She turned to the pack, tears burning in her eyes. "Look at your future Beta, brothers and sisters. Look how easily he betrays his own kind for power!"

"Enough!" Caden's eyes flashed wolf gold. "You're embarrassing yourself."

"No," rang Selene's voice clear despite the tears. "You did that for me."

She reached for her ceremonial crown of moonflowers. With deliberate slowness, she pulled it free, letting her dark hair tumble loose. The white petals scattered at Caden's feet like fallen stars.

"I hope your alliance was worth it," she whispered. Then louder, so everyone could hear: "I reject you too, Caden. Not just as a mate, but as a wolf of honor. May the moon witness my words."

The ancient ceremonial words turned into a curse. Several wolves stepped back, crossing their arms against bad luck.

Selene quickly turned and walked from the altar and the mate who'd betrayed her, from the pack that had watched it happen.

She barely made it to the tree line where her legs buckled under her. A last light of sunset filtered through the leaves, and she pressed her forehead to rough bark, trying to stop the sobs.

 

A twig snapped behind her. 

"Don't." Her voice was raw. "Just don't."

"Selene." It was Elder Draven. "There's something you need to know. About Marina's father. About why they really wanted this ceremony at sunset."

She turned slowly, seeing the grave concern in the old wolf's eyes. 

"What do you mean?" Thunder growled in the distance as storm clouds swallowed the rising moon.

"What do you mean?" Selene questioned as she wiped her face from tears.

A chilling howl split the night and made another howl, and then another - forming a terrifying chorus that was alien to their pack. The face of Elder Draven turned white.

"Rogues," he breathed. "Dozens of them."

In the grounds of the ceremony, chaos exploded. Screams and snarls filled the air as dark shapes emerged from between the trees' shadows. She saw the eyes of wolves unknown to her then - eyes gleaming with the savage intent of their movement, synchronized like they had waited for this moment.

"This wasn't random," Elder Draven grabbed her arm and dragged her deeper into the woods. "They knew about the ceremony. Knew we'd all be gathered here heedless."

"They knew-"

So huge, something blasted through the underbrush before them. The wow of the beast fell when its eyes locked onto the shimmering ceremonial dress she still wore.

"Run!" Elder Draven, jumped to his right and shoved her left. The rogue wolf hesitated, then charged after the Elder.

"No!" Selene screamed as another wolf stepped in behind her, pushing her deeper into the strange territory.

She ran in the ceremonial attire-now torn by branches-as the wounds would be on her feet on rocks and thorns. The battle sounds behind her faded away, replaced by the heavy breathing of her pursuer. Her wolf felt distant, weakened with emotional trauma because of Caden's rejection and hardly connected to the moon hidden above.

One root caught her foot. She sprawled hard and tasted blood as she bit her lip. Rolling over, she saw her pursuer emerge from the shadows, a female with a jagged scar across her muzzle.

The rogue wolf shifted, in the very next moment assuming human form. "Alpha Blackthorn's precious ceremony," she sneered. "So predictable. So perfect for our plans."

"One of us?" Selene retorted and stepped backward with her palm closing to a heavy branch. "Who exactly do you work for?"

This cruel laughter by the woman made a chilling sound. "You'll find out soon enough. Your rejected mate status makes you perfect for-"

A dark shape slammed into the rogue woman, cutting off her words. Elder Draven, bleeding but alive, had somehow circled back.

"The caves!" he shouted between dodging brutal swipes. "Run to the caves!"

Selene scrambled up, forcing her exhausted legs to move. Behind her, snarls and the sound of tearing flesh drove her faster, faster, until the ground suddenly disappeared beneath her feet.

She was falling, tumbling down a steep ravine she hadn't seen in the darkness. Her head struck something hard.

In a flash, her vision blurred by the cloudy embrace of consciousness, the last figure she would ever see was a pair of boots standing beside her face. Not Elder Draven's ceremonial shoes. Not the rogue's bare feet.

A rough male voice spoke above her: "Well, what do we have here? A lost little wolf in a torn-up wedding dress."

Then darkness took her, and Selene knew no more.