Rejected By My Alpha Mate.

Ryan.

"Good morning, darling. How are you feeling today?" My mother's voice floats in from the open door.

Glancing at the doorway briefly, I watch my guards bow as they let her in. Dressed in an emerald green dress, she moves with the type of dignity that has been honed from age.

"Mother," I mutter in greeting as she steps in front of me, bringing up her hand to cup my cheeks.

Snapping a finger at my guards, they shut the door to give us some privacy. My attention is drawn back to my mother when she pulls my head down-due to the height difference-to plant a kiss on my forehead.

As she steps back, she begins fussing over my ceremonial robe, and even though it makes me feel like a child, I let her.

She had single handedly raised me up after the death of my father in a war twenty years back. I was two years old at the time but I can still remember how she went to bed every night, crying herself to sleep.

And even with her weakened state, coupled with the loss of her mate, she still somehow managed to rule over the pack until I came of age to take over four years ago.

"I'm so proud of how far you've come," my mother's words snaps me out of my thoughts. I look down at her to see her eyes glistening with tears, and my wolf rears his head to give an appreciative purr at the compliment.

"Hey mum, don't you dare go soft on me today." I smile as I brush the single tear that had rolled down her cheek.

My mother had been my mentor since I became the Alpha of the Loren Pack. She was always strict with me but once in a while, in moments like this, she drops her facade and lets her personality shine through.

"Oh shut up. A mother is allowed to be proud of her son, especially when he's the best Alpha this pack has ever seen, and she should also be able to celebrate his milestones. Even more so when she's the reason behind his every achievement," she concludes with a smirk on her face which makes me shake my head at her, even though I'm grinning.

"And people think I'm cocky," I scoff as I reply to her, ruffling my hair as I prepare to head out for the ceremony. Clearly, they've never met Leigh Stones, my mother and the matriarch of my pack.

"Well, you are cocky," my mother starts and I roll my eyes as she continues, "but you got it from me."

She winks as I extend my hand to her. "Ready to go?" I ask.

She accepts my extended hand and as we make our way to the door, she mutters, "I can't wait to see what choice you'd make."

___

The Hall of Loren stands proudly in the middle of the city. It was built in such a way that it can be spotted from every part of the city.

But since it's just a stone throw from the palace, my mother and I decide to walk there with several of my guards trailing after us.

We meet a lot of our pack members on the way and they bow as we pass, while some of them at the top of the food chain manage to get one or two sentences in.

No matter how jovial I am with my people, I still enjoy the space and distance they give me. And the distance isn't out of fear, no, it's just an act of respect, knowing I wouldn't like people crowding my personal space.

"Are you nervous?" My mother asks as we get closer to the Hall.

I take a moment to reply and even though my wolf is annoyed at the moment, I disregard his feelings. Being a leader means I have to make some tough decisions and sometimes, those so-called decisions might be damaging to me.

But as long as it's beneficial to my pack, I just have to look beyond my own feelings and emotions.

The hardest part is dealing with my wolf, because while I might have come to terms with the fact that I need to choose a Luna from my pack who's not my mate, my wolf refuses to compromise on that.

"No mother, I'm not nervous. After all, you taught me well." I smile down at her and she smiles back.

Finally, we get into the hall and I nod in appreciation as I notice the decorations. I'm pretty sure my mother had a hand in it.

We walk the length of the hall, my people bowing as we make our way to the podium. The elders of my pack are already here and they stand when we arrive, bowing slightly as they wait for me to sit.

"Good day, members of the Loren Pack. Today is a joyous day for us as well as a sober day," Elder Lev begins as he stands facing the audience. There are few murmurs of approval, specifically from the rest of the elders before he continues.

"Today, our leader, Alpha Ryan Stones, is going to select a bride from among our daughters," he flicks his hand to the right side of the audience and that's when I realize the ladies sitting there, all dressed in their finest.

My wolf scoffs in my chest before quieting down, making his displeasure about the situation known again.

Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about it. According to the laws of the pack, the Alpha is supposed to be crowned with his Luna. In the case where he hasn't found his mate yet, he would be granted three years before he will be obligated to choose one of the pack members as his Luna.

I've been given the grace of four years already and there's no escaping anymore. Maybe I just don't have a mate.

My wolf whines at the thought but it might be true. I have spent years traveling, searching for her but no luck.

"...inasmuch as we would have wanted our Alpha's mate to be the Luna of the pack, we have no other choice but to proceed," I tuned in just in time to see Elder Lev turning towards me, and that is when I hear a bloodcurdling scream just outside the doors of the hall, followed by more screams.

My wolf immediately takes over and as I shift, all the thoughts in my mind is to take out all the pent-up anger at being forced to marry someone I'll never bond with, on my enemies. This is war.