The Rejection

Ayla stood in the crowd with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. People around her whispered and laughed, their eyes lingering on her body.

She kept her eyes fixed on the altar, pretending she couldn't hear them. She had heard the same cruel jokes for years, but that didn't make them hurt any less.

The hall was filled with members from different packs. Everyone had gathered for the annual pack ceremony.

Someone close by leaned to their friend and said, "I heard she even tried drinking a whole jar of slimming potion."

They both laughed. “Her fatness is a curse.” The other friend responded, as they laughed more.

Ayla didn't turn around. She just kept watching the front, even though every part of her wanted to leave.

Her sister Victoria stood on the altar in a white dress, her fingers intertwined with those of Alpha Prince Liam, Ayla's mate.

Ayla's chest tightened at the sight.

That used to be her spot, but her slim and beautiful sister always found a way to take what belonged to her.

Liam had invited Victoria to stand beside him at the annual pack gathering instead of Ayla, despite the mate bond between them.

Her own sister agreed, not caring about her feelings.

Ayla had thought about not coming. But hiding felt worse than facing it.

So she put on her best dress and walked in, telling herself she could handle whatever happened next. She would take her rightful place as Liam's true mate.

She walked up the altar steps before she could stop herself. She reached out and grabbed Liam's hand.

"Victoria, step aside," Ayla said. "You know this is my place. I am Liam's true mate."

Victoria smirked and held on tighter to Liam's arms. "Sit down, Ayla. You're embarrassing yourself."

"I'm not moving until—"

Liam shoved her away before she could finish. She stumbled back and hit the floor.

"I'm sick of you looking at me as if we belong together," Liam said, his words slightly slurred. "We don't, Ayla. We never will.”

"Liam…"

"Don't say my name like that." Liam stepped closer. "Since you don't understand body language. Let's make it official."

He looked her straight in the eyes. His power pushed out over the whole room, so strong that people around them felt the aura.

"I, Liam, Alpha Prince of the Silvermoon Pack, reject you, Ayla, as my mate and future Luna.”

The hall went quiet. Everyone acted surprised, even though they expected the rejection would happen anytime soon.

Liam wasn't done. He looked her up and down and curled his lip.

"Look at you," he said, his lip curling. "Did you really think I'd choose someone like you?”

The whole hall started to laugh. It came from every direction, loud and mean.

Somewhere in the crowd, someone shouted, "Finally!" and more people laughed with him.

Something inside Ayla's chest ripped apart. It felt as though a blade had been driven straight through her heart.

Her whole body went cold. Her hands shook where they gripped her own chest.

The bond between her and Liam was gone. Twenty-three years of connection had vanished in a single second.

She stayed on her knees with one hand pressed against her chest, struggling to draw a proper breath.

Above her, people kept laughing. Nobody cared enough to check on her, even though they all knew how much a mate rejection could hurt.

Ayla swore she wouldn't cry in front of them. She forced back the tears and swallowed the pain.

She started crawling toward the edge of the altar because her legs still wouldn't hold her weight.

Nobody tried to help her up. She made it to the altar step and started climbing down, one hand at a time.

"Get a good angle," someone called from the food section.

Ayla tried moving with all her strength. She didn't care what they said or did anymore. She just needed to get out.

Her chest still burned where the mate bond used to be. It felt like a wound that wouldn't close.

She finally reached the floor and forced herself upright. Her legs trembled beneath her, but she refused to fall again.

She ignored the trembling and took one step forward, then another.

Behind her, Liam's father stood up from his seat on the altar. "The ceremony is over," he said. "Victoria is now recognized as the chosen Luna."

Cheers erupted throughout the hall.

Ayla stood among them like a stranger, listening as the crowd celebrated the woman who had just taken everything from her.

Victoria threw her arms around Liam's neck and kissed him in front of everyone, as more cheers went up.

Ayla didn't turn to look at them. She didn't need to see any of it. She took another step again. Her hand stayed pressed against her chest the whole time.

Her eyes stung but she blinked hard and kept them dry. She wouldn't cry.

She counted the steps left to the door in her head, just to keep moving.

Right as she took the ninth step, the hall door opened with a loud bang. Guards marched in and lined up on both sides.

The whole hall turned to look. Even Liam stopped talking mid-sentence.

Ayla froze in place. She stood right between the altar and the door, facing whoever was coming inside the hall through the door.

One guard called out loud enough for the whole hall to hear.

"Alpha Julian of the Ashgrove territory has arrived."

Ayla didn't know that name. But she felt the whole room change around her.

Even her father, who was sitting in the elders' section, sat up straight and smoothed his elder's robe.

People around her straightened and composed themselves as if they had not been laughing at her moments ago.

Liam wiped his mouth and straightened immediately. Whatever drunkenness had been in his eyes moments ago was gone.

Victoria let go of his hand and smoothed down her dress, already smiling toward the doors.

Ayla stood in the middle of the hall, one hand still pressed against her chest.

She didn't know who Alpha Julian was, but she could feel the entire room change at the sound of his name.

All she knew was that she was standing directly in his path. She had no strength left to run, and the people on either side of her offered nowhere to hide.

She could hear footsteps coming closer from outside the doors, like whoever it was had all the time in the world.

Ayla wiped her face quickly and forced her shoulders straight.

She had already been humiliated enough for one night. She would not fall apart again, not in front of whoever was coming through those doors.

The footsteps grew closer.

Then a tall figure appeared in the doorway.