Chapter 1: Rejection and Tragedy

Elara Morgan's heart raced as she hurried through the moonlit corridors of the pack house. The scent of pine and wilderness drifted through the open windows, contrasting the stuffy air. Her footsteps echoed softly against the polished wooden floors, each step bringing her closer to the Alpha's office.

“Just a quick delivery,” she told herself. “Drop off the reports and leave.”

Elara knew her place as an omega—at the bottom of the pack hierarchy. But tonight felt different. An inexplicable pull tugged at her chest, drawing her towards Alpha Landon Wolfe's domain.

She paused outside the heavy oak door, her sensitive ears picking up muffled voices from within. Elara's hand hovered over the doorknob, her wolf stirring restlessly beneath her skin.

“What's wrong with me?” she wondered, trying to shake off the strange sensation.

Suddenly, a loud moan pierced the silence. Elara froze, her eyes widening in shock. The sound was unmistakably female, filled with pleasure and abandon.

"Oh, Landon!" the voice cried out. "Don't stop!"

Elara stumbled backward, her chest constricting painfully. She clutched at her heart, gasping for air as an overwhelming sense of betrayal washed over her.

“No, it can't be…”

Her wolf howled in anguish, confirming her worst fears.

“Mate. Our mate.”

The realization hit Elara like a physical blow. Alpha Landon Wolfe—the man currently entangled with another woman—was her destined mate.

Tears blurred her vision as she fled the hallway, the reports forgotten on the floor. She ran unthinkingly, desperate to escape the sounds of passion that seemed to echo in her ears.

Elara burst out of the pack house, gulping in the cool night air. She stumbled to a nearby oak tree, bracing herself against its rough bark as sobs wracked her body.

“Why?” she silently screamed at the moon. Why would you give me a mate who doesn't want me?

For years, Elara had dreamed of finding her other half—someone who would love and protect her and see beyond her omega status. Now that dream lay shattered at her feet.

A twig snapped behind her. Elara whirled around, hastily wiping away her tears.

Sabrina Drake, the pack's gamma, emerged from the shadows. Her lips curled into a cruel smile as she took in Elara's disheveled appearance.

"Well, well," Sabrina drawled. "What do we have here? A little omega out past her bedtime?"

Elara straightened her spine, refusing to cower. "I was just leaving, Sabrina."

She tried to step around the other woman, but Sabrina blocked her path.

"Not so fast," Sabrina hissed, grabbing Elara's arm. "I saw you running from the Alpha's office. What were you doing there?"

The pain in Elara's chest flared anew. "Nothing. I was just delivering some reports."

Sabrina's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Liar. You were spying on the Alpha, weren't you? Trying to seduce him?"

"What? No!" Elara protested, struggling to free herself from Sabrina's iron grip.

But the gamma was stronger, fueled by jealousy and suspicion. With a snarl, she shoved Elara to the ground.

"You worthless omega bitch," Sabrina spat. "Did you think the Alpha would want someone like you?"

Elara tried to scramble away, but Sabrina's foot connected with her ribs. Pain exploded through her body as the gamma continued her assault.

"Stop!" Elara cried out, curling into a protective ball. "Please!"

When she thought she couldn't take anymore, a mighty roar shook the clearing.

"Enough!"

Alpha Landon Wolfe's commanding voice froze them both. Elara peered up through swollen eyes to see him striding towards them, his expression thunderous.

Sabrina immediately dropped to her knees, baring her neck in submission. "Alpha, I caught this omega spying on you. I was just teaching her a lesson."

Landon's gaze swept over the scene, lingering on Elara's battered form. For a moment, something akin to concern flashed in his eyes. But it vanished so quickly Elara wondered if she'd imagined it.

"Is this true?" he demanded, his voice cold and authoritative.

Elara struggled to her feet, wincing at the pain that radiated through her body. "No, Alpha," she said softly. "I was only delivering reports. I... I overheard something I shouldn't have."

Landon's jaw tightened. "And what exactly did you overhear?"

Elara's heart pounded. This was her chance—to tell him the truth, to claim him as her mate. But as she met his icy gaze, she knew it was hopeless. He might be her destiny, but she wasn't his.

"Nothing important, Alpha," she whispered, dropping her eyes.

A tense silence stretched between them. Finally, Landon spoke. "Sabrina, leave us. I'll deal with this."

The gamma shot Elara a vindictive glare before slinking away. Elara steeled herself, awaiting her punishment.

"Look at me," Landon commanded.

Elara raised her head, meeting the Alpha's piercing blue eyes. Up close, she could see why so many women in the pack vied for his attention. He was breathtakingly handsome, with chiseled features and an aura of raw power.

"You're lying," he said flatly. "I can hear your heartbeat. Tell me the truth, omega."

Elara swallowed hard. "I... I discovered something tonight, Alpha. Something I wish I hadn't."

Landon's eyes dawned with understanding, followed quickly by anger. "You believe we're mates," he growled.

It wasn't a question, but Elara nodded anyway. "Yes, Alpha. I felt the bond when I..."

"When you eavesdropped on a private moment," Landon finished, his voice laced with contempt.

Shame burned through Elara, but she forged ahead. "I'm sorry, Alpha. I didn't mean to. But now that we know, maybe we could..."

"No." Landon's harsh denial cut through her like a knife. "I don't care what you think you felt. I reject you as my mate."

The words hit Elara physically, driving the air from her lungs. "But... but why?" she gasped.

Landon's lip curled in disgust. "Look at yourself. You're weak, pathetic. I am the Alpha of this pack. My mate will be strong, someone worthy of standing by my side. Not some sniveling omega."

Each word was a dagger to Elara's heart. She struggled to breathe through the pain, her wolf howling in agony.

"Please," she whispered, reaching out to him. "The Goddess chose us for a reason. If you'd just give me a chance..."

Landon jerked away from her touch as if burned. "I said no!" he roared.

The force of his rejection slammed into Elara, dropping her to her knees. She clutched at her chest, feeling as if her very soul was being torn apart.

Landon loomed over her, his face a mask of cold indifference. "You will tell no one about this, do you understand? As far as anyone is concerned, this conversation never happened."

Elara could only nod, too broken to form words.

"Get out of my sight," Landon snarled. "And if I ever catch you near my office again, you'll wish Sabrina had finished what she started."

With that final threat, he turned and stalked away, leaving Elara shattered on the forest floor.

She didn't know how long she knelt there, tears streaming down her face as she mourned the loss of a future she'd barely glimpsed. The bond between them was so new and fragile, twisted in agony.

A distant howl broke through her misery. Elara's head snapped up, her wolf instantly on alert. More howls joined the first—warning calls filled with fear and rage.

The scent of smoke reached her sensitive nose, followed by the metallic tang of blood. Elara stumbled to her feet, her pain forgotten in the face of a more significant threat.

“The pack is under attack.”

She raced towards the pack house, her heart pounding with renewed fear. Despite everything, she couldn't abandon her people.

Chaos greeted her. Wolves fought viciously on the lawn, snarls and yelps filling the air. Flames licked at the side of the pack house, casting an eerie glow over the battlefield.

Elara's eyes darted frantically, searching for a way to help. She spotted a group of pups huddled near the burning building, too terrified to move.

Without hesitation, she sprinted towards them. "This way!" she shouted, gesturing towards the trees' safety. "Follow me!"

The pups looked up at her with tear-filled eyes, recognizing her gentle omega presence. They scrambled after her as she led them away from danger.

A pained howl rose above the din. Elara turned to see Landon in his magnificent wolf form locked in combat with a massive black wolf. Even as she watched, the enemy's jaws clamped down on Landon's throat.

“No!”

Elara couldn't bear to see her mate fall despite his cruel words. She charged towards the fighting alphas, her wolf taking over.

In a blur of fur and fangs, she leaped onto the back of Landon's attacker. Her teeth sank into the wolf's ear, providing just enough distraction for Landon to break free.

Their eyes met for a brief moment. Surprise and something unreadable flashed in Landon's gaze.

But before either could react, a loud explosion rocked the clearing. Elara was thrown backward, pain erupting through her body as she slammed into a tree.

Through blurring vision, she saw Landon's wolf form crumple to the ground, motionless. Her limbs felt leaden, refusing to obey her commands.

As darkness crept into the edges of her vision, Elara's last thought was of the cruel twist of fate that had given her a mate only to tear him away forever.

“I'm sorry,” she thought, unsure if she was apologizing to Landon or the Goddess.

Then the world faded to black, and Elara Morgan knew no more.