Rejection

Talia's POV

A warm sensation arises from the back of my neck and flows down my spine. My vision blurs for some time, and when it clears, everywhere becomes clearer. The voices around me fade, and all I can feel is his presence, his energy as if an invisible thread is pulling me toward him.

A series of thoughts on my mind. I'm at a point of confusion, but something suddenly stops my confusion, and then I realize I am feeling the mate bond. It's overwhelming as I am feeling a sudden connection to someone I never expected, someone I barely know outside his role as Alpha. My breath seizes, and I struggle to keep my emotions in check as the realization of my feelings becomes clearer. Alpha Bran is my mate.

I freeze. This can't be happening. Not now and definitely not with him. My thoughts are bouncing between disbelief and the undeniable bond, about how it's supposed to feel, but nothing could have prepared me for this. I feel dizzy.

Jackson's voice snaps me back to reality "Talia, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I can't answer him. I'm too caught up in the storm of feelings crashing me. How can this be real? How can I, a wolfless girl who's spent her life on the fringes of the pack, be bonded to someone like Alpha Bran? The thought is absurd, but the bond's pull is too strong to deny.

I'm supposed to be happy, right? It's every wolf's dream to find their mate. But all I feel is fear. Fear of what this means and rejection. Bran is powerful, respectful, and cold. He's everything I'm not. And if he realizes the bond exists, what will he do? The possibility of rejection is at a hundred per cent for me, but how can I push through this embarrassment? How can I face his rejection? It's a reality I'm not ready to face.

But I don't have a choice. The bond is there, whether I want it or not. And as much as I want to run or hide from this truth, I know I can't. My feet start moving before I can stop them, carrying me toward Bran at the centre of the gathering.

As I get closer, I see that the moment he notices me, his eyes gaze into mine like he had experienced the shock I felt too. But then his expression changes to the cold look I've come to associate with. And then I can tell he feels it too.

The realization hits us at the same time and everything else fades away. The crowd, the gathering, the pack - all of it ceases to exist as we stand, staring at each other.

Then, slowly, Bran straightens up, he looks away and I can see the rejection I feared becoming a reality. Before I can even process what is happening, he steps forward, and the crowd parts for him as he approaches me. I feel small, exposed, at his gaze. My heart beats loudly, drowning out everything else as I brace myself for what's coming.

"Talia," he says, clear enough for everyone to hear. "This can't be happening."

I shrink at the firmness in his tone, but I force myself to meet his gaze. "It's the bond, Bran. You can feel it too."

His eyes are reflecting his anger now. He shakes his head, taking another step closer, and I can feel the crowd's eyes on us, their curiosity is visible. As always they are ready to mock me.

"No," he says firmly, his voice carrying through the hall. "This is a mistake. A wolfless, overweight werewolf can't be my mate."

The whispers in the crowd become louder, murmurs of disbelief and judgment that swirl around me like a storm. But I won't let them see how much it hurts. I won't give him the satisfaction.

I square my shoulders, forcing a smile that feels like it's going to crack my face. "Well, Bran, I guess the Moon Goddess has a sense of humour after all," I say, my voice steady despite the pain running through me. "Too bad she didn't give you one."

The crowd falls silent, shocked by my words. Bran's eyes narrow, his expression turning icy as he stares down. But I hold my ground, refusing to let him see how much I'm breaking inside.

"Talia," he begins, but I cut him off before he can say more.

"Don't worry, Bran," I say, the sarcasm thick in my voice. "I'm sure there's some loophole you can find you get out of this. After all, we can't have someone like me ruining your perfect reputation, right?"

I am suffocating from the tension, and I can see the uncertainty in Bran's eyes. He wasn't expecting me to fight back. And for a moment, I wonder if he's reconsidering, if the bond is pulling at him the same way it's pulling at me.

But then he turns away, his back straight and his voice cold as ice. "This conversation is over, Talia. You should leave."

His rejection hit me like a physical blow, but I didn't let it show. I won't give him or the pack the satisfaction of seeing me break. Instead, I nod, keeping my head high as I turn on my heel and walk away.

The path clears as I walk, their eyes following me as I go. But I don't care. I won't let them see how much this hurts. I won't let them see the tears that threaten to spill over.

Reaching the edge of the clearing, I pause, taking one last look at Bran. He's standing there, his back to me, already talking to one of the dignitaries as if nothing has happened. The bond is pulling me, pulling me toward him, but I force it down, shoving it deep inside where it can't hurt me anymore.

This isn't over, I think, turning away.