My Fated Alpha Rejected Me, So I Chose His Rival

tack years ago. He held my bleeding body and s

pack mind-link, officially announcing his mat

mother humiliated me by using her aura

aunted her custom-made diamond ring-the ver

el even arranged for me to marry a ch

mmand to crush my shoulders, warning

man who once loved me coul

ry that I learned his dying mother had used

political duty over my soul, playing god with m

complet

the mud, leaving him on his knee

alled the rival

ss temple tomorrow. We

pte

ra

f the Mind-Link, a vibration that felt less like a thought an

urmur of border patrols and den-mother chatter. Today, the frequ

s the official announcement of

ne in my head, as dispassionate as

ake place soon to w

ral tightened. She was an Omega, the lowest of our kind, but she knew the scent of her soul'

at. I forced my voice to sound light, almost brittle,

a. Want me to b

formed, sucking all warmth and sound from the connection. Then, the lin

efore it could trace a path down my cheek. But that tear was the la

blaze with light for a welcome dinner, celebrating Selene's arrival. I walked into th

failed to reach her eyes. She pushed a plate of roasted meat toward me. The food was drenched in her heavy, high-ranking sce

she said softly.

s cataloging the simple weave of

wine. "I don't know why you even let her sit at t

m, flaunting the fact that

n Omega, but I survived a rogue wolf attack because Kael's mother transferred

ld, sharp scent of winter frost an

," I warned, my voice dropping low. "You haven't

against her own. Kael's mother shouted my name in anger, but I ignored her completely.

as a blade: "That Omega needs to learn her

ot stop

weight, heavy as a blacksmith's anvil, settled on my shoulders, making my knees threaten

r?" Kael demanded, his vo

ay eyes, a band of iron seemi

e Moon Goddess?" I ask

ood roaring in my ears. He had torn the bloodthirsty rogues to shreds to reach me. He had cr

el," I whispered, wa

ry act of breathing. The scent of him, a mixture of dark pine and coming rain, was a phy

of my wolf. I tilted my head up and tried to press my lips against

against my mouth. Then, Kael grabbed my shoulders and shoved me b

nside. His eyes, for just a moment, flashed gold-his wolf surfacing, desperate to claim me. But then the gold di

uestion gnawed at me, c

t voice echoed from t

ad, his breathing instantl

the manor rules with El

her arm around his waist, looki

ity to try on my dress for t

y her fingers curl

ckly. "I want to see exactly

o. It was the same place I had tried on a dress a yea

the bridal shop. The air was taut, carrying a sharp, ac

window display a

aid aloud, watching the veins on the back

d, a harsh, m

rs, it's no wonder he Re

ritual where a wolf officially s

me first," I snapped back. "You

ight into the shop, ignoring the staff, and went right to the back fitting r

back and stepped out, th

his gray irises began to constrict, the pupils shrinking to p

losing

ce so low and serrated it sounded as

e dress I was supposed to wear when I became his

e," I w

cross the room, tear the dress from my body, claim what the Moon Goddess had bound to him. B

o my personal space, his tall fra

e, Elara," he warned in

g loudly in my purse. I reached in and a

ep, lazy voice filled the qu

ght in his golde

new Alpha," I ann

eaving only the sound of my own blood pulsing in my ea

g you, Elara?" Silas aske

ned from Kael's face, leaving behind a pallor that made the shadows under his eyes look like brui

fingers. He pressed the end button so hard the screen thr

me up until my spine hit th

ad, level thing from which all warmth had

es from mine, his eyes return

year ago, Elara. Stop

ad weight in my gut that made it a labour to

es in the blood. It lives in the soul." I stepped closer, close enough to see the vein

know. I turned and walked out, leaving him standing alone among