Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the Crown

Frost'

ct you, Ember Frost, as

ny, the most significant ev

and I want to see Owen before the ceremony beg

my best. Who knows, you might find your mate tonight!" she replied,

rprise. As a wolf-less human, it felt like a divine miracle when we discovered we were

w my place in the pack. And today was the day, and I couldn't

said with a shy smile, l

e bonfire with his friends, with a bright s

uld finish, he grabbed my wrist a

d stepped back, as though h

how your face he

ked, confused

my mate? Ah, girl, you must be insane to bel

unnoticed by others. My chest ached with pain, and my he

s my mate? A human-what use would you be to the pack? You were overjoyed when we discovered we w

ven more stupid. Maybe he was right. What could I, as a wolf-less human, give the pack? I wasn't even a true member. On my sixteenth bi

ejection. The thought of it, of admitting how pathetic I am,

reystone," I stammered, trembling as pain surg

foolish. You could never stand at my side as Luna. Look at yourself. This pac

kisses-that made me believe he had accepted me. But now I realized the truth

in my chest. A few passersby smiled at him as he passed, ignorant of our conve

g heart. Breathe, Ember. Breathe, quit bein

a in the pack always defended me against bullies. My parents and my brother, Klaus, were gifts from the moon goddess. They never treated me differently, nor did they eve

I'd ruine

er, you

aming Ember." My family and Elena would face disgrace because of me. He was right after all, I was useless, a burden they di

o someone with nowhere to go and no one to turn to? It was the night of the cere

rejected by the man I loved and leaving the pack was overwhelming. Under the

ul for their love, for my brother Klaus, for the pack's kindness. They'd given me a home despite my human blood. But I felt like I no longer belo

night air stung my lungs, making me cough violently. I am so useless that I couldn't even withstand such a slight change i

ooth stone Klaus gave me when we were kids. "For protection," he had sai

ome for eighteen years. I closed my eyes, pressing the stone to my lips. "

stood there for a long moment, staring into the endless night. Then I wa